I briefly mentioned it in Monday’s blog, but a college friend recently approached me to ask me about blogging. He wanted to know how to make money with the blog, increasing visibility and readership, how to make his blog better, and general advice (like writing) for his blog.
I had a really great time discussing the business side’s minutiae and dispensing advice.
Ok. I won’t lie.
I LOVE dispensing advice regardless of the topic. I am definitely my own favorite echo chamber.
But anyhow, after texting with him over the course of several days, it reminded me of my lofty goals at the beginning of the year and kinda lit a fire in me again.
Now, I’m not saying that my goals are now exactly the same because, HI BABY4! But I didn’t want a pregnancy and subsequent new life form to be an excuse. (Even though it’s been a very handy excuse.)
As a result, I thought I would check in on my Year of Risking Dangerously and see how I was doing.
So, here are a few things I mentioned that I wanted to accomplish this year, as well as some goals I had written for myself in my planner.
1) Become “internet famous.”
I’m not sure how to gauge this exactly. I definitely haven’t gone viral or won any awards or taken the internet by storm.
However, in my little niche of Mandarin stuff (you like that technical term?), I seem to be “famous” enough. And although it’s not the same as going viral on HuffPo, it’s acceptable to me.
Of course, if HuffPo comes calling, I’m not gonna object. So, you know. Get to working, internet.
2) Submit my work to online publishers.
I was pretty good with this the first few months of the year.
I pitched Postpartum Progress and they published an article of mine on How to Get the Most Out of Your Therapist.
I was interviewed at Moms and Biz about Chinese homeschooling and loved my two minutes of fame.
I also submitted to a few other places, and although it’s technically not an online publisher, I auditioned for Listen to Your Mother and made their San Francisco cast. (You can see the video and read the transcript here.)
So, even though I didn’t do much else after that due to my extreme fatigue, I am satisfied. I may get my act together enough to submit a few more articles, but truthfully, I probably won’t.
I am content to hold off for now (unless I start getting some second or third wind).
3) Create and publish ebooks from my Chinese (and other) series.
I have TOTALLY dropped the ball on this. Like, completely.
I deluded myself into thinking that I would do this during my Taiwan trip, but mostly, I just focused on eating my own weight in shaved ice.
However, after talking to my friend, I am newly re-inspired.
So, I will definitely try and make this happen before the end of the year. (Heck, even if it means squeaking in just under the wire or right at the new year.)
Of course, to get it out in time, I have to let go of my perfectionistic tendencies and maybe not have the ebook be as completely re-written as I’d hoped.
But sometimes, good enough is still good enough.
4) Create material for and launch my own YouTube channel and series. Start a podcast.
Total fail.
I did record some videos, but I don’t think this will realistically happen this year or the next. UNLESS I stop caring about the “professional” look of the videos and just post whatever. Like, Facebook Live quality types of videos.
We’ll see.
Otherwise, I’m content to let this go for the next year or so and wait until Baby4 is a little older.
5) Take myself seriously by owning my talents/abilities/influence and acting like a professional.
Although it did not quite manifest in the ways I originally had in mind (such as starting a newsletter, revamping the website, making it more businessy by getting sponsors or ads), I did start participating more in online communities, subscribing to blogs and Facebook pages and interacting more with the writers.
Also, I’m not sure what it is exactly, but my personal attitude about my writing and abilities has shifted. For some reason, I no longer feel embarrassed (not even sure if that’s the right word) about blogging.
Instead, I’m confident in my writing and my voice.
I don’t know how it happened, but I like it.
So, I give myself a C. I did well on certain tasks, but others, I completely failed. It kind of averages out, right?
Ok. My brain is mush. Introspection apparently hurts me. But thanks for reading anyway! We’ll see if my sudden surge in energy is going to last long enough for me to get things done to my satisfaction.
Otherwise, I’m ok with letting things go.
See you Friday!