The First Post...

... is always the hardest to write. 

Take it from someone who has started (and eventually abandoned) dozens of blogs over the last 7 years or so. I know what I'm talking about. Now, I don't consider myself a professional or even a novice at blogging, so don't put me on a cushioned, velvet throne just yet. I make tons of mistakes all the time. I've just done this so many times, that I know exactly what kind of mushy, gross anxiety newborn bloggers are feeling the first time they sit down to write a post.

I'm not required to make this post. It's just something I have to do.
This is part of my nest-building routine.
Yes, as silly as it might sound, this blog is my nest.
I'm building a home (Isn't it really cute and adorable? :D) for myself and for bigger possibilities in the future.

I'm never sure how to leave my first mark on this blank canvas. Do I talk about myself? Do I just jump in headfirst with my eyes shut tight and hope that I'll hit the water? Who am I even talking to? Who is my audience? Do I even have something worth saying? Is it too late to just not do this? Did I put on deodorant this morning? These are the questions I ask myself every single time I start a new blog. And I still don't have the answers!

Pointblank: blogging is scary. It's mortifying. And it is really awkward at first. 

For the first time in a really long time, I'm aiming to write for an audience. 90% of the blogs I've had in the past have been zones for me to just let everything go. I didn't want anyone seeing that part of me, so I kept it so far on the down-low that it probably wasn't even on the radar for site traffic. I can't do that this time. It's not just me talking to myself anymore. Someone somewhere at some time is going to read this post. That's scary to think about. 

The first post is the hardest to write because it just is. You might not have a voice or a rhythm yet, and that's okay. For instance, this post is so jumpy, it's a little embarrassing, and I might actually come back to this weeks or months from now and literally slap myself for not making much sense or having any guidelines. It's also perfectly fine to suck and make tons of mistakes at first. Maureen Johnson, author of 13 Little Blue Envelopes, once said that the best way to become a better writer is to suck. Suck all you can! I mean, look at me! I'm still sucking!

I just know I love to write. For me, that is a good enough reason to abandon my insecurities, my worries, and my panic and to embrace that ball of nerves twerking in my stomach right this very moment.

So, if you're reading this and are nervous about taking that first leap into the swimming pool of blogging, go for it. You'll never regret it. Trust me, the water is fine. Just watch out for the trolls and pornbots. ;D