Cup runneth over…

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I learnt some stuff at Problogger last week. Was it REALLY a week ago already that we arrived on the Gold Coast? Sheesh. One of the best sessions that I went to was ran my 3 top birds – Chrissy from Hair Romance, Caz from Y Travel Blog and Andrea from Fox in Flats. These are three women who know their shit. They have all had much success from their blogs and currently all have huge followings and really engaged and committed readers. They talked about “step changers” things that changed the way they blog, or moved them from one level of success to another. Things like “luck” (snort) posts that went viral, campaigns or series that they have used that have been game changers for them.

For me, I spent quite some time feeling a little like “why NOT me” when it came to my blog. I mean I started my blog in 2006 for gods sake – before Facebook even existed – waaaay before many blogs that seemed to be able to nail it. For many years I saw success come to some people, and not others and spent many a time comparing and worrying about what OTHERS were doing rather than on what I was doing. Once I started to stop thinking about THEM and rather on ME and providing good content, stuff that I loved and felt passionate about, well success (and lots of hard work) followed.

Last year at Problogger I wrote a post about what I had learned and it’s interesting to see just what I have managed to achieve in another year since then. Successes come, sometimes slowly after months or years, and sometimes quickly. One trap I STILL manage to fall into is the comparing. The “HOW DOES SHE GET ALL THOSE LIKES?” Or comments or uniques visitors per month? What am I doing wrong? What can I do better? I take it all quite seriously now given that I am actually making some coin from it all. Being surrounded by some of the best bloggers in this country through the Remarkables Group certainly makes you put your big girl blog undies on each day and I don’t hide the fact that my blog is a different thing to what it was a year and most certainly 3 years ago.

During the session Andrea spoke about writing down your successes, rather than focusing on the “not yets” which is where I admit I spend a lot of my blogging brain space. It’s kind of like a done list at the end of the day rather than an overwhelming to-do list that taunts you at the start of each day or working week. There wasn’t much stuff that I wrote down in my note-book over the conference, but this was one of them. YES!

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So, here’s my cup (my HOT DAVID BROMLEY CERAMIC CUP from Scarlet Jones thankyouverymuch) that I am going to start whacking little milestones in. Because, sometimes even though it’s slow, each day I am reaching new milestones that I should be proud of.

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Hit a magic new thousand likes on Facebook? Imma write that bastard down. THAT’S SOMETHING. 1 million page views? Yeah you DID Beth. In it goes. A beautiful email from a reader? In it goes.

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Time to run my own race. My way. And if I am having a bad day, filled with self-doubt and “no you can’t do that” I am going to get down the cup and read them. Because I can. I DID.

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Physical stuff works better for me than numbers in a spreadsheet or trawling through emails. Each week surely there is something that could go in here. And it wouldn’t have to be about work related stuff like this – how about family stuff? Kid stuff? You stuff? Daisy got 20/20 in her spelling test. I went for 3 runs this week. Harper learnt how to click.

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Do you love this idea too?
What would be ONE thing you could add into your cup from today, or this week, or month?

Comments

  1. I love this Beth.. I am going to start me a jar and see how full I can get it by January.. silver linings thats what it is all about x

  2. Not to be shallow but god damn I WANT that cup!! But yes…these are good things to write down, celebrate and remember. But seriously. That cup…

  3. GourmetGirlfriend says

    running your very own race is such a VITAL thing to remember.
    Loveth the cupeth.

  4. Such a great idea! Think I will create a special little jar to sit on my desk and inspire me!

    For me, I would add that this month I have been featured in 3 rather big mags!

  5. I’ve really managed to dodge the comparison thing. During last Summer, talking with special girlfriends at the beach I had an “a-ha” moment. Finally realised I wasted so much time on thinking about others, what they think of me and why they are there, and I’m still here. Gratitude, thats what I practice each day. I have an amazing life, I live exactly where I want, how I want and do what I want. Life is amazing, and if its not, change something. And I’m going to use a jar and some pretty paper to fill it with milestones, coolest idea! Thanks Beth. x

  6. I need this on PMT days.. far out the internet, my facebook, my kids, my house, everything SHITS me.. I need this cup and to pack it into my bag and take it to port douglas for a weekend every PMT!

  7. a man, one theodore roosevelt, once said – comparison is the thief of joy. never a truer word spoken in my opinion. i live by that shit, cos otherwise priorities get confused and the things that really matter go unnoticed! i love this idea, celebrating the wins – all of them, so that each day is awesome…no matter what!! p.s. thank you teddy and thank you bethy!

  8. I love this idea, it’s a little bit like gratitude in a way, postitive reflection. Might just give it a go.

  9. Love your blog Beth. It’s full of good stuff. Babymac is defs in my bloglovin xx

  10. That is such a good idea! Focus on your successes. It is so hard not to compare yourself to others, I do it all the time.

  11. Ah yes the old comparison chestnut. A few years ago, I worked really hard on not comparing, running my own race, etc, and I’ve been really good but it still pops its head up now and again.
    My biggest “thing” at the moment is I still havent found that thing I want to do yet. Now Darbs is 2, that old “what do I want to do?” feeling is getting strong again. No doubt I’m envious of those who have that knowledge!

  12. love this post, lady {and your ‘do in your profile pic}! X

  13. I think we all could use a cup like that, Beth. Well done to you for celebrating your many and varied achievements too!! x

  14. Great idea. This week into the cup would be “I took over the P&C President role this term and nailed it – 10 weeks down!!”

  15. Lisa Mckenzie says

    Great idea I have a grateful container for New Years so I can look back on all the things that happened over the year that I am happy or grateful about,go Beth!

  16. I loved this session by Andrea, Caz and Christina. Amazing ladies with a great perspective. I am summarising the sessions I went to and can’t wait to revisit their session to write about it.

    Keep running your own race and keep writing down those achievements. Well done! How awesome your blog has evolved and this is your career now!

    My achievement for this week (last thursday) was being published on the Guardian. The MOFO Guardian! I blogged, I tweeted and an editor read it. I squealed. And didn’t read all of the comments.

    • BabyMacBlogBeth says

      That is a VERY good achievement. Well bloody done Carly. I always find it amazing that if you say something out loud, somehow it happens.

  17. MotherDownUnder says

    Brilliant post.
    This was one of my favourite sessions too.
    I think Problogger was half blogging lessons and half life lessons.

    I find it really easy to excited by other people’s successes and really hard to get excited about my own…I think because I know that the success is only step one of all I want to acheive? Anyway this is a great idea to remind myself that each success is in itself a success.

  18. NotjustamumJess says

    It’s a great reminder, to be your own blogger. Almost daily I find myself in comparison mode and kind of lose sight as to why I started in the first place, so thank you Babymac.

    • BabyMacBlogBeth says

      It’s so silly isn’t it? Because your blog is YOU. And you can’t compare YOU with anyone else, cause there is only one of you. Good luck x

  19. daddownunder says

    Love it Beth – you should have chosen a bigger cup, you’ll fill that one in no time.

  20. I’m not really interested in blogging these days but the conf sounded kind of fun.

    I see blogging as a kind of accessory but not an outfit.

    If that makes sense.

    I like David Bromley stuff too.

    x

  21. Hey Bev, I just LOVE your take on this idea. And there’s NOTHING like looking back on your achievements. It’s mind-bending! xA

  22. Love this idea, and great excuse to buy a new fancy pants cup.

  23. Lovely read for a new blogger on staying true.
    For what it is worth I also write for a US based global trend researcher (https://www.iconoculture.com/US/Index.aspx) and in a recent observation I wrote about Australian bloggers making the transition to TV and included reference and a link to BabyMac. Worth talking about your successes globally :0)

  24. Such a great idea and such great achievements, Beth. Love your work! I started my gratitude journal this week, and my little cup of achievement will sit right next to that, and my piggy bank of workout tips! I’m constantly comparing my blog to others, wishing it was bigger or better, or smarter or snazzier. Thank you for reminding me to be my own blogger, to remember why I started blogging in the first place and to acknowledge what I’ve achieved and the happiness it’s brought me (and maybe even some others, too.) Baby steps, baby steps, but they’re all mine! PS I think you need a bigger cup xx

  25. Reannon Hope says

    Fantastic idea Beth! I often lay in bed at night going over all the things I failed at during the day. The things I could have done better. The things I wish I could un-do & do differently. I should focus on my successes (as very small as they are these days).
    I have to say I’m surprised you are one to compare yourself. I don’t know about your stats but to me you seem to be a huge success! You always have people commenting here, FB & IG. You’re on the bloody telly!!! From the outside you look to be smashing it Beth & it’s very well deserved x

    • BabyMacBlogBeth says

      I’m getting much better at it, the older I get (the comparing that is). It feels good to just not give a shit!

  26. LOVE this idea and if you EVER need a cheerleader then just drop me a line. I’ll get my poms poms out from high school C:

  27. Oh I LOVE this B! Such a fabulous idea. X

  28. Here we are, add this one to your David whoever cup: a reader said thanks for my blog because she just had a shit awful weekend and crawled into bed to read blogs and my blog made her smile again. Thanks…I am starting to forget my shit weekend!!

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