My Blogging Journey | A Decade of Gratitude and Positivity.

They say Lent is a time for self-renewal and reflection, and today, on a Palm Sunday, as I plop down in my favorite chair with my morning coffee in hand, I started to think about my blogging journey and what life has been like in my nearly-a-decade of blogging. There goes my plan of a quiet Sunday morning doing absolutely nothing. I just had to open my laptop and write this story down.

Truth be told, I actually started blogging in 2005. Back then, my blog was a lot more personal, known only to a few friends and some people that I have met in online forums/communities. As a twenty-something "yuppie" (the term sounds so obsolete, I know), I blogged about frivolous things like what I bought with my last paycheck, where my boyfriend (now husband) took me on a date, or how I went through another mundane day at the office. 

In 2008, I got married, had a baby, and
became a full-time, stay-at-home-mom.

In 2008, I got married, and then gave birth to our son, Yue. This was the year that I stopped working because our company began downsizing at that time, and I was one of the many employees who were "let go". I wasn't bitter about that - in fact, I considered it a blessing at that time because I would be able to focus on my family, especially my newborn son. I became a stay-at-home mom, and in the end, I had to stop blogging as well. As a new mom, I had very little time to sleep, let alone blog. My hands were full with just taking care and looking after our child. 

As Yue grew older and started schooling, I also started to "get back on track" - you know, enjoying my hobbies once again and going out with friends from time to time. One of my good friends encouraged me to start blogging again. She was a blogger herself, and at that time, she was already earning money from her blog. It sounded like a wonderful idea, but making money from blogging was the furthest thing in my mind back then. All I wanted was to reconnect with my greatest passion - writing. And all I needed was an outlet for my "creative" juices - this blog. 

2011 was the year I started this blog. 
Actually, I just wanted to show the world that I celebrated my 30th birthday
with my favorite K-pop group Super Junior as the party theme. Haha.

I started this blog in 2011 with a very simple purpose: I wanted to write about the things I love - makeup, K-pop, food, travel, and of course, my family.  And as I wrote about these things on my blog - my latest shopping haul, a new recipe, our weekend beach trip, Yue's latest milestone - opportunities eventually came in. Brands would send me products to test and review, agencies would invite me to events and product launches, advertisers would sponsor raffles and giveaways that I ran on my blog. I loved it! I especially loved the fact that I was doing what I love to do, right in the comforts of my home. The perks that came with it, I considered them a bonus.   

Blogging opened up a whole new world for me. I met different kinds of people (including MMA fighters and Korean celebrities), went to different places, made new friends... I even appeared in an ad, was interviewed by a newspaper, and got featured in a magazine! Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine for these things to happen. But it did, thanks to my blog. 

Summer 2018, attending a product launch in Seoul.

These days, people would use the term "influencer" to refer to those who are in the same line of work as I am. Honestly, I'm still iffy with calling myself as an influencer. I'd still refer to myself as a blogger, if you understand what I mean. But when strangers would talk to me out of the blue and tell me that they know me from the internet, that they read my blog and find my work fun and interesting, I get all fuzzy inside. You know that feeling when you're a kid and you'd get praised by your teacher or your parents for doing a good job at school? That's the kind of feeling I get. Whenever I'd receive a message on my Facebook fan page or on my Instagram asking for my thoughts on a certain skincare product, or which places to go to in Korea, or even the oven settings to use for a particular recipe, I feel like in this sense, I am an influencer in my own right. 

On that note, blogging also gave me so much to thank for: My husband, who has always been very supportive with whatever it is that I want to do; my son, who has been my inspiration since day one; my friends, who always trust my recommendations whether it's a skincare product, a Korean drama, or a new item on the fastfood menu; my fans and followers who continue to read my blog, support my social media pages, and try out my recipes; and all the brands and agencies whom I have worked with and continue to trust my work. Finally, I'd like to thank that friend (you know who you are!) who gave me that big push to go back to blogging, to pursue my passion, and to never stop writing. I wouldn't be here, and this blog wouldn't be here if not for you. :)

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