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Leaf and Steel

motherhood - growth - living

5 Blogging Lessons I Learned in 2021

January 4, 2022

2021 – you were so good to me! I learned so many blogging lessons this year and I’m here to report that the following 5 things are my biggest takeaways.

The more work I do here, the more my blog grows. There’s nothing more satisfying than working hard and having it pay off – literally and figuratively!

What was different about 2021?

I’ve been blogging here since 2017. The difference between 2017 and 2021 was that I wrote 96 posts in 2021. I wrote and wrote and wrote and wrote and it paid off!

I finally started seeing my first payouts and worked with some amazing, wholesome brands. 

1. Writing is a habit

And so it must be practiced consistently!

Last year, I sat down every day and wrote. Whether it was a blog post, a long-term project I’m working on, or just plain personal journaling, I wrote.

I created a habit.

I saw dramatic changes in my speed of writing.

I don’t just mean my typing ability, something that has improved considerably.

The way that my brain connects thoughts and transfers them to the page has quickened. 

I took most of December off, so even now, in January, I feel a little “rusty” writing this post. Even if I don’t publish every single day, carving out some time to write has been extremely beneficial for my blog as well as my mental state.

Writing has always been an outlet for me, so putting my thoughts down on (virtual) paper always eases my mind.

2. …and scheduled posts are your friend

If you have any type of blogging schedule or deadlines to hit, scheduled posts are your friend. Having a few posts in my queue that could be posted anytime was a game changer as a busy mom.

I had a goal of hitting “post” every day of the week in October – a goal I happily met!

As much as I wanted to maintain my habit of writing every single day, pumping out a neatly finished blog post with all the fixings wasn’t feasible.

I had to plan ahead. Something I am not known for.

I took some blocks of time here and there to work on evergreen pieces that I could publish on the days when I really needed to be present for my kid or sleep when she was sleeping.

Scheduled posts helped me reach my blogging goals in 2021, which brings me to my next point…

3. Set goals

Setting goals will help you reach your goals.

It sounds idiotically stupid. Because it is.

Setting goals will help you reach your goals.

The caveat is setting attainable goals. Jotting down “write a novel” on your to-do list isn’t helpful. “Write 1,000 words” is.

Bite sized objectives that can be completed in a reasonable (I’ll let you interpret that as you will) amount of time will increase your confidence that you can attain your goals.

I keep a long and short list of goals in the notes section of my phone so they are easy to find.

4. Eliminate what slows you down (interface, distractions, thesaurus)

This one seems obvious, but I found it difficult in 2021 to practice this one.

First off, there’s the big distractions. I waited until my daughter was asleep (parents who get work done while their kids are awake, I praise you). I put my phone on silent. Closed all other tabs. 

Then, there are mid-level distractions, like stopping to change a song or check the time. I found long YouTube compilations of classical music and the like so I didn’t have to stop. Setting a timer eliminated the need to constantly check the time.

Lastly, there are pesky little time thieves that are sneaky because they feel productive. My biggest one is the thesaurus. I noticed that I was disrupting my “flow” of writing by needing to find the perfect word. I would simply write a word in ALL CAPS if I didn’t feel like it was the right fit, that way I could clearly tell that it needed to be replaced once I was editing. This made me a faster writer, instantly.

My other tip is to write in Comic Sans in Google Drive document. I saw this online. I don’t know who thought of this, but it works. It takes the pressure out of it, and I’ve discovered that the Google doc interface is much faster than the WordPress editor – just my two cents!

5. If you’re small, you need to reach out

I wish someone told me this sooner!

There are plenty of brands out there who are looking to work with smaller bloggers.

I had read time and time again that if you’re producing quality content, the brands will just come to you. And maybe that is true.

But, there are a lot of blogs out there. And then there’s Instagram. And TikTok. And YouTube. I felt there was so much competition. 

Then, I read about an abundance mindset, something I heard mentioned by Amber Fillerup Clark (check out my post on 10 Mom Influencers to Follow for Inspiration)

There are so many creators and there are SO MANY opportunities out there! More than enough to go around. With the change from a competitive attitude to an abundance mindset, I had a newfound confidence around working with companies.

I reached out to some of my favorite brands, or ones that I hoped to work with. Some said no, some didn’t answer, and some said yes. We were able to work together on content and I felt good about promoting products that I actually used and would recommend anyways.

If you’re small, reach out!


What blogging lessons did you learn in 2021? Do any on this list resonate with you?

Let me know below!

O.

More from Leaf and Steel:
  • 2022’s Word of the Year
  • Sunday Night Routine for a Successful Week
  • 7 Things I Do Every Day as a Stay at Home Mom
  • Zero Waste Laundry with Kind Laundry

Filed in: blogging • by Olivia • 24 Comments

2022’s Word of the Year

January 1, 2022

2022’s word of the year is…drumroll please….COURAGE!

You may have heard of the idea of choosing a word of the year instead of or in addition to a New Year’s resolution.

Each year, my friends and I select a word for the New Year. We share them with each other and then check in throughout the year to see how much progress we’ve made with it!

This year, I’m going with courage.

I have so much that I want to accomplish in 2022, and I can’t do it without f

I remember being a preschool teacher and being SO anxious to talk to this, ahem, intense parent about their child’s behavior.

Right before I had to meet with them, I was discussing my fears with my boss, terrified.

“Don’t be scared,” she told me, before doubling back.

“Or be scared, and do it anyway”.

Courage isn’t the absence of fear. It’s being scared and doing it anyway.

That’s the kind of energy that I want to bring into 2022.

Why choose a word?

Choosing a word of the year can be a less stressful alternative to a New Year’s resolution. Resolutions are easily broken or difficult to maintain for a full year.

Picking a word that you’d like to bring into the New Year offers infinite opportunities for practice and growth with that principle.

How do I pick a word?

There are plenty of lists out there online. Taking a few moments to meditate on what you are leaving behind in 2021 and what you want to cultivate in 2022 can be helpful. 

I noticed that in 2021 I was holding myself back in a lot of areas of my life because the logistics of getting what I wanted seemed too complicated or scary. Part of why I chose my word was because I felt myself turning away from opportunities because I wasn’t willing to practice courage.

I wanted to leave all the self-doubt and fear in 2021.

Ironically, the word courage scares me. That’s how I know it’s something I need.

How do I use my word of the year?

You practice it!

My word last year was discipline. I practiced discipline in my day to day life by exercising, writing consistently, and working hard to keep my house clean. 


It’s cool to sit back at the end of the year and see how that principle has altered your life.

There have been a few years where I can’t even remember what mine was by the time the next ball drops, and that’s okay.

I think the important thing about New Year’s resolutions and choosing words is really about acknowledging that we still have room to grow and we are capable of change.


Do you choose a word for the New Year?

If so, what’s your word?

What do you want to bring into 2022?

Let me know below!

O.

More from Leaf and Steel:
  • Reflecting and Moving On: Goodbye 2021
  • Winter Quote Wednesday
  • Sunday Night Routine for a Successful Week
  • Zero Waste Laundry with Kind Laundry

Filed in: Living, Personal • by Olivia • 8 Comments

Reflecting and Moving On: Goodbye 2021

December 31, 2021

Last year I wrote a post called “If Not Now, When?”. It’s about how the years have passed on and I haven’t changed. It’s about how I wanted to do more with this blog and the only thing standing in my way was me.

Well, I wrote 96 posts this year. I had brand deals. I made some affiliate and ad income. I feel really proud about where I’ve taken this blog. The only difference between this year and the last was that I sat down and wrote.


I feel good about 2021 as a whole. I’m proud of myself. I feel like I did more than just get through it. If you just got through it, that’s more than enough.

I’m 27 and I have a new lease on life. Something inside me changed this year.

I’ve been thinking about big bangs.

I watched a family member go through a breakup and move across the country. A big bang.

I watched my friend lose her brother, and leave her job to pursue her art. A big bang.

I was always waiting for these little things to change the fiber of who I was. I thought if I drank more water or had more money or exercised more I would become who I wanted to be.

I was always waiting on more.

I just needed my own big bang.

I was monkey-barring my way through life. I had settled into this mindset that certain things I wanted were out of reach.

And then I had my daughter. My big bang.

She made me feel good enough. She made me feel worthy of all things good. I never want her to feel limited. That’s how I’ve felt as an adult, limited.

I’m going into 2022 with infinite opportunity. I hope you do the same.

Humbly,

O.

Filed in: blogging, Personal • by Olivia • 2 Comments

Fall Friday Favorites #10

November 26, 2021

Happy Fall Friday!

I hope you had a good Thanksgiving! I know I’m still stuffed from all the food.

Any holiday week is a weird week. The downside to being on a set routine is struggling when one little part of it gets bumped out of place.

Anyways, here are some things I’m loving this week!

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Ah, the ever-controversial homemade vs. store-bought cranberry sauce debate. I always have been and always will be team homemade. I love making my own cranberry sauce and storing it in the fridge to put on just about anything. I do a bag of cranberries, a cup of sugar and a cup of pulp-free orange juice and just simmer it on the stove! I love homemade cranberry sauce on homemade corn bread.

My Stroller

We were gifted a lovely UppaBaby stroller and it’s worth the price tag. We call it Baby M’s car. I’ve put so much mileage on this thing lately. It’s so smooth and it just has so much room in the undercarriage. It’s truly one of my favorite things!

The Official Christmas Music Season

I’ve been listening to Christmas music since October because who cares about time anymore? Even though I got started very early this year, today is the official start to the Christmas season! I normally would have waited until the day after Thanksgiving to decorate. Now, I can blast my Christmas music without criticism from my husband! My favorite Christmas song is either Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) sung by Darlene Love or Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by either Frank Sinatra or Judy Garland, I can’t choose!

Scheduling Posts

I love that I can schedule posts here! I try to post every weekday, so having some schedule posts during holiday weeks makes it super easy to hit my blogging goals and take a day off.


This is the last Fall Friday for this year! I’ve really enjoyed posting these as hearing from you guys every week!


What are you loving this week? How was your Thanksgiving? Let me know below!

O.

Filed in: Uncategorized • by Olivia • Leave a Comment

Hi there!

Leaf and Steel is a collective on all things motherhood, growth, and living. Read More…

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2023’s word of the year is “peace”. The purest, simplest way to incorporate peace is by being in nature. We are incredible excited to try to spend #1000hoursoutside this year. ❄️🌻🌲 #getoutside #leafandsteel #nature #toddlerlife
Never have truer words been spoken…
Up on the Blog: Here’s Why Christmas Season is the Best
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Blogtober is almost here! #blogtober is a writing challenge where writers publish one post a day for the month of October. I did it last year and it was definitely…a challenge! 🎃
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