10 Things I'd Tell Myself When I first Started Blogging

I've been blogging seriously for awhile now, almost 3 years. That's a long time in the blog world, it seems. I've seen such small growth in that time, compared to other blogs. But that's okay. It's not the reason I blog, though it can always be a nice motivation & encouragement to the reason. You know? The reason I blog if for me. I love it. I love capturing our life here on the inter webs to look back on and enjoy. I love writing. I love the whole process of creating a blog post. I love this little creative outlet I have here. But there's, of course, TONS I'd love to tell & teach my  3 years ago self about blogging but I'll start with 10.
Hello there, 20 pound lighter, 3 years younger, blogging Heather, I'd love to share some things with you that your future wise self has learned! Listen up girl!

1. Be consistent. 
You have a problem with self discipline and consistency. This blog is a way for you to practice & grow in these areas. Be consistent with blogging. Your family will appreciate it, it makes you feel good, and it's good for the business of blogging.

2. Respond to peoples comments.
Again, you're really quite terrible with the whole consistency thing, especially, when it comes to calling, emailing, messaging or commenting people back. Again, this blog is a place for you to train your "response" muscles.

3. Comment on other blogs.
You read & love so many! Comment on those posts you are reading. It doesn't take long. Don't think to hard about what to write, just write a comment! People appreciate it.

4. Blog Post 'Look'
Learn, quickly, dear one, how to size pictures and how to make you blog posts look more appealing. Your 3 years older self is quite appalled by some of your random picture spacing and general messiness. Did you even preview it before you pushed publish? Also, I know this will blow your mind, but there's an X-Large size choice for the photos you insert on Blogger. Ya, I know that seems so huge, but trust your future self, they look much better than your 'medium sized' oddly spaced photos.

5. Sponsor other blogs!
Don't just go for the free swaps, though those are awesome, too! And don't just look at prices of buttons, cheaper doesn't always mean better. I know that's true in the Ross and Target world, but in blogging there's often a reason you're paying more, those blogs have more experience, a more invested audience and can help you learn and grow. That doesn't mean forget about the smaller blogs, all blogs were there at one time, it just means, use your money wisely. Look at page views, not just followers, too.

6. Buy your own domain name & invest in a blog design.
It's good to just start out on the right foot. It will help you feel better and save you many of hours on Pic monkey & googling 'how to's' for HTML. You will learn alot from all those hours just 'doing it yourself' but in the end, it wastes a lot of your time and takes away from what you love about blogging.

7. Write whatever you want. 
Just write whatever the heck you want. Don't think about other people. It's your blog. Be yourself. That doesn't mean to be offensive or rude, it just means, let the writing flow from you sometimes. If you want to write about Jesus 6 out of 7 days a week, do it. Its okay. You don't have to try to keep up with some blogging trend. Write what makes you feel good, for real, not just feel good about having a good sock bun photo, you know?

8. Label your posts. 
Trust me 3 years younger self, you will save me tons of time now. I am just now going through your 500 label-less posts and adding labels. It would just be easier if you'd do that now..or then. It's so confusing chatting to your past self as your future self. 

9. Don't add 'linked' photos through the 'From a URL' tab.
What they don't tell you when you push that tab is that the picture you are inserting via a link will be removed or moved in about a month, leaving your blog posts full (really full, as you are really into 'from a URL' pictures then) of gray boxes with a camera with a big slash through it. It's really not nice, and there are entire posts that you worked hard at, that now make no sense without the pictures. Here's a tip: Save those images to your computer. Upload them from your computer and then link through a small 'via' or 'source' below the picture to the site you found it. Your future future self may tell you that there's something illegal or something about that, but for now, your 3 years in the future self says do that!

10. A Few More Things
These have nothing to do with blogging but are just helpful to you 3 years younger self. Keep working out, it will help you keep anxiety away. Also, to help you in the midst of all your future and current anxiety attacks, 3 years later you are still alive. You don't have heart problems. So go ahead, work out, enjoy life, don't be afraid. Also, you've gone on several flights and are still alive, so keep flying. Don't fear. Google search 'Endomorph' body types, it will be really helpful to you. Save money! Stop spending. Go home in a year. Who cares if it costs a lot of money. Just go. Take trips. Again, save for them, stop spending so much, and just travel. Spend lots of time with Jesus. He's just always, always worth the time. Pray. Pray alot. Enjoy life! And of course, keep blogging you little bliggity blogger. Love ya, girl.

*Sadly, many of these tips above could be tips to my current self! Get with it 3 years older Heather!* 

Linking up again with Taylor and Helene for #Blogtober14, because in October, that's THE thing to do and I like this bandwagon.