Who Would Start a Blog Anyway?

You’ve never met me, yet you have entrusted me with your valuable, precious time. To read this post. Perhaps some of my other posts. To hear me. To get to know me. And for that I am immensely grateful. *big smile*

I have put myself out on a pretty long, flimsy limb by starting to write a blog and I was hoping you would let me share my why with you.

Have you ever wanted to start a blog? Felt that you had a story to tell, or an ability to help others in some way?

Did you do it??? 

The Beginnings of Blogging

Did you really truly type out some blog posts, hit publish, nervously fidget, maybe spill some coffee on your writing space (a little dramatic perhaps, but I think I would just die without coffee!) then cross all your fingers and toes that someone, ANYONE would come along and read your heartfelt words? Perhaps also give yourself a pat on the back for Finally. Doing. It.? Maybe rang your best friend to give her a heads up that you were now online? And checked out that GoogleAnalytics thingy that other bloggers talk about? (Clearly “thingy” is the technical term used by newbie bloggers like me😉).  Wondered when those wads of cash from sales and affiliate marketing and sponsored posts were going to roll in? Lost sleep? Lost confidence?

Guess what? That’s me! That’s where I am at RIGHT NOW!

If any of the above stuff was true for you, I get it! But you also know that you survived that uncertain first post. Which means if you did, I will too! And my next, and my next and…

For fellow newbies or wannabes- It also means if you have yet to start a blog, you will survive throwing yourself out live into the world wide web. If other people can do it, why not me? Why not you too?

I have never written a blog before. I am not one of these “Here is my first post” type people who actually have had multiple blogs up and running before. Nope- I am in virgin territory here. “Learning by doing”, as they like to say here in Germany.

Armed with a pen and paper and laptop and mobile phone, I have read and re-read multitudes of tips, advice, how-to guides, other blogs and straight-up Googled my little heart out trying to get a rounded idea of how to go about blogging.

But why would I do all this? I don’t actually NEED to take on anything new to fill my time. I have plenty of hobbies: Photography! Sewing! Reading! Walking! Learning languages! I have friends! I work part-time! I have 3 children for crying out loud! (Anyone with kids knows that they are excellent at making hours in a day disappear; sometimes in wonderful entertaining ways and other times I-want-to-tear-my-hair-out ways). And I volunteer at their schools and kindergartens! Would I have the time to add in a blog too?

I had been um-ing and ah-ing about the idea of myself joining the 21^st century blogging world for a few months now. Could I write enough? Could I write anything worthwhile? Would anyone want to read my blog? Who, actually? Would they come back and read a second post, or a third? What would I blog about?

Why Start a Blog?

WHY would I even want to blog at all?

I’ll be honest here: I am a chatterbox. I like talking. Not in a talk-your-ear-off-until-your-eyes-glaze-over-and-you-slide-off-your-seat type of way. (At least I didn’t think I was that way…. Anyone dare to confirm or deny?!?). No, I just like being with people, chatting, exchanging stories and experiences, hearing other points of view, sharing my knowledge and learning from others.

I also like laughing. I like jokes, I like humour. I get pleasure out of sharing big ol’ belly laughs with friends. I think I can be somewhat humorous (Again friends- confirmation or denial?!?) and enjoy being the one to make someone else smile or laugh. I am also excellent at making fun of myself, at times self-deprecating, other times brutally honest about some embarrassingly stupid crap I have done.

I am an expat. I was born and raised in Australia. As a spritely, wide-eyed 20-something year old giddy with the idea of exploring European history with all it’s cobblestone streets, towering churches, exotic languages and enticing foods, I backpacked around several countries for a few months. While travelling around I met a German guy who over the following years of a loooong distance relationship I fell in love with. Then I eventually moved to Germany. The end.

Nah! Just kidding! So, anyway…

I am an expat in a country that does not speak my native language. I have spent a great deal of time learning German and am highly proficient, though not perfect. No matter how good my German is, I cannot always express my thoughts or emotions (think: anger, frustration, humour) in what I feel is an effective or precise enough manner. Seriously, have you tried to translate a funny story or joke using words like Kuddelmuddel?!? Somehow I just feel that my listener has not fully understood the depth or the context of my meaning. Like the person I am talking to has missed the point. Although it was also quite possibly me not making my point clear enough. English is just easier.

What Can I Offer My Readers?

This all leads me to the point of this blog post (see, really, there was one! It wasn’t just poor language expression in German AND English!). How does a talkative, social Australian girl let out all these ideas and wishes and plans and laughs in a foreign land?

All of these factors join up nicely to create the WHY of me finally deciding to write a blog. What is it that I can offer my readers, my online community?

• I have stories to tell
• I have laughs to share
• I have tips to offer
• I have experiences to trade
• I have projects to exhibit
• I have ideas to create
• I have hobbies to gush about (sewing, anyone?!?)
• I love to learn from others’ experience
• I am a social person
• I am a chatterbox who of course finds it easier to talk in her native language (er, that would be English)
• I like friends; I like having them, I like being one
• I hope that I can inspire people to try new things 👉 Face your Fears!!
• I like people to know that none of us are truly alone
• I like people to know that there is ALWAYS someone, somewhere on Planet Earth who has done or has survived doing the exact same thing as you. ❤

As you probably have noticed by now, I seem to have garnered a LOT of reasons for starting to write a blog. All I have to do now is finish this post **dusts hands off in satisfaction of a job well done**. Oh yeah, and keep remembering my WHYs. And keep writing 😉.

I can’t wait to see where this blogging journey takes me. Maybe it will turn out to be an amazing wild ride. Who knows?!? I can’t tell what’s going to happen next, but I do know I am keen to find out and keep working on it.

I hope that you’ll trust me and come along for the ride too.

For those of you considering starting a blog, all I can say is GO FOR IT!

Did you ever want to start a blog? Did you do it? If not, why not? What’s stopping you? What’s YOUR why? So many questions, LOL! I’d love to hear from you!