Blogging To Change The World – My World
Posted on 17. Mar, 2010 by admin in My story
A friend of mine, someone I know through an online forum, had the idea of celebrating her one year of blogging. To do that, she wanted to write a post on how she wanted to change the world through blogging. With that idea in her head, she came to an even bigger idea: she wouldn’t write it alone, no other people would write on the same topic, post the article on the same time and we would link to each other. You know, so our readers would have an idea at how other bloggers think how blogging changes their world, or how they want to change the world around them (or in general) through blogging. I, off course, thought that was a great idea, so here’s my article on how blogging changes my world.
First of all, to understand why blogging is so important to me, you need to know a bit about my life before I started blogging. Let’s see, where to start? At the beginning off course. And that’s February 2004. When I found out I was pregnant with my oldest son. At that time I was still working full time and I was travelling 3 hours every day between my home and work and back again. A hour and a half in the morning and back in the evening. My husband, at that time only my partner, we weren’t married yet, had a job and life was well. I would quit working after our child was born and he would have all the best we would have to offer. Two months later our plans turned around. My husband lost his job and I needed to keep mine. Doing interim jobs while searching for a steady job, my husband went from one place to another and his income was variable at best.
In november 2004 our son was born and I still needed to keep my job, traveling three hours a day. The benefit? I had a daycare close to my job, offered by my job, so I could take him with me on my travels. It was hard, but still doable, he didn’t have all the best we had to offer, but our son was happy and so were we. 6 months later, our world turned around again, unexpected number 2 was on his way. My partner still looking for a steady job, still wasn’t able to provide for us solely on his income so he couldn’t support us alone, but we made some calculations and I was able to reduce my work days from 5 to 4. I could be at home with my boys one day in the week. At that time, I still was thinking about our dream to stay at home with the boys. Ideas were formed on how I could provide an income through working at home and research was done. Then in May 2007 I found a blog from someone that went through, almost, the same as me. She also needed to provide an income from home and she exceeded. And not only that, she even became debtfree in a fast tempo. I followed her blog along and learned some tricks here and there. Still not able to stay at home with my boys, and being a way from home for 13 hours, I wasn’t able to work a lot of hours on my new idea, but still, the basis was there.
Then, finally, my husband found a steady job in the summer of 2007. In January 2008 I wanted to quit my job, but they offered to give me unpaid leave for the next 6 years instead. If I wanted to return, I always have the option open to me. Off course I took it, I mean, I’m not that stupid 
And mid-March 2008 I was home with my boys. The first months I was looking for some balance between my household and my work plans, but after a while I found it. Then it all came down to find the perfect idea to work on. And when I found it, I never looked back again: niche blogging.
So you see, that’s where I came from. And how has blogging changed the world for me? Well, it gave me the opportunity to live my dream. I can stay home with my kids, see them grow up, and make sure they are taught in the way I want them to be. Every day, when I think of my long to do list and how easy it would be to just return to the J.O.B., I also think about my kids and how happy they are, every day after school when I’m there and they don’t have to go to the after school daycare. The smile on their faces when they share their stories with me while they have a mom that really listens to them and not tries to do a hundred and one things at the same time, because she just doesn’t have the time to do it at a normal pace.
I’m sure, when my kids grow up more, there will be a time that they say, they would like a mom that goes out to work, just because that would give them more freedom. I know I did think that, when I was in puberty. But when I became an adult, I realised how lucky I was to be able to grow up in the way that I did. How lucky I was to have my mom waiting for me after school to listen to my stories. I know, it’s not an option for everyone, to stay at home with their kids. And I know, some parents wouldn’t want the option either, for each their own. But for me, this is what I wanted in my life, this is my dream, and blogging is what makes it possible.
As a unique way of looking at what blogging really means, a few of us gathered together our thoughts on how blogging can change the world and our individual lives. This is what we came up with:
“Can A Blog Change the World?” by Ruth: “Blogging as an opportunity to use your voice for what you truly believe in, changing your world for the better”.
“My Blogging Vision” by Lisa: “When I started blogging back in October of 2007, I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I’ve seen a lot of changes in my life since then yet my vision for my blog remains the same.”
“My Blogging Journey” by Stephen: “Life has been a journey of twists and turns for me. As an introvert it has sometimes been a little bit too stimulating…if life has taught me anything, it is that the world is an amazing place with so many struggles, challenges, opportunities and stories from real people.”
“At the Speed of Blog” by Steve: “What I have seen in the way mankind has changed in the form of communication during my lifetime.”
“All About Me” by Donny: “All About Me – Well maybe not all. I wanted to take a minute and give everyone a chance to get to know a bit about who I am, how I got here, what I hope to accomplish and why I am looking to Internet Marketing and, more specifically, Niche Blogging for income.”
“Turning Dreams Into Goals” by Donna: “For the past year my dream has been to make enough money working online so that both me and my husband could work from home. We have a business that I currently run from home and I wanted to turn that over to him while I created websites.”
“Why I Blog and Why I’ll Continue to Blog” by Michelle: Inspired by others who ‘care’, I got to thinking about the world we all live in and how we have this amazing communication channel we know as the World Wide Web: I wondered if by blogging, can I change the world? Here’s some of the thoughts that quickly came to mind”
“Blogging Vision 2010” by Jen: “AkitaJitsu’s “Niche Blogging for Non-Techies” is all about answering technical questions about building niche blogs in a non-technical way. Jen (aka, Akitajitsu) started the blog a few months ago, and has written a plan for the blog’s future. She hopes this blog will become a popular resource for niche bloggers.”
“Niche Blogging” by Loren: “Making goals, missing goals and maintaining blogging relationships.”
17 Responses to “Blogging To Change The World – My World”
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Ruth - Web Career Girl
17. Mar, 2010
Leslie, my mum also gave up work when she had me. Then a few years later she started working from home. I always look back and think how thankful I am for that. I always had someone there when I got back from school.
I admire how hard you work, and I can see why. You are doing a fantastic job, and it was great to get an insight into just how important blogging really is to you
Ruth – Web Career Girl´s last blog ..Can A Blog Change the World? Blogoversary Post: My Blogging Journey and Where I Plan on Going In Future
admin
17. Mar, 2010
Ruth, when you have a goal in front of you, the hard work is easily forgotten, or at least, easily dealt with. I can’t count the times I wanted to give up, just because I was to tired to keep my eyes open (days when the kids had a rough night, or when they were sick for example) but in the end it was all worth it.
Steve
17. Mar, 2010
Hi Leslie,
Kids give us a vision for the future and a look at our own past.
As I watched my 2 sons grow, time sure whent fast. They are now 32 and 35, but their still just kids, to me.
admin
17. Mar, 2010
Steve,
time sure does go fast, and that’s also why I want to be sure I spent the important years of my kids with them instead off at a job. I mean, they will be grown and out the house in no time and then it’s too late.
And I think you are right, kids always stay kids to their parents, even when they are living outside the house and have kids of their own (believe me, I know, my mom always reminds me of that fact LOL)
Jennifer
18. Mar, 2010
Time does go by so fast with kids. When you are trying to make money to support them & give them what they want, it’s occasionally hard to remember that often what they want is just us – not things, just time with mom & dad. Being single, I really find myself wrapped up in my work, and sometimes kick myself when I realize that my little guy has been patiently waiting for me to finish up.
Like right now…he’s waiting on the swing set!
Jennifer´s last blog ..Blog Vision Mini Carnival
admin
18. Mar, 2010
Not only when you are single it’s hard to give our children the ultimate gift: our time (you can read that in a post I wrote a week or so ago). But they do remind us, in their own way, that they are around and they need us. It’s just to us to recognize it and answer their request.
I’ve read your story Jennifer, and I think your little man couldn’t have wished for a better mom
Now, go play on that swing set with him 
Loren Jaslyn
18. Mar, 2010
Leslie–your post was so inspirational and it has touched me in a special way. I truly wish you much success with all that you do
It looks like you have come a long way and reading this post just keeps me encouraged with all that I’m trying to do as well….
Loren Jaslyn´s last blog ..Loren’s Niche Blog Update
admin
18. Mar, 2010
Never thought it would be inspirational, to be honest, I didn’t have a clue of what to write, so I just opened up my heart and wrote from within. Guess that was the best way to go for it. If I only help a few people on their way to their dreamlife, well, I couldn’t hope for more.
simply stephen
18. Mar, 2010
Leslie…you climbed the hill and look where you arrived. From my perspective that journey must have been worth it.
My daughter lives in another country and the web let’s me work a more flexible approach…I am close to being able to visit more frequently. It is so nice to watch people create a life that focuses on family.
Blogging really does make anything possible.
simply stephen´s last blog ..my blogging journey
admin
18. Mar, 2010
Stephen, someone once told me they reminded me of that little train that went “I think I can, I think I can”. You know what I mean? Well, when looking back at my journey, I don’t think I ever could have gotten a better description of it.
I’m glad blogging helps you keep your relationship with your daughter stronger by being able to visit her more often and on your and her time. These days society tends to forget to focus on family and I hope that, if only a few people are touched and changed by our stories (not saying they all should stay home and raise their kids, like I said, to each their own. Just give back some more focus to that part of our lives) the world will become a better place. And I think that was what Ruth has wanted with her idea.
Michelle Adams
18. Mar, 2010
It seems there are a lot of mums who just want to be with their children yet we’re all left to our own devices to ‘work it out’. Leave them in care and work a J.O.B. or be without much income and get to be with your children.
Well more power to you for getting to where you are and also to all us other mums who have taken things into our own hands. It’s wonderful to see the determination you have, and that so many of us have, to fight for our children – to be there for them.
I have to admit though that time is always tight but I do my best to give my kids quality over quantity… and this has been a great reminder to not forget they’re waiting for me to ‘finish’. As I’m sure you know, it’s never ‘finished’ but it can be paused for a fun date at the swing set.
I wish you loads of continued success.
Michelle Adams´s last blog ..Blogging
admin
18. Mar, 2010
Michelle, I couldn’t agree with you more. If you’re a mom, it’s up to you to make things happen, ’cause no one will be there to tell you what your options are if you want to stay home with them. It’s a neverending battle, but one, I think, I finally won.
And about being never finished, well, I guess that’s the only downside of working for yourself, but I think we can live with that
Walter
21. Mar, 2010
It’s nice to be at home with our kids so that we can guide their growth. And I’m glad you have discovered an opportunity of earning income online. Lucky for me, I’m blessed with a work near my home and I can check my child during break time.
admin
21. Mar, 2010
Walter, nice to hear from you. Being able to spend time with our kids is really a great gift, whether it’s by staying at home with them, or by working close enough so we don’t have to lose too much time with traveling between work and home. Be sure to visit more often. It’s always nice to hear from other bloggers.
Reffoniuroven
25. Mar, 2010
i really love all your posting kind, very charming.
don’t quit and also keep posting due to the fact that it just nicely to read it.
looking forward to browse far more of your own content, thanks
robes
30. Mar, 2010
awesome story.
Mike from 300 spartan costume
21. Aug, 2010
I think blogging is a type of therapy as well. It gives you an opportunity to blog some of live’s problems and have the world listen to you, and perhaps even get some good advice back.