Is it possible to discover yourself through blogging? To find something you love to do, to strengthen current interests, and to learn new things?
For me, writing has always been a private way to discovering things about myself. If I’m overly emotional about something, I tend to write in a stream of conscious, unorganized way to let my subconscious thoughts come out. Most of the time, I am able to get to the reason I feel a certain way about something, and sometimes, the reason is well off the mark of what I was expecting.
When I started the site, I did it with the intention of sharing poetry, photography and exploring the artistic temperament. After a several months, I found myself writing motivational articles, blogging tips, details about dreams, and more.
What I have come to realize is that I simply love writing. Not just the stuff I do for myself, but also writing for an audience. And where can you find a larger audience than on ht internet? One of the things I think is wonderful about the internet, social media, and blogging is that it gives everyone a chance to share their knowledge and experiences with others, in hopes that somewhere, someone will be affected in a positive way.
Blogging has strengthened a lot of my interests. My photography, for example, has developed (no pun intended) significantly since I began to share it on this site. Not only do I receive great tips from readers in the comments, but I find myself experimenting with new techniques, eager to share something different with everyone who visits this site. Even if it is just one page through a Google search about hummingbirds.
I believe that, if you have an interest or hobby, you should try blogging about it. You may find it will drive you to develop it even more, so you are able to share more with the community and get amazing feedback into ways to further improve your skills.
Blogging has also reminded me how much I love to learn new things. Whether it is ways to embrace living, the path to enlightenment, research in psychology, great places to travel, coding tricks and plug-ins to improve site functionality and design, or best social media practices, I just enjoy going out and finding new information to absorb and apply. The blogging world is filled with so many sources of information from everywhere around the world – there is never a day that goes by when new information is not written about and waiting to be stumbled upon.
If you are a blogger, have you discovered anything about yourself through blogging? If you are not a blogger, do you think that starting a blog may help you develop yourself or your interests?
This post brought to you by Kristi Hines
Kristi Hines is creator of Kikolani which focuses on blogging tips and social networking. Connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Kristi has written 310 awesome article(s) for Kikolani.
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Great article you really spell it out well with a nice easy way to appreciate why we do blog.
Frank Js last blog post..April Fools Day Worm Coming!
Kristi,
How true your words are! I’ve been blogging for a while now and I’ve found that I also love to write. I just returned from a hike with two new topics to write about. It somehow changes my perspective each day knowing that I can write about these things. I’ve always enjoyed learning. One of my life ambitions is to be a life long learner. No matter how old I am, whether I’m 50 or 100, I hope to continue learning. I also love getting to know other bloggers like you.
Debbie
Debbies last blog post..Thankful Thursday ~ Random
Oh, great article! Thanks a lot. Btw, I’m not love writing too much right now, because I learning to write in english, but I hope that one day I do really love it. my main passion is photography and I’m new keen blogger, posting images and some tips and how to’s.
regards and keep going with good posts!
Gerts last blog post..Picture of the day.
@Frank: I think even the people who started blogging just for income have found some new interest or passion while doing so.
@Debbie: You’re right. Knowing that you have a platform to share your experiences with others does give you a different attitude towards things you are doing. Even setbacks can be looked at as something to share with others. And I also agree, finding a great community through your blog is another great reward!
@Gert: There’s something I didn’t think about, in terms of strengthening skills and learning new things. Blogging can be a great way to learn and practice writing in a new language.
I think that blogging is on of the best self-discovery activities you can do. The whole process requires that you explore your thoughts, passions and values, and then define them clearly enough to be able to articulate them to others. The comments and feedback move you to further examine what you have written and add incentive for even more clarity. In my opinion, it is a personal growth accelerator.
Of course you can discover yourself through blogging. It gives you accountability, the chance to attract new people into your life and a sense of discipline which can lead to further personal development.
Dragos Rouas last blog post..Personal Development With Dumbo
Like you, I also enjoy writing and learning new information. I started blogging after being heavily influenced by the blogs I follow. Ironically, now that I am blogging… I like writing so much, I update my post every weekday and now, with my full time position, I have much less time to surf the net, read my favorite blogs and learn new information!
I need to learn the art of writing batch articles so I can free up my evenings for more learning! LOL.
Self-discovery, empowerment, connections – these are some of my favorite gifts of blogging. What I love is that I’ll start a blog post thinking one thing about a topic, and I’ll end up somewhere completely unexpected. And, I keep on discovering unexplored facets after readers add their comments.
Sandra Foyts last blog post..Writing Don’t Come Easy, Not For Me
Blogging is one way to express yourself that which mirrors your personality. I enjoyed blogging a lot.
@Jonathan: Personal growth accelerator – that is a good way to define it. Having a community that supports your ideas and thoughts is a definite motivator for you to discover and share even more.
@Dragos: Yes, writing about a particular subject brings in readers who are like-minded, which opens you up to a community of people to share resources with. A definite aid in discovering more about yourself!
@Su Prieta: I have run into the same issue. About the time I started to come up with lots of things to write about, my job & love of tennis started taking up more of my time.
I think the batch article thing works best when you have a big chunk of time to devote to non-stop writing. I like to keep a running list of blogging topics handy, in case that time arrives when I can start writing about them. Otherwise I do it in the evenings and post the next day. Good luck getting more time to write!
@Sandra: I have done that as well. I start writing one thing, then in the middle of the potential post, hit on another interesting topic. Then I go for a whole post for that, sometimes abandoning the beginning idea. I think that’s why I do previews on my weekly Friday post – so I can stick to my original big topic easier each week.
@First $100: Yes, that is what this site has become. A mirror into my ever changing, multi-faceted personality with a wide range of interests.
Hi Kristi,
First I wanted to thank you for the great comments that you leave when you visit our blog.
Since, I write about SEO and Internet marketing it is difficult to separate yourself from the crowds. So I took a look deep inside and re-discovered the kind helpful person that I had lost track of.
I write to assist people so that they can make informed and educated decisions. I decided to specifically write for the small business owner who doesn’t know much about websites or online marketing.
Then this year I went another direction with offering daily website reviews many of which you have read and commented on. In attempting to assist site owners to understand social media I have grown by leaps and bounds as a person. I know that the information shared is benefiting others. Blogging allows me to reach a much wider audience than I ever could when our site was static.
And in the process I come across great people like yourself. I would not be here today if I was not blogging myself.
Boriss last blog post..The 109 Day Link Building Explosion Day 83
I love ranting out my frustrations on my blogs and even emails, many of which are never published or sent, but writing it out almost always calms me down.
Marc Beharrys last blog post..FindLaw Still Top Online Legal Destination
Great post Kristi, you’re passion shows through in your posts!
Justin McGills last blog post..Process of Choosing an Ebook Compiler
I reckon that blogging has change my whole opinion of writing. When I was at school writing was on the end of the list. I was pretty good at maths and I liked art but when I failed the theory section I gave it up for a joke.
When I first started blogging it was a pure SEO ploy to increase the PR of my website. I am almost embarrassed to look at those initial posts, they are such a piss poor effort. I feel that my writing skills have developed somewhat and this can be directly related to my new found love for blogging.
Blogs have also helped me to look at photography under another light. When I now take a photo I try to keep in mind the effect the photo may have on a third person.
Blogging has also lead me to try my hand at poetry although in this regard I reckon I am sorely lacking, but I still have fun throwing a few compositions together.
All in all I’m so glad that I’ve become an avid blogger.
Sires last blog post..There Is No Way In Hell That A Man Can Please A Woman
Hey Kristi! What a beautiful post and thanks for the plug to my site too
On blogging, I have found that ever since I started my blog, I have gained much more self-awareness than when I wasn’t journaling/blogging/writing. Writing all my thoughts out and examining them has given me a better idea of what goes on in my inner world than trying to examine it from inside. I’ve always heard about how important journaling is from different sources but it’s not quite the same as actually experiencing and understanding it from a personal level.
Very true Kristi. When i started to blog, i wanted to share my computer knowledge with users. But after sometime i found that i loved writing and started other blogs as well.
Madhur Kapoors last blog post..Upload Files to FTP, Flickr, Imageshack, Rapidshare Quickly with Rightload
It’s true, blogging brings your thoughts to the forefront. I’ve actually never enjoyed writing until recently. I found the process very frustrating because for whatever reason, I feel like everything has to have a formal voice. I’ve gotten over it and now I can collect my thoughts and just go.
@Boris: Sometimes, I don’t think people realize that no matter how much you know about a subject, you really aren’t going to get anywhere by hoarding all the information. When you start sharing with others, it shows that you do know something, and makes readers more likely to believe that your services will provide that much more in value. Plus it just feels good to the karma to help others. I think what you are doing with your blog in relation to your services is a great thing, and I hope it does get more small business owners looking to you for their SEO needs.
@Marc: Definitely. I have been frustrated at people I couldn’t take it out on (whether it be bosses or complete strangers that I would never cross again), and I have written them “letters” to vent my feelings, and usually felt better because of it, even though they would never know.
@Justin: Thanks!
@Sire: When I was in school, I realized I had the talent to write endlessly about things, even if I didn’t know what I was talking about. Certainly got me through a lot of essays and exams. But sadly in school, the focus is about quantity over quality.
I think most bloggers in the beginning through out some strange posts just to get traffic (myself included). But after a while, you find your place in what you want to write about, and when the passion for it starts to show, it translates to more readers and the traffic that you desired from the beginning.
Thinking about how photos will affect the viewer has changed my photography too, in the sense that I look around and say, “If I couldn’t be here, what would I be the most excited about seeing in a picture of this place or moment?” Then I take the photo of that thing.
Great to hear that blogging has been a positive experience for you!
@Celes: Yes, that is one thing that you have to try your hand at before you can realize the benefits. Sometimes it takes years of writing before you can be fully honest with yourself – it’s one thing to believe something, and an entirely different feeling to put it on paper, which seems to confirm it. Personal, honest writing, even if you keep it to yourself, can lead to a whole new world of self-discovery.
@Madhur: If I had more time, I would start other blogs as well. I have at least three domains waiting for some ideas that have populated in my mind since starting this one.
@Sean: I have that problem in almost all of my posts, going from first to third person and wondering which is best. I think you just have to write like you are talking directly to the reader – it makes it as everything you say is directed to them personally, as opposed to a third party.
Hi Kristi – Blogging hasn’t made me love writing but it has helped increase my confidence in my abilities and I have made a lot of awesome online friends
Kim Woodbridges last blog post..8 WordPress Plugins for Building a Video Game Site
Hi Kristi:
My first visit here. Like your blog. I find that blogging is quite therapeutic for me and I find myself blogging to uplift my spirits, even if it is a highly focused topic that I am blogging about. I find blogging to be my escape from the rat race that we are all being forced to participate in our daily lives. Thank you.
Raj Krishnaswamys last blog post..Finding thermal spray jobs in any economy
Blogging has really helped me remember how much I enjoy writing, and it’s been a great way to hone my skills.
nutubas last blog post..March Serenity
Writting down notes and blogging is very healthy because you not only discover yourself but also motivate it; that’s the real power, Kristi
Hichams last blog post..Earth Hour: Lights/OFF
Hi.
I started blogging 16.6.2008 about leadership, management, fun at work and so on. I have since then written 90 posts, and just recently passed my first 5000 visitors. This does help me to reflect, to find out what is important for me and it helps me to become a better boss for my employees, and hopefully it will help my employees to become better as well. So yes, blogging will help yourself improve at whatever skill you are focusing on.
Frode Hs last blog post..So you’ve just got your first job, huh?
of course it is, well, my interest are about religion, knowledge, and japanese pop music. i heart google
Speaker Wirelesss last blog post..Bose Modular Wireless Speaker
i learned a lot from this article it was great. I realized through my blogging experiences i am truly learning a lot from it as well as myself.As you write more and more blogs you do seem to learn a lot more about yourself through your writing.
I also want to add as you blog more frequently and as the days pass your blogging style changes as well. You might write a lot better from what you were accustom to or you might write a lot less interesting. It’s how your able to find yourself through your blogging experiences which to me I didn’t realize this until I saw that my blogging has evolved.
almirs last blog post..Vital Tips That Can Aid Any Blogger
@Kim: Those are definitely great benefits of blogging.
@Raj: That’s good to hear… writing and sharing ones thoughts can be a positive boost indeed.
@Nutuba: And you are a great writer, so sharing that is good for all of us who read your work!
@Hicham: Exactly!
@Frode: That is an awesome story about how blogging really helps in not only personal but business skill development. Thanks for sharing!
@Speaker Wireless: That’s an interesting mix!
@Almir: Yes, style changes while you blog, but that I guess is the discovery process. As you change, as your interests change, so does your writing. I think that is an exciting thing.
Writing is another way of releasing stress. I think that is where it all get started. It is common to see when a blog starts with a certain topic, later on changed to different topics. A lot of interesting news and technqiues learned and studied in our daily life and of course we want to share this to our reader. I find that blogging is an excellent way to express ourself or any business in online industry.
I agree that blogging can help you learn more about yourself, or anything you happen to be blogging about. it is a noted fact that writing down or journaling your thoughts on a subject will help your retention of that subject matter a great deal. After all, isnt blogging journaling or a type there of? Writing things down can help you to look back and reflect on them which will provide a greater retrospect thereby helping one to dig deeper into themselves and perhaps have a better understanding as well.
I’m one of the many who got to your site through the hummingbird photos (really cute btw)
I love blogging. It’s an easy way to communicate opinions and get immediate feedback… although nowadays I’m turning more towards microblogging (tumblr is one of my new faves) since it really does the ’snapshot’ thing really well.. like what you did exactly on 4.53pm last sunday. That could be captured in a tweet or quick picture uploaded to a photoblog.
In that way I think its a pretty cool way to discover yourself.
Backpacks for laptops´s last blog ..Red SwissGear Computer Backpack Review
I’ve been debating whether to start a blog recently for marketing purposes, and I think maybe you gave me the encouragement I needed to get started. I have recently ventured into the electronic cigarette business, and I think blogging is a great way to gt the word out. Thanks again for pointing me in the right direction and hopefully getting my electronic cigarette business off the ground!
Janet Blaze
It has long been said that writing things down contributes enormously to memory retention. This in turn would greatly help one reflect on their writings, journaling, studies etc for self introspection.
I firmly believe blogging is a good way of self-discovery and also builds your character. It helps in upgrading your writing skills and also in taking constructive critique in your stride and mature as a person. Not to be forgotten, it gives you an outlet to talk freely about what you like and what you don’t and express your thoughts and views to the world!
I didn’t know what my favorite niche was until I started blogging. My very first blog had no specific topic, but just random thoughts. I then realized what my favorite niche was after I started doing that. It’s to teach people about search engine optimization!
-Kai
New from Kai Lo@seo Keywords That Sell
Only just found this post. Interesting as I’d been thinking today about what I’ve learnt since I began blogging.
I’ve cetainly discovered how much I love to write. I’ve also discovered that I seem to have something to say that others find interesting or useful. It validates me as a writer. I’ve learnt that I have an unusual ‘take’ on life and that I can’t stop looking out for the Positive Spin wherever I am.
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