Ep 97 Tap Into Your Creativity: An Unexpected Path to Success

Ever felt the sting of failure with a project you poured your heart into? It's a punch to the gut, no doubt. But what if I told you that failure is just the stepping stone to discovering your true potential? At least, that's how it was for me. When I started my blog, the results were less than stellar. But instead of throwing in the towel, I pushed through and found a new path to growth through podcasting. The struggle, and eventual success, taught me a valuable lesson: Our paths don't always unfold as we envision, but they lead us where we're meant to be. 

But don't just take my word for it. Let's talk about why blogs are still essential tools for business growth. From providing valuable content to humanizing your brand, blogs are more than just online diaries. Let's dig into how blogging can drive traffic, the evolution of blogging, and the importance of SEO. It's about creating a community of like-minded souls, filling gaps in the industry and sharing something you are genuinely passionate about. And remember, growth doesn't come overnight. Be patient with yourself and celebrate the small victories. So, ready to spill some tea? Join me next Tuesday for more wisdom-packed discourse. Don't forget to leave your reviews and share this episode with others. Let's grow together!

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:01

And you have to understand that failure sometimes comes with the territory when starting a blog. But today we're going to think about some things that you can do to help shape your path to success. So one of the things that I want you to consider as you're thinking about either, you know, re-latching your blog or starting a blog is choosing your area of expertise. Hey there, I'm Makita, a small town girl with dreams who started a podcast with an old headset and a laptop at my kitchen table and made my dreams come true. On my podcast, time for Tea with Makita, we chat about living life unapologetically, on your terms, from career advice, entrepreneurship, relationships and everything in between. This is your one stop shop for real conversations and inspiration. If you're looking for connection, then you found it here. Join me every Tuesday as we dive into those sometimes hard to have conversations. So grab a cup of tea or coffee and get comfy, because this is Time for Tea with Makita, and the tea is definitely hot. Ever feel like you need a super power, boost of motivation with exclusive tips and tools with your goals in mind? Well, say hello to your new inspiration hotspot the Tuesday Tea newsletter, your weekly infusion of big thinking energy that will propel you to chase your wildest dreams and never shy away from using the power of your voice. Sign up for the Tuesday Tea newsletter today at BeautifullyUnbalancedcom and elevate your goals to the next level. Welcome back, it is time for Tea and I am Makita. Thank you so much for sharing your time, your space and your amazing energy with me today. Today is actually a beautiful day. I am sitting here just kind of just really soaking up the beauty of the day and feeling very humbled and blessed, and I hope that you know you are too. So, before we jump into today's conversation, here is a quick boost of motivation from my affirmation deck. You know I love this part. It says your failures do not define you. They propel you towards success, and I truly believe with every step back there is a comeback. So, on today's episode, we're going to be diving deep into the topic of failing to win, becoming who you are meant to be, through the lens of blogging.

Speaker 1: 2:34

Now, for those who don't know, I am, you know, into the blogging game. I loved it. I actually started my blog a couple of years ago and then I kind of redesigned where I was at with it. I have learned so much about, you know, looking at things through that lens of blogging. So I just want to share some of my insights. I want to bust some myths around. You know blogging and market saturation and how you can actually use blogging as a compliment to your business professional growth. Or you know, just overall, how you can take your blog to the next level. So, whether you are just blog curious, you have a blog, or whatever you're at in your journey, I got something for everyone in this episode. Okay.

Speaker 1: 3:26

So, just like our affirmation today suggests, the journey to success often starts with failure and a little struggle, but there is always a comeback. So when we challenge ourselves and step out of our comfort zone, especially when it comes to starting a blog, that's when we experience the most growth. Maya Angelou said this best you can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have, and I truly believe that. But why is it that learning something new often comes with so many growing pains? I feel like the answer lies in finding the most growth doing challenges, Because when you venture into uncharted territories like blogging, it can result in personal and professional development that you may not have anticipated.

Speaker 1: 4:18

I think sometimes we want to already have the answers. We want to know, you know, the end. We want to skip everything else and just get to the end. We don't want to deal with the messy middle, we don't want to deal with the learning. You know that that, those obstacles, those learning curves, you know we just want to bypass that and just get to the good stuff. And we all do, and there's nothing wrong with that. But I think if we embrace the process, if we embrace the journey, even the times when we feel like we're done, we feel like given up, we feel like we have reached our limit, those are the times when we learn the most about our character and who we are. You know, it's one quote that says uh, success is not final and failure is not fatal, it is the courage to continue accounts, and Winston Churchill said this.

Speaker 1: 5:14

I think it's essential to understand that we are all at different stages of our journey and winning isn't about always coming out on top. What about losing and learning from our experiences? To embrace the process, be mindful of where you are and remember that each step, whether big or small, counts in the long run. You know, life is dynamic, with ups and downs, twists and turns and various aspects of our lives it looks different. So it's crucial to recognize that we may you know we may be going through multiple seasons simultaneously. At the same time, you know you can be in the nurturing and growth season all together. You could be nurturing yourself and then growing all at one time.

Speaker 1: 6:06

So give yourself the grace and space to expand your horizons and to grow in different areas. You may not grow in the way that you expect to grow. You know it's funny, because I started my blog first and yet my podcast is the thing that actually, you know, really helped me to grow as a, as a person, as a business professional, and then I was able to really align my blog to my goals. So sometimes things don't work out the way we envision, but it but it happens the way it's supposed to be. So just embrace this concept, not only in your personal life, but also if you're thinking about blogging.

Speaker 1: 6:53

You know, just allow yourself the space to expand and always say, to analyze your current phase and challenges. So where are you at? What phase are you at in your current chapter in life? I mean, are you in a learning phase, a phase of action or a phase of reflection? You may be in a phase of learning and reflection at once, and that's okay, it's. The thing is to recognize and understand where you're at in your journey and, regardless of where you are, remember to always create space for that growth. Allow yourself the permission to absorb the information and experience whatever emotion that comes with that learning period that you're in. Be open to change, make the time to have that personal development along with your professional growth and embrace your failures as learning opportunities.

Speaker 1: 7:54

So I just want to dive a little bit into because when we're talking about becoming through the lens of blogging, we have to talk about why blogs are such a powerful tool for growth in your business, in your professional life. So blogs have the power to humanize a brand, to create connections beyond what you do, beyond your business, and provide a valuable content. But what exactly is a blog? You know, a blog really is just an online platform where you get to share your thoughts, your experiences and your expertise with the world, and it's no surprise that businesses who constantly blog receive 65% more leads than those who don't. Content marketing pioneer Joe Paluzzi puts it this way Create content that makes your customers smarter and they'll fall in love with you.

Speaker 1: 8:54

So people crave content that makes them see things differently. That helps them get to the next level, to cross that invisible bridge. And blogs really help you build community of like-minded people who can relate to each other and learn from one another. They provide valuable knowledge and insight to your readers, helps you establish credibility in your area of expertise, and blogs can drive traffic like crazy to your website, boosting your online presence and potentially growing your business. So the more eyeballs that you have on what you're doing, the better, the more you can expect to your business to grow. And when we think about growth and more eyeballs, you'd be surprised how many people will find you just through search engine, just by typing in keywords. That's why SEO search engine optimization is so vital when it comes to blogging and using keywords, because most of the time, people just type in a few words and if you understand what your market is, what things they're looking for, a lot of people will find you on your blog versus finding your business website or your podcast episode. I can't tell you how many people connect with me more and have found me more on my actual website than just by searching or finding me on different podcasting platforms. So there is value there.

Speaker 1: 10:41

So let's take a little quick journey into the world of blogging, because I want you to understand that blogging in itself came to be created back in the 90s. So I'm going to talk about blogging in a little bit more detail by Justin Hall, who was just a college student at the time and he had a personal webpage links from the underground and in 2004, his blog was named the World of the Year by Miriam Webster. So blogging has evolved tremendously over the years, from personalized online diaries to sophisticated platforms used for education, entertainment and even businesses, and I love helping other bloggers and creatives, you know, use blogging not as in competition with what they do, but as a compliment to what they do, and you have to understand that failures sometimes come with the territory when starting a blog. But today we're going to think about some things that you can do to help shape your path to success. So one of the things that I want you to consider as you're thinking about either, you know, re-latching your blog or starting a blog is Choosing your area of expertise. So why do you want to start a blog, or why is blogging something that you feel could be beneficial?

Speaker 1: 12:15

I like to tell people all the time start with your end goal in mind. If you know your end, the thing that you want to achieve is so much easier to pick the steps to get there. When I know and it's funny because I've heard that term before like you know where you're going, it'll help you get there easier. But when I think about setting a goal like what is my big goal, what is my main goal, when I can set the goal, it's a little bit different for me, because when I think about seeing myself where I want to be, it's more long term out. But when I think about setting a goal for maybe a year, six months, I'm like okay, that hits a little different for me. It doesn't seem so big, so over-encompassing. You know what I mean. It seems like so much more clear, so much more easier to get to for me. Anyway, when it's not this big five, 10 year goal down the line, but six months to a year, I can definitely hit those marks, I can stay on track, I can set the little small goals that will lead me to this goal. So if that's the way you got to think about it, then start small and then work your way up.

Speaker 1: 13:32

But when you're thinking about starting that blog, I want you to think about where does your experience lie? Consider your passions, your hobbies, the things that make you unique. And, as the saying goes, if you try to be everything to everyone, you'll end up being nothing to anyone. So focus on exactly what it is you want to accomplish. Who is it that you want to reach? Trust me, if there's some people outside of that niche, it's okay, because they will gravitate to you, they will find you.

Speaker 1: 14:05

But you want to make sure that you are specific, that you're talking to the people. That needs to hear it. Your message has to be clear. You don't want people thinking I don't think that's for me, when really it's definitely for them. So tell them who it's for. Be specific, think about what it is that you love to do and how you can simplify that into a message. And when starting your blog is essential to choose topics that you're passionate about, that you have knowledge about, that you don't mind talking about over and over again.

Speaker 1: 14:40

Ask yourself what interests you the most. What do you find yourself reading or researching or having discussions about? And when you're doing your research on other people in the market that you're in, you know because there's always someone else that's doing something either similar or the same that you're doing and you want to research them. You want to look at what gaps are they not filling? So some of the people that you look up to, that's in the industry what areas do they don't touch on, or they touch on but they don't go that deep into it that you feel like you could add a little bit more meat to that's how you want to. You know, really feel that gap in the market and what are some things that you wish existed that currently doesn't.

Speaker 1: 15:37

How can you bring that to life? You know, take some time and jot down your ideas, do some research, explore the potential and as we dive into this myth-busting because you know, we hear people saying all the time you know, do I have to be a writer? You know what? If I'm not good at writing, how can I do a blog? I'm not organized. Or people say things like isn't the market oversaturated? I mean, many people hesitate to start a blog because they believe that they need to be a great writer or that, you know, like I said, the market is oversaturated. But the truth is, blogs are meant to be conversational and having that honesty and authenticity trumps any perfect writing skills, so don't let this hold you back.

Speaker 1: 16:25

In this digital age, starting a blog is easier than ever, thanks to numerous online sources, such as Grammarly. You know that is a fantastic tool. I use it myself and it's great to help you to write and improve your grammar, punctuation and spelling. Wordpress, squarespace are examples of website hosting platforms that can help you simplify your blog creation. I mean, these resources can help you leap into the blogging world and make a lasting impression with ease. And as for market oversaturation, quality content still has the potential to stand out.

Speaker 1: 17:08

So don't focus on how many blogs are out there. Focus on providing value and engaging your readers. Remember, for those of you who you know, if you have a business, you have a podcast. You know this is going to be your compliment. This is going to give your readers and listeners an opportunity to get to know you on a different level, outside of what you do. It's going to be your way to connect and build community. So you are looking to grow, and then you're also looking to Reach people that may not have heard about you before. You know organic growth. Those are the things, so Keep it simple and always bring your unique flair if you're looking for ways to stay organized and help you block time for not just your creativity, but for your productivity as well.

Speaker 1: 18:00

I do have a free worksheet is called the 60 40 rule. It's what I use to stay organized and productive and get things done, so I'm not constantly in this state of constantly creating. But it also helps me about have, you know, a little balance when it comes to make sure making sure that I actually implement the things that I create and Actually I love blogging. For me, blogging has been an incredible journey of self-discovery, community building and personal development. It's a place where I can share not just my thoughts, but my experience, is the lessons that I've learned, my knowledge, and I get to share you know bits and pieces of you know my life and how I got to where I am today, and that's, you know, the beauty of blogging. It's like this creative outlet where I can create different things. That's a compliment outside of what I do on the show. So those are some things that you should think about if you are, you know, thinking about starting that blog and Looking, you know, through the lens of blogging, as you create, as you step into your purpose, as you recognize that, even though this may be challenging, even though there are going to be some hurdles, that you may have a setback, but you will always have a comeback, and Having a blog is just a compliment to all the creative, amazing things that you already do.

Speaker 1: 19:32

And plus, there's so many benefits. So I'm going to recap some of these benefits of blogging that can help you win, no matter what season you are in at this moment. For one, it establish your credibility and authority in your expertise. It boosts website traffic. It more eyeballs on what you do and how you do it. It helps you build a community around your passion and knowledge, and Sometimes your winning season Looks like starting something new.

Speaker 1: 20:03

So embrace the journey of starting and growing your blog. It may not always be smooth sailing, but through your wins and your perceived failures because I truly don't believe in failures I believe in lessons and comebacks, and Sometimes our failures just remind us that there's some things that we need to let go of, some thoughts that we're holding on to. We're holding on, sometimes, other people's Idea of what you know your life should be like or what you should be doing, but when we are more aligned and in tune to our passions and how we want to show up in our space, then those losses Looks like growth, it looks like winning, and I truly believe that you are in your winning season of growth, and at the same time, you're probably in your losing season, because you are losing things that don't serve you. You are letting go of mindsets and shifting your thought process into winning and being okay with letting go of the things that Don't align with who you are and who you want to become. Now. I hope this conversation has given you some helpful insight on how to have your biggest winning season with a blog, but I also want you to remember that it's all about learning, growing and becoming who you are meant to be.

Speaker 1: 21:29

Now. That is all the tea that I have to spill today, but if you love this episode, share it with someone else, leave me a review and don't forget to join me next Tuesday For more delicious hot tea. Remember, subscribe, rate, leave comments and and until next time, my friend namaste.