7 Surprising Benefits of Blogging: Money Not Included

So ofter we don’t realize the benefits of something till after we start it. Here are 7 benefits of blogging that I have come to greatly enjoy and some have even surprised me!

It all began some time back in November of 2013. My sister had posted one of those threads on Facebook where she listed a number of things you may not know about her and if you commented on her post, you were assigned a number to do the same. I got the number seven and after giving it a little thought, I posted seven things you may not know about me.

Guess what my first item was?

I always wanted to be a published writer.

I won’t go into all of the steps that followed but that one Facebook post planted the seed that began my blog, The Happiness Blogger. To my surprise, I have experienced many benefits of blogging that do not include money.

Don’t forget to ‘Pin’ me to your favorite blogging board! 

7 Surprising Benefits of Blogging

1. Realizing a Dream

My number one reason for starting a blog? I have always wanted to be a published author. Yes, blogging is miles away from writing a book, but every time I hit Publish or Schedule, I experience a sense of accomplishment. I am realizing my dream and taking steps to make it happen.

2. Building Relationships

Blogging seemed to be a perfect fit for the introvert in me. I am forever getting lost in my head and consider myself to be an excellent listener but a very shy verbal communicator. I thought I would just write and people would read and that would be it. Then I came across a Facebook group while searching for some advice on promoting my blog. Joining it has allowed me to meet fellow bloggers who are facing the same successes and struggles that I am. We support each other, offer feedback, and help each other grow.

3. Learning New Skills

I could make a very long list of words I never knew before beginning to blog. Words like linky party, nofollow, SEO, widgets were all Greek to me. I read other blogs, watched videos, took courses, and experimented until I understood what they were and how to implement them into my blog. Since I am a total nerd this was my favorite part about learning to blog!

4. Building Confidence

I have to confess that even though I decided back in November of 2013 to begin a blog, I didn’t actually hit publish on The Happiness Blogger until July of 2014.

Here’s what I thought:

• People would laugh at me.
• My friends or family would think I was weird.
• I was completely unqualified to write on the subject.
• No one would read it and I would be a complete failure.

I had absolutely NO confidence in myself and I let it control me. Once I faced my fears (and no one laughed at me) I felt confident enough to do it again and again. My self-esteem has significantly improved!

5. Helping Others

One of things that I love about blogging is helping others. I write about happiness and encourage people to be positive in their daily lives. When someone reads my post and then leaves a comment thanking me for writing it, I feel that I am making a difference. Being able to reach one person in that way makes all of the work involved totally worth it!

6. Exercise for my Brain

I have been taking college courses off and on for years. I love to learn! I’m a nerd, remember? When I’m not using my brain, I feel like I’m missing out on something very important. Blogging has allowed me to keep my brain working at its optimal pace and it’s never been happier!

7. Beating the Boredom Munchies

Before I began to blog, I was kind of stuck in a rut. I would get home, do some stuff around the house and then settle in for the night by binge-watching Netflix or reading a book. Shortly after dinner I would start snacking and it showed in my waistline. Now I am so focused on tackling my to-do list or writing my next post that I have to remind myself to even eat dinner. Bye-bye, boredom munchies! Hello, fitting into my jeans!

As you can see, there is so much more to blogging than publishing posts, promoting them, and making money! If you have been thinking about blogging, but haven’t started yet, I encourage you to give it a try! You may just be surprised at how it affects other areas of your life.

Don’t forget to ‘Pin’ 7 Surprising Benefits of Blogging to your favorite blogging board! 

What surprising benefits of blogging would you add to this list?

Meet Our Guest Author:

Hi everyone! My name is Michelle Westbrook and I live in a small town in northeast PA with my husband Craig, our dog Lily, and my newly-retired mom, JoAnn. I write about making happiness a priority, embracing gratitude, and striving to find the positive in everyday life at TheHappinessBlogger.com. I am most passionate about encouraging people to live more positive lives. I have struggled with both happiness and faith in my life and I really hope that I can use that experience to inspire others to live happy and fulfilling lives. I feel that God has called me to reach out to others and share His Joy. So that is exactly what I will do!