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I’m not gonna lie to you.
Blogging really sucks sometimes.
See that picture up there? That’s a pic I took at 10pm on a recent Saturday night at a popular cafe here in Northampton, MA.
I was so engrossed with my blog that by the time I looked up I didn’t even realize the servers had put the chairs up.
Nor did I realize I was the last one in the place.
Such is blogging.
You see, us bloggers like to put out a shiny, happy images of our blogs and we can do that quite easily with shiny, happy pictures and shiny, happy posts about our latest food creations or our super witty nutritional meanderings.
But behind all that lies infinite frustrations.
For every thing that gets checked off the blogging to-do list, three things get added on.
You’ll never catch up with all the things you have to do to run a successful (or unsuccessful) blog.
NEVER.
You might even get to a point someday where you have to hire help (which I have). Or even hire an intern (which I just did).
And more often than not, you’ll be so overwhelmed that you’ll wind up closing cafes down by yourself.
Or at least be the last one to bed in your household.
Blogging is ultra-competitive. You will encounter major periods of discouragement and question if it’s worth it and if anyone even reads or cares about what you write.
It also costs more money than you think. Website hosting, graphic design, newsletter hosting and camera equipment are just the tip of the iceberg.
It ain’t free.
You should also be prepared to spend half your life on social media. Yes, it’s fun sometimes. But not always. Especially when you have to deal with criticism. In fact, the more popular you get, the more criticism you’ll receive.
Prepare to spend the other half your life dealing with technical things – formatting blog posts, installing plug-ins and widgets, graphic design, taking photos, re-sizing photos, researching SEO, moving your blog to a new hosting company (kinda like real-life moving) and then a few years later realizing you need to move to a different one, etc. etc.
This past weekend was one of those weekend’s where I felt like I was carrying the weight of all those not-so-shiny, unhappy things that drive us bloggers crazy and I couldn’t get out from under it.
My new blogging website went live and there were (and still are) dozens of little glitches and technical things that need to be fixed, updated, added, deleted, hyperlinked, coded, etc.
But despite all the frustrations, it’s totally worth it beyond the obvious reason of joy of writing and sharing your passion.
Here’s why.
Every now and then I get these incredibly moving emails from people who tell me how much what I do has helped them. Last weekend, this showed up in my inbox in the midst of my overwhelm:
Hi Craig,
I had come to see you for a consultation last year for some digestive issues and acne issues, because I had started to believe that perhaps my diet and overuse of antibiotics to control my acne were at the root of the issue.
Had my financial circumstances been different, I would’ve worked with you to correct these issues. Instead, I had to use the resources on the internet to find a way to get better (I was desperate), and I just want you to know that what you write in your blogs is absolutely, 100% true.
My diet, which used to consist of processed foods, and tons of sugary snacks along with the prolonged use of antibiotics, directly contributed to my digestive issues.
The GI doctor I had seen said she thought I had SIBO and could maintain it with more antibiotics (which I refused) as well as the acne I was dealing with. I have been following the Specific Carbohydrate Diet for the last year, and although I am not always symptom free, I am finally feeling much better.
I embrace full fat foods and have yet to gain any weight. There have been so many times that I have found myself identifying with statements you have made in your blog about family or friends reactions to your diet and what you teach your clients.
I never used to like to cook, but now that I have to, in order to continue to feel good and stick to the diet, I find I love it. I think many of your clients must also feel that way as well. As much as I curse not being able to have the foods that I used to love, and at times my diet has caused criticism by friends and partners (like Indian food and yummy dessert treats from coffee shops all over town), this is the best I have ever felt in my life.
Although I can’t speak directly to the services and the work you do with your clients, I know they must have similar results and feelings toward their new healthy eating habits.
I just wanted to thank you for getting me to see how my diet needed to be modified. I wish you much luck and continued success!
The work you are doing is making a difference….
And that’s why you should start blogging.
And it doesn’t have to be a nutrition or food blog. It could be about quilting or motorcycle repair or training dogs or whatever your passion may be.
You’ll make friends half way across the world that you’ll never meet.
And in the midst of a blogging meltdown, you’ll get the most heartwarming emails from friends and strangers and in those moments, you’ll know you’re helping people.
And for that, it’s all worth it.
Craig Fear is the creator of Fearless Eating and the author of three books, The 30-Day Heartburn Solution, Fearless Broths and Soups and The Thai Soup Secret. After years helping clients with digestive issues, Craig decided to pursue writing full-time. He intends to write many more books on broths and soups from around the world! Click here to learn more about Craig.
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