7 Reasons to Start Your Own Blog ...

1. Inspiration

Do you naturally post inspirational quotes and photos on your social media? Maybe inspiration is one of your gifts and you haven’t realized it yet. Inspiration is a wonderful reason to start your own blog because people need to know that they aren’t alone and often turn to others for encouragement to keep going. You can inspire others by your blog posts and sharing your journey in an honest way.

2. Showcase Your Work

Are you an artist or have a special talent? If you have a gift that is visual like painting, graphic design, or drawing, you may want to consider starting your own blog so you have a central place to display your work online. This can help you get organized so the next time someone asks to see your work you can send them directly to your blog and they can find everything in one place.

3. Find a Community

If you are introverted or have a hard time socializing and making new friends, starting your own blog is a great way to find a community of like-minded individuals. I happen to love Jane Austen and managed to find a community of other people online who love her so much that they host monthly dances complete with costumes, dancing and food from the Regency Era. Whatever you are into you can find a group of people online who are into the same thing and instantly connect.

4. Sell Your Products

Etsy is a great place to sell your products if you are creative. But it’s still a great idea to have your own website if you have actual products for sell. You can showcase your products and write inspirational posts about them to motivate readers to make a purchase. It’s a win-win situation!

5. Build a Writing Portfolio

This was my greatest inspiration for starting my own blog because I needed a place to write daily since I wasn’t writing professionally at the time. Over time, I had a collection of “published” and thoughtful posts that I could show potential companies if I wanted to write for them. It was the best decision I could have made as a writer because it worked. I was able to find several professional writing jobs simply by giving them a link to my personal blog.

6. Start a Community

Much like finding a community, you can also start your own community through a personal blog. One blogger that I have followed for years named Gala Darling has done this by branching out and creating The Blogcademy. She has managed to create a community for like-minded bloggers who want to connect with other bloggers. I love it!

7. Journaling

Do you remember the site Online Journal? I consider it the grandmother of sites like Tumblr. There is nothing quite like writing in a personal journal by hand, but writing in an online journal through means like a personal blog comes close. If you prefer to type your thoughts out, a blog can serve as a personal journal to help you clear your conscious or get things off your chest. You can choose to set your blog to private or be selective so that only people with certain information can access your blog.

I love blogging and try to do it daily. Don’t let the abundance of blogs stop you from starting your own if it’s on your heart to do so in 2015. You have a unique voice and perspective and someone out there will benefit from what you have to say and share. Go for it!