When I started blogging almost 2 years ago, I definitely had some misconceptions. I thought, this blogging thing is going to be easy, all of my ideas were creative and unique, and I would blow up instantly. I WAS SO WRONG! Blogging is one of those things that looks easier from the outside but actually has so much more that goes into it.

Stay with me for a bit. Last month, I participated in The Mattie James July 2020 Consistency Challenge. During this, I had to :

• Blog once a day – Monday through Friday only
• Monday, July 6 thru Friday, July 31 (20 days total!)
• Posts should be at least 150 words long and include at least one photo/visual
• Submit your favorite blog post you wrote of the week in the Facebook group every Friday am (there will be a dedicated thread for post submissions)

Doing this challenge totally catapulted me into stepping up my blogging game. Early on in the challenge, it was apparent to me that over the last 18 months, I just played around with blogging. I couldn’t have been taking blogging seriously. I was solely focused on increasing my Instagram following and that’s it. the challenge was tough. But, I am so thankful that I found Mattie James and participated! I learned more in the 21 days of the challenge then I have in the 18 months I’ve been blogging.

Now that its over, I have had some time to reflect on what I would do differently in the last 18 months. So here’s my list. I hope you find it beneficial if you are a new blogger too!

Determine Your Niche

I was all over the place with this. I initially started off focusing only on glam home decor. I think deep down inside, I didn’t want to admit that I wanted to be an influencer. I didn’t want to admit, I wanted you to know me, like the thing I like, and buy the things I buy. I thought the term Influencer was cliche and beneath me. But in reality, that’s what I wanted! I want to help women elevate their life based on my recommendations. BASED ON MY INFLUENCE.

Making the change was easier said than done though. I had been wanting to make the transition from home decor to lifestyle influencing as a niche for quite some time. I didn’t want to just talk about home decor on my blog anymore! I am so much more than that! I just didn’t know how to make that transition smoothly. Participating in the consistency challenge helped me step into that fully. So my first piece of advice is to determine your niche. Own it! Embrace it! Lean into it!

Pick A User Friendly Platform

Things I didn’t know starting off:

• You need a host
• You need a domain
• WordPress.org or WordPress.com ugh!

It took me a while to get this down. There’s so many to choose from. Talkspace, Google, WordPress.com and WordPress.org. What has worked for me is WordPress.org coupled with Bluehost. Those are the things I didn’t know starting off. Sure, I could of paid someone to set this stuff up for me. But, in the beginning, I was on a budget. Plus, I wasn’t even sure if I really want to go full speed ahead with this!

Pick a User Friendly Theme

I went through so many free themes on WordPress. I never found the right one for me. Either they had the complete look but wasn’t user friendly; or they didn’t have the look but was user friendly. I finally found the theme that works for me and I am so happy I spent the $50 for it! My theme was made by bloggers who know what bloggers need. That was important to me.

You Don’t Need A Fancy Camera

Lately, I have gotten a lot of comments on my pictures from my IG page. A frequently asked question “What kind of camera do you use?” Honestly, all I use for great photos is an Iphone X Max, filters, good lighting and apps. It also helps that my wife is my photographer and she knows my angles! One thing Mattie James spoke about during the consistency challenge is fancy camera’s aren’t necessary when starting off. She said if you can’t master a camera on your phone, you won’t master a $800 Nikon. I truly did felt that!

Stop Comparing

These days, it can seem nearly impossible to not compare yourself to those around you. This has truly been a struggle for me. Even now as I write this, I struggle with it. But I am thankful that participating in the consistency challenge taught me the following:

• No one’s hustle looks the same.
• Everyone is different.
• No one is you!
• Lastly, you are not entitled to grow fast! (Phew, that one hurt)!

I am coming up on my 2 year anniversary for Refined Ambiance. With that being said, you may be wondering why I’m writing this post if I’m a new blogger. I am writing this post because I have found my way and I want to help the next blogger find their way too!

I hope this is beneficial to you! Comment below with your thoughts.

Take care friends!