Yearly I do that recap, I exclaim that I can’t imagine I’ve been doing this for thus lengthy! As soon as once more, I’m saying the identical factor. 19 years is a very long time to stay with something, however this weblog is such part of who I’m now that it might be laborious to stroll away from all that. I nonetheless get uninterested in the social media nonsense, however scripting this weblog continues to be joyful for me and so long as I really feel that means, I’ll proceed with it. I’m nonetheless so very grateful that God noticed match to offer me this weblog again in 2007, once I didn’t know the way badly I would want it. I contemplate my story a miracle story and the truth that I’ve made such a fantastic dwelling whereas working at dwelling on my weblog is wonderful. I’ve had 13 years of a very nice full time earnings from this weblog and I don’t take that as a right. I thank the Lord for His blessings on my life and bringing me to the place I’m now after that horrible divorce and monetary devastation I confronted again in 2011. I neglect typically that though lots of you could have been with me because the starting, a few of you haven’t any thought what I’ve gone by means of since beginning this weblog in 2007.
In the event you’re new right here, I went by means of a horrible divorce again then (2011) and misplaced virtually all the pieces I had, fully beginning over from scratch. I actually had a paid for automobile, my furnishings and a (very) few thousand {dollars} left within the financial institution. The whole lot else was worn out from being married to a really misleading con man. I’ve by no means shared the complete story and possibly by no means will, however it haunted me for years as I considered all I had lived by means of and escaped from. So sure, my story is a miracle to say the least! God rescued me from a horrible state of affairs. In the event you’ve by no means learn all my weblog story, I’ve it recapped for every year I’ve been running a blog and that is the nineteenth episode of my weblog story. You can begin with Half 1 if you happen to’re curious how I acquired began. Half 5 is when my life blew up and I moved again dwelling with my mother and father in 2011 to begin my life over. After that, my weblog actually began getting traction and grew a lot throughout that point. All 19 elements are on this hyperlink. I believe individuals actually prefer to cheer for the underdog and that was me for awhile.
So what did 2025 usher in weblog world? Nicely, much more adjustments to say the least. I advised you final 12 months that my visitors was happening and as soon as once more, this 12 months is identical. In comparison with final 12 months, I’ve misplaced 37% of my visitors which translated to a lack of advert income of 34%. I nonetheless have 3 methods I generate income: my advert community, Raptive, together with affiliate fee and dealing with manufacturers, so these are nonetheless going properly. I take advantage of from my advert community, so when it goes down, it exhibits in my earnings, however total I’m nonetheless doing properly and may’t complain. Despite the fact that my advert community earnings goes down, I’m nonetheless grateful to make what I make and with the ability to work from home on a part-time foundation, whereas nonetheless making a full-time earnings.
With the push of AI everywhere in the world, Google searches now favor AI outcomes and don’t present all of the blogs and web sites that a lot of their info is coming from. They do an AI overview and actual dwell web sites are pushed down the web page and so we’re all shedding clicks to that. It’s a disgrace that that is taking place, however there’s not rather a lot we will do about it. Our advert community tries to do what they will to offset these adjustments, however it may well solely achieve this a lot. Change is inevitable on the web and I’m certain it would proceed to vary. Many blogs have simply up and closed after going by means of one other Google change and shedding extra visitors, however I’m not closing store simply but. I’ll proceed to push forward and do that on the tempo I wish to do it and I’m nonetheless grateful that it’s bringing in earnings. My efforts to run the weblog are usually not large and I nonetheless solely spend possibly 5 hours every week working issues. My overhead is low as properly, with a internet hosting web site and e mail service as my principal bills and people are lower than $200 a month. I do have an accountant, who pays my quarterly taxes for me and does my enterprise and private returns, in order that’s an expense as properly, however she’s value it.
If I actually wished to work more durable, I might work on promoting you all extra stuff, however that’s not the place my coronary heart is, so whereas I’ll proceed to share garments and sweetness objects or dwelling decor finds I actually like, I cannot pursue affiliate hyperlinks any greater than I already do. It’s simply not what I wish to do, to continually share hyperlinks with my viewers. I do know women who’re making lots of of hundreds of {dollars} sharing affiliate hyperlinks and so they should have an viewers who buys all the pieces. You all purchase, however actually not all the pieces on a regular basis. I for one get uninterested in all of the gross sales pushes everywhere in the web. Evidently Instagram has grow to be a gross sales pitch from each angle. I simply can’t think about shopping for all new garments continually simply to fashion them and promote them, however that’s what occurs with vogue bloggers. It could stress me out to do this on a regular basis.
Adverts and fixed influencer hyperlinks do get previous, so I can think about our readers are uninterested in it too. Instagram total has gotten so tiresome, though I nonetheless scroll an excessive amount of on there. I see a lot dancing, play performing skits, pranks, cute infants and pets, and usually individuals doing all the pieces they will to get consideration and draw followers. It appears there’s nothing that individuals gained’t do to get consideration and acquire followers. Possibly it really works, I don’t know, however it’s not what I’m going to do. I don’t see most of the individuals I really do comply with, however plenty of random accounts that I’m not all for. All doing loopy issues with outlandish antics. Possibly they do seize consideration, however I can’t think about doing that stuff on a regular basis simply to attempt to keep related and make a dwelling off it. Even the over 60 crowd like me has their very own antics they do to be seen. Carrying underwear and bikinis and displaying off their our bodies that they’ve labored laborious for, I’m certain. No thanks! I’ll simply be regular, even when it’s boring. No underwear or bikinis on-line for me! I wouldn’t wish to continually do movies both so individuals will take a look at me. Social media certain has its downfalls too!
I might additionally pitch myself to extra manufacturers and possibly get extra good paying alternatives, however I doubt I’m going to run after that avenue both. I used to get extra natural manufacturers in my inbox, however these have actually fallen off within the final 5 years. I nonetheless get an occasional good alternative, however they’re fewer and fewer with out me pursuing. There are limitless alternatives in being profitable on this area, I simply don’t have the drive to pursue all of them. From programs, to books, to paid subscription websites, there are numerous methods to hustle and generate income on-line, however my hustle is much less and fewer yearly. I’m content material to share as I’ve been, taking life someday at a time and never taking all of it too severely. The competitors is fierce on the market and influencers are a dime a dozen lately, so getting a model’s consideration takes much more work lately. In addition they need much more for his or her cash as properly. So with all that in thoughts, I’m fairly content material in the best way issues are for me in the intervening time. 19 years is a very long time to do something and I’m completely happy to be on the semi-retired stage and never feeling the necessity to run the race at a dash. Gradual and regular is nonetheless my mantra.
With all of that stated, I’m nonetheless very grateful for all of God’s blessings on my life. He has allowed me to create and develop this weblog, run it for 19 years, and make more cash than I might have ever dreamed of, far surpassing what I might have ever made within the Company world. I’ve funded my retirement account over these previous 10 years, saving cash each single 12 months (my daddy taught me properly!) and ensuring that I put cash away for the long run. We’ve got no debt and that’s one other blessing. We additionally acquired an inheritance from our mother and father, one other huge blessing. So many blessings alongside the best way and searching again, I had no thought once I began writing my weblog story again in 2011 what all was going to transpire. I didn’t know then if I’d make it in running a blog. I had excessive hopes and goals, however nothing concrete but. I had no concept that God would supply exponentially more cash than I misplaced again then, that he would convey a loving and constant man into my life and we might get married in 2017, or that we might be dwelling such an exquisite life right here and now in 2026. What a blessing it has all been!
In order that’s a take a look at my 19 years of running a blog. What a whirlwind it has been. We’re at a fantastic place in life now and plan to do extra touring within the subsequent 10 years, whereas we’re ready and may do it. I at all times hoped to journey extra, however by no means had more money to take action and now we do, so we wish to see extra of this huge stunning world of ours. The home is just about completed and we don’t have many extra tasks to do round right here, so there’s actually not much more home and decor stuff to share with you, however I’ll nonetheless be sharing no matter we do round right here. Mark could end off a part of the basement. Whether or not it’s dwelling associated or journey or household, I’ll carry on sharing. You all have been so great to help me and my weblog all these years and it doesn’t go unnoticed. I might NOT have performed it with out an viewers and that’s YOU! So thanks once more from the underside of my coronary heart for following alongside in all of our adventures. We’ve misplaced all 4 of our mother and father now and also you’ve been right here for all of it. With my 2 hip surgical procedures final 12 months, the entire ups and downs of life, you’ve been right here and I respect you all! So right here’s to a different 12 months of running a blog and no matter life could convey this 12 months. I’m trying ahead to all of it! With all the massive personalities and grandiose moments on social media lately, I’m not probably the most thrilling individual to comply with, however I can assure to be REAL! That’s what I can supply probably the most and I thanks for regarding me and my actual life. I’ll at all times do my finest to level individuals to Christ. He has performed a lot for me and I wish to share Him with you as properly.
HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT ME AND MY BLOG?
I’ll preserve sharing all of this so you know the way a lot your help and clicking to my weblog means. It means the world to a blogger so that you can click on over to their weblog to learn their new posts. I normally submit 3 occasions every week, possibly 4 and if you happen to subscribe to my weblog, you’ll get an e mail each time I submit. You possibly can subscribe right here, so if you happen to haven’t I hope you’ll. There are virtually 8,000 of you on my e mail checklist, which actually isn’t rather a lot for somebody who’s been running a blog so long as I’ve. I’ve gained and misplaced through the years and that’s the place it’s now, just below 8K. Out of all of you who do subscribe, I get a couple of 10 to fifteen% click on by means of charge, which implies, you open my emails and click on over to learn. It could imply the world if each time I ship an e mail, you’d click on over to the submit and skim it. Actually really, that’s the very best factor you are able to do for me! If all virtually 8K of you visited me each time I posted, it might make an enormous distinction. I do know I can’t get all of you to click on, however that is my urging so that you can do it as typically as you probably can! I’d love so that you can help the gals I’m with on Residence Fashion Saturday and Fashion Showcase too. I ship these emails out as soon as every week. They’re all nice gals and all of us depend on individuals coming to our blogs to learn, so preserve that in thoughts as properly.
Supporting means clicking the hyperlinks in my emails that exit and coming over right here to the weblog to learn. It doesn’t matter if you happen to’re on a laptop computer, cellphone or pill, all of it counts as pageviews, however a laptop computer will most likely be the very best expertise for advertisements. I do know advertisements are annoying, I so get that. However once more, that’s the primary means I could make a dwelling doing this and so that you can come and help me right here means the world to me. Thanks for that! In the event you subscribe to my emails, you’ll get one in your inbox each time I submit and you may click on the hyperlink to return over to my weblog and skim it dwell. That provides me pageviews and that’s how I make an earnings from my weblog. Many individuals don’t know the particulars of this, however it’s a fairly neat factor. I’ve stated earlier than how a lot God has blessed this weblog and I don’t take it as a right. I had one other good 12 months and I’ve to thank all of YOU for that! Simply the truth that you all come over and skim makes it doable for me to maintain it going.
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