It’s been a crazy month for me and if anyone of you suffers from self-doubt, this one is for you.
In the span of about a month, I found out that I have been a finalist in two blog awards. One was a local one here in NZ, run by the ANZ Bank to find the “Great Kiwi Inspirer”. It was a social media campaign and unfortunately I didn’t win (congratulations to Gem the winner and my fellow finalists Kelly and Amy), but I feel pretty humbled to have been in the top four. The other award, the AMARA Interior Blog Awards where I’m in the running as Best International Interior Blogger, will be announced next Wednesday evening London time.
To be perfectly honest, when I found out that I was a finalist in the AMARA Awards, which was announced first, I was so excited and then something strange happened to me… self-doubt, and a lot of it. I started asking myself questions. “Do I deserve this? What on earth am I blogging for anyway? “ And then, “What if I win?”
I started blogging in July 2012 under a different blog name, Armoire, Pegs and Casserole. While it got a reasonable amount of attention, the name just didn’t cut it in the world of blogging – too long, too hard to remember and perhaps a bit too quirky, especially for an interior and lifestyle blog anyway. So I made the decision to rebrand, which some of you would have seen happen earlier this year. It was the best decision I made.
While the blog content remained pretty much the same, the new look and name just made it all look more professional and changed people’s perceptions. This move alone has opened up many doors for me, but these opportunities and recognition didn’t happen over night, I’ve worked bloody hard. When I began, I really had no idea how much of my time I would dedicate to it in my week. Other than bits and bobs around the home, my three days when I have the three kids out of the house is mostly dedicated to this blog. Three (school hour) days and more for three posts a week! Up until recently I wasn’t getting a cent for any of this. Now I get some income from sidebar advertising, my shop and the occasional sponsored post where I style products in my home.
So what do I want out of it? What do we as collective bloggers want to get out of our blogs? Why can’t we get to the point of earning a good full time income from it? Can we call this a profession?
There have always been the few pro-bloggers however in general, blogging is becoming more and more a respected industry. Once it was a place of honest opinions and thoughts expressed, but it always looked, well, “bloggy”. Now bloggers realise that they need to up the game and are teaching themselves how to style product and take great photos, not to mention how to use photo-editing software. Some of the productions of these blogs are getting pretty close to magazine quality, yet with the power of somebody’s personal style that people admire. Just as long as we bloggers never step over that vague line between promoting something we love and getting paid for it, to getting paid to promote something, then I think that we are sitting on something pretty powerful.
So I’ll ask myself the questions again. “Do I deserve this? I’ve worked very hard for years. “What on earth am I blogging for anyway?” For exactly the same reason I began, as a creative output. “What if I win?” I’ll crack open a bottle of champagne and a good one!
Blogging is a journey, it’s an honest place, it’s a training ground, it’s a place to connect, a place to inspire, it’s about celebrating small wins and sometimes big ones.
Mel xx
P.S. You can read about what all the finalists in the Amara Interior Blog Awards love about blogging here and I bet most of them have worked pretty bloody hard and like me, love what they do!
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Hi Mel
Bless you, as many of us have already said, I totally get the self doubt…. For myself, it’s a regularly feeling…. what are we all like…?
As I’ve said many times before the tone and content of your posts are always so sincere and engaging. What is always so lovely about your posts, is that I feel I’m sitting with a cuppa just enjoying your conversation, your thoughts. A true gift to create that with words, when we are all spread all over the globe!
I guess the self doubting keeps us on our toes in pushing ourselves to be that bit better, bit more knowing and generally getting the most out of each day. It’s very easy now a days to go into auto pilot and chug along. The self doubt keeps us aware and being in the now.
You have been nominated and rightly so! ! Lots of positive vibes to you, you deserve it lovely. Keep up the great work
x
Really loved reading this Mel and really honest too.
You absolutely deserve all your successes and love reading your work. Good luck this week!
dear mel. have always loved your honesty and integrity. plus of course your kind and gentle nature. enjoyed reading this post and truly, appreciate you sharing the journey so far, i experience self-doubt almost on a daily basis and today, i feel encouraged by reading your thoughts and hearing your heart. so thank you. and please don’t stop doing what you’re doing cause selfishly, i love walking on this journey with you : ) xx big hugs xx
Mel, what a journey! Well done for sticking with it – as Gudy rightly said your consistency through the process is what keeps us all coming back. It is your authentic eye and voice too. I know how sincere and unwavering you are in your editing and thoughts and it is always welcome. I struggled with the amount of work that was required for blogging on top of all my other commitments and your dedication is hugely commendable which is why the awards will come I’ve no doubt.
The self doubt – well that’s natural in all of us I think. I am always questioning whether I’m qualified to teach yoga, but as long as we’re being true to ourselves and speaking from our own experience I think that’s all anyone is really doing, master yogi or high-earning blogger. I loved Holly’s post recently about blogging and not losing faith with it. It spoke to me on lots of levels and by your comment it resonated with you too.
Keep going. You do deserve it.
xx
Thanks Amy! I have to say that I do miss your posts your know xx
Such honest, lovely words! Well done, you, for opening up about this.
PS I used to read your blog under the original name, and it’s lovely to have come across it again. Even better, I met you at the Kit and Ace Supper Club a few weeks back – what a crazy, small world!
Alisha this is crazy! I remember your blog and can’t believe I didn’t put 2 and 2 together. Off to make sure I follow you xx
Hi Mel, thanks for this honest post about blogging; your personal journey, why you do it, and your reaction to being recgonised recently for all your hard work and talent. It is still a relatively new industry and it obviously takes an enormous amount of time and effort – while being unpaid – to achieve even a moderate level of exposure. I look forward to hearing the results of the Amara awards next week, and you can be very proud of getting this far no matter what the outcome!
Kim x
… but I love it and it energises me! Exciting times for bloggers in general Kim i think. Thanks so much for your best wishes. Fingers crossed xx
Dear Mel,
self-doubt is just ok if you find the right answer afterwards. I totally agree with you on the rebranding process and though the content was pretty much the same, the overall image gave it totally new appearance looking more serious and professional (I experienced the exact same thing, btw).
I love how constant you are through all this time and this is already a very good reason to win an award. And if it’s not this year, it will be next, no doubt about it! Getting shortlisted twice shall give you a recognition!! for what you do, not making you doubt, you wonderful lady! Wish we had a chat over a coffee. xx
Oh what I would do to sit down and have a coffee and a good chat with you Gudy. One day! Good luck in the awards too xx
Well said, Mel! And congratulations on making it to the short list, so excited for you! xx
Thank you Yvonne x