1 Year of Blogging
I can’t believe that it was just a year ago that I made the incredibly scary decision to put myself out there on the internet. The internet is a dark, terrifying space. I had so many fears and so many concerns. And so many excuses not to do it.
At the end of 2018, I was in a state of healing. I had suffered a trauma in my work environment that destroyed my confidence and threatened to steal my passion for my field. And I was learning to trust again after a relationship that ended badly.
I felt lost. I was trying to pick up the fragments of my life and glue them back together but I didn’t have the right tools. What I did have was an incredible cheerleader, who believed in me and believed in my voice. This was someone who knew that what I needed to mend was a platform. For Christmas, Thomas bought the Laurel and Iron domain and told me, with no uncertainty, that I was going to start blogging.
To say that I felt anxiety about blogging would be an understatement. I had full on panic attacks about posting my words on the internet for everyone to read and criticize. Somehow, the anxiety I felt about being raw and vulnerable helped me to realize how much I needed to do the damn thing. If only for myself.
Now, one year later, I can’t say that blogging is any less scary. It’s still hard to share my challenges. It’s scary to talk abut the struggles I’ve had with mental health, my relationship with food, and my endometriosis but it’s also therapeutic. It has allowed me to connect with others from all over the country and world who share those fears and struggles in a way that is only possible through the internet.
I cannot tell you how many times I’ve wanted to quit. I would say, at least once a month, I wanted to throw in the towel and give it all up. While it’s probably true that the internet’s attention span is approximately the same aa a fruit fly, so I probably wouldn’t be missed by anyone but my sister, I know that I would miss it. Of all of my accomplishments in life, I think this is one that I’m most proud of because it is the most unapologetically me.
In my first year of blogging, I penned 113 posts. When I went back and counted them, I honestly couldn’t believe it!
My favorite posts to write, photograph, and edit
4 Days in New Orleans - for obvious reasons! This post took a solid 10 days to put together but I love having such a detailed travel diary of my trip. NOLA was on my bucket list for so long. This was just a dream come true!
5 Must Try Portland IPAs - I got to drink a bunch of my favorite beers. So, clearly I was a happy blogger. It was so fun to get all the photographs for this one. Plus, it meant a bunch of date nights for me and Thomas!
Harpswell Cliff Trail - Hiking and blogging. Wow, this was a challenging combo to master. But I love how this post turned out. There were no forced smiles here or feeling awkward in front of the camera. The joy was 100% real and I felt like it radiated out of the pictures. This was an incredible hike and documenting it made it even more special!
Squat Proof Leggings: Athleta Powervita Capri - This post represents a bit of a turning point in blogging for me. This is where I found my power and my confidence. I think it shows. Despite the thick swarm of black flies biting me over and over, I had so much fun shooting this one.
Vodka Bramble - Cocktail recipes are not my most viewed posts but they are my favorite to make. It’s so fun to play mixologist at home. Developing the recipes, mastering new techniques, and of course, the taste tests! It’s all so fun. And this drink is such a stunner!
But just because I enjoyed creating a post, doesn’t mean you guys loved it as much as I did. And that’s okay. I will always blog for me. Still, it’s interesting to see what you guys are into…and that’s clearly fitness for curvy girls! I love that this content is my most popular because it speaks to one of my passions - wellness at any size!
Here are your favorite posts of 2019!
TIEM Slipstream Cycling Shoe Review - One of my main reasons for reviewing these shoes on the blog was because when I was purchasing mine, I couldn’t find much information about them outside of the TIEM website. I knew I wasn’t the only one out there wondering how they fit and what the quality was like. I’m not surprised at all that this is my most viewed post!
Squat Proof Leggings Part 1: The Search is On! - This is another project that I started because I saw a void. I could not find consistent reviews of leggings on girls that looked like me! I knew there was a need for midsize girls testing out leggings because the struggle is so freakin’ real. This hasn’t been a cheap journey to go on but it’s one that I am so passionate about sharing with you!
Squat Proof Leggings Part 4: Fabletics Powerhold - You are gonna start seeing a trend here. Of the leggings I’ve reviewed, I’m not surprised that Fabletics is the most searched for.
Squat Proof Leggings Part 5: Aerie Play - Another awesome pair of leggings that often go on sale for $15. Definitely worth checking out if you haven’t already!
Squat Proof Leggings Part 2: 90 Degree by Reflex - These leggings were the biggest fail of the year. So, I’m glad to spread the word! While I was assured all over the internet that these are 100% squat proof, they simply didn’t work for me and my curvy figure.
This year has been an incredible journey for me! I am so thankful to Thomas for pushing me to start and to my family for supporting me and sharing my posts all over the internet. And I’m thankful for you! Thank you for reading, subscribing, and commenting. It means the world to me.
Cheers to another year of blogging! I know 2020 has big things in store for Laurel and Iron!
Love, Lauren
