Confessions of a Modest Blogger: How Writing Two Times a Week Made Me a Better Person (Sort Of)

Daily writing prompt

Describe a decision you made in the past that helped you learn or grow.

A decade ago, I decided to start blogging.

The main (and shallow) reason for the effort at the time was that I wanted the blogging effort to help with my architecture business. Here is the story behind it.

superstar blogger

As a new entrepreneur at the time, I thought sharing my thoughts on all things design would lead me to design fame which would lead to clients!

My blog was going to be the destination for all things design. It was going to be a platform for all designers/design enthusiasts to hang out! It was the place for every design conversation!

However, after years of plugging away at blogging, instead of being the superstar blogger who commands a huge following, I have a modest number of regular readers and view numbers. Don’t ask me the numbers! It is modest:-)

Despite the less-than-ideal stats of my blogging journey, I learned to recognize that it was probably the best decision I made in my personal growth.

Here are my top 10 reasons why blogging helped me with my growth:

writing skills; it is an obvious improvement
thinking (analytical) skills; this was not so obvious initially…over time, the act of writing requires me to think clearly before start putting the words on paper and screen, if not coherently.
weekly(more like every day) discipline practice; coming up with two blog posts every Tuesdays and Thursdays require me to exercise my (very) weak discipline muscles.
other related beneficial habits;To not miss the writing schedules, I started other routines-5:10 AM wake-up call /morning exercise routines before writing task
being an observer in my life; coming up with blog post ideas, I became the observer in my own life rather than just passing through each moment without the reflections
meeting other designers; It was one of my initial goals starting the blog, however, what I had not anticipated was finding people with similar outlooks on design, thinking, and life…It was a great way of making connections.
better listener; Similar to the previous point – to gather story ideas for blog posts, I became a better listener to “other” peoples’ thoughts, experiences, and ideas.
becoming tech-savvy (sort of); As a pen/paper person, using the ever-changing technologies for my blog (WordPress platforms, SEO, digital marketing, etc) makes me the tech “comfortable” person, if not an expert kind.
marketing knowledge; To increase more readers, view numbers, more followers, I am becoming better at understanding marketing skills which is fundamental in any effort, personal or professional.
Personal Happiness; I definitely did not anticipate this point when I started blogging. However, over the years, I recognized my happiness level increasing after clicking the publish button! Completing the difficult task of writing brings the happiness level to spike even if it is short-lived….until the next blog writing task starts:-)

These are my top 10 reasons for the blogging-induced growth I experienced over the years. Some made me a better person (becoming listeners), some are necessary (writing, and thinking skills), and most importantly, one essential element in life (happiness).What is the name of the blogger?

If you’re considering starting your own blog, I encourage you to take the leap. Even if you don’t become a superstar blogger, the personal growth and happiness you’ll experience will be worth it.