Somehow, I’ve managed to blog for a whole year. Admittedly, the last month has been difficult and I’ve just been writing and taking photos behind the scenes without actually posting so that when I got back into the swing of things again, I would have good content. But still, my blog has been around for a whole year, and I’m so proud of it.
This time last year, I had no idea what I’d be doing right now. I started my blog as a leap of faith, an escape during the stresses of third year, with no idea where it would take me. Don’t get me wrong, there’s still a long way to go, but I couldn’t have imagined things that have happened to me because of my blog.
After a few months, I bit the bullet and paid for my proper website and my own widgets and themes to design it how I liked. I had no idea how complicated blogging was before I started, but let me tell you, it really is. There’s so much to learn, and after ignoring it for the first couple of months I decided to really start learning about SEO, Google Analytics, and generally how google searching works. I’ve recently learnt a lot more through my job, but having my own blog to start with has really helped me out.
I created my own series, #MurdererMonday, and I’ve had some really great feedback on it. Since I can remember, I’ve been really into true crime, even as a little kid. I finally decided to not care that people might thing it was weird or morbid, I think most people have some sort of fascination with crime or criminal psychology nowadays.
In my case, deciding not to care was a huge hurdle of blogging. I grew up with a fear of people from school having opinions on what I’m doing, even years later when I’m not in school. When I started this site, I finally decided to have a massive unfollow spree because I realised that seeing the feeds of people from school was still stressing me out. Why am I scared of people that I will probably never see or talk to again? Removing that from my life was a huge thing for me, and I felt like I had the freedom to be honest about my blog.
I started doing an internship, and have made some great blogger friends through this which I am so thankful for. This internship got me to write articles and be involved in amazing campaigns such as #AlopeciaisFashion, which has recently been on BBC news and is something I’m so proud of. Check out my article about hair loss here. I was also asked to do a collab post with Clarins, which you can see here, I was absolutely thrilled about this one.
I’ve written lots of posts that I’ve worked really hard on, and learnt lots about photography, editing and blogging, but my main achievements are personal. Growing in confidence both in front of the camera, and with my ideas and opinions is something that I might never master, but I am so much further on than I was a year ago.
My blog gave me the confidence to do an internship, and now somehow I presented an event, and worked on a campaign video for a designer. If you’d have told me when I was in year 10 that one day I’d be stood in front of a hundred people with a microphone, with no idea what fashion line was going to appear next, and didn’t have a melt down, I wouldn’t have believed you. I’ve gone from being afraid of my own shadow, to finally being my own person.
Recently, I got my first PR gift. This was a huge milestone for me, because it means that I’m actually not half bad at writing and that my opinions are respected. Stay tuned on my instagram to see what it is. It’s nothing major, but I’m honestly so happy about it.
Without my little place on the internet, my portfolio, ramblings, however you see it, I literally would not be where I am today. With a job I love where I am also a blogger, my own flat, and loads of ideas.
I’d like to say a massive thank you to anyone who has ever read my blog, subscribed to my posts or just supported me or said something nice. I feel like a new person since I’ve started my blog, and I absolutely love it. Here’s to year 2 of www.gracekinirons.com, loads more mysteries, and who knows what else?
- Top: H&M GP&J Baker collection
- Jeans: NastyGal
- Belt: TopShop
- Shoes: Converse
- Jacket: Debenhams
xxx
Happy bloggerversary!!
Author
Thank you!! x