Thursday, February 17, 2011

On My Blog's Birthday--Encouragement for You

Although this blog has really only been active for about two years, it was exactly three years ago today that I sat down and wrote my first blog post.


I was living in a haze of new-baby-in-the-house fatigue, combined with the fact that I was also mothering the world's most active two year old. I was exhausted, but also slightly aghast over the fact that I had a lot to say, but no one to really say it to. So I created a quick blog, no fancy background or banner, and wrote my very first post.

And then I pretty much forgot about my blog for the better part of a year.

It wasn't until I started reading other blogs and saw how much fun they seemed to be having that I was really hooked. I knew I wanted to put my words, thoughts, experiences, and projects out there for others to see. I wanted feedback. I wanted interaction.

This is where my encouragement to new bloggers comes in.

Most bloggers don't wake up and find that their Followers list leaped to 1500 members while they were alseep or that they went to cook breakfast and had 300 people subscribe to their site. Please don't stress if you're a new blogger and you're discouraged by the numbers you see out there. Good things come to those who wait!

Some bloggers are truly shining stars; their work gets featured all over Blogland, and their blogs seem to explode overnight.

Most bloggers start small and build their blogs slowly and steadily, relationship by relationship, post by post. By interacting with other members of the blogging community and setting goals for myself in terms of consistency, I've been able to grow my blog from 1 or 2 original Followers (not even my mom read my blog!) to where I am now.

My blog is still tiny. A speck under a microscope in comparison with some of my favorite "mega-bloggers" out there. I won't ever be the biggest or the best or the funniest or the most talented. But that's okay.

I'm grateful for each and every single person who clicked that "Follow" button on my right sidebar over the past two years. It means more to me than you probably know. This blog doesn't fit into a traditional niche, so that anyone at all would care to continually click back over here to read what I have to say is immensely humbling as I think about it today. Thank you.

738 posts later, I'm still loving sharing with you all. I appreciate those of you who take the time to comment and let me know what you think. Your words uplift me and make me smile. They encourage me to keep posting!

I'm going to include my first post here...I think it's pretty neat that my original intent of finding a place to share what's on my mind hasn't changed.
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Look, Ma, I'm Bloggin'

My very first entry. Maybe you're wondering why a stay-at-home mom with a two year old and a newborn would take the time to post on a blog. When you stay at home all day with two little ones, it's hard to find an audience to discuss your ideas on politics, literature (yes, I am counting chick-lit and Cottage Living because that is all I have time to read these days!), current events, home life, and more!

It seems like most of my discussions involve a two year old and include stimulating topics such as Elmo, crackers, baby dolls, Elmo, doggies, juice, and did I say Elmo? My husband, bless his heart, isn't much of a conversationalist. I like to talk. Period. Although we share the same religious and political views, most of his free time is spent with his butt plastered to our leather couch and his eyes glued to the TV, so having a meaningful conversation when he is just off of work is sort of a lost cause. I've learned to wait until after he has finished watching The History Channel or Fox News before I make an effort to engage him. This blog is my attempt to branch out a little before insanity takes over. 

As Frank Costanza would say, "Serenity Now."

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Here's to another fabulous year and some more Serenity Now! I hope you'll be here to share it with me.

*Come back tomorrow to link up your best post of the week to Weekend Bloggy Reading:
Weekend Bloggy Reading


**Don't forget that Monday morning begins our first "I {Heart} My Crafty Cutter" linky party for all of your tips, tricks, and projects that are Silhouette/Cricut/Sizzix/Cuttlebug, etc. related. Anything pertaining to die cutting or die cutting machines (or even stenciling) is welcome! Click the button below for details.
I Heart My Crafty Cutter

38 comments:

  1. Amanda, thanks for the encouragement. I was feeling really down last night because I tried to guest post for the first time, and it didn't go very well. This post was just for me. Thanks!

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  2. Happy blogiversary! I love your blog and enjoy every post. This was a great one! I really liked reading your first post! My 3 year is coming up this summer (must have been something going on 08) and I may re-post my first post. You know, after I read it and decided if it's too bad or not. :)

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  3. Happy Blogoversary! It's been fun! I'm glad you started your blog three years ago. :)

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  4. Happy Bloggy Birthday! YAY! I'm happy to say that your blog was among one of the very first I ever read & I absloutely LOVE it. You "get" it, you're raw, real, fresh & not to mention hilarious! :-) I've met so many people through blogging & sometimes it gets a little overwhelming to think about growing my even smaller of a speck blog but this post has encouraged me to keep going & create more goals to grow my blog. Thanks for being one of my best supports in this crazy cyber land friend! Now when can we FINALLY get together & have some girl time!?!?!? I'll bring my hook & yarn! :-)

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  5. Yeah, baby! So glad you found this way to obtain Serenity Now. I hope it's helped in that original goal. . . you seem pretty sane! But I know for sure you've helped hundreds of readers in their own quests for sanity. You're a voice of kindness and courtesy and humor and fun. And 3 years after your blogging advent, I'd say you are most certainly not a voice crying in the wilderness. Even in the vast wilderness that makes up the blogging world, your voice is heard. Because it is worth hearing.

    Congratulations, friend! Love you!

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  6. Happy Blog Birthday! You should have some cake.

    I appreciate your blog encouragement. I have 69 followers in just under 2 mos, which is way more than I expected! I'd like to be at a couple hundred at the year end.

    I don't know who these Mega bloggers" are that you talk of...to me YOU ARE ine!

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  7. Happy Birthday!! I love your 1st post! I love to talk too and it is nice to know that someone is listening on my blog:) LOL about Elmo! Are your girlies still obsessed with him? I totally get the hubby not being a big talker....I think our hubbys are probably a lot alike even down to their love of the History Channel and Fox News! Anyway, you keep talking and I'll keep listening:)

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  8. Happy 3rd Blog Birthday!! Love reading your blog with my morning coffee-my little bit of serenity during the day :) Here's to many, many more great years!!

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  9. Hi Amanda, I have really enjoyed reading your blog for quite a while now. You've got a great sense of humour! This post came at a great time for me. I'm a brand new blogger and it is easy to be overwhelmed by the numbers! Congrats on your blog's birthday- I can't wait to read more!

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  10. Congrats, girl! You're doing okay for yourself in blogland!

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  11. This is very sweet, Trix! You are the reason I started a blog and I enjoy it so much! Happy Blog Birthday:-)

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  12. Amanda, I truly enjoy your blog and posts, my kids are grown and gone, but I can remember what it was like to be a mom with little ones, how I wish I had been able to blog 30 years ago! Heck, all we had then were typewriters! Keep up the good work, and so will I!

    Barb

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  13. Happy Blog Birthday!!! Thanks for the encouragement. I really enjoy reading your posts, you are funny ad kind and you talk about everyday subjects, from home decor to kids, recipes and crafts and so on. You really inspired me and still do :) Veronica

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  14. Hey Amanda! Happy Blog Birthday to you! Thanks for the encouragement! My little blog has just 85 followers, but that means so much to me. I'm going to celebrate when I hit 100 followers, because there was a time that I thought that number to be impossible -- but I'm almost there! I am the mom to (many, many) little ones and it's hard for me to find the time to blog the way I'd really like to... I'm being patient, though, and for now just building it one post, one follower at a time. I love your blog and all your link-up parties. I find new blogs to follow every time you do a link-up party!!

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  16. happy blog birthday! i very much enjoy that your blog doesn't fit neatly into one little category...nor does mine. sometimes i think it may "hurt" to be as random as i am, but that's me. my blog is me, i'm putting it exactly like i speak in person, and i am proud of the way i am doing it. keep on posting!

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  17. Happy Blogiversary! Your blog is one of my favorites and even though we have known each other long before blogs were a spect on our radar I feel like I have gotten to know you so much better through your blog! I love ya, girlfriend!

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  18. Happy Birthday to you and your blog!!
    I'm a huge fan!!!

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  19. Happy Blogging Birthday! It's hard to believe that three years have gone by.

    You do a super job with your blog. I am always impressed by the variety in your posts, your consistancy, and your humor keeps me coming back for more.

    Here's to another great blogging year for Serenity Now!

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  20. I love hearing the stories behind blogs and why someone decided to start one. If only we had known what we were getting ourselves into, right? ;-)

    I always enjoy your blog. I'm so glad you're part of the bloggy-sphere. Here's to many more great years--and lots of serenity to go along with them!

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  21. Happy Blogaversary - not sure how to spell that! I have loved your blog since the first time I've read it and you've always been an encourager.

    I loved seeing the first post. I'm glad you found your serenity and we all found you. Your posts always make me smile.

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  22. Happy Blogiversary! This was very encouraging and it's awesome what a little writing and aspiration can lead to! Congrats on a fabulous blog, glad I clicked FOLLOW!

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  23. Well congratulations to you my friend! Just think, if it wasn't for blogging we never would have 'met' ! So delighted to follow your antics, adventures, creativity and poignant posts.

    Blessings and cheers to another year!

    xoxo
    Kate

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  24. I love this post! Ha - your hubby sounds like mine. Make sure Fox news and the History channel is done for a while then talk to him. Ha! I am proud to be a follower of you hun! Keep up the great work!

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  25. Amanda, congrats on another birthday! Blogging is a lot of fun & can be frustrating too. I wish I had more time to visit & comment,but it just gets harder & harder. I have always loved your outlook & the positive message you spread on Twitter & your blog. keep up the good work, it's appreciated out there. xoxo

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  26. Happy Blogiversary! I am looking forward to many more fun posts!

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  27. Happy Bloggy Birthday! I know I'm a new follower but I'm already reading on a regular basis. :) I really enjoyed this post!

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  28. Thanks for this peek behind the curtain. I am a very new blogger and I find it overwhelming/intimidating to compare myself to some of the more accomplished bloggers out there (yourself included :) ). It's nice to know other people started out small and that it can build. (It also made me feel better that I haven't posted in a week...lol). Really, making meaningful connections and finding your voice is what it's all about--world domination is just a nice side-benefit ;).

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  29. Oh my gosh I love that episode of Seinfeld! You know I read each and every word your write and throughly enjoy your writing style. I love being under the radar as a blog, it gives you so much more freedom to be you. Happy bolg-anniversary, keep up the good work, you can talk all you want I will listen :)

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  30. Hi Amanda, happy blog anniversary sweet friend! It has been such a pleasure "meeting" you recently. I really enjoyed getting a glimpse of your past what inspired you to blog. Here's to many more successful years!!

    Karen

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  31. Thanks for the encouragement! So glad I came to post my link for this week, cause I hadn't gotten this far on my google reader. I needed to hear that tiny deposits are "normal". I was feeling pretty insecure about numbers.

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  32. Happy Bloggy Birthday! And also...I'm still waiting for the political posts. C'mon. I dare ya.

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  33. Happy Blogiversary (is that how you spell it? - LOL). It's funny when you go back and read your first few posts. My style is so different now than what it used to be. It's entertaining. Keep up the good work here.

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  34. I figured your blog name was from the Seinfeld reference (love that show)! How fun to go back to the very beginning. I think you've given some great advice here. The blogging world is so much fun yet overwhelming at the same time - it's easy to try and "compare" ourselves to other bloggers. But it's all really just about being that outlet for creativity and interaction, like you said.

    Great post! :)

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  35. Happy Blogiversary, Serenity Now! I love the realness, your wit, humor, and how you are always reaching out to others. Girl, I would join your party but I don't have a fancy cutter. Just scissors.

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  36. Hi Amanda,
    I found you through House TalkN. I just read all your tips for new bloggers. Thank you! This is a wonderful resource.

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  37. Thank you for your encouragement. I am so happy to have a positive resource I can look to as a new blogger :)

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