As some of you know, I’ve been writing this blog privately for 3.5 years. It was on the internet, but couldn’t be found or read by others. It served as a way to catalog my journey to financial independence: to show what I was thinking, feeling and what steps I took to accelerate my journey. For those years I found it really helpful to see what Past Me was thinking and feeling in different situations. It’s been great to see how I’ve changed as a person while approaching this goal.
I kept my blog a secret stupidly because of fear: fear that it wouldn’t help or resonate with anyone, fear that my thoughts were too weird to be relatable. It took meeting up with a fellow anonymous blogger to realize I was being silly. I am only in this position because of the greats who have shared their story. Who cares if basically no one likes or reads my words? If I can help one person by putting my ramblings out there, that would be a net positive for the world. So that’s what I did and I’ve been shocked and humbled by the response.
It’s only been a month, but my life has already changed drastically for the better. So what’s changed?
COMMUNITY
One of my goals for 2017 and 2018 was to stop being a lurker and participate in the online communities I visit every day: namely financial independence and keto. So I stopped just consuming content and started creating my own. I began actually interacting on twitter with some of my favorite bloggers, attending meet ups and commenting on blogs. I also started my first Instagram account to record my new keto creations and learn from others. Doing all of this helped me feel like more of a part of the community, but it doesn’t even compare to what I feel now after only a month of “exposing myself to the world.”
It’s been barely any time at all and I already feel like I’m actually a part of something instead of an outsider looking in. I was engaging with the community before, but it’s now a mutual feeling with other bloggers where we share our thoughts and experiences with each other instead of a one-sided affair. This new found feeling has led me to do things I never would have dared before: such as ask a blogger I’ve admired for years to drive several hours to eat lunch with me and have him agree 🙂 .
With most people it can be difficult (for me) to make new friends. I require a lot of down time to function and as a result guard my time wisely, but everyone I’ve met in the FIRE community pushes past all those boundaries. We already have this huge, weird thing in common that the words just flow and hours pass while we talk without me noticing. Even with ‘internet strangers’ I feel a deeper level of connection to people than I ever had before.
AWARENESS
Speaking of the awesome FIRE community, you all have been so welcoming and kind during my first month of trying to figure this public blogging thing out. There have been many tech issues and hiccups and they’ve been brought to my attention by strangers on the internet. I was shocked. This kindness helped me realize that maybe the internet isn’t the scary, troll-filled place I thought it was (or at least it isn’t until you get a nationally published article 🙂 ).
In addition to having this revelation about the internet, I’ve discovered that I was completely wrong with my assumptions when I kept this blog to myself. You can always help people and will always resonate with someone in this giant world of ours. I’ve received emails and comments from people in the US and halfway across the world saying how similar we are or how I helped them re-think something or feel like they weren’t the only one having these thoughts. That’s something I NEVER anticipated happening. It was a great lesson to learn: you can always help someone.
INSPIRATION
People talk about WANTING to do meaningful work and being excited to do so. I’ve literally never felt that. The things I enjoy don’t seem ‘meaningful’ in the way people talk about work. The things I get excited about include reading on my couch with my partner on a rainy day, taking a cheap ferry ride around gorgeous Seattle, chilling by the pool with my Mom and taking pictures of food creations.
But with this blog and getting the responses I have, I’m awash with ideas of what I’d like to write, research or ask. I got a pedicure recently (a rare and wonderful treat for me) and they have such comfortable chairs and graceful pedicure technicians that I often fall asleep for the whole hour and awaken refreshed with pretty toes 🙂 . This time I didn’t. My mind was racing, but I wasn’t upset about it like I usually am (stop ruining my down time brain!) I basically wrote this post in my head while laying there and after paying I started frantically typing this on my phone before I lost it. I’m not sure you can classify this blog as meaningful work, but it feels like it to me. I finally found that inspired feeling people talk about.
IN THE END
I almost let fear keep me from sharing with the world in a way that has changed my life greatly. The globe now seems like a map full of awesome people I want to meet, a community that shares knowledge with each other and a world full of possibilities. I’ve never felt more a part of something. Thank you all for being here!
If you have a blog, how have you changed since launch? If you don’t and you want to, what’s stopping you?
I kept my blog secret for a few weeks and it was very comfortable being hidden! Huge step for you to come out after 3.5 years, so impressed you did it!
I’m looking forward to chilling and pottering when I FIRE. Am sure I’ll do other things but I don’t have a long list of complicated things to learn and a bucket list to achieve. I just want to be.
I feel I’ve grown as a blogger so much in the past few months. I’m even daring to consider ads and affiliate marketing as my Sept goals. Would never have thought that 4 months ago.
Yeah it was super comfy to write just for me. I don’t miss it though surprisingly! That’s a lovely sentiment “I just want to be.” I’m completely with you. Thank you for making me feel more normal 🙂 . Congratulations on your growth and good luck with your new endeavors!
Hey APL!
It’s fantastic to hear that blogging has given you so much inspiration, and that you’re itching to write whenever you have new ideas! I felt so happy for you while reading the segment you wrote about ‘Inspiration’. The silliest thing you said was “I’m not sure you can classify this free blog as meaningful work”. To a lot of us, this blog is fantastic, and sure as hell meaningful. All of us would want you to know that.
As a new blogger, I’ve had similar experiences to yours. I’ve also discovered that this community is incredible. My companies that I’ve worked for have always tried to foster some sort of “community”, but somehow, I never belonged. I always thought I was a weirdo who maybe is just better off belonging to no community at all. That is, until I came across the FIRE community.
Your post is amazing, and I think you’ve expanded on everything so eloquently. But if there’s one thing I would add, it’s ‘Happiness’. I’ve had the opportunity to feel unimaginable joy from receiving a thoughtful comment or a heart-warming email. This kind of joy, I had never known before. My blog doesn’t get much visibility at all. But the few responses that I’ve received? They have made everything worth it. I don’t know whether my own blog would open any doors for the future, but I know that I would never regret it.
Hi hi! And aww – thank you so much for your kind words. You’re going to make me blush (and as a black woman that’s difficult let me tell you)! And I totally feel you on not feeling connected to corporate ‘communities.’ I can play along, but given the chance I jet out of there faster than you could believe! I think I have 5 or less people that I’ve kept in touch with from the 6 total companies I’ve worked at – and they were the weird ones too! We were weird outsiders together and that’s what bonded us. Weirdos are the best. I was thinking similar thoughts about not having a community, but here we are corrected!
Happiness is a great addition! Maybe I need to edit this post…Hmm! I also haven’t felt this kind of joy before. It’s a strange, but amazing feeling. I’m certain your blog will open doors for you! And I’m with you – it’s only been a month, but my only regret was not sharing my blog sooner! Thanks for stopping by.
I’m glad! Oh wow, 5 people from 6 companies… Definitely isn’t a lot. And hey, I don’t think you’re weird. Maybe the other people are, in fact, the weirdos 😉 I’m totally with you on the jetting out of there – I’m always finding ways to skip corporate lunches and dinners! They’re the worst.
Nah, your post is perfect as it is! Maybe you could do more blogging updates in the future! Like at the 3-month mark, or 6-month mark or something! I think it’ll be really interesting to see how much you’ve changed after having your blog go public. 🙂
That’s a great idea (3 or 6 month updates). I’ll put it on my calendar!
You write so confidently – if I stumbled across your blog now I would never have imagined it was private until so recently. It was a big and brave thing to do and I’m so glad you did.
Actually, I can’t believe it’s only been a month! Feels like you’ve been around a lot longer 😀
The internet can be a wonderful thing IMO allowing people of all personality types to contribute something to someone. So often the introverts can be left out – but for me the online community lets my voice be heard.
Aww thank you! That’s wonderful to hear! I’m glad I did too and also can’t believe it’s only been a month – it feels like a lifetime (in a good way). The internet is amazing! Sometimes I just stare out the window and think about how crazy it is. And that’s a great point about introverts too! I am a hardcore one (and so is my partner) and having an outlet to say things I don’t really talk about in real life is an amazing feeling. Thanks for helping me suss out what I love about it!
Thanks for sharing about your experience over the past month, APL! I’m glad you decided to take your journey public and share your thoughts. It’s only been a short time but I’ve already been inspired by your blog.
Regarding your question, blogging has helped me in so many ways. It has improved my written communication skills, helped motivate me to save more, and it has actually contributed to me being a nicer, happier person. There is something therapeutic about the process of organizing your thoughts.
That’s amazing to hear – thank you! I’m with you on writing and organizing your thoughts being therapeutic. And it’s amazing that blogging has made you a nicer, happier person! I’m not sure if it’s done that for me yet – I’ll ask my partner and see what he says lol. I definitely feel less isolated and like I can find someone to chat with or hang with basically anywhere in the world, which helps a lot when I imagine my post-retirement nomad life. Having personal connections was a concern, but it isn’t anymore 🙂 .
It’s great to hear you’ve had an amazing first public month – it was such a cool reveal, a three year old blog all there but only just revealed.
So happy you overcame the fear and did it – a great lesson to us all.
Haha – glad you liked the reveal. I’ll pretend that was my plan all along! Yeah overcoming fear is a great lesson – I’m going to try and not let it hold me back in other aspects of life as well. Thank you for stopping by!
🙂 I sure am glad you did!
Since I “went public,” I think I hold myself more accountable — on money decisions, writing posts, you name it — which is a good thing. But, I also am frequently disappointed that I don’t have 10,380,558 readers already. It’s like once I decided to open up, I thought everyone would care. Turns out, not yet. Maybe one day 😉
Thank you! That’s awesome that you’re holding yourself more accountable. If that happens to me I’ll let you know! As for 10,380,558 readers: that sounds exhausting to me 🙂 and expensive! Though if that’s what you want I know you’ll get there one day. Personally I’m so lazy that having that kind of traffic sounds like a full time job…which I’m trying to get out of ASAP 😉 . Thanks for stopping by!