Blogging Truths Be Told: Blogging Your Journey is Effective

I’ve previously discussed the importance of sharing one’s journey on this blog, but I thought I’d spruce up an old post of mine and bring the subject matter up once again. It’s a very important subject matter, indeed. That of sharing your journey — and as bloggers, blogging our journeys. Wouldn’t you agree that we, as human beings needing human connection, can use some relatability in these trying days and times?

I do.

I mean if we needed connection before the pandemic, we need it even more so today.  In fact, the direct or indirect bonds formed through experiences may be the comforting companions needed to get us through the uniquely personalized journeys we’re currently facing. So, I thought I’d take this opportunity to express how important it is to share our human experiences with one another. You never know how your willingness to be transparent about the reality of your journey can help your fellow traveler on his or hers.

Sometimes, external forces force your hand at entering into new journeys; and other times, you may be more of a willing participant. Either way, life journeys are processes we go through that, hopefully, result in positive outcomes as we muddle our way through them.

No doubt, I’m quite certain I’m going to do some muddling through this newest journey of mine that I’m getting ready to embark upon — that of empowering individuals to be more self-sustaining in their life choices, especially when it comes to establishing professional livelihoods to support their families. You better believe I’ve got my work cut out for me and I’ll be doing some major research to gather information that can be presented to folks who need a little help in a promising direction when it comes to making personal and professional life-altering changes.

And no matter the good, the bad, or the ugly process such a journey will take me through, I plan on sharing it with you as I go. But here’s the deal: I’m going into this thing with the mindset that I’m going to come out with some gems of information and guidance that will be of benefit to those who can use them. In short, people can benefit from experiencing your journey with you and all the honesty that comes with it. But, the ultimate purpose of that journey is for you to come out with the desired result you’re seeking for yourself as well as others.

I remember back in the day when I was finding my way through the book writing process for the second time. I found that a lot of my focus went toward absorbing as much information as I could about book writing/author advice, self-publishing tips and suggestions, and the mindset of a content creator. And, it would only make sense that I’d be interested in others’ writing journeys as I was working my way through my very own.

In my personal experience, I found it reassuring to listen to experienced writers share the do’s and don’ts of the whole book writing and blogging journey from the writing and editing to the publishing and marketing of the content. And part of my research involved absorbing information from the gurus who had been there and done that. These were the folks that possessed the knowledge of those golden nuggets that would help those starting on their writing journeys have smoother experiences, hopefully avoiding some of the pitfalls they faced during their writing processes.

Furthermore, I recognized the invaluable reward of meeting other content creators who were currently going through a similar place in their writing journeys as myself. There was something comforting in knowing that I wasn’t alone in my writing efforts and that some of the same life experiences I was facing at the time were being faced by others out there. And if you know anything about Degrees of Maternity, I’m sure you’ve honed in on the fact that this blog is a big proponent of the “sharing is caring” perspective by my personal example of sharing life lessons that might be a valuable teachable moment to someone else.

In recognizing that no two writer journeys are exactly the same, I went into my writing journey knowing that there may be some commonalities in the writing experience that individuals share and can, therefore, relate to. However, the differences in our journeys would also make them unique to us as individuals and allow for rich learning opportunities that others can benefit from. If it wasn’t for all the wonderful people out there that were willing to freely share their knowledge, wisdom, growing pains, and warnings with me, I don’t think I’d be where I currently reside in my blogging and writing journeys right now. 

Essentially, some of my growth process involved learning about the growth process that others took in their writing journeys. And, I’m truly grateful for that. No wonder blogging about one’s experiences in life can be some of the most effective blogging out there. It’s powerful. Sharing experiences can connect people on an inner personal level like no other. And believe me when I say that words (even of the written variety) can be transformative in a person’s life. 

Why not use your experiences to be a POSITIVE influence in someone else’s world?

I did emphasize “positive”, didn’t I?

Anyway, there’s always going to be a word of caution to sharing your personal information online. And here it is: ALWAYS SET SAFE BOUNDARIES FOR YOUR ONLINE PRESENCE.

In sharing your business, always be careful to protect your business. Never put yourself in a dangerous position or situation where someone can take harmful advantage of your willingness to be open and transparent. Use your online street smarts when it comes to protecting yourself and those you love. Please make yourself very familiar with the dangers that online use can present and the threat that unscrupulous cyber-attackers (not only wanting to impose online harm but sometimes physical harm) can pose. 

And with those serious points noted, I still want you to come away with the understanding that sharing your journey(s) is a great way to connect with people and create community online. Be honest in what you share, but only go as far as your comfortability level will allow you to go. No need to push the limits. Usually, your gut will tell you when “too much sharing of information” is too much. And if you can’t trust your instinct (gut) to warn you where the boundaries should begin and end, then make sure you have a trusted accountability partner who can provide you with wise counsel when it comes to sharing your business online.

Remember: Safety first, even in blogging.

In closing, I’d like to note some of the most impactful journeys I’ve witnessed from bloggers. And, they are as follows:

• weight loss journeys
• pregnancy journeys
• homeschooling/teaching journeys
• working through mental or physical health challenges journeys
• healthy lifestyle (diet, exercise, fitness, natural living) journeys
• financial independence journeys
• acquiring skills sets journeys
• content creator journeys
• relationship challenges (with spouse, children, parents, friends) journeys
• professional development journeys

There are many, many more life journeys than the ones I’ve listed above. Maybe you have some that come to mind that weren’t included in my list. I’d like to hear about them. What journeys have inspired you in life? Which journey or journeys are you currently on? Which ones are you sharing or blogging about?