Guest Post: A Lesson in Worth for New Bloggers

"You got to know what your love is worth" ~ Del the Funky Homosapien

I'm so happy to welcome Jessica from Mommyhood Next Right to my blog today. We have been bloggy friends for over a year now, and it seems we have had parallel experiences as moms. Q is about a year older than her Nya, and we were pregnant with our second at the same time. Zoe was born a month before Annah. We may live across the country from each other, but it feels like we are next door neighbors many ways. When I read her blog, she always inspires me to write more often. And I think this post will only continue in that vein. Plus, I believe her tips can be applied to many passions in life -- not just blogging. Be sure to visit her blog for some precious photos of her little ones and for some very genuine insights on motherhood, writing, and more.

I wrote a post in February on my blog called Facebook Friends. It’s a post about one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned as a blogger. No, I take that back, as the lesson I learned has less to do with blogging and more to do with me, or the “me” that existed long before my days of blogging.

That lesson begins with something of my past, something of a Valentine’s Day “surprise” of roses and dozens of balloons. That lesson continues with hundreds of Facebook friends that weren’t really my friends at all and ends with something of my present: It (or the lesson from the post) is the one I’d like to share with all new bloggers. Oh, wait, not just new bloggers, but maybe I’d share this lesson with all women, men, and children who have ever convinced themselves that popularity can be a ticket to self-satisfaction, to happiness, to security.

So what’s the lesson? I know. You’ve waited long enough. The lesson that I’ve learned is that in order to be the kind of (fill in the blank) that you admire, you must know your worth and live from that place. What can the “fill in the blank” be? Well, anything from blogger to dancer to human being to parent.

As it pertains to blogging specifically, in knowing your worth, you must know and believe that you can be a fabulous blogger. You must know and believe that you have something to say and that others want to hear what you have to say. You must know and believe that you don’t need to cajole others with promises of something in return in order for them to want to hear what you have to say.

You must know and believe that you are worth more than a Facebook friend that you don’t really like, a coupon or free product that you hate or can’t use, a Facebook "like," a follower who offers you nothing more than a follow back. You are worth more because you are. Just because you are.

To be a better blogger, to become a better blogger, you must understand your worth first. You must recognize your worth and decide to blog from that place. You must choose to:

1.     Write what you’re passionate about, because writing about crap that you hate really sucks.
2.     Write when you can. If that’s only once a week, then so be it! Really.
3.     Write because you want to write.
4.     Like, follow, tweet the people you are truly interested in liking, following, or tweeting. Make the kinds of connections that matter to you.
5.     Value your work and your integrity because really, in this blogosphere, it’s all you have.
6.      Proofread your work. Promote it. Love it because it's yours.

Yes, it’s that simple. Know your worth, new bloggers. Know your worth. That’s all.