The key to success

I downloaded Amy Poehler’s new book yesterday and read the entire thing in (mostly) one sitting. It has so many gems in it, some I want to mull over in my head and think about for days to come, and others that touched me to the core and demanded I write about them NOW, because they resonated instantly. Reading other people’s words always lights a little fire inside my brain, I’m constantly inspired by books and what I read, it is my number one recommendation for being a good writer. READ good writing and it will come. Eventually.

What stood out to me from her book is one key sentence, it made me leap out of my seat and write it down because it rang this bell of instant awareness for me. 

Here’s a little backstory: the past couple of months I have lost my blogging passion. It became a hassle and an obligation, with little to make it worth it. I felt all my creativity had been tapped, and that my words weren’t original or needed. I saw all the millions of other blogs out there and felt like a very small fish in a sea of bigger and better bloggers. I wondered if it was worth it. Despite this, I kept writing and taking my style photos, and posting daily. I did the bare minimum and called it a a day.

Last month I found myself still feeling off about this whole blogging thing. It’s a lot of work with little glory sometimes, and it just seemed silly all of a sudden. I didn’t go nuts marketing myself, or worry about all the side business aspects of blogging besides what I had already committed to. I wrote things I wanted to write, and blogged for my enjoyment only. I wrote about how it gets better as a parent, and it really hit a nerved with folks, which earned me my highest page views ever. I was reminded that my writing DOES mean something, and the process of putting it out there is something I truly do enjoy.

And you know what?

The month I decided to blog just for me, to write what I enjoy and post only things that I’m passionate about? The month I let go of what I should be doing blogging wise, and only do what I wanted to do? I tripled my profits. Tripled! Opportunities poured in, exciting ones that relit that fire inside of me. My capacity to find inspiration for what to write came pouring in faster than I could write them down. I became excited again to show up daily and create content that inspired me.

So what is my key to success?

I’m choosing to focus on my creativity when it comes to blogging. Focusing on the part I love the most, writing and showing fun ways to dress, and letting everything else fall where it may. That doesn’t mean that I will ignore the vital parts of blogging that come along with success, it just means I won’t let it consume me.

You see, this blog is mine. I created it because I wanted something that was all ME, it didn’t have anything to do with my role as a mother, wife, or friend. It contains all that I love in one place, and I don’t want that to change. I want to be able to use my blog in a way that makes me happy, and let the rest come to me if it is meant.

Ambivalence is key to creativity, and it contains my key to success and happiness when it comes to this space and what I want to create daily. It can’t be forced or controlled, it just is.

And that is all the success I need.