Lots of my friends ask me why I blog, and in short, I simply love to do it. The thought of sharing my expertise/experiences with others and helping them avoid some of the headaches I suffered is very rewarding to me. I mean, if you’re going to put out content for complete strangers on a regular basis, you better make sure you dang well love what you do.

Despite my genuine interest in blogging, I can’t help but notice the perks and advantages it’s created in my professional life. My blog has been the reason behind some of my job offers, as well as my database of never-ending work samples. Most importantly, blogging has enhanced my sense of purpose, and you guys’ feedback is how I measure my success.

This post may not be for everyone. But if you’re thinking about starting a blog, or even taking your blog to the next level, below are some ways that I feel blogging has changed my life.

It gave me a voice.
I grew up the youngest of three children — with two older brothers, I might add. Not to mention, I was always the youngest in my class, the least experienced at my jobs, and at one point, the most introverted intern you’d ever meet. With a recipe like this, I’ve always been told to mind my Ps and Qs, and respect my superiors. And that, I did. (That, I still do, really.) But I soon came to realize that you can be respectful and still have an opinion at the same time.

Blogging taught me that. It taught me how to express my ideas in a reasonable way. It taught me how to make an argument, present the evidence, and support that argument with details and real-world examples. This is MY blog. And if any of you have followed me long enough, you know I write exactly the way I talk. I’m very conversational; I use informal writing, fragments…ellipses all over the place. But that’s me. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

It helped improve my writing skills.
Despite my informal writing style, blogging has had a huge impact on my vocabulary and how I structure my content. Producing blog posts all the time can get difficult. And if you want to entice your readers, you can’t write the same words on a page every week. You have to understand what your audience is looking for and how you can meet their expectations each time. Because of this blog, I have broadened my writing repertoire, and I’m only going to learn more as I continue on this blogging journey.

It gave me ambition.
Ambition, i.e. a strong desire to do or to achieve something. This blog is my job away from my job. With that being said, I have goals for this page just like people would for their careers. I have milestones that I want to reach and transformations that I want to make. This blog gives me a reason to keep accomplishing something. And I bring that same attitude into the workplace. I find reasons to keep going. Never stop looking at the stars.

It enhanced my brand.
My name is Tammie. And whether you read this blog, or visit my YouTube channel, or skim through my Twitter profile, or engage on my Instagram page, all of these have one thing in common: my brand. What do I want to be known for, you ask? That girl who’s transitioning from college to adulthood and taking everyone along for the ride. Creating a brand helps you stay relevant and recognizable in a society where there’s too much noise — in marketing, meaning promotional clutter or high volumes of unfocused messaging.

But it doesn’t stop at creating a brand. You have to be consistent. Accuracy and consistency are some of the most important ways to establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry. What do you want to be known for?

Disclaimer: I’m not saying that only a blog can give you the same satisfaction that I achieved. There are many ways to feel appreciated and gain purpose in your life. But I’m a writer. And nothing feels better than opening up a blank page and dancing along to the clicking sounds I make as I type on my keyboard. I hope that this post has given someone something to think about. What gives you your sense of purpose? Share it in the comment section below!

Thanks for reading! 🙂