It probably seems like everyone and his cat is a blogger or vlogger these days. Hundreds and probably thousands "jumping on the band wagon" and sharing their lives for all to see/ read. I am someone who could be put in that category too and so I want to share why I started my blog and youtube channel.
I started my blog first back in 2015. Charlie was a baby and I was stuck in a rut at home and bit bored of day to day life. I felt like I had nothing just for me. I read a lot of blogs and found the tips they shared really helpful and I enjoyed reading about the lives of other mums that I could really relate too.
So I decided to start my own blog. I didn't really take it seriously at all in the first year or so. It was just something I enjoyed doing and if anyone read it great! I started up an instagram to go along with my blog and as time went on my followers increased. Fast forward to 2016 which is when things really took off. I started to post a lot more, mainly to keep me busy whilst my husband was on a long deployment overseas. I wanted to write what we got up too so we could share it with him. I also opened up about my experience with mental health and the response I got was mind blowing.
From there along with my youtube channel I started to do "insta stories" I remember my first insta story. Rich (my husband) had been away for a couple of months and my children seem to tag team me with illness after illness. I was sat on my stairs waiting for one fo them to wake and I started to "ramble" as I call it about how hard my week had been. My inbox started to fill with messages from my followers saying they had had a similar week and it was nice to know they weren't the only one.
It felt so good knowing I was making someone else's day feel that little bit better, and it was great to have an outlet to share my highs and lows of the day. So you could say that was the start of it all. I then fell pregnant and shared my journey to let other women know what they were experiencing and feeling was normal and to keep a record for myself. I started posting daily, opening up more and sharing bit about my little life. I am bit of an over-sharer in some respects but I have boundaries of what I do and don't share. I don't share things about my marriage. Well I might moan that he didn't change the toilet roll over and left his smelly work boots at the bottom of the stair for me to trip over but who doesn't moan about those things! I mean the personal things, our private matters. Our finances, certain things about our family life and certain things for safety reasons.
I quite enjoy following other accounts where mums are talking about their day from hell with the kids, the dog ate their dinner and the husband is running late..again! thats pretty much my account to be honest as well. I often think I just moan on my stories but I receive the most wonderful messages daily, and I don't want that to sound arrogant like I think I'm some big time on instagram because I am far from it. I have just been lucky enough to have a following of like minded people who "get it" and I have built friendships from that, which I am so grateful for.
I see posts from people who say they can't stand people who "moan" on stories or social media and don't understand the need for sharing. I don't expect everyone to get it or understand it, but I also don't understand why someone would follow someone that makes them feel that way!? why follow someone who you think moans and over shares? If I don't like something that someone is putting out there I simply unfollow. For someone to follow someone and then comment on all the things they dislike about a person or their account says more about them and their lives than it does about the person who is suposedly "moaning and over sharing".
I am quite content with my little space on the old world wide web. It makes me feel good that something I said or have shared has made difference in someones life. If thats making them feel like they are not the only one having bad day, or a product i have talked about that has helped their teething baby, that makes me feel like I have done a little good in the world, more good than the people who tear down those for doing it. Gone are the days where we are made to feel like we shouldn't talk about the most difficult topics. Mental health being a huge one! Because of this "over sharing" so many people feel less alone and I think that is a wonderful thing and it feels good to know I am a part of that.
This is no means " my job". I call it my hobby that I am lucky enough to make some money from here and there and gifted some amazing products and experiences. I would absolutely love this to be my " real job" one day. I love to write and help people, and also making memories. Thats why I love to blog and vlog, and even if just one person reads and enjoys it, then that okay with me.
I would encourage anyone who is thinking about it to start. Write/film what you enjoy, what your passionate about and what you want to put out there into the world! People will always have an opinion but life is too short to care in my opinion and I feel you have so much more to gain by just going for it. New friends, new experiences and a new found love for something that excites you.
If you blog and vlog I would love to know what made you start. Leave you links in the comments, I love to find new accounts/blogs/channels to follow.
Natasha x
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