Nine years ago today I hit publish on my very first blog post. Things have come a long way since then–both on this site and in the world of blogging. From being a diy and craft blog to realizing my passion was in general lifestyle. From starting out on a free Blogger site to rebranding and converting to WordPress. There are so many things that I’ve learned during my blogging journey and there’s definitely some blogging advice I wish I’d known nine years ago. All photography in this post was provided by Honey Love Photography.

blogging advice I wish I’d known nine years ago

Dear Self,

Buckle up. Because that post you just hit publish on? It’s about to change the next nine years of your life. Not the content so much—your DIY baby leg warmer post will never be your most viewed and isn’t SEO-friendly whatsoever. But that’s okay, because it’s good to look back and see how far you’ve come as a content creator. No—the big impact this will have on your life is what it represents. The start of something.

You’re going to fall in love with blogging. What starts out as a sporadic hobby will become a weird hybrid of full-time job (for very little pay) and creative outlet. You’re going to take pride in your work and your original content. Having a deadline and a voice is going to mean something to you, especially when you can do it while being at home with your babies. The slow and steady approach you take is just fine. Don’t measure your success against anyone else’s. And when you do get burned out a little bit? Because hey—trying to blog consistently while keeping five tiny humans alive is hard. Well, take a break. A weekend without Instagram is fine. A week without a blog post won’t be the end of the world.

Can I give you one last friendly piece of blogging advice though? Just remember why you started in the first place. It certainly wasn’t to make money—you didn’t even know that was a possibility nine years ago! So when you get discouraged hold on to what you’ve accomplished.

Over the past nine years you’ve worked with some amazing companies. And you won’t believe some of the opportunities that blogging creates for your family! Travel and events and products that make you want to pinch yourself to see if you’re dreaming. You’ve made friends and connections that wouldn’t exist without the world of social media. You’ve also had the chance to make a difference in the lives of others. Being involved in positive campaigns and fundraising events wouldn’t have happened to this degree had you not started blogging. So don’t get discouraged when you get a no. Try now to be disappointed when something doesn’t go your way. If you love blogging, just do it. Don’t worry if your blogging journey looks different than another’s. Just be you.