Over at Back in Skinny Jeans, I spoke of my general personal New Year's resolution theme for 2009 which is:
I do themes instead of specific resolutions because I think themes lend themselves to more fun and freedom. For the last 3 years, I have been working my ass, off to be frank, to make a living from blogging, and in full disclosure I will admit that as much as I have learned, grown, and benefited from being a blogger in the lifestyle categories of healthy living and food, I am still not standing on my own two feet financially.
I am indeed making money and more than many, but it's not at the level where I can stand alone living in the San Francisco Bay Area. And yes, compared to the rest of the U.S. I have a higher bar to reach because it is pricey in my neck of the woods.
Huh, but aren't you a top blogger?
I know that many of you who know Back in Skinny Jeans and Noshtopia find this financial fact a bit dumbfounding because I am considered one of the top bloggers in the healthy living niche so therefore I should be rolling in some kind of dough. And believe you me, I am equally speechless in many ways because when I started blogging, my overly confident business marketing mind thought, "How hard could this be?"
Turns out that in the lifestyle categories, it's a bit harder than if I had initially gone into a tech or business topic, or if I didn't have such high or particular standards in what I'd sell or market on my blogs, but more on that later. On the up side, though, making money in the lifestyle blogging niches is a very new thing but it is on the rise, and in so many ways, those of us in it today are pioneers who will benefit long term. Likewise, all the big lifestyle brands are moving more of their marketing efforts to the web so, those in early and doing well, will also benefit.
Getting to do my life purpose work
I'm choosing to look at these lean money years as going back to school to get a PhD in blogging and social media. I've temporarily sacrificed money making and the lifestyle I once had for longer term gain. I know with every fiber of my being that long term I will reach my financial goals. In many ways, I'm rich already.
So, I'm not giving up. I can't. You can't separate me from what I blog about, it's me fully expressing my true self and heart, it's my life purpose work. I just have to figure out the revenue generation part, and I know I'm close enough because I can smell it. In 2009, I'm also going to be way more experimental in finding revenue generation ways through blogging, and as well I'll share what "not" to do. I've come to realize that there is also good value in sharing what I've learned that does not work.
All these challenges I've faced, I consider part of growing and learning, and I'm either brave or totally nutzoid to be fully disclosing my financial situation like this, but this is why I love blogging and this is the kind of blogger I am, truly authentic, maybe to a fault sometimes, but this is my style.
Good debt
In the last 3 years, I've had jobs here and there along with contract work, but for the most part my parents are helping me out, and seriously everyday I thank them and God for their help, love, and support. But, my folks are not just giving me a hand out, they have ownership in my company, Thriving Media, so in essence, they are investors.
But like any good investor, there comes a point where they want to know when the company will start being profitable. Things have an added twist now because we are in a down economy but again, I see this as an advantage. As well, I want to be done living like a starving bootstrapping entrepreneur, so there is an extra oomph this year.
Come along for the blogging journey
So, in the spirit of my 2009 new year's theme, I'm going to tweak the perspective of The Everyday Blogger to be more of someone who is on a journey to make a living as a lifestyle blogger instead of one who is some kind of expert or guru in social media. I'm going to write more about what I'm learning, and what cool things I find along the way.
We're going to have a bit more of a reality TV show spin here minus the bitch fights and eating of multi-legged insects. I'm going to share my journey with you all in reaching my first financial goal which is to become a six figure blogger. I believe that many of you will enjoy this new perspective because one it's like hitching a ride with a friend, and two we can learn and have fun together. This is why it's called "social" media, yes?
If you have any particular topics you'd like me to cover, or have any questions about blogging in the lifestyle categories, please let me know, and I can share the answer on a post for everyone to learn as well. And again, thank you for you readership and support. I think 2009 is going to be very exciting!
