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Many people have asked me “what does it take to be a blogger?”  Albert Einstein said “once you stop learning, you start dying.”  And I believe that to be true.  Andy Dufresne’s mantra in “Shawshank Redemption” was get busy living or get busy dying.  If you mash the two together, you discover that to stay alive and to live, you must learn something new every day.

This post contains affiliate links.  I will make a small commission if you use these links, but it will not change the price you pay.

Being a blogger changed from a hobby to a job

Writing changed from a hobby to a job for me now that I’ve gotten serious about it.  Someone once said, “Find something you love to do and you’ll never work a day in your life.”  (There is much discrepancy over who that quote should be attributed to.  Just know – I didn’t make it up.)  And that’s exactly what I’ve done.

Decision time – can I be a successful blogger?

I’d had it in my head that I wanted to do this writing thing since I was in high school.  But I found myself working a very stressful 50-hours-per-week job, so my brain was fried by the time I got a day off work.  I couldn’t seem to be productive.  So it just continued to sit on the back burner.

A couple of successful bloggers warned me that it IS a full-time job to write a blog for a living.  If I couldn’t dedicate some decent chunks of time to the business of blogging, then I should probably wait to get started.  I found this to be good advice.

And then my boss unexpectedly eliminated my full-time position.  I found myself unemployed.  So I figured this was the time to focus on making a living with my writing.

Doing an internet search to see how I could start freelance writing, I found Elna Cain.  Elna has a course called Write Your Way to Your First $1K.  This course truly changed my approach to freelance writing in general and more specifically to blogging!!  I learned everything I needed to know about how to set up my hosting site with BlueHost and my website with WordPress in her course.   She teaches students how to find clients and how to write good copy.  I later discovered another of Elna’s courses – Freelance Blogging in a Weekend – that was geared more toward what I really wanted to do, which is be a blogger!

Speedbumps along the way

I did have a really tough time launching my writing career.  I am a perfectionist.  And I have a phobia about being less than perfect.  So it took me quite a while to get the blog launched because I needed it to be perfect.  I read some articles along the way and did a guest post on FreelancerFAQs about being what I call Passably Perfect.  You can read it here.  I finally took the leap, hit the “launch” button and sent my brainchild out into the world.

My original plan was to write a travel blog.  I love visiting other places, especially historical ones, so I chose that as my specialty.  I successfully posted about the Civil War Battlefield at Bentonville, North Carolina, and about the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum in Boston, and about the North Carolina Historical Museum.

And then COVID-19 happened.  So I had to re-think what I want to write about, at least until we are free to roam about the country again.

So on we go …

I’ve chosen to focus for the time being on how a perfectionist and often anxious planner & traveler can cope with what’s going on in our world right now.

Writing is my therapy, though not all of my writing is worthy of sharing.  But sometimes that’s the point.  It’s a journey, not a destination.  And practice makes perfect. Most writers will agree that the more one writes, the better the writing.

I am currently a writer for hire.  I write this blog, manage two web pages, and manage three Facebook pages.  I’m creating something special to share with you all soon.  You can see where I’m writing by going to my Samples page.

Can you be a blogger?

Many people, when they find out I’m a writer, say to me “you know, people tell me I should be a writer” or “I’ve always wanted to be a writer.”  That’s usually followed by “but I don’t know where to start” or “I just can’t find the time to be a blogger.”  You can get started this weekend with Elna’s course  Freelance Blogging in a Weekend, or go for the brass ring with Write Your Way to Your First $1K.   And what better time than now?  Many businesses have moved to a predominantly on-line presence and are looking for writers these days.

And people, in general, are looking for things to read on the internet, now more than ever. Your blog could be one of their choices.  You can write about virtually anything that interests you.  But I’d limit yourself to something you’re passionate about.  I don’t write many posts related to finances, because I am mathematically challenged.  But I could write all day about history or how to organize your day to get more done!

If you’re even thinking about starting your own journey to be a blogger or freelance writer, I highly recommend one of Elna’s courses – Freelance Blogging in a Weekend or Write Your Way to Your First $1K. (I do get an affiliate fee if you click through these links, but it won’t cost you anything extra if you sign up for the courses.  And they are definitely worth your time and money!)

I’ll be happy to answer any questions you leave in the comments below.  And if you need a cheerleader, I’ll be that too!

Do you wake up in the morning, start your daily routine, only to realize that by the time you get out of the shower you’re feeling overwhelmed?  Your head is swimming with things to do, people to call, what’s for dinner, and where did you leave that important folder that goes to the office.  Or maybe you end the day with pain grabbing the base of your neck, reminding you that all of your stress has been stored up there for you?

Keeping a journal has become my go-to stress reducer, and it can probably help you too.

If you’re like me, our “new normal” is probably adding stress to your life.  Not many of us respond well to change, especially when we’re approaching or fully in retirement mode.  We’ve established our routines, and we don’t want to change them.

What is a journal?

Webster’s Dictionary defines a journal as a “daily record, as of occurrences, experiences, or observations.”

I’ll bet we all had an English teacher along the way in our academic lives that required journaling as part of the class.  I know I did.

Studies show that journaling can decrease the symptoms of some health conditions, improve cognitive functioning, strengthen immune system response, and counteract many of the negative effects of stress.  How can you not want that?

You can use journaling as a creative outlet to help reduce your anxiety and stress levels.  It can be started at any time, and it’s a great way to track day-to-day activities as well as long-term goals.  Keeping a journal encourages you to get things done.  If you write it by hand (instead of on your computer), it stimulates and engages your brain better, making it easier to retain information.  It’s a great practice for overall stress reduction as well as self-knowledge and emotional healing.

Are there drawbacks to journaling?

As great as journaling is, it probably won’t release tension from your body like progressive muscle relaxation, guided imagery, and other physical and meditative techniques may do.  And perfectionists sometimes have problems with journaling because they are so concerned with editing as they go, their penmanship, or other factors. As a result, they can’t focus on the thoughts and emotions they’re trying to get out of their heads and onto the page.

Some people get hand cramps. And some are reluctant to relive negative experiences.  Often if the writing is about only negative things, it can add to the stress level instead of relieving it.

Types of journals and how do to use them

• Gratitude journal  List 3 (or whatever number you’d like) things that happened today (or yesterday, if you prefer to write in the mornings) for which you are grateful.  Include a short explanation as to why you chose them.  This will do more than help you to shift your focus when necessary.  These are great to read through on those days when you’re feeling down in the dumps and need a little pick-me-up!
• Emotional release journal  Write about your emotional response to the events of the day.  This is a great way to expand on the positive and not always dwell on the negative, which can increase your positivity ratio.
• Bullet Journal or Personal Planning journal: Keep a journal to track what you need to do each day, goals you have, the memories you create, and other things you don’t want to forget. Physically writing things down can help keep your mind focused and help you to remember what’s important to you.  Being more organized and balanced is a great way to feel less stressed.
• Special interest journal  Gather your thoughts, dreams (like the ones you have at night), prayers, artwork, writing, travel plans, etc. all in one place.  Whatever excites you and lifts your spirits.  Write it down, or paste it in there.

I’m sure there are many more specific types of journals.  And if you don’t like any of them, make up your own!  Your journal is a safe place where you can dump stuff, both positive and negative, without walking on eggshells for anyone or any reason.  Sometimes it helps to just get trivial stuff out of your head so you can focus.  Journaling helps you let go of it, at least for a little while.

Do I need a special book to keep a journal?

This depends on your own creativity.  You can buy pre-made journals or planners.  They may have writing prompts, dots, dates, or a myriad of other things in them.  Or you can just use a spiral or loose-leaf notebook to keep your journal.  It doesn’t have to be all fancy-schmancy.

I’ve found that I’m too much of a perfectionist to use a bullet journal successfully.  I’d be so worried about getting everything spaced just right and using beautiful calligraphy.  I need more structure like lines and boxes to fill in or check off.  But you do you — if you’re artistic, a bullet journal suits you perfectly.  If you don’t like writing at all, choose a steno notebook instead of a full-sized one.  That way the pages fill up faster!  Or draw pictures if that’s more your thing.

The idea is to have a place that keeps you organized, uncluttered, and relaxed.  If you’re sweatin’ the details, you’ve picked the wrong type of journal!

What’s the bottom line?

Journaling can help decrease your stress, regardless of where that stress comes from or the type of journaling you do.  It doesn’t matter whether you hand-write your thoughts in a simple notebook, create a computer file for your thoughts, jot notes into your phone, or use some other creative method.  The idea is to create order and to be able to let your thoughts flow freely, without judgment from you or anyone else.

If journaling doesn’t help you, however, don’t be afraid to seek professional help. A therapist can assist you in making sure your journaling is effective.  There are also alternative stress reduction strategies that might work better for you.

Drop a comment below about how you use journaling to reduce stress.