5 Years of From Roses & My Biggest Blogging Lessons

Every year as I approach another milestone for my blog I can't help but reflect. 2016 marks 5 years that I've been writing From Roses and I can't believe that I've been curating and creating this little internet space for that long. As well as having a look back over the past 5 years I wanted to share some of my favourite blogging lessons with you today.

5 YEARS OF BLOGGING

When I turned my old neglected photography blog into From Roses I had no idea what would happen with it. It was somewhere for my own pleasure and it didn't matter whether people read it or not. Because it was just a place for me to write about something else than photography during my degree. The concept of readers baffled me and I didn't ever look at my stats and comments were very few and far between. And part of me does that miss that carefree relationship I had with blogging as it felt so innocent. But I wouldn't change where FR is now for the world as it's grown into something that my brain can't quite comprehend and I'm incredibly grateful for that.

So I want to thank the people that have stuck with me and supported my blog for years as I know there is a good few of you. And anybody else who ever takes the time to just click on a post, leave a comment, tweet or even reach out to me via e-mail. Those things mean so much to me that I'll never be able to put it into words. Because without you none of the awesome things that I've been able to do throughout this internet space would never have happened. And of course to thank you for allowing me to create the content that I do and feel like I'm able to sit down and write those truly personal posts and discuss those taboo topics. Thanks for providing me with a judgement free place to share my thoughts and a generally positive internet destination. I'm eternally grateful and I'll hope you will all continue to follow along as long as I'm doing this.

BLOGGING DOESN'T LOOK THE SAME FOR EVERYONE

This is the biggest lesson that the past 5 years has taught me. The world of blogging doesn't look the same for everyone and we're not all trying to achieve the same thing. And it's all too easy to presume that each person is in the industry for the exact same reason and it can even cloud your own judgement with what you want to achieve. We all have our own aspirations and whatever they are it's so important to respect what other people are doing online. As whatever it is it doesn't take away from what you're trying to achieve.

YOU HAVE TO MAKE YOUR OWN COMMUNITY

Before I properly started blogging I presumed that the community would be so welcoming and that all bloggers would have respect for each other. But how wrong I was, whilst I think the community is great I do find it to be a little hostile and not quite as welcoming as I'd like to believe. There is room for everyone in the blogging world and that's the beauty of it. The internet can never be full because it has no capacity. And there is so many different circles within the blogging community that you're bound to find one that you like you're a part of.

IT'S NOT EASY

One of the biggest misconceptions about blogging is that it's incredibly easy. And whilst I know all too well that it isn't difficult in the traditional sense. It's not all free trips and PR's constantly wanting to throw money at you for an Instagram post. Whilst it might be painted like that on a daily basis you have to be incredibly savvy to take your blog further than just a hobby. You also have to be so many things rolled into one unless you have a team of people helping you with every aspect which is very rare. And I completely understand why people roll their eyes when bloggers complain that they're stressed because most live an incredible lifestyle. It doesn't take away from the complex aspects of it all and the negativity that occurs. And whilst people can argue that it's something that bloggers choose to do. In reality, if anyone has the chance to do what they love for a living than they're probably going to take it.

& MY BEST BLOGGING ADVICE I CAN SHARE WITH YOU

Create a blog that you'd want to read.
Do what you're passionate about, not just what's popular.
Be nice and be humble.
Don't allow fear to fog your brain, be brave.
Be proud of your internet space.
Make connections, not contacts.
Never allow someone else's successes make yours feel inferior.

R x

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