Well, what a year!

I really can’t believe it that this time last year, I published my very first blog! https://slimminginspirations4u.org/2018/01/14/slimming-world-online-or-join-a-group/.

I had wanted to write my own blog for many years, but never really had the belief in myself to do it.

I decided in 2018 to make it my New Years Resolution to do it. I already knew what I wanted to call it, I just needed the courage. It wasn’t about making money, but a hobby. A way to reach out to others, provide help and support, and just have a bit of fun!

I researched the best way to do it, and on what platform. It seemed that WordPress was the right place for me, with GoDaddy as my website.

So on 14 January 2018, almost a year to the date I had joined Slimming World, I published my very first blog. Since then it has been ready by 36 people. OK, that isn’t a lot, but it is a start.

This blog is my hobby. If I only reach a handful of people that is fine! Ok that is a lie, of course I would like to see thousands of followers, but everything worth having takes time.

Since that very first blog, I have since written another 101. In total 3,783 people have viewed my blogs. I hope that people will see from how I write, that I am just a normal person, with the same problems and challenges as most of the people out there. I keep it honest and fun.

So which have been my most successful? Well they are both very different. In second place, my own personal cancer journey. I am very pleased about that, as I hope that my very own experience will help others to firstly get diagnosed, and secondly to beat cancer!

In first place is my blog about an amazing product. Slimline Wine. This product is only just slightly older than my blog. Since then it has grown so much, and I was lucky enough to get to see where it was made.

Since starting my blog, I have also ventured into YouTube. Again, I always wanted to do this, but was even more scared than I was doing the blog. When you are writing a blog no-one really has to know who you are. When you vlog, you are fully exposed. Bizarrely, I have enjoyed this so so much more than I ever thought possible.

I’m hoping that in 2019, I can grow both by blogs and vlogs. I publish everything I do on my website http://www.slimminginspirations4u.com. This has been another learning curve. I’ve never designed a website before and it has been so much fun.

Each week, I am learning so much more about how to build websites, and vlogs from tutorials from Youtube. More importantly though, I have learnt so much more about me. I feel so much more confident in public situations.

If you have a dream, follow it. It may be scary. It will put you outside your comfort zone, but if you don’t try it, you will never know what you can achieve.

If you are worried what others may think then don’t. Yes, there may be that one person out there who will make fun out of you, will try to use it to put you down. If they do, it says more about them than you.

If people don’t like your content, they won’t read it. If they do, they will follow you. Don’t expect it to grow overnight. It takes time. As long as you remember that, you will be fine.

So anyone out there writing their blogs in their heads, just take the bullet and publish it! You will surprise yourself and find a whole new you!

Happy blogging.