I am now two years into my blogging journey. Am I making a ton of money? Nope. Am I huge on IG or FB? Nope. I didn’t start this journey to do that, I thought at the time, so I really shouldn’t be surprised. I started this to blog to share my journey to becoming an empty nest mom. To share a bit of life knowledge about motherhood and parenting. Over the last two years as I have navigated this life stage I have met some of the most amazing people. Strong vibrant women. Boss babes. I’ve tried new things. I’ve stepped outside my comfort zone more times than I could count.
I’ve been amazed at how much more work it really is to sit down and blog successfully, especially if you want to do it organically. Depending on which forum you use to promote your blog also makes such a huge difference. Do you use Instagram? Facebook? Twitter? Pinterest? Then there is this whole other aspect of blogging and social media, there are bots, follow/unfollow, buying followers, spending money to promote your blog and social media sites by doing ads and giveaways. It’s simply mind blowing! You really have so many things you have to think about! What’s your focus? What are you looking to get out of the experience. What is your plan?
Now it’s time for the next step. A name change. Not my actual name, but my blog, FB and IG name. During the last two years I have really changed my daily focus. I’ve determined that I am not going to be someone else’s definition of how a 54 mom should look or what she should be doing. I’ve been taking life by the shoulders and shaking it as hard as I can. Hold no prisoners peeps, including yourself!
Yes, I am still a mom to two amazing young men. I will always be their mom, but as you know if you follow me, they have graduated college and are now on their own journeys in adulting. Their own jobs, their own cities, their own apartments and their own friends. I will still share from time to time about what life brings us their way, but now I am sitting back and really assessing where I am, who I am and what brings me joy.
I have evolved to be Peppy Fit Foodie!
Why That Name?
If you have been following me, you know that I love fitness and it really has been a major focus for the last 4 years since our twins went away to college. I’ve had some of the most amazing adventures! I’ve tried so many new things! Some I still need to blog about. Watch out world there is more fun coming your way!
I’ve also always loved to cook. And to eat. I have shared recipes and places I’ve gone with you and I plan to do more of that. Foodie on the run at restaurants and foodie at home cooking and playing in the kitchen.
A special thank you to fellow fitness and foodie blogger @fittyfoodlicious for helping me brainstorm and come up with my new name! If you don’t already follow her do! Click here to head on over to her website!
Because I am now an official empty nester. I’ve survive my first major holiday without one of my kids here. When I sat down to look at my blog and IG, it was less and less about mom-hood and mom life. It really had evolved to be more about fitness and food with a little bit of life thrown in.
While some of my blog posts talked about life as a mom and parent and what we did, I found that most people reading and following me didn’t get what it was all about and what they could learn. They would look at my name and I would have to explain to them what my blog was all about. That got old quick and I think I missed opportunities because people didn’t want to take the time to get to know me. The whole me.
New Challenges
I am pretty tech savvy and am willing to learn, but coming in late to the game meant tech wasn’t my first go-to place to share. I needed to navigate all the different social media outlets. I focused on Iinstagram and let Facebook and Pinterest be after thoughts.
While this helped grow my Intagram, it really did nothing for my blog as a whole. Sure, people liked my IG posts and commented, but they didn’t actually go to the link in my bio, read the blog post and comment.
What was I doing wrong? I got extremely frustrated and I took breaks from blogging because really, why put all this effort into it if no one is reading it? Again, that’s the tech and social media telling me what I needed to do and what I needed to worry about. I’d look at the whole number game and it would have me wondering, why am I doing this?
I am now letting that go and focusing on what I want to focus on. I will continue to grow and evolve myself and my blog. If that bring in numbers and follows, comments and likes, then cool. If not, too bad so sad.
My hope with the new name is that people will realize I am not 87, using a walker, going to bed at 7pm and not capable to doing anything fun at all. I’m not young, but I’m not that old. Seriously, that’s the whole idea behind my blog in the first place, to show women out there at any age or stage that you don’t have to live by societies definition of who or what you should be at any age. I don’t need to be defined by any one part of me.
Now I am Peppy Fit Foodie and my blog will chronicle my adventures in food, fitness and life! Here I go! Are you ready for the next adventure? I know I am!
If you aren’t already following me head on over to Facebook and Instagram and watch my adventures as they unfold in my life.
Coming Soon…. Women Who Inspire monthly series.
Embrace it!!
Daily!
I like the new name.
Was it hard having the holidays without your kids? My girls are going to college locally but I know the day is coming when they leave me. Just yesterday I told my oldest that I’m calling Sundays as my day and want them (her boyfriend/future husband) here for dinner.
Good luck with growing your blog. It’s definitely a challenge!
It was so hard not having one of them home. It made a quiet Christmas. I couldn’t put up stockings this year. I know it will get better but 😞
So proud of you Kathy for being your true self and always growing and finding new ways to connect with women. I loved the idea of learning about and empty nesters life, because two of my kids are practically running for the door, and we all know bitty is faster (and has better running form) than both of them. But it is refreshing to see a mom define herself outside of her kids and still put so much energy into being a good parent/role model to adults. I just know someday I will be in similar shoes (probably still Brooks lol), trying to find myself outside of being their mom and doing all the things for them. I have tried really hard to show my girls that being a mom is only one part of them, and that they need to develop skills to know who they are before they add a husband and kids, so their worth is always respected in their own homes. Thanks for always being the women I can talk to about Jesus, raising kids, and fitness of any kind. I promise I will get you into some of my favey kind of fitness, I know you will love learning just how strong you really are, it is the most amazing feeling when you can pick up something heavy and do crazy hard things.
I love the new name, it fits you so well. I know how much you love to adventure and try new things, I have had so much fun doing it with you for the last few years. I also love seeing you shine your bright light for all these people to see and know that you are living the life you want and have so much support! love you lady
We’ve only just begun to have great adventures. Blessed to have you in my life chicka!