Don't Take Blogging Too Seriously

I started properly blogging in October 2010, but I did write a few posts before then, but October was when I really gave blogging a proper go. In my introduction post, I wrote " Some people love shoes, handbags or jewellery. I love make up. It makes me excited when I buy it. My boyfriend Henry calls me sad." Fast forward four years later and it's still the same story. I get giddy when I buy make up, and yes Henry will never understand my obsession. My first post when I started to blog properly was about when I met Cheryl. I swear all my earlier posts are either about one of two things; Cheryl or nail polish.
When I was writing these posts and taking dodgy photos of my nail polish collection on a tea towel with my blackberry (cringe) I never imagined a few years down the line that I'd still be blogging. Honestly I thought I'd get bored with it. But hey here I still am, and blogging is a big part of my life now. I still love blogging, and my blog is like my second baby *after Frankie of course* it's something that at first I used to hide, but now I'm insanely proud of. My blogs helped me get jobs, I know I wouldn't of got my previous job now if it wasn't for my blog. I've had so many amazing experiences from blogging, I've been to events where I've met famous people, I've done photo shoots, and it makes me think 'how did this happen?'
It seems that one minute ago I was in our studio flat homesick, writing blog posts to make me feel better and now it's my job. Blogging is something that I still love, well I have to still love it, cause we all know how hard work it is blogging. Taking pictures, editing, writing posts, etc. It all takes time and then if you add that on top of a full time job and having a life. If you didn't love it, you wouldn't do it.
Something I've gained from blogging is that you learn who's opinion matters the most. It's the people who know you, your parents, your other half, your friends. They matter. It's hard with being on the internet as people will only see a teeny tiny bit of your life, I'm pretty sure bloggers aren't always glamorous. Most days my make up looks cakey, I spend my evenings at home in joggers and my hair in a top knot. I sometimes sit and eat nutella out of the jar when I'm in a foul mood, cause I'm a human. It's hard to forget that people on the internet are human. Just cause you have x amount of followers, doesn't turn you into a perfect robot. We all still make mistakes, and most importantly we all still have feelings.
Blogging has bad sides, of course it does. But what makes the hard work, and sometimes shitty comments worth it, is the lovely people you meet. I've met a few girls who I talk to everyday. I call them my friends, and I'm so glad I started blogging to meet these girls. When someone leaves a lovely comment on my blog or videos, it makes me smile for the rest of the day. Yes I'm rubbish at replying and I'm sorry about that, but I read every single comment and they make my year. I've been incredibly lucky with my blog, it's not a big blog, and I don't ever think about numbers, in fact I still don't really believe anyone reads it, I always tend to just blog for myself and do an outpouring of words. That's the way I want to stay. You shouldn't care about how many followers you have, you shouldn't care if you get free stuff or get invited to events. It's all about loving your little space on the internet and blogging for you.
The blogging world has changed since I started, and of course it was going to. There's so many blogs now, but I hate this whole 'lets blog to get free stuff' it just doesn't work like that. When I started blogging I didn't know what a press sample was and I didn't even know events existed. I see that the blogging world is changing again right now, and I feel were all moving into the YouTube era. When I worked in social media, it's incredible to see how blogs have changed the way we communicate. Brands now approach bloggers instead of traditional press and that is quite sensational.
I kind of feel like I've lost my way with this post now, but what I'm trying to say is, don't forget why you started blogging. Its easy to sometimes look at people and think 'why have they got 637848 more followers than me?' Of course we all think that from time to time, or if you get a little jealous that someone got invited to a super cool event and you didn't. We're human, we all get a little green eyed now and then. But take a step back and look what your blog is, and not what it's not. Look at your amazing posts, and pictures. Having the commitment to write posts whilst juggling jobs and lives is amazing. Bloggers don't get enough credit in my eyes. This blogging lark, it ain't easy.
Be proud of your blog, and don't give a hoot what anyone else thinks or does. Write for you, write posts you'd like to read, take pictures you'd like to see. Be the person you'd like to meet on social media. Don't get down by stupid things and try to not compare yourself to other bloggers. I promise you that the perfect life you envy, probably isn't that perfect, cause no ones is.
If you've had stuff said about you online, and suffered hate, it's pretty shit. Yes it hurts, and yes its impossible to just 'ignore it.' But take a break, have a breather, and go back to your first ever blog post. Think 'why did I start blogging' and remember that passion. I've always said that the day blogging becomes a chore or I don't enjoy it anymore, I'm stopping.
I know I am waffling on now, but I just wanted to write a post about how blogging should be positive not negative. I mean earlier this year, we even saw Beyonce, Jay Z and Solange see their perfect family image slip up for a second. That shows us all, no one is perfect, we all have feelings, and life's too short to take everything so seriously. Be proud of your blog and if blogging ever gets too much, have a breather, I promise the world won't stop turning if you miss a couple of weeks of posts.
Although my job is now my blog, and that's crazy, I sometimes have to stop and think about why I'm really blogging and what really spurs me on. Don't get caught up with what everyone else is doing, keep blogging for you, be proud of your space on the internet and I have promised to make sure I always try to stay passionate, because four years later, inside I am still the same girl from 2010 who loved Cheryl and nail polish.