10 Years Blogging | A Look Back + Forward

August 10, 2010 I clicked publish on my very first blog post. I know you can add, but I’ll state the obvious, today marks 10 years of me being in the digital space.

TEN YEARS.

THAT’S A LONG TIME.

When I published that first post, which you can find here. I was 31 with a 3-month-old, a 4-year-old, and a 9-year-old. Again, I’ll do the math for you, I am now 41 with a 10-year-old, a 14-year-old and a 19-year-old. At that time I was dealing with the realities of being a SAHM having left my career and just looking for a space to connect with anybody outside of my house.

As a result, I have connected with some of the most amazing people that have since become family, and quite frankly I can’t imagine my life without them. While I think it is healthy and necessary to have friends outside of the computer, some of my very best came into my life because of my willingness that day to sign up for a Blogger account never in a million years thinking I would be dedicated and consistent enough to keep up with it enough to be writing this 10 years later.

Fast forward, I’ve undergone a brand change from Lipgloss and Binky to Unlikely Martha, which is hard to believe will have happened five years ago next month. I’ve poured out my heart in words regarding my wins, losses, and life changes. I feel like I literally shared the journey of me finding myself and becoming who I am on these virtual pages. Domain changes and technical difficulties may have caused me to lose a few images, but the words are still here. The words that remind me of what I’ve overcome and who I’ve become.

I never regret sharing all that I’ve shared here because I can go back and look at my growth and hopefully inspire or have inspired you through my trials and tribulations over the years. I often go back and watch our weekend vlogs that I seem to have been ahead of the curve on years ago, and while we’re not huge vloggers at this point, I am thankful that I have those videos to watch of us as a young family.

The industry has changed so much, that over the years I’ve pondered many times on whether or not to shut this place down. As the focus moved from community to more do whatever was necessary to earn a dollar, my desire to stay true to what I originally intended this place to be kept me from moving too deep into what everyone else was doing. I kept this space open because it has carried me through so much, and I won’t lie and say it hasn’t been hard for me to process some people moving ahead of me utilizing practices that I wouldn’t because they undermined my integrity, I wouldn’t buy followers or follow the industry trends because I felt a strong pull to stay authentic even if that meant getting left behind. The funny thing is I’ve actually ended up right where some that rushed to get ahead are. They stalled and I kept growing. There is something to be said for being authentic and doing the work… for the long haul.

As I step into the next decade of what my online presence looks like, I can’t help but believe the first 10 years were a sort of preparation for what’s to come. I can’t say what that is exactly, but walking into it having a confirmed sense of self, I hope and plan to inspire folks in a way that looks a lot different from what’s being done in these internet/influencer streets. I’m a creative, and I want to create content that speaks to my heart and shares inspiration in an authentic but strategic way.

You can expect to see the same me being more transparent about what working full time, building a business, keeping a house, a family and trying to look good while doing it looks like. It’s never too late to go after that dream no matter how many other things you have going on.

I feel this is the time for me to take Unlikely Market where I’ve always intended it to go. Now that I have the wisdom, focus, and a small dream team behind me, it’s time to make that happen. Content will look the same and different at the same time. I’ll be sharing more frequently and would love your support in sharing the content that resonates with you to your friends and family.

Outfit Details: Dress / H&M | Bracelets / Unlikely Market | Shoes / Target (affiliate links) | Earrings/ super old from Forever 21 | Necklace/ thrifted

I feel like I’m rambling, but I’m so excited for what’s ahead. For my tried and true followers that have been here since day one… Thank you for being here and not having me write to myself all of these years.

To my new people, connect with me, leave comments, email me, I try to be as responsive as I can. I value the connections and the community that comes with this space, and there’s always room for more… although it may take me a while to respond!

Thank y’all!! Cheers to ten, and many more.