Lessons Learned from 362 days of Travel Blogging

Having a post about one’s year blogging anniversary* is so cliché.  Soooo….I’m not going to do that. Instead, you’re getting this post, inspired by some of my favorite quotes.

1.  “If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun.” –Katherine Hepburn

I’m not sure that I would call myself a consummate rule breaker, but I sure do like to bend them a lot. I rarely sit in my assigned seat. I sometimes have more than the allotted grocery items in the express lane. I drive really fast AND I turn right on red, even when there are signs telling me not to. I’m also guilty of sometimes believing that the rules apply to everyone but me. I usually ask for forgiveness rather than permission, and I kind of always have.

I’ve learned a lot of things this year by sitting back and observing the most successful travel bloggers. What has really stood out to me is how some of those people think they make the rules. They sit high atop the travel blogging mountain and dictate to the plebeians below.

Perhaps their way is a great way. It obviously works for them; they have the numbers and success to show for it. Is their way the only way? I don’t think so, and I’m not blindly following those rules. I want to blaze my own path and rock the apple cart. It’ll be more rewarding and certainly more fun that way.

Of course, this strategy may fail miserably. See #6.

2.  You grow up the day you have your first real laugh at yourself.” –Ethel Barrymore

There’s been lots of times that I’ve taken myself too damn seriously. I’ve gotten worked up over trivial things, stuff that doesn’t make a difference in the grand scheme of things. So what if I forgot that comma or my subject and verb don’t agree? It’s not the end of the world. Fix it and move on.

I try to make it a point to laugh at myself daily. Life’s too short not to. And people that can’t laugh at themselves are a pain in the ass to be around, and I don’t particularly want to be a pain in the ass.

3.  “There is no agony like bearing an untold story inside of you.” –Maya Angelou

I’m much better at writing about what’s going on inside of my head than actually vocalizing it. Perhaps it’s a defense mechanism; I don’t much like talking about feelings. The irony is that by publishing my writing, I’m actually exposing myself more than I normally would feel comfortable with. The only explanation I can come up with is that I’d be miserable if I couldn’t share my writing. The process has given me a renewed sense of purpose and joy. Writing is an inherent part of who I am, and to deny it would mean complete agony.

Ohhh…that was so melodramatic, don’t you think? But tis true. Writers gotta write {and haters gonna hate}.

4.  “Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people.” –Eleanor Roosevelt

As supportive and friendly as I’ve found other travel bloggers, there’s another side that I’m just starting to discover. I had no idea all the gossip and back biting behind the scenes. It’s like there is a seedy underworld of cliques, private groups, and back-room deals going on.

As I continue to learn stories of who did what to whom, why so-and-so aren’t best friends anymore, and who sold out the other for a sponsorship, I realize that although I want to know about it all, I want to keep my nose clean. I’m out of high school, thank you very much. I’d just assume get along with everyone, share ideas, keep my baggage to myself, and stay out of all the bullshit that comes with the travel blogging business.

Yeah. We’ll see how that turns out.

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 5.“The question isn’t who’s going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.” –Ayn Rand

I really don’t like being told I can’t do something. I get down-right irate. One time my mother told me I’d have to wait until she got home to go to the football game. What did I do? I grabbed a pillow, wrote a note, and drove to the game in my parents’ brand new Suburban. Folks, I was TEN YEARS OLD!

I’ve only gotten worse with age. In ninth grade I declared that my dream was to play college basketball; I was told I was too slow and too white. I thought of this when I was signing my National Letter of Intent.

Then there was the time that my players told me I couldn’t drive the bus through the toll both, that it wouldn’t fit. Well, it turns out they were right. HOWEVER, I did jam it in there pretty good just because I didn’t like being told I couldn’t do something.

Stubborn? Yes.

Hard-headed? Absolutely.

Determined? Hell yes.

I realize there are easier ways to make a living than travel blogging. Right now I have a great job working for one of the top companies in the world. It would be really easy just to sit back, collect my paycheck, and write when I feel like it. However, that’s not what will ultimately make me happy. I don’t want to be tied to a cube with limited vacation. I want to travel the world, write about it, and make some money along the way.

I’m not waiting to be anointed “The Next Great Travel Blogger” by those that declare such things. Although, if it comes with a crown and scepter, I would gladly accept.

Also, see #1.

6.“You take your life in your own hands, and what happens? A terrible thing, no one to blame.” –Erica Jong

I’ve always been a member of a team. Even in tennis I played doubles. The thing about having your own Website is that if something is getting done it’s because you’re doing it. There’s nobody else to pick up the slack when you just don’t feel like writing. If your little fingers aren’t firing away on the computer then nothing gets published. If the latest post is rubbish then your name’s the one on it, nobody else’s. Of course, that’s if you’re a small-timer like me. Some of the big-name folks have ghost writers, something that I just recently learned.

To maintain a certain level of quality on this site is difficult and time consuming. People compliment me on my writing, and I very much appreciate the kind words. But I know nobody actually understands how I obsessively pour over each and every word selection (I rewrote that sentence three times, BTW). Sometimes writing is the most difficult thing I can imagine doing and equate it to going to the dentist: It’s something that just has to be done. It’s a rare occasion that a story will just erupt out of my mind and flow like hot lava onto the computer screen, but when that happens, I’m blessed with something that I’m truly proud of.

It’s a labor of love.

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 7.  “The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud.” –Coco Chanel

I’ve always been an independently minded-person. I was taught to think for myself and not follow the crowd. I took these childhood lessons to heart, because I’ve grown into quite the opinionated adult. I’ve had to reel that in a bit, because coupled with my big mouth, I’ve found myself in trouble a time or two.

In my more youthful days, I took on a homophobic boss when my lesbian co-worker wasn’t strong enough to do it for herself. I’ve given a verbal lashing to yet another boss who wrongly accused co-workers of an inappropriate relationship. I’ve told a CEO that I wasn’t going to work for someone I didn’t respect. Then I quit. But while teaching, I bit my tongue until it bled, which is probably part of the reason I only lasted a decade. Surprisingly, I’ve never been fired.

There is a fine line between being courageous in speaking your mind and spouting off at the mouth. I’ve tried to find that delicate balance. Sometimes the loudest person in the room is just that–loud. I’ve professed my hatred of cruises and that my give-a-damn is broken, but I’ve also found that whispering can be just as effective as shouting into a microphone. The real key is to figure out which one to use and when.

I’m still working on that.

8.  “I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life’s a bitch. You’ve got to go out and kick ass.” –Maya Angelou

Nobody would exactly accuse me of being young anymore, but I appreciate this quote nonetheless. Physically I may not be young, but in terms of travel blogging I am.

My numbers aren’t where I want them, but they’re getting better. I’m not getting the enviable opportunities that have come to others, but I’m starting to. As in life, success in travel blogging just doesn’t happen. It’s something that is achieved through hard work, being in the right place at the right time, and networking. It’s been a slow, but rewarding process. When I look back to where I was nearly a year ago I should feel a sense of pride from what I’ve accomplished.

And I do.

Things have always come easily to me, but not travel blogging success. How do I define success? I’m not really sure; it changes as I accomplish more. There’s certainly a sliding scale. If I am still simply happy with what I accomplished six months ago then I’m not growing and progressing. I can’t base what I’m doing now on what I did even three months ago.

Complacency is the enemy of success, and the key to achieving more is to simply keep kicking ass.

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9.  “I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m learning to sail my ship.” –Louisa May Alcott

Surprisingly enough, the writing part of having a Website is the easiest for me, despite what I described in #6. This is because I’ve been writing my whole life. When I first decided to start this site, I didn’t count on all the other things that are required to have your writing seen by others. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Google+ all must be tended to like flower gardens. Nothing will bloom without those being watered and fed.

I’ve taught myself WordPress, SEO, and marketing strategies. I still have A LOT to learn on those fronts. I’m only scratching the surface on the business of blogging, but have gotten a hand from some very special people. There’s just so much to learn, and I’m afraid that I’ll never find the time to do everything.

After a nearly a year {362 days, as a matter of fact}, I’m still figuring out how to captain this blogging ship. When I do, it might not be smooth sailing, but at least I’ll know how to navigate the rough seas.

10.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?”

–Marianne Williamson

I’m not arrogant enough to believe that my simple keystrokes are powerful enough to change the world, BUT they do change my world. Through my writing, I’ve been introduced to people I wouldn’t have met and experiences I wouldn’t have had without it. Doing so much is hard and takes commitment. It takes discipline, something that I’m not always very good at. I haven’t been the best employee, wife, friend, aunt, or daughter I could be. I’m also not being the best travel blogger I could be either. Quite simply, it’s difficult to be balanced and great at everything.

I will say that I try not to compare myself to others’ successes. That only leads to disappointment. Besides, I don’t want to be the next _____ {fill in the blank with the big-time travel blogger of your choice}.

I want to be the first Leah.

And really, who am I not to be?

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*As an anniversary present, cash and comments are gladly accepted. 🙂

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