Three years ago blogging changed my life.
Today marks my 3 year anniversary of blogging. Three years ago today I wrote my first post, having no idea about blogging or about where this first step would take me. I started my blog simply to record our family memories. I wanted our daughter to have a rich a vibrant history of video and photographs from her childhood; a blog seemed like a great way to do this. I had no idea what I was doing, having only read a couple of blog posts before, but I knew I wished I had captured all of my daughters life. So I used my diary and personal Facebook status’ to backdate posts to the day I found out I was pregnant, a whole year previously.
When I started I didn’t for one second think anyone would read my blog. It was just for us and I happily typed away about three times a week documenting little moments in our lives, that I never wanted to forget.
It wasn’t long before things started to change, I started being offered work with brands and I begun learning everything I could about this new unexpected world of blogging. I was on maternity leave, being treated poorly by my employers and the thought of returning to work made me feel ill. I never thought blogging would turn into a viable career option.
To my surprise people liked what they read and they came back. Something that I still can’t get my head around if I am honest. I diversified into writing about blogging, as well as our family, and my audience grew further. I begun climbing the rankings and, possibly as a consequence, started to be offered more frequent brand work.
Most unexpectedly of all I started to make ‘real’ friends from this online world, something I didn’t think would ever happen. These friends shared a drive, passion and an interest in blogging, so any physical distance melted away. Not just ‘real’ friends, but blogging has given me the best of friends.
With my bestie Amy from Mr & Mrs T Plus Three.
Within 18 months I was earning more money than I had done in my previous job. I still couldn’t really believe that this was happening to me, but it was and I was (and still am) so very grateful.
In three years my blog has taken me from feeling like a shell of my former self. A women with a 5 month old baby, let down by friends and suffering from PND. To a woman making her own way and calling the shots in my own business. Not working for people who ultimately let me down, but working for myself and for my own family. Being able to spend time with my daughter and still do a job I love.
Blogging has given us so much. The opportunities have been totally wonderful, countless holidays, press trips abroad, wonderful events, amazing products. I have won an award, reached the Bibs Finals twice and now have the means to being more financially secure than I have ever been previously. I have spoken at a conference and have even been paid to do a commercial photoshoot. On a base level, my blog still gives me somewhere to escape to when the daily stresses leave me needing to retreat for a while.
On a press trip to Monaco/Cannes.
Three years ago blogging changed my life. Thank you blogging. Thank you so much.
Comments 13
Like I just said, I met you 2 years ago this month and I am so so glad I did. Blogging has given me so much too and you are one of my best friends, thank god for blogging eh? Happy 3rd bloggy birthday lovely lady!!! xxxxx
Huge congratulations Aby you are such an amazing blogging success story x
Happy Bloggy Birthday! Such a lovely, positive post. You are so passionate about blogging and that really comes across in all of your posts . I think for a lot of us our blogs are like our safe space and they offer us a refuge from what can be the daily stresses of life. For you to have turned it into your career and to have become such a success is testament to your hard work and drive. Congratulations lovely xxxx 🙂
Such a lovely post. I too started not knowing you could make a job out of it. So lucky to have found something you enjoy doing – then it’s hardly considered ‘work’ x
Oh my goodness I remember the very first post I read here, it was the ‘what type of mum are you’ once I’d finished that one I carried on reading and reading and reading. You were so friendly so I plucked up the courage to email you, do you remember? I said to Justin that you’d replied and you were LOVELY and so encouraging to me. From then our friendship blossomed you welcomed me into the parenting blogging community with open arms (it was a very lonely place when I was ‘beauty blogging’)
The first time we met on platform 3 of Paddington station I wanted to cry it was like meeting family and you became my closest and best friend, the friend I’d always longed for. You champion me, encourage me, are the driving force behind our collab projects, you pick me up when I need it and you are the BEST teacher. You are so generous with your time and a benchmark for everyone.
You are hugely successful and not because you’ve gone about it in a self promoting boasty way but because you’ve slogged your bloody guts out day and night to build your brand into an absolute force.
I bloody love you, congratulations xxxxxx
Happy blog birthday huni! You amaze me every day with what you achieve. You deserve everything that comes your way, you work hard at something you are so passionate about. I love your blogging story xx
What a fantastic post. I would never have found my best friend if it weren’t for blogging, so I know the feeling.
I’m so glad you started Blogging. Without doing so I wouldn’t have met one of the loveliest ladies I know and am honoured to call you my friend.
Keep going Mrs and the world is your oyster
Congratulations Aby! This post fills me with excitement, as I’m just beginning my blogging life. I can already see that blogging can easily become all-consuming and want to make sure I keep a balance, but I also see how I can once again feel like a woman going places!!
I’m sure I’ll be referring to your articles constantly as I travel down this new path. x
wow sounds like you have had quite a journey, happy anniversary. Life does become difficult to balance with young kids, pleased to hear your success story. Wish you more success
Congratulations! You are a fantastic blogger….One I really look up too. Well done! Here’s to many more years of blogging x
Congratulations Aby for three years of blogging. Here is too many more! I remember first finding your blog and I have read it ever since, I think you probably hadn’t been writing it that long then. I agree, blogging has completely and utterly changed my life. It has bought me a change of career, a career that I cannot believe I get to do sometimes, I love that being creative and taking photos and videos of my family is considered work. And it has bought me amazing friends- it’s great isn’t it! I was one of your biggest supporters all those years ago and I still am till this day. xx
You are very inspirational