By: Monica Lee
There is an awful lot of talk about being thrown the web lately about “authenticity.” Apparently the word “passion” needed a replacement. I prefer to use the phrase “showing up as your best self.”
Here is where it can get tricky, as a blogger you probably have a lot of interests and a lot of people to please. You would like to make money (and dare I suggest, a living) from your blog. You work hard, you have figured out what your readers respond to and you are smart enough to understand the ever changing landscape of working with sponsors.
How do you work within that framework and remain passionate and authentic?
DIY’s are popular, recipes are a big hit on Pinterest and fashion can be interesting (read complicated) but are all those things a good fit for you?
I am going to suggest something radical. Go back to being a blogger for yourself first.
Prioritize your posts based on what YOU genuinely like. If you dread putting together a holiday table top post, then don’t do it. If your idea of fashion is a really cute new pair of flannel pajamas, then you do not add a fashion category to your blog.
Just because something is trending does not mean that you should add it to your blog. If you need a way to filter content that rings true to who you are put it to test in this order:
1) Authentic to yourself
2) Authentic to your readers
3) Authentic to sponsors
Delight in your own interests first. Turning your gaze to what others want before what you honestly want is not the healthiest path. If that means you write multiple posts on the quality of flannel in sleepwear, then do that! Take pleasure in the topics that are of genuine interest to you and that pleasure will reach out of the computer screen and grab readers and your sponsors. Ok, maybe not quite so literally but I do know that the authentic you is the BEST you!
