This time last year, blogging was my therapy. We had recently gone into lockdown, life was turned upside down and things just didn’t make sense. So what I thought to be the most logical thing to do was to write about it. Share a piece of my troubled mind with the world, and essentially pay for them to read it. Well, pay for the platform they would read it on that is. So I tossed my journal, played around with the WordPress thing, typed a few intimate stories, and smiled. On May 27, 2020, GWS officially went live making this my 1 year blogging anniversary. What I didn’t plan for were the unexpected life lessons that would come with the journey.
Looking back at the year that was, there are so many things to be proud of. There have also been many frustrations, fails and even moments that I felt like throwing in the towel.
For anyone who has been on this journey, or is looking forward to completing a year, here is a snippet into my first year as a blogger. It wasn’t always pretty, but perseverance is what makes you a successful blogger, right?

Personal growth comes with every missed win
We’ve all looked at how far other bloggers have come with their blogs and wondered why our own growth isn’t as exponential. I’m no different. I’ve even set unrealistic expectations for myself based on … well, nothing really. But one year in, I’ve come to realize that growth comes in many forms, not just a bigger following and more views.
So I didn’t get 5,000 followers by the end of the first year, but I did gain something else.
Blogging has helped me to identify what is troubling me and put it into words. It may not seem like such a big deal, but once you can actually reduce a problem into a few hundred words, solving it doesn’t become as challenging.
I’ve also learnt a little more about how the internet works, and what goes into running a successful website. For someone who hopes to become a business owner in the future, this marketing experience is invaluable.
Blogging has also connected me to very like-minded individuals that I would never have met otherwise. They have been there when I felt discouraged, listened to real-life problems, and even taught me some valuable lessons. Some may call these blogging besties, I call them family.
Related: Why bloggers should have blogger friends
Sticking with the commitment is a display of character
We all believe that we can do it all, especially when part of the ‘all’ includes something we love. And after trying to be superwoman for so long, I admit that sometimes doing everything means not putting 100% into each thing.
Life outside the pandemic has been busier than I remembered, so keeping up with my passion is not as easy. I’ve admittedly pushed blogging to the bottom of the list and even skipped a few days. However, as much as I am drowning, it is a commitment I refuse to give up on.
Blogging has been such a rollercoaster ride, with both ups, downs, and loops. Right now, I believe I’m on a ‘downward stretch’ on my blogging journey – mentally that is. I am struggling with my unrealistic schedule of posting 4 times a week. Also, quite a bit of what is happening in life right now is work-related. And as much as I would like to pen this out, the biggest problem is that over-sharing even just a little could cost me the job that pays to keep my blog running.
Making money isn’t as easy as one, two, three
When I first started my blog, I hoped to reach a point within the first year that the money coming in would cover the cost of running the blog. In my head, it meant that at the minimum, I needed to make enough to cover the WordPress costs.
One year in, it did reach the target but at a horrific rate.
Making money from a blog isn’t easy. If you have tried to monetize your blog, you know the struggle. I recall being excited to get WordAds on my site, only to deactivate them six months later. My next biggest win was being accepted into Medianet’s ad program… But I ditched it about 2 months later. Finally, I got accepted by Adsense, but getting ad clicks is more difficult than I ever imagined.
So, have I made money from the blog? Yes. Was it easy? Heck no!
I’ll share the full story in another post, but for now, just know that I’ve had to co-write and sell a blogging strategy plan, apply for several paid writing opportunities only to be selected for a few, and watch the ad revenue creep up painfully slowly. But yes, it is possible to make money from a blog. You just have to be ready for the punches that come with it.
You may be interested in: 5 Ways my blog changed in the first 6 months
But were these unexpected life lessons worth the challenge?
If there is one thing I have learnt from being alive for so long, it’s that learning is inevitable. Sometimes the lessons we learn aren’t always the easiest. At times, we could have done without them… But my perspective on this has changed recently. Every lesson is valuable, regardless of how little it seems to add at the moment.
I also recently found out that once you stop learning, your brain starts degrading.
How long have you been on your blogging journey? What are some unexpected life lessons you’ve learnt?
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Great post! I’ve been writing for a year now but bounced between creative writing and publishing and blogging, I’m still exploring what works best for me. I definitely find writing therapeutic and having a regular routine creates a healthy habit. Another benefit has been meeting other interesting people through collaborations. Thanks for sharing!
It’s been a year…yuuphhh unbelievable.
Congratulations on your blogiversary
When I started I was looking forward to monetize my blog. I had planned to monetize after 6Months but I never got to get ahead with it because I don’t know… I just kept postponing until I got comfortable with the free premium
But certainly soon I’ll monetize it.
As for sticking to a schedule has also been a challenge but I’m trying to push myself to the limit
congrats on your one-year mark, and here’s to many more, along with ongoing lessons, that have never ended for me. there is always a bit of self-reflection from time to time and I think that’s a good thing. there’s no rush, and things happen in their own time, no reason to spend time and energy being hard on yourself, just keep doing it as long as you are enjoying the ride and all that comes with it.
Thanks Beth, I love how supportive you have been throughout this journey and hope to be the big blogging sister that you are to me, to someone else one day too! 🙂
I have no doubt that you will be
Uh- yep, check that box, Shelly! Big sis status for you! 💕
^^That was me. I am not sure why I get registered as “Annonymous” when I comment on your stuff from my phone… but I wanted you to know who was appreciating you, so I logged in to my computer 😉 You and Beth are both great examples of blogging success that I love to follow!
Awww thanks hun! I appreciate you and your insane kindness! 💖
Congratulations friend, keep rocking.
Don’t forget to visit my site all
https://sreenadhraj.com
Congratulations on completing a year in this blogosphere 🎉 🎉 🥳
You are doing great 👏👏👏 keep being awesome..
Your experiences are beneficial for many new bloggers out there …❤❤❤
Thanks so much hun 🙂 At times it doesn’t feel like it’s grown at all, but it’s meeting people like you that makes me remove that thought immediately <3
Same here but I am mostly here for kobu 😅😅
🥺🤯 and I thought you were MY friend!
😂😂😉
Keep going Shelly! You’re doing an excellent job. It’s tough, but so is anything worth doing. I’ve not thought much about making money from my own blog yet. I enjoy it as a hobby and want to see where it leads organically. If it starts to make sense to monetise it then I will. Till then I mean to concentrate on making connections – trying to make other people’s lives a little lighter and brighter as they (as you) have done for me. Wishing you well Shelly 🙏
I’m about to reach 9 months of blogging, and the growth has been slow for me. I think the biggest reason is I’ve been only posting once a week. About a month ago, my search engine impressions shot up, which gave me a lot of hope! Maybe in a few months, my blog will be as successful as yours!
I see you had the same experience with Medianet as I did. I put them on for a few weeks, realized they’re ugly as sin, and discovered you don’t make anything unless people click them, THEN CLICK THE NEXT SCREEN. Why would they make it so hard to make income with?
Hahaha ugly as sin! This really has me in tears! LOL I have no freaking clue why they make it so difficult, but I suppose it’s just a case of wanting to make sure that whoever is getting paid didn’t make the money by accident? LOL no clue really.
As for your blog, how on earth can you say that it is not successful? I really do believe you are too hard on yourself (as we all are). You aren’t depending on the blog for income, so the enjoyment and engagement you get from it is invaluable. I’m so proud of how far you’ve come, and glad that you’re doing things in a way that’s sustainable for you. <3
I think they wanted to make sure no one gets paid, ever lol.
My blog has been very successful in helping people (and myself). I’m talking specifically about trying to monetize it. Just a couple weeks ago I had to reset all the Amazon Affiliate links on my site because I only had 2 sales and didn’t make it through the trial period 😅. But you’re right, I don’t NEED the blog to make money, and I love engaging with people and talking about the things I write. That makes it still worthwhile.
I got kicked off the affiliate programmer too because I couldn’t even make one sale 😂 Please do let me know how that thing works? Also, aren’t you supposed to use your network of blogging buddies for things like that ? Lol
I thought I had the three sales but one didn’t actually qualify 😕
I seriously don’t get why some sales don’t qualify! I had 2-3 sales that didn’t and I don’t get why they didn’t. But on the other hand Amazon has made it easier now with their new app update (in India) – the links that I share from the app automatically are the affiliate ones – so can earn money on purchases made by friends too. But yeah – I haven’t reached the threshold yet where I can get paid. *sigh*
Yeah I don’t get it either. I lost the profits from the sales I did have when I had to reset my account too. I hate it 😕
Just over two years in for me. I’ve never considered trying to monetize my blog. I’m sure some people make money doing this, but for me it’s as simple as enjoying what other people have to say. As I’m sure you’ve already discovered, there are some people who consistently produce great content. I perk up when I see those blogs in my notifications.
Wow you’re such an inspiration! You’re right about the enjoyment but man oh man would it be nice to be paid to enjoy what you do, you know?
Many Congratulations on your blogging anniversary Shelly! Seems your blogging journey has taught you the best life lessons. I believe what experience teach us no one else can. All of the pointers which you’ve elaborate in the form of your journey are truly inspiring. It’s truly an amazing post to read about your experience.
Well, officially I’ve started blogging before four months ago and have learnt lot of things, which has inspired my writing and even in a better way.
Congratulations Shelly. You’re so good at this, I’d swear you’ve been at it longer than a year.
I’m coming up on 2 years in a few weeks. It’s so hard to believe. Like you, I’ve learned so much and the learning continues!
Congratulations on 1 year of blogging! This was a great post to read!
Thanks Beth! I appreciate having you in my circle 😊
I love how you always keep it real Shelly! Whether you post 4 days a week or once in a blue moon I will enjoy whatever you write 😀
Awww Amy you’re gonna make me cry! Thanks for all the love and support 💖
Anytime hun 😊💕
Congrats on hitting one year! I love reading your blog. ❤️😁
Thanks so much hun! I love reading yours too 😊
Congrats, Shelly! Honestly – even though I’ve been here longer – I feel like I learn SO much from you. I haven’t monetized my blog but it would be nice to earn money off it at some point and your experiences are really helpful in learning! <3
Thanks Moksha! Don’t try to follow what others are doing if that isn’t where you want to be yet. I love how well you’re growing and have such an engaged following. I’m sure when you decide to monetize, you’ll find it quite easy!
Congratulations Shelly!!! You’re doing a great job!! And also inspiring so many bloggers out there!
Thanks so much Poorwa 💖
I love this community so much!
I also have been in blogging for 1 year like you and I have learnt a lot of lessons from it! I think the one I can relate to most is the sticking with the commitment. Blogging is something where it is easy to do for a few months and then it fizzles out if you aren’t committed fully to it. To keep up for it for a year now certainly shows commitment!
Thanks for sharing Niraj, and congrats on 1 year of blogging! It definitely isn’t easy to stick with it, and you’ve been so consistent this whole time. Kuddos to you!
Congratulations on the 1 year bloggerversary, Shelly. I enjoy reading your posts and appreciate very much the experiences you pass on. It has certainly helped me not get hung up on it all. So, with my blog, I keep chipping away, ever so slowly, making changes here and there. It is all going much better than I ever thought it would 😊
Thanks Sean! I really appreciate you 😊
You’re the one who usually keeps me grounded 😉
Congratulations on completing a year of blogging and Thankyou for sharing all these valuable lessons
Thank you for reading! 😊💖
This is so insightful🌼You have learned so much about blogging in 1 Year than I have in 4 years🥰You are truly making your blog one of a kind🧡 xx
Awww thanks hun 😊 I really appreciate your kind words 💖
Congratulations! I learned the same things as you, like how hard it is to earn money through blogging and that blogging isn’t simply a one-and-done operation. 🙂
A little late to the game but congrats on 1 year Shelly!! 😊👏🏻 I feel like summer is such a popular time to start blogging. Keep up the amazing work! I’m so glad we connected through this community this year!! 💕