Why I Blog
📍 New York Public Library
Dress || Flats || Handbag || Earrings
So, I’ve been thinking a lot about this topic recently. Why do I blog? There’s a lot that I absolutely love about this space, even with the seemingly endless hours I put into creating for Orange to Apple. That’s in addition to my full-time 9-5 career, which I will never leave, and the freelance chances that pop up. There are so many wonderful opportunities that have come my way since its founding in 2018. Still, sometimes it feels like an ultimately thankless task. Creating quality content that I’m proud of takes time, resources, and energy. None of it could be accomplished without my incredibly supportive husband/photographer, David! For this post, I wanted to take a moment to share the very real pros and cons and what I’ve learned about myself along the way. This is one of the few posts that isn’t about style or travel, so I appreciate you following along!
Pro: Connecting With So Many Wonderful People
In a social media world, it only makes sense to find the social element in it. Especially when I was living in New York, I met so many wonderful women with whom I know I’ll be lifelong friends. Some, I’ve had the pleasure of getting together in person, while others are still on Instagram, but they’re the first to like my pictures. Upcoming lunches and get-togethers are on the horizon! Without my life as a blogger, my paths may have never crossed with them. I also have to mention how thankful I am to have the opportunity to partner with some of my favorite brands. Whenever they reach out for collaborations, campaigns, or simply share my picture, I feel my content must be on the right track.
Con: Feeling So Small in a Big Social Media World
With over 500,000 influencers on Instagram and about 1 billion users, it’s easy to feel too small in a vast pond. There are a few so-called “vanity” metrics, like the number of followers and likes. These can be manipulated, hence the vanity, but that is a practice that I wouldn’t be caught dead doing. Still, I can’t help but get caught up in the numbers game. When I take the time to style an outfit, take the pictures, edit the images, and create the posts, it’s incredibly disheartening to feel like no one is seeing the fruits of my labor. The worst days are when I get down on my self-appearance, which I used to struggle with during my younger years. Yes, I’m in a wonderful marriage with a husband who makes me feel loved daily, but self-doubt can sometimes come out of nowhere. I remind myself to keep posting for the pure enjoyment of it and joke that maybe the next Instagram post will be the one that gets me “noticed.”
Pro: Having My Own Creative Outlet
When I started Orange to Apple, I was a classroom teacher with little creative outlet to speak of. I’ve always been an avid writer and had a passion for style, starting at a very young age. As a side note, I should find the pictures of me raiding my mom’s closet when I was four. In high school, when I was a high-level athlete and eventually a varsity swimmer in college, those interests took a big backseat. As in, I wasn’t doing even the smallest thing to pursue them. After so many years of only thinking about my swimming career and only wearing workout gear, it was time to redefine my personal style. Admittedly, it took some trial and error, but I’ve gotten to a place where I look back and still love outfits from five-plus years ago.
Con: Always Wondering If I’m Doing Enough
In short, yes! I always know that I could/should be doing more. This may turn into a veiled criticism about the algorithm’s priority of Reels but just bear with me. I know it’s not a fresh take, but I’m not a fan of having to make Reels to watch my blog and Instagram grow. Some of my Insta-friends have been doing an incredible job and serve as a huge source of inspiration. It’s all about balance. I know I could spend all my waking hours juggling posts, reels, and stories, but I can’t. I have a 9-5 job that I love and the need for a social life that doesn’t always involve my camera or phone. Besides, you don’t want to see me in video form. I have all the grace of a bull in a china shop. Part of blogging for nearly five years is that I’ve learned my strengths, the poses that work best for me, but also my weaknesses.
Since I want to end this list on a positive, let me say that I love blogging! The glee of thinking up blog topics, styling outfits, and editing pictures alone is worth it. This blog is something I own. I don’t have clients to make happy, no corporate policies that I have to adhere to. It’s just me. And that is ultimately where this post came from. I’ve learned to really like myself after some out-of-sync high school and college years, and it’s freeing to share myself with you as often as possible. Thanks so much for stopping by and getting to know me. You have no idea how much I appreciate it!
Love from NYC,
Katie
As always, thanks for stopping by! To keep up with all things about the Sunshine State, be sure to visit my exclusive Florida page, here.