Unexpected ways blogging has helped me

Admittedly, I started blogging without any solid goals in mind. Aside from having something to show for myself, I didn’t know where I wanted to take this. And I’m still trying to figure a direction out. However, blogging has helped me in ways I didn’t expect.

Photo by Emma Matthews Digital Content Production on Unsplash

1. Eloquence

I noticed this maybe around 8 months after I started blogging regularly. As someone who didn’t write much outside of school, I noticed an improvement in speech. I got better at putting together thoughts and turning them into words.

You know when you’re trying to give a friend advice, or confide in them about your problems, but you can’t find the right words? You’re trying to make a point. You know the point you’re trying to make, but you need to verbalize it accurately. Getting into the habit of writing has helped me become better with words. Blogging is kind of like conversation. Proper grammar doesn’t matter, conventional rules don’t matter. The most important thing is expressing your ideas.

Sometimes, we get put on the spot. Disagreements happen, interviews happen, offenses happen. I’m happy to say that my experience blogging has helped me filter my thoughts and respond better in those situations.

 

 

2. Confidence from creation

We all have moments of doubt. You can be great at what you do, but in the real world, there are lots of great people out there who are all unique. I feel like doubt affects creative souls the most because we’re so emotionally invested in what we do. For us, our craft is personal.

One of the reasons I started blogging about fashion and lifestyle is because I wanted to get a leg up. I felt like this is something I had to do to be more valid in this field. Over time, I started to put more of myself in my posts. I started writing about mental health. I started writing about beauty, which is something I love. In times of doubt, having a blog really helped me. Here’s this thing that I created. I care enough to put work into creating this thing. This thing is a product of my efforts and I want to keep growing it.

 

 

3. On mental health

When I began blogging, I honestly didn’t expect to write about life lessons and mental health. I didn’t expect my posts to get so personal…it started with my “advice to 19 year old me” and went from there.

Through middle school and high school, nobody talked about mental health. We all had our issues, but we had no idea how to help each other or ourselves. I had no idea where to ask for help. Mental health was invisible. Then, university started and all of a sudden mental health posters were everywhere on campus. I started seeing more of mental health on social media. Asking for help was still difficult, but I felt represented.

It’s important to talk about mental health. It’s important to get it out in the open, listen to people’s stories, and share your own. For me, it’s meaningful to be part of this movement.

 

 

How has your blogging journey been? Any unexpected ways it helped you?

 

Hugs and kisses,

~ Jin

You can also find me on my personal blog