Happy Birthday Chasing Joy: 5 Things I’ve Learned In 5 Years Of Blogging

Chasing Joy, It’s Your Birthday! Chasing Joy, It’s Your Birthday!

That’s right this blog has had a birthday aka a blogaversary!  On January 31st 2009, 5 years ago I hit publish on my very 1st blog post.  I really cannot believe how quickly time has passed.  I cannot believe how different I feel.  I was so unbelievable sad.  After losing my dad a few months earlier I had just broken up with the man I thought I would marry.  I was so heartbroken and depressed I had to convince myself to get out of bed each day.  Today I have sad moments of course but other than feeling sleepy from getting up early for work I awake feeling good about facing the day.  I started writing about happiness and joy in hope that I’d start to feel that way again.  It worked!

Over these last 5 years I have had some great experiences like hosting the Chasing Joy Brunch & Learn, supporting charities through the Joy of Giving, and attending Blog Conferences.  But that is not what I am writing about today.  Today, for this Birthday/Blogaversary post I want to talk about 5 things that I have learned writing Chasing Joy these last 5 years.

1. I can stick with something.  I do not really think of myself as a quitter, however when I look back over my life there are many unfinished projects and goals not accomplished.  I have joked with friends who like to knit or crochet that I have never completed a project.  Before starting this blog I’d attempted to write about 4 different books. Sticking with this blog for 5 years gives me confidence that I can stick with things.  When something is both my priority and fulfills my purpose I won’t walk away.  This can be an aspect of my character that I can be proud of.  Now there have definitely been moments when I did not feel like staying up late writing a post or when I was not updating the blog as often as i should.  I remember in the early days of the blog, after a few weeks with no new post getting a text from my cousin that said what’s up with your blog.  That text plus learning about the importance of posting on schedule at Blogalicious got me back on track.  I don’t think there has been a week since when there was not new content on Chasing Joy every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
2. Others can benefit from my challenges/ short comings.  Over the last few years I have written a few blog posts that revealed my vulnerable side.  These are the blog posts that I second guest before hitting publish.  Is this to much information? What will the people who know me in real life think? These posts where I admit (news flash) that I am not perfect without a doubt end up being the blog posts that hit home with someone who was feeling the same way or going through a similar experience.  Several times over the years I have received a comment, email, or even had someone tell me in person how much my post spoke to them or how it helped them feel better about their situations.  This feedback has kept me going. My blog is not huge, and the funny thing is it is just when I feel like I’m talking to myself that I get this type of feedback.  
3. One person can make a difference.  I am a pretty generous person.  I like to give gifts.  I donate to charity through work. One thing that I have noticed when it comes to being generous or charitable is that most people are both of those things when you make it easy.  Through Chasing Joy I have had a platform that has made it pretty easy for people to give.  With some effort from me I have hosted, and participated in several charity events. Chasing joy events provided clothes to women transition from welfare to work and household items to people battling cancer.   One blogger facilitated the charity of many who’s generosity touched many more.  One person can make a difference.  
4. When you follow your own path others may feel threatened by your independence.  Now since this blog is Chasing Joy I try to not go to negative with my posts.  However, I have joked with friends that I guess I’m a real blogger now since I have experienced cliques and haters.  I’ve never been a follower.  Internally I struggle with authority and am instantly turned off by being told I must do or have to do anything.  Well there are lots of very successful bloggers and groups in the blogaspher and any smart blogger will learn from them, benchmark and adapt certain strategies that are applicable.  Any smart blogger will also determine what will not work for them and their blog.  Well in the process of learning, adopting some strategies, and doing other things my way I got some really negative feedback on how I should be doing things a certain way, specifically their way.  I was even told  that my blog would fail. Well, here we are celebrating 5 years of Chasing Joy. I am not saying that my way is always the right way.  But I do know that following my own path leaves me fulfilled and their is no failure in that. 
5. People love free stuff.  Now of course I knew this prior to blogging.  But blogging has definitely reinforced this fact.  I have one giveaways form other bloggers before and it is exciting.  For that reason and in honor of Chasing Joy’s 5th birthday I have some free stuff for you.  OK, not all of you.  Two of you will win a $15 Starbucks’ gift card.  But all of you can enter the giveaway.  Start out by leaving a Chasing Joy Birthday shout out in the comments below.  Then fill out the rest of the entries using the Rafflecopter form below.  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Google+

StumbleUpon

Linkedin

email