Half the workload for anything is the strength to continue. Keeping dedicated and motivated to prevent quitting something or decreasing the quality of your work, is an effort in itself and can sometimes be harder than the task itself. Everything requires a mentality and it's your thoughts and attitude that can make all the difference in your performance and output. Blogging is no exception. Sure, blogging is definitely fun and personally it definitely is a passion of mine, however, everything has its difficulties. Since blogging is usually something that you chose to start, it can be quite dangerous as you are in control of how you choose to continue with it. Of course, it is universal that there are those times when you think, Should I even bother anymore? or, Am I even going anywhere with this? It happens to all of us, but how these thoughts end up in reality is what's really important. I know that many of my readers are bloggers themselves, so hopefully these tips will be of use to you as well as for others who are not bloggers as these tips are pretty much applicable to any other activity. So without further ado, I share with you my personal tips and endeavours that I take to keep on track.
1. Remember why you started... if you remember.
First thing's first. Sometimes you start something, and then realize it's not for you. There is nothing wrong with that! In fact, it would be a waste of time and energy if you were to continue something that you truly realized wasn't for you. If you still do find joy in blogging, however, but find yourself losing that motivation every once in a while, it is important to remember why you started and remind yourself of the value of what you're doing; it is these reasons that drove you to take that big step towards blogging in the first place, so they also have the power to keep you driving on.
2. Be happy with your "blogger-self".
Just like how wearing your favourite outfit or favourite lipstick can make your entire day, having a beautiful blog layout and design that you yourself enjoy, is practically vital for enjoying blogging itself. Your blog should be something that pleases your eye, otherwise you can lose the motivation to create new posts and content. Investing or taking time to tailor a blog design that you enjoy is highly important. Keep in mind that it is okay to not be 100% satisfied (you can never be) and also know that you can - and highly likely will - alter your blog layout many times in the future. Equally important, however, is your content. Are you satisfied with the content you're publishing; with the style you are presenting your material; with the tone and voice of your writing? Again, these things can and probably will change over time as it is a work in progress, but if you currently feel that you are not happy with your style and that it's holding you back, immediately work at it and it will motivate you to continue blogging with joy and a sense of self fulfillment and appreciation.
3. Take it seriously and responsibly.
Surely, blogging should be fun, but that doesn't mean eliminating any sense of responsibility. Remember that blogging is not a one-way activity; you are interacting with other people and your readers, so you should take it seriously. Personally, I enjoy working under some form of pressure as it pushes me into a more productive mentality. I find that when I take my blog seriously and professionally, it motivates me to create valuable content for the public and community. Remember: taking things seriously is not necessarily the same as stressfully. Have fun, but maintain a responsible and professional outlook on your blog - it can steer you in a more structured and effective mind frame!
4. Get inspired.
It goes without saying that inspiration works wonders in literally everything you do. For blogging, I am constantly looking out for inspiration - either on an active hunt or unintentionally - just be open to it! Whether it be photography inspiration or content inspiration, when an idea hits me, it can make me excited and want to hurry straight to my computer and begin composing my post. Keep in mind that inspiration should inspire you; that is, elicit novel and innovative ideas that are different to the actual source of your inspiration - don't copy! Also, be sure to always immediately jot down your ideas so you won't forget them!
5. Know you're not alone.
Strange enough, sometimes seeing immensely successful bloggers or other bloggers who have that enviable blog design or quality photography, can actually un-motivate you. It should, however, do the opposite, since it's a fact that everyone starts somewhere, and it's important to realize that. Sometimes, I go through some of my favourite bloggers' archives and look up their oldest posts when they first started their blogs. Looking at their growth and how they started actually really motivates me and reminds me that blogging really is a never-ending journey and process and you will get better.
I hope these tips have helped you in relocating that motivation that can so easily be lost sometimes. How do you stay motivated and dedicated to your blog?
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