For several years, I was a photographer. Though those days are all but behind me, I still like to dabble in creative content.
While studying for my degree, I interned at Style Magazine. This was where I started learning about photography. In fact, many of my images were used in the magazine. After that first photo assignment for Style I was hooked. I started doing lots of journalistic photography as well as weddings, parties, charity events, portraits and more.
These days, I really only take pictures on my smart phone…I’ll update this page soon with my recommended photographers if you landed here looking for photography services.
Working out is one of those necessary evils in life and I’d like to share with you a few simple reasons you should make it something you strive to add to your life.
Working out improves your sex life. If nothing else revs you up about working out, hopefully this will. It’s actually been scientifically proven that regular exercise can increase sexual drive, activity, and satisfaction. Physical endurance and muscle toning improve sexual prowess, and exercise jump-starts the sympathetic nervous system, which increases blood flow to the genital area.
Even low levels of exercise help keep you functioning properly. In fact, men can significantly lower their risk of erectile dysfunction by burning only 200 calories a day.
Lose weight and feel great! It’s no secret that excess weight wreaks havoc on the body. From minor aches and pains to heart disease and high cholesterol- working out will help you lose weight and potentially decrease and possibly remove many health woes. Working out also boosts immunity making you less likely to get sick. In fact, it is estimated that physically active people can save up to $1,000 a year in regular healthcare costs.
Gain confidence. Working out improves your confidence levels. As you get started on a workout routine your body will lose fat and get toned. Just knowing that you are working towards a new and improved body makes you feel better about yourself mentally and emotionally. Working out will inevitably give your self-image and self-confidence a boost, which is often one of the best motivators to stick to a workout program.
Improve brain function. Exercise causes a drop in stress hormones and acts as an antidepressant. If you have ever experienced a “runners-high” then you know exactly what I am referring to. In general, anything that is good for your heart is great for your brain and exercise is definitely good for your heart.
Getting famous online requires a lot more planning than using the “post and pray” method. However, searching online will bring you countless methods for how to gain more followers, increase your visibility, and manage your presence successfully.
Below you’ll find 4 of the most important tips for increasing your chances of making it big.
While we can’t guarantee that you will get famous online with these steps, they will certainly help!
1. Decide on your “niche”.
Your “niche” is basically your little corner of the internet. The first step to creating a successful online profile is to really decide what your passion is. What do you have expertise with? What information or knowledge do you possess that other people NEED? Now – go find community there!
When you think of your niche, think SMALL. It probably feels counterintuitive to narrow down the people you are trying to reach, but my specializing you are competing against a smaller number of posts for visibility. This method also benefits you because the people that you ARE reaching actually need what you are providing.
Pro Tip: Don’t just pick “busy people”. Narrow down to “athletic busy people” or “tea loving busy people”.
2. Post valuable content.
You have to bring value to your niche. People want to gain something from following you! This could be products they need, tips and tricks, or even solidarity. Either way, they have to connect with you and feel that you are solving a problem they have.
Finding community is incredibly important for this. For example: If you are focusing on the DIY niche – Post an Instagram Reel showing your niche how to stain an end table in under an hour. Bring the funny and relatable content!
Pro Tip: Look at your video and ask yourself, “Would I share or save this?”
3. Select 1-2 platforms to really dig into.
You need to learn about the algorithms (technical “formula” created for deciding which posts show up to many people and which don’t) involved on your favorite platforms. For example: Facebook likes to show posts that involve pictures of a face and that involve conversations. The more back and forth conversation, the more people that post is going to be shown to.
Once you have found your niche and decided on platforms – get involved in groups (on Facebook) or hashtags (Instagram) and interact with them! Build relationships with them! Providing value and answering questions will build credibility for you within the community.
Pro Tip: Utilize the search feature on groups or instagram to search for people’s questions in your niche. What questions do you have answer for? What problems do people have that you can solve?
4. Consistency, consistency, consistency.
This is probably the most important way to bring maximum visibility and engagement to your own posts. It is incredibly important to put content out on a frequent, predictable basis. People will come back to your account for your daily content! The more you post, the more people will be able to interact, and the more visibility you will have.
Have confidence! Yes, the internet can feel big and scary. But just take these steps one at a time and go for it. Find your people, dig in, and bring that value consistently. May your page views be high, and your bounce rate be low!
The award-winning party card game that started it all. Find out why Apples to Apples is still one of the best games for mixed groups of all ages.
Players: 4-10 | Time: 30-75 minutes | Age: 12+ | My Rating: 4 out of 5 cupcakes
What Is Apples to Apples?
If you’ve played Cards Against Humanity, you basically owe Apples to Apples a thank-you note. This is the original matching card game, and it keeps things totally family-friendly.
It was actually named Party Game of the Year back in 1999 by Games magazine, and it won the Mensa Select award that same year. That’s a pretty solid reputation.
The game supports 4-10 players and plays anywhere from 30 to 75 minutes depending on how much everyone has to say about their cards.
How Does It Work?
The game has two decks. Red apple cards feature people, places, things, and events. Green apple cards feature descriptive words like ‘disgusting,’ ‘ancient,’ or ‘charming.’ One player is the judge each round. They flip a green apple card and read the word out loud. Everyone else picks the red apple card from their hand that they think best fits the description, then plays it face down on the table.
The judge flips all the red cards, reads them out, and picks their favorite. That player wins the green card and keeps it as a point. The role of judge rotates, and whoever collects enough green cards first wins.
The Secret Skill: Knowing Your Judge
Here’s where the game gets sneaky. It’s not really about finding the best match. It’s about knowing the person who’s judging. If the judge loves puns, play for the laugh. If they’re super literal, go with the obvious choice. The same card can win or lose depending entirely on who’s holding the green card that round.
That’s what makes Apples to Apples so fun at family gatherings and big mixed groups. The lobbying is allowed and encouraged. You can absolutely make a case for your card.
Family-Friendly Fun
This is the game I’d pull out at Thanksgiving or Christmas with relatives of all ages. It’s clean, it’s quick to explain, and it scales really well. Ten people can play without the game dragging.
There’s also a junior edition for younger players, which is a great touch if you’ve got kids at the table.
My One Small Note
The game can feel repetitive if you play it a lot. Once you’ve gone through the card deck a few times, the novelty of certain red cards wears off. Picking up an expansion pack helps with that.
Do I Recommend It?
Yes, with enthusiasm. Apples to Apples is a staple for a reason. It’s accessible, funny, and perfect for groups of people who don’t all know each other yet. If you’ve got a mixed crowd and want something everyone can play, this one belongs on the table.
My Rating: 4 out of 5 Cupcakes
A classic party game that holds up. Loses one cupcake only because repeated plays can feel a little familiar, but that’s what expansions are for.
Roll dice, pick a monster, and try to be the last creature standing. King of Tokyo is fast, fun, and perfect for any game night crowd.
Players: 2-6 | Time: ~30 minutes | Age: 8+ | My Rating: 5 out of 5 cupcakes
What Is King of Tokyo?
King of Tokyo is a dice rolling strategy game where every player picks a giant monster and fights for control of one city. That’s it. You’re a massive creature with one goal: be the last one standing.
The game supports 2-6 players and most rounds wrap up in about 30 minutes. That’s one of the things I love most about it. You can squeeze in a full game while you’re waiting for the pizza to arrive or before everyone else shows up to game night.
How Do You Actually Play?
Every player starts with 10 life points and zero victory points. On your turn, you roll six dice up to three times, keeping whichever results you like and rerolling the rest. It’s a lot like Yahtzee in that way, but way more chaotic.
The dice faces let you deal damage to other monsters, heal your own life points, earn energy to buy power cards, or score victory points. The twist? Only one monster can be in Tokyo at a time. The monster in Tokyo earns bonus points each turn but can’t heal with dice. And every other player is gunning for them.
You win by either reaching 20 victory points first or being the last monster alive. Both paths are totally valid strategies, which keeps things interesting.
The Cards Make It Even Better
After rolling, you can spend your energy cubes to buy power cards. These cards do all kinds of fun things. Some give you extra dice. Some let you heal while you’re inside Tokyo.
Some just let you deal a ton of damage. There are always three cards face up to choose from, and you can spend two energy to sweep the whole set if none of them work for you.
The power cards are what really set this game apart from a pure dice game. They give you something to build toward and keep the gameplay fresh from round to round.
Why I Love King of Tokyo
I get a kick out of this game every single time we play. The gameplay is quick to understand, and I love that you can explain the rules to someone who has never played before and have them fully up to speed in just a few minutes. No one gets left behind at the table.
It always makes for good laughs. Whether you’re taunting the player in Tokyo or making a desperate last-ditch attack when you’re down to two life points, something funny or dramatic always happens. It’s one of those games that creates stories.
Who Is This Game For?
Honestly? Almost everyone. Families, friend groups, game night regulars, and total beginners all do well with King of Tokyo. The art is fun and cartoony, the theme is silly in the best way, and the pace never drags.
If you’re looking for something you can pull out as a filler while folks are still arriving, or just want a game that doesn’t require a two-hour rules tutorial, this one is for you.
Do I Recommend It?
Without question. King of Tokyo is one of the best quick games out there. It hits the table regularly at our game nights, and it always delivers. This is a game I’d happily play again and again.
My Rating: 5 out of 5 Cupcakes
Quick, fun, easy to learn, and endlessly entertaining. King of Tokyo earns every last one of those cupcakes.
Is it time for you to go pro as a blogger my bloggy friend? Perhaps! In this episode, I’m sharing my key indicators to look out for that will tell you when it’s time to take the leap from hobby blogging to professional blogging.
One of the questions I’m frequently asked is when it’s time to take the leap from hobby blogging to professional blogging. Although this answer is different for everyone, I thought I’d share my key indicators that it’s time to jump off the hobby blogger train and into the glorious world of professional blogging.
You have more than a love for writing.
When you go from enjoying the act of writing to living it, breathing it, not being able to imagine a day without it, you’ve found that sexy, passionate kind of love that tells you this is something real. Perhaps you and writing started dating casually; suddenly, everything in your life is giving you reasons to write more. So you bump it up to seeing each other on the regular. Before you know it, you can’t stop. You don’t want to do anything else but write. You’ve totally found the one and you can’t go back.
You catch yourself making a plan.
You used to post on your blog when the urge struck, but for some reason you sat down and created an editorial calendar in Excel. You started thinking about what topics would get your readers attention, and you even pondered what the best headlines were for clickability.
You’re making enough money from your blog to quit your day job.
Seriously? If you’re already making enough to pay the bills, why are you still working that pesky 9-to-5? It’s quite possible that you could just do this full time — and perhaps make even more money!
You have to claim blogging income on your taxes.
When you start making serious money and accountants have to get involved, you’re a pro, dude! Just make sure you don’t blow this chance to work for yourself doing what you love — be smart about bookkeeping.
OK, this might not mean it’s time to go pro, but a viral post could be the perfect catalyst to shift into being a pro blogger. You know that saying, strike while the iron is hot? Well, do that!
You ooze expertise.
What happens when you become an expert on something and start posting a bunch about what you know? You’ve found your niche, my bloggy friend. Good for you! If people are picking up all that knowledge you’re laying down, then I think you might be flirting with professional blogger status.
Ideas flutter from your brain like migrating monarchs.
Even though it might not seem like it, the fact that your mind just keeps churning out blog ideas is HUGE! Some of the best professional bloggers can go into any situation and come out with one if not five different blog post ideas.
Self-starting is no problem.
As a professional blogger you have no real boss telling you what to do. Your only boss is you. You have to have the self-discipline to create a schedule and then stick to it — or your readers will tire of your inconsistency and head over to some other blog.
You’re good at interacting with your readers and other bloggers.
The more you engage with your community, the more traffic you’ll drive to your blog. Period.
Words like branding, marketing and reach are in your vocabulary.
When you start treating your blog like a business, you’ve definitely gone pro. Before you know it you’ll be creating spreadsheets of income and expenses, buildings lists of potential sponsors and reviews you want to pitch, thinking of guest post ideas for other blogs, and even having meetings with people to develop your blog into a household name.
Obviously, this is by no means a complete list of indicators that it’s time to take the leap from hobby to professional blogging — but these items scream pro to me.
I once saw bloggers as one of two people: They were either geeks hiding behind a computer writing desperate prose and sending them out to the abyss in search of other life forms or they were stay-at-home moms and ex-journalists begging for sponsorships and free products to review while slaving away at their computers hoping to get fame larger than a Kardashian’s rear end. Regardless of why they were blogging, I saw all bloggers as self-promoters; free spirits; Jacks-of-all-subjects, masters of none.
Since becoming a professional blogger myself, I know that anyone can be a blogger, many are seeking some kind of income from this trade and the lucky ones do make money from it…
I’ve spent an entire week at a computer only to find that I made a paltry $50 and that more than half of that was blown on large iced coffees to keep me awake long enough to keep writing. I’ve sent copies of my posts to “traditional” media outlets hoping they would find my writing amusing enough to give me a decent paycheck and although some did the gigs didn’t last long. I have even accepted assignments about “personal care” products and naughty conventions that made my mother’s Baptist skin crawl so that I could pay a bill. I’ve tweeted, I’ve facebooked, I’ve pinned, I’ve begged for shares and likes and even bribed a few folks to repost some of my posts – I’m not proud of that last one, but one thing has remained:
I wouldn’t trade any of this! Why? Because I love it! Blogging allows me to be myself with all of my quirks, and passion for writing and my ADD and… Squirrel! Hmm, I wonder what will be on the next episode of Blacklist. I think I could really use some more sequins on this shirt I’m wearing but I’m also kind of craving pizza right now. Oh wait! Blogging! Let’s get back to discussing that…
The truth is I am one of those pesky ex-journalists I spoke of earlier. After two magazine internships I was suddenly a newlywed, unemployed graduate with a journalism degree unsure of where my path would take me. Unwilling to accept that my career as a writer was over before it officially began and definitely not willing to move in with my new husband to my parent’s house I stumbled into a part time blogging job and suddenly I was the pot calling the kettle black. The profession that was once a punch line in jokes was now my profession!
Now, I was making some money that was nothing to sneeze at, but still not earning enough to completely abandon my 9 to 5 job office temp job I had taken to make ends meet. I don’t know about you guys but it really frustrates me having to wear pants every day and I prefer blogging from home in my pajamas.
Luckily, at the beginning of 2014 I found the book “The Art of Freelance Blogging” and had an epiphany. Since I couldn’t earn enough money with my own blogs I figured why not start blogging for others? Before I knew it my first client landed in my lap. It was a travel agent that had a blog but didn’t have time to write it and I had the time and the need for income.
Some of my other blogging clients I’ve landed have included real estate agents, shrinks- er I mean psychologists, a golf company and a diamonds company. I’ve covered topics such as how to prepare for the best sex on your honeymoon, how to stage your home to sell it for more money, even what should be in your golf bag.
Between you and me – I know NOTHING about most of these subjects. It’ll be our little secret right? I research the topic and then write a post and voila- money in the bank! It’s like high school- memorize, regurgitate, forget! Only instead of trying to get an A on the final, I’m trying to pay my rent.
In my spare time I still work on my personal blogs but the important thing is I’m making money doing something I love. In fact by the time you read this I will have left my 9 to 5 office job to focus on writing full time!
Do you want to be a professional blogger too? If so, I’d like to invite you to join me on my journey. You’ll see the highs, the lows, the good and bad, the freebies and the fun of this exciting adventure. Maybe together we can both figure out ways to get rich using our gifts of writing these web log thingies that no one ever thought would last. So, let’s throw some words on a screen and send them out into the abyss in search of life forms, or at least making a living.
One thing not enough people talk about is the mental health of bloggers. In this episode, I’m discussing it along with what I do to cope.
The Mental Health of Bloggers
Today, I want to talk about the mental health of bloggers, and the importance of staying mentally and emotionally healthy. I want to cover a few things related to this topic because it’s so very important to me.
Interestingly enough, my own mental health is why there was a gap in my podcasting release schedule. Even though I’m new to the game, I had planned to release a new episode every week for 10 full weeks, at least in this first season of my show.
But, last week, I just could not bring myself to record.
Due to some personal issues, I simply made the tough decision to not even try and record. I now understand why so many podcasters tell people that if they’re going to start their own podcast they need to record several episodes ahead of time.
This way if they wake up one day and don’t feel like recording or they can’t record for some reason, they still have something to release on their scheduled day. Even though I did a lot of research and I had read that little nugget of wisdom from many experts that I admire, I was naive in believing that I could commit and just record once a week anyway.
How hard can it be to record and release a single episode I thought?
Well, when you’re dealing with anxiety and situations beyond your control, and there’s a pandemic going on, yeah….it can be really hard to record and release weekly.
Needless to say, I will be doing things differently by the time season two rolls around. But I digress. Let’s get back to the subject at hand, shall we?
The month of May has been designated Mental Health Awareness Month. According to Wikipedia, “Mental Health Awareness Month began in the United States in 1949 by the Mental Health America organization (then known as the National Association for Mental Health)…Its purpose is to raise awareness and educate the public about: mental illnesses, such as the 18.1% of Americans who suffer from depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder; the realities of living with these conditions; and strategies for attaining mental health and wellness. It also aims to draw attention to suicide, which can be precipitated by some mental illnesses. Additionally, Mental Health Awareness Month strives to reduce the stigma (negative attitudes and misconceptions) that surrounds mental illnesses. ”
My father committed suicide in December 2016 – just two days after Christmas. I don’t tell you this because I want pity, I tell you this so you can understand taking care of our mental health is so important to me.
My dad struggled with mental health problems all of his life, and many of the issues that plagued him, I see in myself. Witnessing his struggles lead me to leaving home as early as I could, and committing to trying to be as positive as possible for the rest of my life, despite everything he displayed.
In the days after his passing, I doubled down on that commitment to try and be more positive, and always look for the light in life. I know how easy it can be to sink into darkness, and fall down the rabbit hole of negativity…
And, I gotta tell you… being a stay at home blogger – it can be damn lonely. In fact, that loneliness, and solitude from the outside world can trigger many of my mental health woes.
Several of my bloggy friends have told me they struggle with mental health issues too. Interestingly enough, I’ve heard it said that creative people fight the most with inner demons. Depression, anxiety, feelings of low self-worth, lack of confidence – the list goes on.
Maybe you can relate.
So what can we do about it? While I’m certainly not a mental health professional and I would never claim to be, I can tell you things I’m doing to try and improve my own mental state.
What I Do When I’m Lonely
I go out and find friends. Okay, so it’s not as easy as going to the store to buy eggs, but when you put in some effort, you can find likeminded people to chat with.
The first place I look is Facebook.
There are literally thousands of Facebook groups for virtually any hobby or interest you can think of.
I love to craft so I joined a bunch of crafting groups.
I love blogging, so I’m in several blogging groups.
I love cooking so, okay…you get the idea.
What I have found in these groups, is that there are several people in them who just want someone to talk to as well.
Another place I look for bloggy friends is networking events and conferences.
I’ll be the first admit, this was easier before coronavirus. But I like to think we’ll get back to having live events soon.
I have met some of my favorite people in the whole world at live events.
The trick with these is to have some questions prepared ahead of time so you can engage with people.
And, don’t try to show off. I’ve learned the hard way that asking more about them than talking about yourself is the best way to go about meeting new people.
Finally, I look in my own backyard.
During the stay at home orders, I found solace in our neighborhood’s dog park.
I found a few women with adorable little dogs and I started looking forward to bring my mutts down to play with them every day.
It gets me away from home, and into nature. And, the conversations that ensue are enjoyable.
In a pinch, if I’m feeling really lonely, and can’t go out, I’ll call family members or friends on the phone just to chat about everything and nothing.
This image was on the top of the Google search results page for “Mental Health Awareness Month” and they had a statement that said Public Service Announcement.
I have really bad anxiety sometimes. To the point where if left unchecked, I’ll have a full-blown panic attack and be pretty much useless for several hours if not the entire day.
Lately, I’ve been obsessed with two things to help me through it.
The first is guided meditations. I love them. My favorite app for finding amazing guided meditations isInsight Timer, but I’ve also found some pretty good ones on YouTube.
The reason I used guided meditations in lieu of just trying to meditate on my own is that I have trouble with my mind wandering, and the guided meditations make it easier for me to focus on relaxing and let the world go.
When I can’t access a guided meditation for whatever reason, I’ll sit silently and just repeat the word release over and over again to myself. It may sound silly, but it was a trick I picked up I think from Brendon Burchard years ago, and in a pinch, it’s really helpful to me.
The other thing I do frequently is what I call my word vomit sessions. I open a Google Document in Chrome and I will turn on the voice typing feature and I literally just start talking about everything going on in my head.
I don’t set a timer, though some of my bloggy friends have recommended that. But, I just sit there and talk out everything I’m thinking at the moment. I don’t censor myself, and I don’t try to have any rhyme or reason. I literally just word vomit all over the document.
Within a few sentences, I already start feeling better in most cases. Other times, I’ll have to sit there for a while and just keep word vomiting until everything is released from my brain. Occasionally, I’ll re-read what I’ve written because good ideas for my business or blog posts I have to write will end up on the page. However, more often than not I will instead release it all, and then not read it again.
I keep this word vomit document on my computer and I’ve dated each entry. Who knows? Maybe one day I’ll go back and read it all and it will make for good material for my memoirs. Then again, it might sound like the ramblings of a person who doesn’t have all their crayons in the box. I’m not sure.
Other Things I Do When I’m Feeling Anxious
Meditation and word vomiting are my favorite things to do when I’m feeling anxious, but other things I do to calm myself down include, but aren’t limited to:
— Going on long walks – I call it pounding pavement. When I’m incredibly anxious and can’t stop fidgeting, sometimes I’ll throw my sneakers on and walk until it hurts. I sometimes won’t even bring my dogs. I’ll just walk and try to focus only on the scenery around me and let go of everything else. I make a point to look at everything I see and really think about it so that whatever is making me anxious is not the focus.
— Taking a long shower – I’m talking the kind where you just stand in the water and don’t even actually soap up. Have you ever done that? There is something about the hot water just flowing that soothes me. I would take more baths, but our bathtub is small and because of that, it doesn’t give me the feel I want from a bath.
— Cooking – I love to cook. But I hate doing it unless the kitchen is spotless, and my husband agrees to clean up after. When I’m feeling anxious I’ve been known to make incredibly elaborate meals just to have something to keep my mind busy, and off of whatever is making me anxious.
— Do a craft – I love working with my hands and creating something from nothing. Lately, I’ve been pretty obsessed with some Dollar Tree craft groups I found on Facebook. The members come up with some of the most creative crafts I’ve ever seen and they mainly use products from the dollar store to make them.
— Take naps – I know – this one isn’t possible for everyone, but when I’m so anxious that nothing else helps, I go take a nap. I’ve recently found a great trick for falling asleep quickly. Here’s the video that explains the trick:
What I Do When I’m Feeling Sad
One of the first things I do when I’m feeling sad is pray. Whatever you believe in doesn’t matter, but for me, praying helps me a lot. I often will begin by saying something like, “Spirits show me another way.” Or “Spirits help me transform this sadness into love.”
Often times when I’m feeling sad there is a feeling of being unloved under the surface. When this happens, I just pray to feel the love that I know deep down is in my life. I remind myself of my husband who loves me, my family and friends, my dogs, and so on and so on.
Other times, I just have to love myself and tell myself it’s safe for me to feel loved. It’s safe for me to be happy.
One thing that helps me when the sadness is just unwavering is to search for comedy videos, memes, photos, and even clips on TikTok. I keep a file on my computer called my smile file. It’s filled with silly images that make me laugh. And, when I’m in a rut, I’ve been known to open it up and go through the images and laugh until I cry.
Speaking of crying. Sometimes, when I’m feeling sad I will give myself permission to just be sad and cry it all out. I’ll go into my bedroom with a box of tissues and simply cry until I have no more tears left to give. It is often cathartic. But, while doing it, I do my best to not let my mind wander to more things to be sad about because then it becomes that much harder to come back from a downward spiral.
Many of the things I do when I’m anxious I’ll also do when I’m sad.
Another thing that helps me a lot is called Emotional Freedom Technique, or EFT. It’s also commonly referred to as tapping. I’m so not good at explaining how EFT works,but you can learn more about it here. For now, the Reader’s Digest version of tapping is that you tap on pressure points to relieve stress, anxiety, sadness, etc…
I first learned about EFT from Denise Duffield-Thomas and she is incredible about transforming one’s thoughts about money. I’m sure she’ll come up on this show again soon because her trainings around money have really helped me to not be so afraid of making a living doing what I love.
One of the best resources I’ve found for tapping videos isBrad Yates on YouTube. Brad has videos on tapping through everything from anxiety to debt to unemployment to mending a broken heart. I highly recommend checking out his YouTube channel.
What Does Mental Health Have to do With Blogging?
Now, you might be wondering, what does mental health have to do with blogging? Well, if you’re like me, when you aren’t in a good headspace, you can’t be creative. Work becomes difficult. And everything just feels like you’re trying to run through mud.
Like any job, it’s hard to be a productive blogger when your mental health is suffering. Though buzzwords like self-care only became the popular thing to discuss in what feels like just the last five years or so, it really is important to take care of ourselves.
One of my favorite sayings in the whole world is “You can’t give from an empty cup.” Though I often fight it, I’ve been trying to remember and commit to this sentiment over the last several years because it’s so true.
If we are supposed to put our oxygen masks on first in a dangerous situation, it stands to reason that we must fill up our own cups first if we hope to have anything to give to others. It’s taken me a long time to realize that minding my mental health is not selfish. It’s about making sure there is enough of me to give to myself and others. It’s about making sure I’ll be here when people need me.
Other Things I Recommend for Help with Mental Health
To wrap up this episode, I want to share a few more things I recommend to help you with your own mental health journey. Some of these are things I can honestly tell you I still struggle with, but hey, I’m a work in progress.
First, get enough sleep. As adults, we should be aiming for between seven and nine hours of sleep a night. I will tell you that this has been a serious struggle for me in recent months. I’ve actually been sleeping in a broken pattern where I’ll pass out for a few hours, work, and then pass out again. I’m working on this one y’all.
Second, be mindful of what you put in your body. I’m horrible at this one, but what we eat has been proven to have a direct effect on our minds and hearts. We need to be eating a healthy, well-balanced diet to perform at our best.
Third, and this is a huge one for me is to seek counseling. I hate that the idea of therapy is still so taboo. I am proud to share that I’ve consulted with and sought help from multiple counselors or therapists. We don’t make a big deal out of going to get a physical with our primary care physicians, and we shouldn’t make a big deal out of seeing a therapist or counselor either.
I can honestly tell you, without a doubt, I would be in a much darker place today had it not been for some of the amazing mental health professionals I’ve spoken with over the years. And, there are resources for you if you can’t afford one.
When my dad passed of suicide, I couldn’t work for several months which meant that my income didn’t exist during that time. Here where I live, a nonprofit provided me with free counseling to get me back on my feet. They even helped me handle the financial blows that I dealt with as a result of being out of work.
If you take nothing else from this episode, please take care of your mental health and seek help and guidance when you need it. And don’t be ashamed if you need more help than others. I’d rather everyone go to a therapist and get help with their mental health problems than read another family member, friend, or acquaintance has taken their own life because they couldn’t cope.
It may sound cliche, but the world really does need you. You are loved. I love you. And, I want to see you succeed and thrive.
Conclusion
I hope this episode was helpful. It was meant to be inspiring and break away from the stigma that so many people feel about discussing mental health. I’ll be the first to tell you that I know I struggle with mental health issues and I’ll never shy away from seeking help for those issues.
We all deserve to be here, and we all have a mission and a purpose. But to fulfill that, we have to take care of ourselves first. Alright, that’s all I have for now my bloggy friends.
Until next time, may your page views be high, and your bounce rate be low.
Thank you so much for listening, and I’ll catch you guys next time.
Most bloggers never make money from their blogs. That’s why in this episode, I’m covering 10 ways to make money as a blogger indirectly.
10 Ways to Make Money As A Blogger
What’s up you guys?!? Famous Ashley Grant here, and today I want to talk about how to make money as a blogger. One of the common misconceptions about blogging is that you can just start one day and then make a boatload of cash. Now, believe it or not, this actually is possible. But it’s the exception and certainly not the rule! There are some new bloggers who hit the virality jackpot with their very first post and start making money right off the bat. Again though, these folks are MAJOR OUTLIERS… for the rest of us….
We have to get a little creative if we plan to make money as a blogger. And the truth is we may never make money from our blog itself. In fact, according to Blogging.org, 81% of blogs never make more than $100 directly from their blog over the blog’s lifetime. That’s why many bloggers who are making a full-time living actually are doing it indirectly.
What You Need to Know to Make Money as a Blogger
Before we completely dive in, there are a couple of things you need to know about trying to make money as a blogger. First and most importantly, is that it’s going to take work. If you plan on using your blog as a get-rich-quick scheme, then this episode definitely isn’t for you, and I recommend that you go ahead and skip it.
To Make Money as a Blogger Directly
You can add affiliate links and Google Adsense to start monetizing right away – even doing this though, you won’t make a bunch of money right out of the gate
You’ll need to figure out your niche – the bloggers that make the most money have a niche – in fact, a lack of a solid one is what has prevented me from hitting it BIG
You’ll need to add LOTS of QUALITY posts
You then need to start getting eyeballs on those posts and even that might not be enough
It might get frustrating at times because if you are like most of the bloggers I know, you’ll have days/months, maybe even years, where you’re not making as much money as you would like.
You might not make “real” money for months or even years – maybe not EVER 🙁
It has taken some bloggers years to make more than a few hundred dollars from their blogs
Pro Jon Morrow of Smart Blogger worked 80-100 hrs a week for the first several years, and even now usually puts in at least 60 hours – but he makes $100,000 a month now on his blog! I recommend you read his guide on how to make money as a blogger – HOW TO MAKE MONEY BLOGGING (FREE GUIDE FOR 2020)
If you’re smart you’ve started growing an email list — and that list means you have potential income opportunity. I’ve told you guys before, that I’m really bad about this. I don’t have an email list, even though I know I should.
Think about what product or service you could sell to your email subscribers. Whether it’s your own product or someone else’s for which you get a cut of every sale, you’ve got a chance to get paid.
Recommended reading if you want to use this method to make money as a blogger:
And again, this is not get-rich-quick. Sure, with YouTube you could go viral, and suddenly be able to make an influx of cash. But, like with blogging, this is the exception and not the rule.
If you have a strong speaking voice and think you could reach a broader audience, podcasting might be a good fit for you. While some people believe that it’s just as hard to build a podcast following as it is to build a blog following, others believe podcasting is more appealing in our fast-paced society because no one takes the time to read anymore.
As for YouTube, people love watching videos, so why not leverage that platform to make a little cash? Of course, you will need 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watched hours before you can monetize with Google Adsense, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start making money right away. Product links, affiliate links, and links for your services can all be added to your description box!
You could simply read your blog posts to your viewers, tell your viewers about your blog posts, or show what you are writing about. For example, if you have a cake decorating blog you could create videos of you decorating cakes. Craft blog? Create short how-to clips. When you have enough source material, edit the clips into a full-length video that you can sell.
Recommended reading if you want to use this method to make money as a blogger:
Depending on your message and your blog’s niche, you could start making money from speaking at various engagements. Say you’ve got a knack to describing how to build the best chicken coops; you might just be able to land a speaking gig at a farming conference.
Note: In lieu of cash, some speakers are paid with tickets and hotel reservations for the conferences or expos they’re participating in. That’s as good as cash to me, baby. Am I alone in that? Tweet me at @AshleyisFamous and let me know.
Recommended reading if you want to use this method to make money as a blogger:
Develop a large enough knowledge base and you’ve got the opportunity to organize and distribute your knowledge in book form. Thanks to the joy of online publishing platforms like Kindle, Lulu and others, you don’t even need a publisher. You could also sell your book as a PDF downloadable directly from your website. Of course, you’ll use your blog to promote the books you create.
Recommended reading if you want to use this method to make money as a blogger:
5. Hosting Workshops – live and virtual / Teaching Courses
It’s been said that it takes as much effort to write a book as it does to plan and sell a course. Why not do both? Take your lessons from your book and create videos with visual elements and combine them with group coaching to walk your students through every step of what you know. Bonus points if you get an outside sponsor to help subsidize your costs. You get more bonus points if you film everything that happens at the event and then sell the digital sessions. Ah, multiple levels of income potential from one event — it’s a beautiful thing!
Recommended reading if you want to use this method to make money as a blogger:
As a blogger, you have set yourself up as an expert in your chosen field. You could become a consultant in your area of expertise. You might even look into consulting about blogging (although if you’re not making any money at it, you might want to give that potential income stream a pass until you are). Of course, some topics are more profitable than others, but if you’re interested in giving one-on-one advice there might be someone out there willing to pay you for your time.
Recommended reading if you want to use this method to make money as a blogger:
As a blogger, you’re already learning how to use Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. This is a valuable tool that many business owners are looking for. Perhaps you can manage their social media feeds for them and get paid while you do it!
Recommended reading if you want to use this method to make money as a blogger:
I’ve seen bloggers create everything from journals to planners, custom aprons to lipgloss, essential oil blends, spice kits, budgeting planners and so much more. You can easily create digital products with just your laptop and have them ready to sell as fast as you can create them. While physical products will take more time and resources, you can certainly develop those and make money too.
Recommended reading if you want to use this method to make money as a blogger:
Perhaps the skills you have learned from running your blog make you a perfect candidate for a new “real job.” Your blog might be the ideal resume. Should you choose to go back to the dark side 9-to-5 world, you could keep building your blog on the side while bringing in a steady paycheck. If that’s how you want to roll, more power to you!
What are your favorite ways to make indirect blogging income? Please tweet me at @AshleyisFamous and let me know because I’m ALWAYS looking for additional revenue streams!
10. Ghostwriting and Freelance Writing
Now, before you tell me you’re not a writer, take a look at the number of posts you’ve written on your blog. If you’ve formed coherent thoughts into complete sentences, you’re a writer my friend. Maybe not a good one, but a writer nonetheless. With the decent portfolio your blog posts comprise, you can find yourself some freelance writing gigs — becoming a ghost blogger like me or pitching magazine, newspaper and website editors to write content for their outlets with your own byline.
Recommended reading if you want to use this method to make money as a blogger:
Does organic traffic feel elusive? If so, you need new tactics. In this episode, I’m sharing 10 ways to promote your blog for free!
Episode 3 – Show Notes
This episode is all about tactics for promoting your blog and driving traffic to your website for free. Ashley shares 11 tips, including guest posting on other blogs, participating in blogger roundups and link parties, doing joint giveaways, using your email signature, getting media coverage, writing for sites like Medium, strategic use of social media, getting interviewed on podcasts, interviewing experts yourself, networking online, and speaking at summits and conferences.
Ashley explains each traffic-building strategy in detail and emphasizes the importance of promoting your content everywhere possible and connecting with others in your niche. She wants to help bloggers grow their audiences organically without spending money on advertising. The episode is filled with actionable tips bloggers can use right away to increase visibility and get more eyeballs on their websites.
Here are the most important timestamps for this episode on promoting your blog:
1:35 – Ashley introduces her 10 best ways to promote your blog for free.
2:41 – Ashley explains how guest posting works and why it’s her #1 favorite traffic strategy.
4:17 – Ashley talks about participating in roundups and link parties to tap into new audiences.
5:09 – Ashley covers doing joint giveaways with other bloggers.
8:45 – Ashley suggests using your email signature to promote your blog.
9:27 – Ashley talks about different tactics for getting media coverage as a blogger.
11:59 – Ashley recommends writing for sites like Medium to establish expertise.
13:02 – Ashley stresses the importance of strategic social media use.
15:45 – Ashley explains how guest podcasting can drive new traffic.
17:20 – Ashley talks about interviewing experts and quoting them.
18:33 – Ashley suggests networking online through groups.
20:40 – Ashley does a quick recap of all 11 free traffic-building tips.
Let me know if you need any other important timestamps highlighted!
