My One Year Blog Anniversary – What A Journey!
I almost can’t believe that it’s been whole year since I published my first blog post. I also can’t believe how much has happened since! It’s been an incredible experience so far and I can’t wait to see what the future holds. But before we talk about the future, I’d like to take a peek into the past.
Y’all know how much I love reflecting. I think that sitting down every so often to retrace your steps and think about their outcomes is a great way to improve, learn, and grow. So, today’s post is going to be exactly that: a reflection on what it was like to launch a website while starting a new job in a new industry and an honest conversation about what I’ve learned.
Let’s Start at the Beginning…
I started this blog with a very clear mission in mind: to put resources in the hands of ambitious women who are looking to grow personally and excel professionally.
I chose this mission because I believe that we are stronger together. I wanted to carve out a safe space where we could lift each other up in areas of motherhood, our careers, and our personal lives.
Life is tough enough to navigate. We all deserve to have someone we can look to for direction when we can’t see a clear path forward; someone that will encourage us when we’re feeling too defeated to take another step forward; someone that will make us laugh when we want to scream.
It’s not just that I want to be that person for you - I want us all to be that for each other. I am so proud of this little community we have created together and so honored that you have joined me on this journey.
I also wanted to share this blog to pull back the curtain on what it’s like to work in corporate America. I think the corporate world is shrouded in mystery (especially for women) and lots of women who have found success in the corporate world get negative labels that aren’t true.
So, let’s do everything we can to help each other get larger salaries, find jobs we love, and have some fun while we’re at it!
My Biggest Blogging Wins
I think after launching a blog during a pandemic while starting a new job and getting my daughter set up for online learning at home, I’ve earned some bragging rights, so here we go!
The Launch
Looking back on it, I really don’t know what I was thinking when I decided to start building a website while I was switching career positions. I guess you could say I got a little antsy those first few weeks of quarantine in March-April 2020!
I had so much extra time on my hands without having to commute to and from the office. Even though I definitely could have slept in, I was still waking up at the same time every morning. Sticking to my routine as much as possible really helped me make it through those first few weeks of rapid changes and uncertainties. But after I got Taylor ready for school I would take some time to be alone with my coffee and thoughts (I loved it).
One morning, I was thinking about how grateful I am for my life and career – that I wasn’t completely derailed by the pandemic and that my lifestyle really didn’t change that much. It broke my heart to hear how badly others were affected and I wished there was something I could do to help. Plus, I wondered what I was doing to do with all this time at home!
Then I realized – there is a way I can help! If I have found great success with these skills I’ve learned and developed, maybe others can too. Maybe they just need the tools and direction. Maybe they don’t know where to start.
The day I launched was one of the proudest moments of my career. I thought, “If just one person can find a new job, snag that promotion, or negotiate a raise, I will be over the moon.”
And look at us now! I’m in a new position that I LOVE, and you’re taking steps toward the life of your dreams. Congratulations to us!!
The Connections
Sometimes being a single mom in corporate America can get a bit lonely. I like to keep my professional and personal life separate and I’m often too busy (or too tire!) to go out with friends like I used to. I love just kickin’ it with Taylor and I do have amazing friends and family that are only a text message away – but you all have given me something that I didn’t even know I was missing.
I am so lucky to have the opportunity to share my life with all of you and touched that you share parts of your life with me! I absolutely love reading your success stories and I’m inspired by your vulnerability when you share your setbacks.
Every day when I sign into my personal email and social media accounts, I do so with a huge smile. I couldn’t do any of this without you guys!
The Book
THE BOOK!!! If you haven’t checked out How to Interview Like a Badass yet, you’re seriously missing out. And I’m not just saying that because I wrote it!
During this time that economists are calling “The Great Resignation” it has literally never been more important to dust off your resume and sharpen your interview skills. Millions of people around the world have finally decided that they’ve had enough of jobs that underpay and undervalue them.
While this is AWESOME, it means that the competition out there is going to get stiff. You know what you can bring to a company! You just need to know how to communicate it through your resume and during the interview process. How to Interview Like a Badass will help you do exactly that!
Oh, did I mention that it was a #1 New Release & Amazon Top 10 Bestseller?
A Couple Blogging Blunders
There definitely were a couple of humbling moments over the last year. And I’m positive there are going to be plenty more in the next year! But the goal is never to strive for perfection. It’s to give it my best shot and learn from the shortcomings.
My Niche
I went into this with the idea that I would share my life in three parts: career, motherhood, and lifestyle. While I still very much plan on sharing my life updates with Taylor and some tips and tricks I’ve learned along the way, I realized that my content is heavily inspired by career insight.
I think that I stretched myself too thin when I expected myself to provide equally in all three categories. My plan for the next year is to lean into career advice more while sprinkling in posts here and there about my personal life.
For example, I am currently in the process of building a home (for the third time!) and I really want to share what that process looks like while giving you all some tips if you ever want to do the same.
I also get asked about my corporate attire quite a bit. Over the years, I’ve found some of the best places and times of year to get budget-friendly clothing that I actually want to wear to work. I plan to share more about my personal style so keep an eye out for more posts like My Favorite Stores for Affordable and Trendy Work Attire!
Inconsistency
As I mentioned before, I don’t know what I was thinking by launching when I had so much going on! I don’t regret it at all because I really do think it was the right timing. I just wish that I had MORE time to push out all the content I want to share!
Now that I’m settled into my new position and Taylor has started school again, I can dedicate more time to planning and scheduling content. I’ve learned so much about what it takes to run a successful blog and I’m excited to put that knowledge into action.
Final Thoughts
It has been so much fun sharing parts of my life and career with you, connecting with new people, and learning more about myself along the way. These last 12-months have been a challenging, for sure! But I wouldn’t change a thing.
One thing that I want to ask of you is: what do you want to see on my blog? I want to deliver what y’all need! So please drop a comment below or send me an email. It can be career, motherhood, or lifestyle-focused! Although I want to learn more into career content, I’m not ruling anything out. I’m here to help.
Thank you so much for being here! I can’t wait to see what the next year holds.