Nicole of Moments That Define Life is my guest today. Nicole is a busy mommy to three little girls, works to support several blogs and is also the brains (and beauty) behind #ShareYourLife, a weekly meme where readers linkup posts sharing glimpses of their lives.
Nicole is here today with an important letter to all of those who don’t blog.
Because if you’re blogger, you get it.
Dear Ladies,
That’s what I’ll refer to you as because I’m not certain we’re actually the friends I thought we had become through our monthly game night based on the conversation we engaged in recently.
I’m a little put off by the fact that you seem to think what I do for a living couldn’t possibly be a “real job” or that I make any sort of living at it. Or better yet, that I may possibly be lying about the fact that blogging can actually result in a viable income.
Blogging is my job.
I get to interact with lovely people who write inspiring; informative, sometimes controversial, yet insightful pieces to share with people who want to connect and learn from others.
I worked my way up through experiences to find my little “office” in the blogosphere where I get to spend my days and I am so fortunate.
Each and everyday I get to help moms work from home (Sorry Marissa Mayer, working from home actually is a good business plan) and still have the flexibility to be present and available for their families as needed. This is the American dream for many and I get to take part in making that happen for others as well as myself.
I’m a Blogger. I coordinate blogs. I write and edit blogs. I live, breath, eat, and sleep blogs.
Blogging is my job.
So when you two ladies gave each other that “yeah, right” glance as I shared how my new job was going with another good friend – it would have been nice to get the benefit of the doubt about what I do each day.
Sure it wasn’t that long ago that blogging wasn’t a viable profession, but, if you had given me the benefit of the doubt and a few minutes you would have learned how very much it has evolved into something that allows so many to have a voice while also allowing the potential for a career if they so choose. So, stop being so close-minded about the whole thing. Be a friend, see my passion, and engage in the conversation to find out why I love blogging and the people within this space so much, instead of assuming I’m full of it.
That’s what a good friend would do.
Best,
Nicole
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Oh, I totally get this! I can picture these women, too…and I would LOVE to listen to your story.
It was an interesting moment that took me by surprise. My other friend blogs casually, very new at it and asked if there really was a way for her to freelance part-time through blogging and I started to talk about my journey blogging and how over the years I’ve ended up finding opportunities that have now led me to working from home and they were visibly skeptical…in a borderline rude way..it was upsetting…and disheartening. But, there are many who just don’t understand this community – in time though, it will become clearer I think. It’s just too new I suppose.
It’s just a hard thing to understand, for people who don’t blog. To them, it’s a ‘hobby’, one that takes up too much turn and doesn’t give much back.
What they don’t know is, blogging gives us so much – from friendships to opportunities. It’s more than just a hobby.
Great letter, Nicole. I hope your friends come to understand what blogging means to many of us.
Shoot…I wrote a comment and it disappeared.
Well…Alison, I read your post on this same topic today and I totally agree with you as well. Blogging is so much more. It takes those who don’t know so long to come around. My husband finally sees what it brings to my life and our life as a family as well. I just have to be strong enough to not let these gals get to me I guess.
Ugh, my mother is one of those people who don’t understand what I do. In a way, I’m almost embarrassed and ashamed to share with people about this blogging gig.
I hope your friends come around and are able to understand this wonderful community we have here.
I know that feeling! People ask me, “So, you work from home – what is it that you do?” and I find myself tweaking the answer into something they’ll understand better because when you say “Blog Coordination” or “Social Media Management”…they don’t understand what those things are most of the time. They do understand versions of that – but when you say “Blog” anything they give you a blank stare or skeptical look like “is that really a job?” It’s definitely a new field and difficult to get others to understand at times. It would just be nice to be given the benefit of the doubt rather than skepticism.
They’re just jealous.
As I learned this week, don’t let the haters get you down. Hold your head hgh…you have carved out a great little life for yourself and your family.
XO
You crack me up, Gigi. I adore you. I can’t believe anyone would hate on you, it’s all so ridiculous and unfortunate. Big hugs to you my friend.
XO
Aw, they’re just jealous that you have such an awesome job! 😉
I had to laugh to myself when another mother at school overheard me talking about the opportunity I had with Old Navy, through Clever Girls a couple of weeks ago. The friend I was talking to saw my blog post about it and nicely asked how it worked so I told her. The lady listening could not believe I got PAID to shop at Old Navy. 🙂
You’re so sweet. It really is such a frustrating situation.
And, I know what you’re talking about too on the sponsored content thing too – my husband is the one who’s always surprised at how that all comes together. 🙂 He was my skeptic for a while too – but far nicer than those gals.
OMG I want your job! Lucky lucky lady!
Honestly, I think that it’s a matter of not understanding the blogging world. These women that gave you the stink eyes obviously just do not get the blogging world at all and therefore are clueless at how you could possibly make a living from it. I know because Tonya is my sister and through her, I’ve seen the many blogging friends that she has that do exactly what you do.
I admire this profession since I had to stop blogging myself over a year ago since it was stressing me out. So I think it’s pretty admirable that you ladies can do it year after year, day after day.
I also cannot work from home. I did it for about a year and I struggled with it and now it’s even harder so I literally have to remove myself when I get the rare day to work from home now and find a Starbucks to escape to with my laptop.
Blogging professionally certainly is a job for 2013! Don’t you think? It’s such a good example of where our world is today-online and technologically savvy! 🙂 You Go GIRL!
I absolutely love this, girls and can so, so relate!
Hello just wanted to give you a quick heads up.
The words in your content seem to be running off the screen in Opera.
I’m not sure if this is a formatting issue or something to do with internet browser compatibility but I figured I’d post to let you know.
The style and design look great though! Hope you get the issue fixed soon.
Many thanks
One day those ladies will want to start a blog and guess who they will come to first…
Heck, even those of us who are NOT making any money from it still are working harder than we’ve ever worked at any so called “real” job! I love your writing Nicole, and your blog… or your fake job!!! LOL.
And yes, I agree with Alison, blogging is way more than a hobby!