Happy Birthday My Fit Station: 1 Year of Blogging Today!!!

Today I am celebrating my first year of blogging and I have to say that I am pretty proud of myself…for sticking to it, for following my heart and being patient and persistent enough to allow MFS to grow and blossom!

I remember contemplating about starting a fitness blog years back, yet somehow, there was always something holding me back! At times I felt like it was a silly idea, others I thought that I didn’t have enough knowledge, enough discipline, enough drive to keep going. All sorts of obstacles came my way and then one day, about a year ago, I just did it… I posted my first, simple, no-brainer article and clicked on the “PUBLISH” button and that’s when my blogging journey began.

Hooorrrayyy!! Just like that, I took my first step into the unknown and girl was it worth it!

Ever since, it has been a TOTALLY AWESOME EXPERIENCE. Yes… at times I doubted myself and my skills (I still do), but I kept going, I kept publishing those articles and the rewards where so fulfilling!

I’m still a beginner and I have a lot of stuff to learn but I am so grateful for this blog, for my followers and the people supporting me in this journey. I am always excited about posting new articles, about creating new content and spreading the love! It’s so nice to be able to combine my creativity and my passion and build something out of nothing.

I feel like this first year was all about testing the waters and getting to know more about myself, what I wanted and what I envisioned for this blog. I have so many ideas for the future, so many new and exciting projects… I can’t wait to share them all with you guys!

Blogging Tips: What I’ve learned so far in my first year of blogging!

Here are a few tips that I’ve put together to help you out as you start your blogging journey, but really, they can be quite useful at any stage!

• Write about something you love and are passionate about: What’s the point of “working” for yourself or having a new hobby if it doesn’t bring you more joy and excitement in life? Share content that you enjoy, you don’t need to be a pro to do so… some knowledge and a will to learn and help others is well enough. Blogging is supposed to be fun!
• Be persistent: This is a big one folks, I wanted to give up a dozen of times and as I mentioned above; I had many obstacles & fears getting in my way, but at the end, I kept moving forward and reminding myself that this was really something I wanted to do in life. It is critical to always make time for your dreams, day after day after day! Yes, it can be hard at times but the rewards will start showing up sooner that you think. It becomes much easier to stay committed once you get a few readers, some good feedback, additional subscribers and comments, etc.
• Create a blog that you would love to find online: Think of everything you would love to find on a website/blog (in your specific niche) and then go ahead and provide it to your viewers, once that’s done,  give them even more goodness!
• Don’t get over flooded with information online: It’s easy to get overwhelmed and confused when you start blogging. There is an overflow of information out there and sometimes it can serve you well but others it can do the exact opposite! There is no one secret recipe to being a successful blogger, and there is a lot of diverse content on the web that can be quite contradictory.  Start simple, find a blogging platform that works for you, focus on the quality of your content and enjoy the experience. Then you can slowly begin implementing new techniques, whether you want to make money online or simply increase your traffic and build a community. As I said, there is a lot of information out there, take it one step at the time. At a certain point, I got so overwhelmed with all the ideas I had in my mind, in addition to that, I was reading a dozen of articles telling me one thing and another… I didn’t know how to start, where to start, how to continue and I ended up doing nothing or doing things half way. Do not make the same mistake.
• Get good advice from a good source: Do you know someone who is successful and experienced at doing something you’d like to do? Go ahead and ask for advice, don’t be shy! You can also find all sorts of valuable blogging communities that can offer you support and top-notch advice! A few months back, I decided to join the “A-List Blogging Club”, I chose this community because I admire Marie & Leo’s blogs, work and general philosophy. I’ve been reading their blogs for years now and I knew that their program was going to be inspiring, practical and non BS! I am so happy that I’ve decided to join; they really provide excellent trainings and support!
• Always believe: We really are what we believe, so you better believe in your dreams! Visualize them, get excited about them, and then, take action, over and over again until that vision becomes your reality! Don’t let anyone stop you; this is your life, your playground!

Highlights of the year: A few things I’ve accomplished in my first year of blogging

When I started blogging, it was a side hobby of mine…I would say that I was giving anywhere from 10-30% of my effort and energy into it. Yet, I’ve managed to see amazing results that encouraged me to continue! Now I ask myself, what would happen if I gave 80 or 90% of my energy focusing on making My Fit Station grow even more???

Here are a few turning points in the growth of my blog… and they would not have occurred if I didn’t follow the advice I gave you above…

• I received 2 heartwarming blogging awards: The “Candle Lighter Award” from the rockin’ “You As A Machine” blog and The “One Lovely Blog Award” from “Existential Detective” by the lovely Mel Williams
• I was touched to find a variety of other bloggers mentioning “My Fit Station” to their own readers and followers!
• I have reached up to 52,187 views on my busiest day so far: June 18^th ‘12!!! This was really unexpected and it was a result of working my butt off for an entire day!!
• I’ve made my first earning from doing what I love & following my own rules in June 2012! Approximately 500$ in 3 weeks. Woot woot!

What’s next for My Fit Station?

I have so many juicy ideas boiling in my head! My vision has changed quite a bit since I’ve started blogging a year back. I’d love to add more and more articles about reaching your full potential in life, about living with purpose and all sorts of inspiring personal growth advice, but don’t worry, I’ll keep sharing fitness articles as well! Here is what you can expect in this second year…

• Life coaching services (offered by a good friend of mine)
• Interviews with fitness enthusiasts & inspiring people leading inspiring lives!
• Simple and practical techniques and advice for dealing with daily challenges and general life situations (new weekly columnists)
• New printable workouts with pictures and graphics
• New healthy and delicious recipes that will make you drool!
• More Toughen-Up Challenges
• More printable material (surprise, surprise!)
• Guest posts! Contact me if you would like to write for My Fit Station!!

And much more…

I’d love to hear your suggestions too, let me know what you think in the comments below!!!

ps. If you enjoy my posts, SUBSCRIBE TO MFS in the sidebar to your right!!!

Love & kisses,

Isabella.