And of course, grateful for you, the readers who stuck with my site through all the weird twists and turns. This is definitely a “navel-gazing” type post, but it’s weekend, which means I can say whatever I darn please. Actually, every day of the week is that way in the Miles For Family empire.
I’ve always been upfront about my struggles when it comes to blogging. It can be tough when you open yourself up for the whole world to judge, make fun of you or worst one of all: ignore. I wish I could say I’m strong and let all the stuff roll off my sleeve. But I’m not.
The late nights, lack of substantial financial compensation, the pressure to produce AMAZING content 5 times per day… It can all be too much at times. Add to it the general atmosphere of the hobby which can only be described as “strain of paranoia living in an echo chamber,” an expression I saw and it fits like a glove when it comes to our little corner of internet.
Well, today I’m doing something different. I’m going to list all the blessings that came as a result of this blog:
1. I get to be creative
Sure, it’s just a blog, but I put a lot of heart into my content, not to mention all the zany jokes! Some posts take a lot of energy and drain me mentally. But when I hit “publish,” it feels like I’ve actually accomplished something, that I didn’t mail it in. Not all the posts will be of masterpiece variety, of course, but the goal is to put out useful content that can potentially change someone’s life for the better. Is it crazy to have such lofty aspirations?
2. I really enjoy helping readers
I don’t view you guys only as customers. You are friends first and foremost. Sure, I hope you will support the site when it comes at no cost to you. My policy is and always has been to only recommend cards that IMO present value for a regular family. I also make sure to point out the good, the bad and the ugly in my analysis.
But my greatest enjoyment comes from answering emails, comments etc. The other day I got a note from a reader who wanted to thank me for helping him plan a trip to Hawaii. This is the best part about having your own site: you get to create a community of like-minded people. And I value each and every one of you.
3. I get paid for my writing
I’ve said before that the amount is quite small. Honestly, I would do much better working at McDonald’s. Still, I don’t have to drive anywhere, I can write from the comfort of my own home and I have flexible hours. Few days ago, I got 1099-MISC form from my affiliate company, and was pleasantly surprised. Even though what I make monthly isn’t all that much, it does add up to a substantial chunk by the end of the year.
I know there is a lot of hate towards credit card links and some of it is well deserved. But speaking from a point of view of a small blogger, these affiliate links have been a blessing. I get to write content that I believe is beneficial for a middle-class family, and make some money in the process.
4. I no longer view things as black and white
Nope, nothing to do with race. Having this blog has allowed me to grow as a person. I think it made me more compassionate and less judgmental. Don’t get me wrong, it took a long journey to get to that point. But before getting on a high horse, I try to put myself in other bloggers’ proverbial shoes. It can be a very tough balancing act for top dogs, no question. I don’t know if there is another industry quite like it. I doubt it.
Regardless, it’s important to separate a blog from a blogger. I’m sure this will sound lame to some hobbyists, but I think this industry needs more kindness above anything else. I’m not saying there aren’t issues, but they shouldn’t turn to personal insults. You can’t go wrong by being kind and reasonable. My goal from now on is to contribute more positivity to this industry.
5. Blogging has taught me patience and resilience
Well, kind of. I’m still the most impatient person in the universe. Unfortunately, when you get into a saturated field like ours, waiting for growth is like watching paint dry. It can drive you bananas! Plus, there are all these Google updates that seem to kill your well-performing posts literally overnight. I’m a SEO (search engine optimization) dummy, so that doesn’t help either.
Occasionally, there is a spike in traffic when another blogger links to you, but that too doesn’t last. What I started doing is focusing on small wins, specifically my email subscribers’ list. While not impressive in size, it seems to be growing steadily with a new reader added almost daily. In spite of occasional wacky remarks, folks don’t seem to be deterred!
I also learned that it’s OK to fail as long as you pick yourself up and keep going. And boy, did I have my share of failures.
So, to wrap up the rant: I will continue writing… for now. I make no promises that I will keep showing up indefinitely just as I wouldn’t expect you to make such a promise to me. Things change, travel style evolves and so on. But so far, we are having fun, aren’t we?
Author: Leana
Leana is the founder of Miles For Family. She enjoys beach vacations and visiting her family in Europe. Originally from Belarus, Leana resides in central Florida with her husband and two children.
1. Five times a day?
2. I like the links. If I see something I’m interested in it saves me the hassle of looking it up myself. If some people don’t like them they don’t have to use them.
That’s all. Love your blog. Keep writing! (But maybe not 5 times a day?! Haha!)
@Amanda Thank you so much! There is no way I could write 5 times per day, not good posts, at least. Appreciate your kind words.
Don’t worry about having the best content on every post, you know, some content will be interesting/useful for some people and other for some other people, that’s natural. I liked this post I saw recently on facebook: “You can’t make everybody happy, you’re not Pizza”. I’m glad your blog is helping you besides helping other people.
@Leticia Thanks, I appreciate it! I love pizza, so this is a perfect analogy. I wanted to write this post because I feel like I was mostly covering the negative parts of blogging. There is a lot of good in it, otherwise I wouldn’t be doing it. I definitely don’t take your support for granted.
Sometimes I think you are certifyably crazy but Yes, having fun. I check your blog multiple times a day cause I still don’t get the emails.
@HML Ouch! Eh, fair enough… I figured it was either writing a blog or going to psychiatrist. Guess what? Not only is blogging cheaper, but I get to make money off my “crazy”! How cool is that? Thanks for giving me a good laugh, we are all a bit crazy in this hobby. Some just live in denial. 🙂
P.S. I don’t know why you are not getting my posts. I checked the list, and didn’t see your email address. Maybe try subscribing again. I actually tried to add your email, but couldn’t make it work. Sorry, I’ll see if I can fix it. In the mean time, thanks for checking my site anyway!
@HML I asked my MIL to subscribe you through her computer. Check for email link to confirm the subscription. Let me know if it works this time!
I always enjoy your posts. Keep up the good work.
Hilde, thank you very much! And thanks for being one of my first subscribers.