Lesson Learned After 8 Years of Blogging

Today’s post is a bit different than what you’ve been reading here recently on Simply Nicole. I’m getting pretty personal. 

First off, let me say that the idea for this post came to me while driving last week. I stewed on it ever since and wasn’t sure if I would share or not.

Many of you long-time readers know that when I started this blog I had no intentions for anyone to read it. I just wanted place to talk about my time in college and the healthy lifestyle choices I was making. This was way before Pinterest, so I also used Simply Nicole as a place to save my favorite recipes. Eventually, I started reading and commenting on other healthy living blogs and people started reading mine. 

That’s pretty much how this whole thing evolved. But it wasn’t an easy path from then to now. Oh no. I’ve learned lots of lessons about business, life, writing, and myself. The most important lesson = Fitting in isn’t always cool. 

WTF am I talking about?

When my blog began to get some traction (2+ years after writing my first post), I started learning all about the business of blogging. I read countless articles about becoming a full-time blogger, ways to be more productive, how to collaborate with brands, etc. {In fact, I still read those types of articles, because it’s so important to continue educating yourself!} In 99% of those articles, the same piece of advice came up over and over again. Find your niche. 

My blog has evolved over the years and the content has certainly shifted as well. I’ve talked about health and fitness, then added in a bit of home organization and decor, and finally also wrote about blogging and business tips. So when people ask what Simply Nicole is all about, the answer isn’t as cut and dry as saying “It’s a healthy living blog.” And I’m OK with that. 

When I’m pitching my blog for brand partnerships, I generally say:

Simply Nicole is more than just a healthy lifestyle blog. First of course, I share tips and tricks for living a healthy, balanced life. That includes simple recipes, insight on health and fitness trends, my favorite workouts, and reviews on natural products for home and body. But I also give my readers a look into my own life with my husband and mini dachshund, which is certainly not always perfect. I don’t always work out. I don’t always practice what I preach. I indulge in cheesecake and bowls of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos from time to time and that’s OK. It’s all about balance. Simply Nicole is all about being REAL. 

Although I agree that it’s beneficial to stick to a niche when blogging, I don’t think it’s the end all be all. Especially because it’s easy to compare yourself to others in that niche and to try to be something you’re not. This is why I only keep up with a few blogs. When you start immersing yourself in blogs that are similar to your own, your blog and your writing style can sometimes start sounding like those blogs and less like yourself. 

So instead of fitting in with others, I’ve learned to just fit in with myself. Be true to myself, my voice, and my goals.