Guest Post: Reasons To Blog

I have another guest post for y’all! Because you know … I’m having too much fun to be tied down on the computer.

I recently found Alex through stalking other blogs. That’s the only way to find cool readers, right? Only me? Oh … well she’s amazing and her posts always gets me laughing and sometimes hits too close to home. Like this post she wrote for you all to read. We are sometimes too alike. It’s kind of scary. Thanks for your true words, Alex. And hopefully readers who are hesitant to start their own blog will after reading this post!

If you aren’t already a follower of Alex, you must be joking. Head over there now and check her out … after this post of course.

To all of Alex’s readers, thank you for stopping by. I hope you enjoy her words. I mean, you have to if you came from her blog, right? Leave a comment and I’ll be sure to stop by and check out your blog!

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I loved getting this email about guest posting because this is probably one of the more recent additions to my Google reader ‘read everyday’ section. Yes, I like organization. Yes, my blogs have strange categories. Too much? Nah.

If you don’t know me, I am Alex over at The Run Within. My idea for this post actually came from a post that we both wrote (in different ways but strangely in a 24 hour period) about how people do not understand blogging. They think it is boring or a time sucker. Ah, how wrong. So why talk about the PERKS of being a blogger.

1. A place to be you. Most of us started a blog to put out that genuine person. There is no hiding behind a fake first impression because you determine that impression. All designs, all contents are vastly different – blogging at its best. No matter what, when you write, you are expressing yourself not through that physical appearance but through what you have to say.

2. An emotional and mental outlet. We all need breaks from reality or at least a place to reflect on our experiences. Blogging gives us that space to put it all out there in random vents, rambles or stories. Telling your story, at least in my case in regard to recovery, is therapeutic and hands on. Rather than avoiding those emotions, I feel more in touch with some of those feelings I used to shut down.

3. Some killer friends. I know many of us haven’t met or even heard each other’s voices but for some reason you feel a strange closeness to these ‘strangers’. We find common experiences, common likes or just common ground that make this community welcoming and warm. It gives you the opportunities to build friendships even beyond the computer screen (hello blogger meet ups and care packages). I am not the best person socially; I struggled in college to put myself out there. I hated those big parties. But blogging gave me this weird confidence to feel ok when I commented on a new blog, ok when I planned a blogger meet up (did I seriously do that?) and lead some sort of activity. These are things I would never have thought in a million years I would do, that is empowering.

4. Free stuff – ya I had to go there. I know we all want to look past this but since I have started blogging I have won more giveaways than I thought was humanly possible. Heck, I have tried some killer stuff and even am now committed to buying those on a regular basis.

5. Advice is given in a split second. Whether twitter or even through a comment, if I ask or even if I don’t ask for a little nudge or should – I get it. I honestly can’t even describe how good this feels for someone who always thought making friends was a difficult process and opening myself up was too risky.

As you can tell, I am still riding that high of starting a blog. I was an avid reader for almost 1.5 years before I even thought about giving it a shot. All I can say is take a chance, take your time and WRITE ABOUT IT.