Blogger Love•blogging•Random Musings•real life•Real talk
Why I Personally Will Never Be a Full-Time Blogger
October 30, 2017
I had a lot of time to think while the entire states were holding its breath waiting for that monster storm Hurricane Irma to approach us. The storm did not swipe by our area until midnight on Sunday night. The schools had closed the Thursday and Friday before to house evacuees from the other coast. That meant we had almost 4 days of preparing and waiting. Then on the back end of the storm, while everyone was trying to get back, we had a few more days off. Basically, I was off of work for a week straight. Granted, 95% of that was spent in anguish not knowing what was going to happen to us as well as running around last minute prepping. I tried to stay busy to keep my mind off of things and the best way I know how to do that is with….you guessed it, working. I caught up with all my grading, I even made sure to shoot extra content to have available in case the weather was so bad we won’t have the opportunity to go outside. The only thing left to do was work ahead on my blog work. It got me to really thinking about what if my blogging was a full-time gig?
Here’s the thing. I think a lot of people hear the stories of the top 1%. Those “full-time” bloggers that quit their day jobs to follow their dreams. Can I be 100% honest with you? That is not my dream. Blogging is a business for me but I absolutely love the fact I am not keeping the lights on with it. I have a full-time career already that I worked my butt off to get to. Being a Nurse Practitioner and working in healthcare is a sustainable life career. My husband is self-employed so I have the incredible opportunity to provide health insurance to my family with my job. I have a steady paycheck that pays me twice a month like clockwork. I enjoy my job. It is mentally challenging, I get to take care of the sickest and most vulnerable populations and families. I make a difference in peoples personal lives. Not only am I a full-time Nurse Practitioner but I’m also the manager of the Nurses and Medical Assistants. Therefore, I am always balancing clinic life with managing my clinical support staff. It is a lot of work but I thoroughly enjoy what I do. I have been at my job for 10 years and I still honestly enjoy going into work every day, now how many people can honestly say that?
The other part of why I personally will never be a full-time blogger is because I love the freedom of being able to say no when it comes to this space. I can be picky and only work with brands I truly believe in because I don’t have to say yes to everything to pay my bills. If I was a full-time blogger I probably would have had to say yes to the feminine wipes and body wash campaign that was offered to me a few months ago. I did find it a bit odd that the PR company was willing to pay me almost 3 times my usual amount and then I read the small print. Ummmmmm yeah. I mean the product actually looked pretty legit but I wasn’t going there. If you have noticed I have never worked with any feminine hygiene companies, alcohol distributors, or really any brands that I honestly would not use in my everyday life. I can do that because I am not a full-time blogger. Does that make sense? Also, you are at the mercy of companies to chase them for your money. I’m not going to lie how many times I’ve had to write threatening emails to a company that is a month late of paying me for services rendered. That is just not a good feeling or something I want to have to deal with on a full-time basis.
I love the supplemental income the blog allows me. The ability to work with great companies, being exposed to many new products, experiences, and travel. Blogging is honestly such an amazing experience that I never plan to give up. I am not sitting here trying to bash any full-time bloggers. That is NOT my intention at all. I truly love the doors that blogging opens up and allows women to become entrepreneurs and provide for their families. I’m just telling you why PERSONALLY I will never become a full-time blogger. I also feel like this industry is very volatile. Is it still going to be as popular in a few years? Isn’t it already a little too saturated? I hate having to rely on Instagram and it’s always changing algorithms to make income. You never know what opportunities are going to present themselves. Some months I’m brimming with collaborations and other months its crickets. Sometimes a PR company will reach out to you with the most amazing opportunity and then the fall off the face of the earth. All things that are beyond your control. I know people create e-courses, e-books, coaching, create other lines of steady income etc. I just do not have the time for that, I’m going to be honest.
I really honestly love the fluidity of my blog, that I can spend a ton of energy on it when I have the time or let it not control my life when other things are going on. I love that I can say no to things because it’s not a good fit. I love the stability of my full-time job and that it keeps me grounded when the fluff of the industry becomes very overwhelming. Most of all. I love the connections and friendships that I have built within this community. Nothing makes me happier than getting an email from a reader in the Midwest whom I’ve never met but is an avid barre girl and she just wants to let me know that she’s totally loving the new Onzie leggings I’ve been talking about. Or when I put an answer out into the blogosphere and immediately you all answer me with the best hacks ever. I love being able to grow with all of you. When I first started this blog, I was a single gal living in my condo on my own. I’m now married to the love of my life, in a beautiful new home, with my first baby on the way. I mean how cool is that? Anyways, I hope you all get the meaning behind this post. I always try to be as real as possible and thank you all for the support over the years! xoxoxo
I’ve loved watching your life “grow” over the years! Not bashing full-time bloggers by any means (do you, girl!) but it really does make a difference in the tone of your blog – I feel like you can be much more authentic instead of trying to fit the mold. Your blog has a great mix of real-life, realness, and sponsored posts and I don’t think it it’s that way for full-time bloggers. God bless them, trying to figure out a way to be creative and make money off of every post sounds really freaking stressful to me.
I’m right there with you. I could never be a full time blogger. I worked so hard in my career to get where I am today and while I’ve definitely loved blogging the past few years, it’s nice to be able to step away from it for a few days and not have to worry about making an advertiser mad or putting that kind of stress on myself. <3, Pamela Sequins & Sea Breezes
I love your honesty and transparency. I also love that you love your career that you have worked so hard for!
Blogging is so much better as a fun hobby! Like you said when there’s time – so much fun but when busy it’s okay to let it go… Love both of those looks by the way!
i love my blog but would never be able to make it “work”. back when my old blog was “bigger” (ugh i hate saying that), i felt pressured to always come up with content even when i didn’t have any/wasn’t inspired to post and it turned into a real chore fast so i quit that old blog and sneakily made my new one and didn’t really tell anyone :/. now i write when i want and whatever i want and it feels so good to not have to stick to a certain audience/post type.
I love your honesty here. Full-time blogging has never crossed my mind because I’m just not “there”. I work full-time and don’t have the time or energy to always create good content. It’s a hobby for me, and, I agree that the blog world is over-saturated. Plus no one can control social media. Instagram and Facebook can change all they want – we have to roll with the punches. And, like you, I like getting a paycheck twice a month without fail!
Your honesty is so refreshing!! Personally, I find that when someone moves to a full time blogger, the blog content changes and it totally becomes stale pretty fast. I do think that the blog world is over-saturated and I don’t know how long it really will last. As someone who use to work on commission, i know first hand how difficult it can be. It also changes you and not in a good way. Well, I do miss the days of my commission checks, I’m much happier being off of it. And I like knowing exactly what my pay check is going to be. Awesome post!!
Always love your honesty! You’re right that when we see “full-time” bloggers that it’s like 1%. It’s easy to forget that they’re the exception rather than the rule if you’re swept up in the comparison game. I’m obviously not full time either and probably never will be! I think it’s awesome that you’re still driven and motivated at your job after all these years. You go, girl!
I honestly could never blog full-time. I barely find enough time right now to blog haha. While I do read a lot of blogs, I have to say but you are one of the most genuine and real ones out there. I always trust your opinion and you are very inspiring. I also love your sense of humor. :-) Just curious to hear your thoughts on something regarding the blogging world though.. Why do you think that some of the people who have thousands of followers on Instagram don’t follow people who don’t have as many? I don’t mean to come across as insecure I was just really wondering about that. In the mean time, keep being fabulous and have a great day!! :-)
I totally agree with blogging as a great hobby. I love having a little extra income to do some fun things and blogging when/where I want.
Meg, Borrowed Heaven
Thank you for your honesty! I am the same way, although I never see my blog making me enough money to live off of anyway! The new Instagram algorithms are the worst, and they have stopped alerting me when people who I have notifications set for post, so annoying. You are such a great inspiration for so many things, keep doing what works best for you, it has been a great ride watching your life grow!
I have really never even considered being a full time blogger either. Not that my blog is even anywhere near where it would need to be to have the option. But I feel like the market is a little over saturated and I wouldn’t love the pressure of always having to come up with new content because my life depended on it. I think it totally comes through in the content too. I trust your opinion because I truly believe you are only sharing what you love and are passionate about. The tone changes when it is forced with some other bloggers out there, you can tell they had to take this colab. You know? While I don’t love my career, it is stable. I think it is awesome that you love going to work every day ten years later!!! I think that is all any of us really want career-wise. The ultimate goal, to love what you do! I am still trying to figure out what that looks like for me.
See this is why I can relate to you. This. I’m a hard worker (like you I have a full time gig and side gigs – tutoring etc). I do love my blog and want it to grow but the reason I haven’t worked as hard at that as I probably have wanted to, is because well, I dont want to do this full time. I love being an attorney. I want to be an attorney with a lovely blog. That’s fine too.
Such a great post! I agree with some much of this. I never saw myself as a full time blogger nor do I think I would want to be one. You’re right, those that are making a killing off of it are a rare percentage and many of them have a team of people behind them that in my opinion loses it’s authentic feel. Blogging is also too much of a numbers game and you’re only as good as your last post. I feel like it would be too up and down, and fame and following only lasts for so long. I love that you enjoy what you are doing on a daily bases. I enjoy my job too but would ideally like to find something with a bit more work life balance, especially now with my kids. Sierra ~ Beautifully Candid
I totally get it! And understand your thoughts completely! Xo
This makes total sense and I dont think the full time bloggers would take offense to it (and if they do, oh well). I like the fact that you like the companies you work with and only endorse the ones that you really believe in.
This is the only post I’ve ever read that is closet to how I feel about blogging. I love my blog and how it has grown. I want it to continue to grow BUT I could never give up my full time job to blog full time. I’ve worked so hard to grow in the position I’m in in my career and I can’t see myself ever giving that up. I also don’t trust the ups and downs of blogging to maintain my lifestyle the way my full time job does.
I don’t think any full time blogger reading this would get offended at all! I’m kind of in awe of full time bloggers who had the courage to give up their jobs and manage to keep growing their blogs and stay relative with the constant changing things in the blogging/social media world.
Even without being a full time blogger, I think you’re killing it girl!
I’m right there with ya sister! It’s a rewarding hobby with some great benefits. As much as I crave a work-from-home job, I’d prefer it to be in my specific field.
I can definitely relate to this and love your open honesty! You’re full time job is so rewarding and I love that you’re still just as passionate about it!
Since almost day one we’ve been blogging friends, then IRL friends, then travelled together and that is amazing! I am with you – blogging is a fun hobby – provides some nice extra income, but I love being able to do what I want to do and when not really tied to a commitment except to myself! xo, Biana –BlovedBoston
As much as I love my blog, and the opportunities that have come along with it I can’t imagine it being a full time gig. I didn’t work hard all through college, internships, and crappy jobs to get to where I am now (while also paying student loans) to not continue my career. Some days I envy the girls who seem to spend their days at coffee shops, traveling on fully paid trips, and shopping to their hearts content but they’re only showing the good stuff. And I don’t want to live in a world where those things are no longer special because they’re not a treat anymore and your new normal. You do you girl! <3
Green Fashionista
I’m totally with you there! I’m a family med resident physician and love my job (although there are good and bad days just like anything else out there), but I really love having my blog as a side hobby! :] It’s awesome getting to pick the companies I really do want to work with and to get to know other bloggers for the community vs. the “competition!”
Preach, sister! I totally agree with you and kept saying Amen! to every sentiment. You manage your blog, personal life, and nursing career with such poise and professionalism. Always going above and beyond, you somehow make it all look easy! You’re basically superwoman :) Baby M is so lucky!
Preach, sister! I totally agree with you and kept saying Amen! to every sentiment. You manage your blog, personal life, and nursing career with such poise and professionalism. Always going above and beyond, you somehow make it all look easy! You’re basically superwoman :) Baby M is so lucky!
I respect that. I’m so disappointed that so many bloggers I love have turned entirely to sponsored content that seems so inauthentic. I mean, I understand the WHY… and I try to support them, but there’s something about this space that I just want to keep REAL. So… I love that you do that and that you’ve stayed authentic even as you’ve grown your blog. <3
I love this post!! Being a NP must be so satisfying ( I come from a family of doctors and nurses) and I can see why you would never want to give that up! You worded this so beautifully. Hope you have a fabulous weekend!
xx Tess | Sequins are the New Black
Love your honestly and your blog :)