Fears I've Overcome from My Blogging Career

Disclaimer: I am no seasoned blogger nor a popular one at the very least but as a budding family and lifestyle blogger based in Singapore, brands and PR professionals are starting to acknowledge my own tiny voice in the world wide web.

Back when I was blogging simply to feed my passion in writing and share my experiences online, I used to wonder how the other bloggers get all the media invites, product reviews and sponsored travel or hotel accommodations. If you are a newbie blogger wondering the same thing, yes I was once like you too.

I still remember the first few months I started getting media invites, I'd attend almost Every. Single. Invite no matter how far the event was held. And when I started getting products for a blog review, I'd never say no even though I know I won't have all the time in the world to review the product on time. In short, I became a "prisoner" of my fears unknowingly.

Fast forward to today, I am taking the liberty to pat my own back for overcoming most of my fears as a blogger.

What are those fears, you may ask? Hear they are:

The Fear of Missing Out

Also known to the millennials as FOMO, the Fear Of Missing Out is my reason for saying yes to every single invite that came my way initially. If I decline the invites I may not get invited anymore next time, I reasoned. Over time, I started to realise that not all events are worth my time and effort. I've become smarter and overcame my FOMO.

I now RSVP to media invites only if it sparks joy in my heart or any of my family members. I no longer force myself to attend (and write about it after) something I am not really interested about. Sometimes, I also politely decline an invite even if it was aligned with my hobbies and passion because it's just way too far for me.

I now limit myself to one invite a week or fortnightly unless the invites involve my whole family. Yes, I now prefer events that let me spend time with my family rather than the ones that robs my precious time with my family. If I ever RSVP on an invite on a weekday night, it means I want to get my much needed me-time and I make sure my hubby is attending to the kids while I am away.

Cliche as it may sound, but to each his own. The things I mentioned above are my own personal preference and in accordance to the lifestyle I wish to lead. I have nothing against anyone who attends invites very frequently. Been there, done that. We all have our own seasons. All it takes is time for us to sort out our priorities in life.

The Fear of Being Left Behind

I used to blog almost everyday because I am afraid of being left behind by blogger friends I made in the blogosphere. "What if they become very popular and I am not progressing any further?", I used to tell myself. Now, I no longer have the fear of being left behind. I now blog only when I feel like blogging and write only when I am in the mood to turn my thoughts into words. I am not in the league of Daphne Osena as a blogger, but I follow her footsteps to blog about personal stuff only when she feels like it or when she needs to blog about worthy collaborations.

The Fear of Being Gossiped About

To be honest, gossiping is rampant in the blogging industry. There are people out there who have nothing better to do but talk about this and that, who and what? Initially, I care so much about my image as a blogger or as a person in general. As I grow older, I stopped thinking about what others think about me. Others may gossip about me all they want, it doesn't say much about me anyway but it says a lot about them.

Recently, my unofficial blogging mentor, Martine posted this quote on her Facebook. It reminded me that it is okay to be different, but nah, not really laughing because they are all the same. My blogging mantra remains the same. To each his own...