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“Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart.” —William Wordsworth
Over the course of my life, I’ve embraced a number of different hobbies: baseball cards, video games, tennis, art, just to name a few. But none of them have changed my life or brought me as much satisfaction as blogging. In almost too many ways to count, it has changed me and the way I live my life.
In fact, so much so, it has become a hobby I regularly recommend to others. I started blogging as a personal tool to journal the changes we were making as we started becoming minimalists. But somewhere along the line, it became less about me writing the story and more about the story changing me.
And while there are many articles written about why you should blog to grow your business or become an expert or make a whole bunch of money—the best recommendations are still found in the personal realization that blogging changes you, the writer.
15 Thoughts on How Blogging Impacts Life
1. You’ll become a better writer. At its core, writing is communication. It is about recording thoughts on paper and compelling others to agree with them. To that end, writing (just like every other form of communication that has ever existed) improves with practice. Blogging will not force you to become a better writer, it’ll just happen as you do it. And becoming a better writer holds important benefits for the rest of your life—whether you are creating a book, a presentation, a résumé, or an anniversary card for your spouse.
2. You’ll become a better thinker. Because the process of writing includes recording thoughts on paper, the blogging process encourages you to stop and think deeper. You will delve deeper into the matters of your life and the worldview that shapes them. Unfortunately, at this point, many will choose not to blog (or write at all) based on the faulty reasoning that they “have nothing to say.” But to that line of thinking I always respond the same way, maybe you just haven’t discovered yet what you have to say.
3. You’ll live a more intentional life. Once you start writing about your life and the thoughts that shape it, you’ll begin thinking more intentionally about who you are, who you are becoming, and whether you like what you see or not. And that just may be reason enough to get started.
4. You’ll develop an eye for meaningful things. By necessity, blogging requires a filter. It’s simply not possible to write about every event, every thought, and every happening in your life. Instead, blogging is a never-ending process of choosing to articulate the most meaningful events and the most important thoughts. This process of choice helps you develop an eye for meaningful things. And remember that sometimes the most meaningful things appear in the most mundane—but you’ll see what I mean once you get started.
5. It’ll lead to healthier life habits. Blogging requires time, devotion, commitment, and discipline. And just to be clear, those are all good things to embrace – they will help you get the most out of your days and life. Since beginning to blog, I have become an early riser, a runner, and can now properly identify my favorite drink at Starbuck’s (Caramel Macchiato). And even if those three habits don’t personally appeal to you, blogging will provide opportunity for new life habits to emerge in yours.
6. You’ll meet new people. Whether it be through comments, e-mails, or social media, you may be surprised at how quickly you meet people on-line. And by meet people, I mean legitimately form relationships that seek to serve one another. The blogging community is friendly, encouraging, and genuinely cheering for you to succeed—the only thing missing is you.
7. You’ll make some money. You don’t need to make money to enjoy blogging. In fact, sometimes making money from your blog can actually start to distract you from the joy that you found in the first place. That being said, whether you make $20/year or $20,000/year, it’s still pretty nice to have a hobby that actually pays you back.
8. You’ll inspire others. Blogging not only changes your life, it also changes the life of the reader. And because blogs are free for the audience and open to the public, on many levels, it is an act of giving. It is a selfless act of service to invest your time, energy, and worldview into a piece of writing and then offer it free to anybody who wants to read it. Others will find inspiration in your writing… and that’s a wonderful feeling.
9. You’ll become more well-rounded in your mindset. After all, blogging is an exercise in give-and-take. One of the greatest differences between blogging and traditional publishing is the opportunity for readers to offer input. As the blog’s writer, you introduce a topic that you feel is significant and meaningful. You take time to lay out a subject in the minds of your readers and offer your thoughts on the topic. Then, the readers get to respond. And often times, their responses in the comment section challenge us to take a new, fresh look at the very topic we thought was so important in the first place.
10. It’s free. Your blog can begin today without spending a single penny now (or ever). I use WordPress and highly recommend it. With an initial investment of $0, why not give it a shot? Or for just a few dollars/month, you can use your very own domain name. I use and recommend Bluehost*. Scroll down a bit further for step-by-step instruction how to to start a blog.
11. You’ll become more comfortable being known. Blogging introduces yourself to the world. It causes you to articulate the life you live and the worldview behind the decisions that you make. Whether you have 1 reader or 10,000, the blogging process opens up your life to those on the outside. It is a good exercise in human-existence to be known by others. Over time, you’ll reveal more and more of yourself to the outside world… and you’ll be excited to find a world that relates to you and enjoys hearing your story.
12. It’ll serve as a personal journal. Blogging serves many of the same roles as keeping a journal. It trains us to be observant and gives weight to the personal growth that we are experiencing. It trains our minds to track life and articulate the changes we are experiencing. Your blog becomes a digital record of your life that is saved “in the cloud.” As a result, it can never be lost, stolen, or destroyed in a fire.
13. You’ll become more confident. Blogging will help you discover more confidence in your life. You will quickly realize that you do live an important life with a unique view and have something to offer others.
14. You’ll find a platform to recommend. We all love to recommend something we have found enjoyable or beneficial—whether it be a nice restaurant, a good book, or a new outlook on life. The fullness of joy is not experienced until we have shared that joy with others. A blog provides an opportunity to do that very thing. It provides a platform to share the joy we have experienced and recommend good things we have discovered to others.
15. It’s quite a rush with every positive comment. There’s a certain little rush that accompanies the immediate positive feedback that you receive every time a reader posts a comment, shares your writing on Facebook, or tweets it out to their Twitter followers. While walking the fine line between finding encouragement in that feedback and obsessing over it may take some time to get used to, it’s far better to find that line than to never seek it out in the first place.
Now that you understand the many benefits of starting a blog, it’s time to get into the specifics of how to do it.
Learning to blog well is a lifelong endeavor. But getting started is quite simple. It requires only a few minutes and a few dollars and I have broken the process into 7 simple, easy-to-understand parts.
How to Start a Blog in 2019 in 7 Simple Steps
You can learn how to create a blog just by following these steps:
- Choose a blog name and home. Keep it simple but descriptive.
- Customize your design. Choose a theme and customize your blog’s look.
- Gather necessary tools. Install a few necessary plugins.
- Define your success. Choose your definition of success and what your blog should accomplish.
- Be consistent. Sit down and write on a consistent schedule (doesn’t have to be every day).
- Connect with others. Set up social media profiles to reach your fans.
- Grow with your blog. As your blog grows, so should you.
Let’s dig into the details on how to start your own blog.
1. Choose a blog name and home.
A blog’s home consists of two parts: 1) a domain address and 2) a server.
A domain is your web address (www._______.com). And a server is the computer space you will buy to host your website and all its information.
Don’t worry about this. It’s easier than it sounds—and we’ll walk you through it. Bluehost, the server I use and recommend, has made this step affordable and user-friendly.
Your domain address is an important decision, but don’t get stuck overthinking it. It can be changed in the future if you’d like. But more importantly, whatever name you come up with first is usually the best place to start. Most websites will help you find alternatives if your first choice is already taken.
Using Bluehost for both domain registration and server hosting is the easiest option (the domain registration is free on Bluehost) and it is the server recommended by WordPress, the platform most used for blogging. Bluehost prices are reasonable. Their customer service is always available to help (email, chat, and telephone—I’ve used them all). And their 30-day money
The first step to starting your own blog is to visit Bluehost and register your own domain. Click the “Get Started Now” button and choose a plan. You can select the cheapest plan for $2.95/month (yup, your own website for less than $40/year). But I use the “Plus” package at $5.95/month. It costs a bit more—but it allows unlimited websites, unlimited email addresses, and unlimited website space. I’ve never regretted the few extra dollars.
There are other upgrades available and offered throughout the process, but I don’t think any of them are necessary.
After selecting and registering a domain, install WordPress on your new domain (WordPress is an easy-to-use platform for writing and publishing content).
Installing WordPress on your new domain is as easy as clicking the “Install WordPress” button from your Bluehost Control Panel. It really is as simple as this 3-minute video explains below.
Keep in mind that Bluehost is available 24 hours/day to help you with any questions if you have any problems. If you’ve always wanted a blog or website but were too intimidated to get started, please don’t be. It’s never been easier to get started.
2. Customize your design.
After registering a domain and installing WordPress, you can log into WordPress and begin blogging—literally, within minutes of reading this post.
Your blog will be loaded with a default theme. A “theme” is the design of your website—and WordPress offers hundreds of them for free. If you don’t love the preloaded theme, more free WordPress themes can be found through the “Appearance” link inside the WordPress Dashboard.
If you want even more customization, you can purchase a premium theme for WordPress. The price of these themes
As you do craft the look of your blog, keep the reader’s experience first and foremost in your mind. Make your text large enough to be read easily. Avoid white text on black backgrounds. Keep your content front and center. Limit distractions (ads, links, tabs, sidebars). Display your blog’s name and goals clearly. Write helpful words with your reader in mind. And include an “About Me” page with your picture—readers want to associate a face with the words.
You will probably want to include some images in your post. Flickr offers millions of searchable images under a Creative Commons license— free to use if you include proper attribution. You can also find free stock photos at Unsplash (this is where I found the image at the top of this article), Pexels, or even design your own using Canva.
3. Gather necessary tools.
One of the best features of WordPress is the variety of plugins created for the platform. Think of plugins as unique tools built to solve problems or offer opportunities.
Adding plugins to your WordPress site is, again, as easy as clicking an Install button. From inside the WordPress dashboard, the Plugins feature can be easily accessed from the menu on the left. Once inside the plugins area, click “add new” and search for the plugin you would like to install. Once you find it, click the “Install Now” button.
There are literally thousands of plugins to choose from. But for getting started, here are the only 4 you need:
- Akismet. Protects your blog from comment spam.
- Share Buttons by GetSocial. Adds Twitter/Facebook/Pinterest buttons.
- Google XML Sitemaps. Enables search engines to find your content (important for driving traffic).
- WP Super Cache. A plugin to help your content load faster.
You may also want to install Google Analytics on your webpage to better track statistics. You can blog without it, but it’ll be nice to see how many visitors are on your site in real-time and be able to look back to see what pages people are visiting (and how many visitors there are in general). Here is a brief video tutorial on how to setup Google Analytics:
4. Define your success.
People start blogs for any number of different reasons. Some people hope to make extra money, craft a new career, or create passive income. Others blog to distinguish themselves in their career field.
But not everybody has professional reasons. Some writers are simply looking for a creative outlet. Others are looking for an online journal, a place to express their thoughts, or just want to share baby pictures with their grandparents on the other side of world. Each of these are worthy goals.
Every blogger gets to choose their definition of success—and each blogger gets to act accordingly.
Your definition of success can always change. Becoming Minimalist was initially created as an online record of our journey into owning less. As a community began to be established, it became a place where I found encouragement and inspiration to keep going. Eventually, it became a website dedicated to the intentional promotion of minimalism. With each passing definition of success, my specific approach to blogging changed.
As you begin blogging, articulate your intended purpose in your own mind—because your definition of success should be based upon it.
5. Be consistent.
I have found many benefits to blogging. It has made me a better writer, a better thinker, and has motivated me to live a more intentional life. I would recommend it to anyone.
However, blogging can be difficult at times. At the very least, it requires the discipline to sit down and write on a consistent basis. I realize not everybody enjoys writing. And if you hate it, blogging is probably not the best creative outlet for you.
But even for those who do enjoy writing, blogging requires consistency. Growing a community requires you to remain present and engaged. Showing up on a regular basis does not mean you need to blog every day. But it does require you to show up consistently.
It is this consistency that forces many of the benefits listed above. You can only become a better writer if you sit down to write. And the best way to add intentionality in your life is to sit down and record the things you are observing.
Consistency benefits the community. But equally important, it benefits the writer. I stand as proof.
6. Connect with others.
Your writing has value and carries potential to influence and change lives.
It is important, therefore, to connect your writing with potential readers. If you are not on social media, I would encourage you to do so. Share your posts with your friends on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and elsewhere.
Each of the social media sites offers a unique approach to connecting with readers and utilizes a slightly different language. Become active on 1-2 of them and learn best how to use them. Here is how I use each.
Take time to find other bloggers who are producing similar content. Connect with them via Twitter or email introducing yourself and your goals. Include links on your site that help readers discover more people writing on similar topics. Links make the Internet work—and they are the best way to get noticed in a busy, noisy world.
If you want people to subscribe to your blog and receive posts via email, you will need to set that up. Most bloggers consider an email list the most important thing you can do online. Again,
7. Grow with your blog.
Your website will change. I know mine has. You will discover other writers and find new blogging strategies. You will find new tools and new opportunities to share your content. As your site begins to grow, you may choose to invest more time and money into it.
If your experience is anything like mine, these opportunities will come from any number of sources. Each stage of growth will arrive when you most need it.
But in the end, your blog will grow… and so will you. Get started right here.
*Note: I am an affiliate, which means they offer me a commission every time someone signs up via one of my links. But this does not influence my recommendation. I have used Bluehost from the very beginning and continue to do so today.
About Joshua Becker
I am sold. I had my own reasons before reading this inspiring piece, but now I’m more convinced and motivated than ever. Thank you
I just started blogging recently and I am collecting the designs for my blog before I launch it officially. WouId you mind sharing the font you used on here. I really like it and I’d like to use it too
Blogging definitely helps you become a better thinker once you commit to produce the best and in-depth content possible in a particular topic you are interested in.
When I was thinking about the many reasons one should start a blog, this one didn’t escape my mind.
After all, most searchers – the people who come to blogs – are looking for the best answers/stories out there – which are obviously provided by bloggers who go to great length to publish all their awesome detailed posts.
thank for the step by step,its straight forward
Perfecto!
Thanks for this! This is the perfect post that I needed to finally convince myself to write a blog. I love the list! Especially 1 and 2… I found writing helpful in articulating my ideas. :)
Ok after reading this excellent article I’m super motivated to finally start my blog. I sense that my insecurities are at a low point. Thank you!
Hello Joshua. One thing, an important one, that helps to make your stories and passion for a life of less stuff all the more inspiring is the humble spirit you continue to show. Personally having to endure for years intellectual excuses used as a means for ridicule, domination, and far, far worse has fostered in me a deep appreciation for the calm, peace and strength of a humble man. Thank you for taking the time to share what you learn, to help others and to be an example of the power and beauty and effectiveness of being able to accomplish and teach in such a kind, humble manner.
Because of your blog I will start to blog .
This is such a great post! So many good points here. I just started blogging and I am so happy to a part of this awesome community! Check out my new blog for single moms. I share some minimalist practices too. http://www.singlemomchiclife.com :)
I agree totally! I have just started blogging while simultaneously trying to downsize my life and I find they go together perfectly. Lots of points here that never occurred to me though!
This definitely resonated with me! I’m doing a year-long minimalism/ethical living challenge, so blogging keeps me accountable, engaged with the ideas around it, connected to like-minded people, and always reading and learning. It’s integral to my minimalist/slow living/ethical consumption mindset. Loved this post!
Thank you for this article and the site to use. I have a passion for something and my friends have been telling me I should do this for a while now. Now it’s a matter of finding the words and putting them together, so I don’t sound somewhat illiterate.
Funny, I started today. And for some reason, this is in my feed today.
https://achanginglifesite.wordpress.com/
Absolutely yes to all of this! Thank you for calling it a hobby, I don’t think I have ever allowed myself to. No matter what direction my blogging takes, I know it is in my life to stay.
Nicely written,though I didnt read the whole thing. Anyway I wanted to start a blog and this encouraged me thank you.
I love the article, inspired to continue my blog.
Thorougly enjoyed this read. My favorite line may have been “It is a good exercise in human-existence to be known by others.”
So you have totally changed my mind. I wanted to start a blog but decided not to, but after reading your post I’m now asking myself “what am I waiting for?” Keep up the good work.
As a retired Navy Chief, I’m new to this whole idea of “blogging”. I can understand wanting to follow certain people to learn more about them and how they got to where they are (experts in their field, famous people, infamous/intriguing people), but most people lead relatively boring and uneventful lives that don’t even warrant repeating out loud, let alone writing about it on the internet where thousands/millions of people could potentially run across it.
Even my life, as different as it has been from mainstream, non-military Americans – would be considered boring and inconsequential to many. The thought that I would actually have “followers” who are interested in my day-to-day thoughts and/or stories of my trials and tribulations throughout the past 52 years of my life seems to be a bit boastful and elitist. What, exactly, is the point of it?
Hi there! I really enjoyed reading this as it has given me more inspiration to continue blogging! I started mine just 4 months ago, and have not formed any major relationships yet. BUT I have grown closer to people in my own (facebook) community who read and share my posts. Thanks for the few tips!
This is terrific. Am invaluable emcouragement to beginners. Especially the point you made about becoming a better ‘writer’ – “And becoming
a better writer holds important
benefits for the rest of your life— whether you are creating a book, a
presentation, a résumé, or an
anniversary card for your spouse”. I’ve always thought I need to have all the skills needed before I start writing, but this post has given me a freshly stronger mindset to set the ball rolling as touching the art of writing in its entirety. Thank you Sir.
Thank you! I think I’m going to start one up!
I have been thinking about Blogging for quite sometimes and have started a couple of them. After a while, I lost my interest because I didn’t think about blogging this way. I blog because of everyone is doing it. I can see a better reason to blog from your post. Thank you for putting it in such a simple way to look at things.
The post really made me feel motivated to write a blog and I am on it now. Thank you so much Joshua Becker.
I launched my marathon training/running/travel blog in November and kept Josh’s tips in mind during the process. At this point, 4 months into blogging, I will say that I can’t agree more with these 15 reasons for blogging. Thanks again Josh!
Keeping personal journal is one of the greatest thing you can do to yourself. I write mine on GoodnightJournal.com which makes it easier for me :)
#1 and #3 resonate the most for me and are great reasons for why you should start a lifestyle or personal blog in particular. Thanks for the list!
Joshua,
Thankyou for such a well written piece. Having just started blogging I have found the enjoyment of writing is taking over from my initial reasons of trying to improve traffic to my website.
I also love that blogging allows me to find a fun style of writing. After years of writing factual reports for work it is a pleasure being able to rediscover writing for fun.
Thanks,
Andy
Nicely written,though I didnt read the whole thing. Anyway I wanted to start a blog and this encouraged me thank you.
Wow. I’ve never thought about blogging from this angle. I’ve stutter-stepped and balked a hundred times. This is a perfect push in a positive direction. Thank you.
I miss the days when people were more private.
I wish I could say “thank you” a million times. I have talked myself out of blogging a thousand times. Your “15 thoughts” spoke to the reasons that I REALLY want to (and need to) do this.The internal reasons were so much more valuable than the external. Once again I am reminded that pleasing myself is so much easier than pleasing the world…and so much more important!
Cheers!
What a great post. This was the first link I found on Google for my search on “why blog”. A great read for someone like me who is looking to get into blogging. Now off to read your guide on how to get started. :)
Hello! I have told “my story” of my life over and over again and I have one faithful follower being she is both encouraging and terribly critical. I know her well, it’s myself. “Write a book! ” most people including doctors tell me about either A. My family and me and or B. About my stories I think up( sadly mostly from ideas I get when sad or dreaming). I one day decided to write a little book. Thinking it would be “cool” to see what I could do with a night sweating dream inspired story I had. Not being lengthy at all, it was absolutely disturbing and inspiring. I ONLY let myself read it. I was deeply moved by your encouraging words of advice, this being said I bet your life would be wonderful, possibly education for me to follow:) I still have no where to start and I’m scared. I do (if it’s not to bold for me to say) a talent for people spilling their souls to me. I find this a blessing from God but in somewhere in that place no one can see its also telling me it’s a curse. I only have the right words to say because, honestly, I don’t know why. Please, forgive me for the long comment:) I did check out your How do I start thing. Still need one idea in new words how to start:):) Thank you!
Thank you for the step by step guide for blogging. great article.
nice post
Just the insight I needed! ME blogging may not change the world, but it may change me… and perhaps I might impact just one person, who may change the world. That seems reason enough to invite the world inside my head!
Thanks Joshua. I created a free hosting platform for people in recovery and included your link. The basic concept is for people to write and share their experience, strength and hope. Thus carrying the message to other who are still suffering from their addiction. It also provides a written testament that users can witness their own spiritual growth over time. Amazingly I find 99% of my site visitors are teenagers looking for an alternative. These are smart kids who see a problem with their self destructive behavior and want to change.
Thanks
this was so helpful!
http://www.prinkiesblog.com
Hi, found your piece on Blogging very helpful as I am here trying to decide if starting a blog is the right thing for me to do. Thank you for your advice and guidance. Happy New Year to you and your family.
Really enjoyed reading this, I started a blog earlier this year and I am looking forward to almost relaunching it in the new year! After reading this, I am feeling super motivated and ready to take on a challenge and really get all of my ideas out there and I can’t wait to see how it all goes. Thank you so much for your insight!
A lot of nice and informative tips which help me to be a smart blogger. Thanks for your tips.
I’ve been thinking about starting a blog for some time now, and your post made me consider it much more seriously. Thanks for the motivation!
Hi Joshua, a nice post. I was always in dilemma why to write a blog? I know I have a lot to say but they are already told. Then why others will read my blog?
I had a lot of blogs over time, but couldn’t continue with any of them. I lost the zeal of blogging in the middle of the road or you can say I turned the gas off before the moka-pot starts making the awesome espresso, I always ended abandoning myself from the charming flavor.
After a month of research on why I should take blogging as a serious hobby I finally reached to some conclusions.
1. It will help me to research broadly on the niche I will blog on. Resulting in pure improvement in the field.
2. I can take a look back to what I know. Just like an exam day revision. It’s going to keep me confident about what I say I know.
3. I can help to figure out guys around with the problems I had and with the knowledge I gained.
4. Make my personal brand. Oh come on!! I am not that great!! Who knows the prodigies in my niche may read my blog one day? We always have the chance for betterment. Why not display that you are good at?
5. May be it will help me to build my resume!
6. Making an approach. In other words to make a plan of 2 months or at least 20 posts. This will help to keep the zeal of finishing the unfinished job and learn how to plan.
7. Finally the introvert will get the chance to speak.
Your post encouraged me, and the name of your blog, becoming minimalist evoked my curiosity. I am going to travel through your world now. I hope I will get the same joy and more pleasure on my journey.
Keep posting.
Thanks for this list with some new perspectives.
Question about blogging for you: several “how to” pages recommend having 10, 20, 30 posts written and ready for reading before officially launching (a more business centered blog). Do you agree? Or would your advice be to dive right in and get going with that very first post?
Thanks. I really have been encouraged by your writings in so many ways.
Lisa
Hey Lisa,
I am not Josh but I myself would recommend having a solid amount of information on my blog before I start driving traffic to it. The very reason for a blog is for people to read the content. Additional posts get people to stay on your site longer and consume more content.
By getting them to stay on the site longer, your rankings in the search engines will go up. Of course, the rank increase is great and something that will happen naturally because you are providing a better user experience.
Look forward to seeing your blog.
John Brewer
Great information for letting anyone start blogging.
Very informative piece of writing. If someone didn’t blog, they would after reading this article.
I have been really thinking about starting to blog over the last couple of months, I knew I should start but until today that I decided to weigh the pros and cons of blogging, and found your article that it was clear to me I should definitely start. So thanks for making order in my head, and for blogging! :)
Thanks alot for this tips.
Thank you so much for these tips! The new bloggers such as my self are appreciative of your insight. I only hope to continue my new blog, http://www.janerunswild.com, for the long run!
Happy blogging!