Finally, I’m doing a post that ISN’T SPONSORED OR COLLABORATIVE IN ANY WAY. For anyone who reads my blog, it’s been pretty sparse recently. I used to post five times a week and it was pretty exhausting because I did that for around 3 years solid. And I loved it! That’s the thing when you’re passionate about something, it doesn’t feel like a burden. UpYourVlog has gone from strength to strength in these last couple of years and this year I’m finally going freelance. You don’t understand how excited I am to finally write that blog post that every other full-time blogger writes when they go full-time. But recently, I’ve been crap with my blogging and I wanted to explain why.
I’ve always been conscious of wanting to branch out from UpYourVlog because if the blogging world ever stopped making money, I still want to be able to have a bunch of freelance writing opportunities that I can lean on when I go freelancing full-time. So I managed to secure some freelance work, which is still on-going and is part of how I’m able to go full-time soon. But to say I’ve been burning the candle at both ends is an understatement. I’ve got a money goal that I wanted to reach before going freelance and that’s to go towards wedding payments, backups for whenever I have a bad month of blogging and then hopefully to go towards other big life events (like babies).
So I’ve been working flat out since January and I mean, working every spare hour that I get in the morning and evening. However, because freelance writing has taken over my life, the blog has been neglected. I’ve been relying on guest content and the occasional sponsored post but with no original content in between. And that’s hit my audience figures. I’ve also noticed that my mood has dipped and I’ve been constantly feeling like I’m treading water, trying to keep afloat. When it came to May, I had the best month financially from my blog and freelance writing than I’d ever had before. But I was exhausted.
I’m a money worrier at heart and that can sometimes be very bad on my mental and physical health. I get myself so worked up that I panic, thinking I’m going to run out of money. But the truth is, I’m really not. Anyway, if I did, what would I do? I’d pick myself up and work with vigor to get myself out of that bad place.
The thing is, I’m still learning and this for me is a new part of my life that is exciting but also extremely terrifying. I hate to fail but I hate it even worse when I feel as though others know that I’ve failed. Going freelance is going to be a challenge. I’m going to have to be my own boss, set my own working hours and most importantly, I’m going to have to be brave. Because in life, you have to be brave. Being in your comfort zone is not going to make you successful. Being just outside of your comfort zone – that’s where success lies.
I’m sorry I’ve been shit. UpYourVlog is coming back with a new drive and passion. We’ve got a new web theme and I’ll be making some updates to the site over the next few months. Expect to see lots more personable content and hopefully, the launch of my new blog, Tilly & Rouge in September?
Is there anything you’re excited for in your life this year? Let me know in the comments below!
