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I can't believe it. Posh in Progress turns 6 today. I started this blog, six years ago, as a way for me to keep my sense of self, after becoming a first-time mom. It's crazy to think my son was only 7 months old when I started this blog. There are a lot of pros and cons to blogging. Read on to see what I mean. Why I Started Blogging When people ask me why I created this blog, and I explain not wanting to lose myself completely in motherhood, my words are usually met with nods. Motherhood is undeniably special and a major part of who I am as a person, but it is not all that I am. I also happen to love fashion, travel, baking, and lots of other things, that I share on here each week. Posh in Progress has become so much more than just a creative outlet for me. It has become an actual business. When we started this 6 years ago, we always planned for it to become a business, but we had no idea how that would happen. We never realized just how much the influencer space would bloom while we grew along with it. I also never realized that it would become a successful blog and a full-time business. What I Love About Blogging Now 6 years in, we've created a business I'm truly proud of. Not only does it provide financial support for my family, more importantly, it provides me and my family with many very special opportunities. For example, a few weeks ago, we had the chance to experience Disneyland in a way that a lot of people never do. Last year, I was invited to Turks and Caicos, which is still one of the most special experiences I've had because of my blog. These experiences really aren't quantifiable. On top of some really special opportunities, another thing I absolutely love about blogging is the chance to meet some really special people. Not only do I get to work with some really cool brands, I get to create original content that I'm proud of. I adore getting to see the business side of marketing and advertising. Plus, finding creative ways to work with brands really excites me. In my professional career, I thrive on creating relationships with community-based organizations and other universities, but I had no idea I would get to do the same thing with my blog. Beyond meeting cool brands and pr agencies, I also get to meet a lot of great people that read my blog or follow me on social media. I've made a great network of fellow bloggers and influencers, and I've even made true friendships on Instagram and by attending blogger conferences. I had no idea that all of these positive things would come from blogging, but I feel so grateful that I was able to create something so personal and rewarding. What I Hate About Blogging Although I've had mostly positive experiences, there are pros and cons to blogging. There are drawbacks to this influencer life, though. A big one is that it's really hard to take time off. Of course, you can just stop putting out content, but that's tough. I am paid for my content and my voice. If I'm not consistent, people will stop listening or forget about me. The marketplace for influencers is competitive, so it is important that I am present and consistent. Not being able to take a real vacation from blogging is probably the biggest drawback. There is constant pressure to be on social media, posting daily, if not even more regularly. I also have tried really hard to post a minimum of two-three blog stories each week. I've maintained that for six years, which you can imagine is challenging. But at the same time, it's so fun to be able to look back on what I've created. I feel so much pride. Another struggle I have with blogging is how much of my personal life to share. It bothers my family sometimes that my kids are so present on my blog and social channels. Originally, I planned to post about my kids on the blog a lot less frequently. But, I also am so proud of them and love to share my experience as my mom. So, it feels natural that I would include them. I suppose this will evolve with time, just like my content has. It tends to shift with my interests. There are definitely pros and cons to blogging, but I don't regret starting my blog. In hindsight, I wish I had started it even earlier. I'm so proud of what we've built over the last six years and I love that I get to create content. I'm so excited to see what's to come. We have some really exciting things happening over the next year, so I hope you'll continue to follow along. What else would you like to see from Posh in Progress? I'd love to hear from you! Send me an email (stacey@poshinprogress.com), shoot me a DM on Instagram or Facebook or sign up for our newsletter!

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