Today’s definition of  what a ‘blogger’ represents is a far cry from what it meant only a few years ago. There has been an incredible movement in this industry; it’s changed the way we shop our everyday consumer products, the way we market and advertise ourselves when working with brands, and most importantly, the way we influence others to make decisions by sharing our own experiences.

In 2010, you’d be less likely to consider calling yourself an influencer and expect be taken seriously as a professional, nor even be able to make a full-time career out of it. Now it’s 2018 and many of us, including myself, have been able to make this ‘far cry dream’ a reality of calling ourselves full-time professional & profitable influencers, a career that has earned the respect of the industry surrounding it. But the journey getting to this point was full of disappointment, road blocks, and challenges that tested my desire to see this goal through.

However, what many people don’t understand is that being self-sufficient as a blogger is a very difficult job; it’s a position that takes physical, mental, and emotional demands if you want it to be successful. It’s something you have to put your blood, sweat, and tears (literally) into, every single day of every week of every month, with little expectation of immediate reward. It’s a career that forces you to showcase the best of yourself 24/7, from the way you look in a photograph to the written words you use to describe it.

Sure getting paid to enjoy the free clothing, beauty products, and all-expense trips looks like it’s a career of a lifetime (and I won’t disagree that those are fantastic perks of the business), but receiving such compensation doesn’t come overnight nor does it come easily. Getting to this point demands your fullest dedication and motivation in order to achieve it. And guess what, you can have the best photos & content and STILL not be rewarded with those coveted partnerships & opportunities that others get to participate in. Nothing in this industry is guaranteed by “looking the part” – you have to work every day to f*ing BE THE PART.

Even though I’m a full-time blogger, living in NYC and making it work for a living, I still face belittlement and sometimes not taken seriously, even by some people that were once in my inner circle. Discussing the career of an influencer & the legitimacy behind what we do is not always the easiest to explain to someone outside the industry, especially if they’re pre-dispositioned as skeptical of what you do. What the world outside our own doesn’t understand is what we don’t show them –

HOW HARD WE WORK EVERY DAMN DAY TO GET & STAY HERE

So the next time you find yourself feeling super down, overwhelmed, underestimated, or anything that leads to questioning yourself & what you’re working so hard to accomplish, I want you to remember this important message; I remind myself of this to help me feel better about what I’m doing as a career and strongly believe that every & any type of blogger should keep in mind as well, in order to remain strong during these unforgiving moments:

You sacrifice time & energy to create the content shared, taking advantage of the free time during weekends or your less than 1 hour lunch breaks to photograph, edit, email, pitch, etc. to get yourself out there. You show vulnerability when you decide to post a photo of yourself, an opinion, or the honest truth of how you’re feeling, understanding that your willingness to share may not always be well-received. Yet you post anyway hoping that there’s even one person who will come across it and have his/her life change for the better. You’ve been able to put posts together and promote them for x amount of time (for me, 5+ years), and have remained dedicated thus far to completing each week of content on your own time, willingly.

If all of this was easy to do, then everyone would be a blogger. But there’s a reason why not everyone has one: the steep demands it takes to be successful.  You should be SO PROUD of the fact you’ve been able to keep up & remain relevant, and on your own time, because not having a reason to do something yet continuing to pursue it out of undying passion is a very rare gift to possess.

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BE PROUD OF YOU

& keep these reminders close when smaller minds attempt to knock you down

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– Not everyone has the confidence to pose and be photographed in front of a crowd of strangers in order to get that amazing shot. You do.

– Not everyone wants to sacrifice Happy Hour drinks or a good night’s sleep in order to get a head start on content for the week. You do.

– Not everyone has the ability to be honest about something that troubles them, and bear the consequences of honesty. You do.

– Not everyone can keep trying over and over again after failed opportunities or when a brand says no. You can.

– Not everyone can keep track of the demands each brand expects of you and make the time to see it through perfectly. You can.

– Not everyone can put themselves out there to network, meet new people, and expose themselves to opportunities outside their comfort zones. You can & do.