Why I am starting a website in 2024 and why you should too.
Making my own website never crossed my mind, yet alone creating a website under my personal name. I would think of scenarios, such as the thought of someone I know stumbling across my page and reading my work... How embarrassing! Even writing this post is in fact daunting now that I think about it (overthinking at its finest, am I right?).
One day, I had the sudden urge to start my own website. I had my website up and running, I just had to buy my domain name. As I was going to purchase my domain, that's when I was hit with doubts that clouded my mind:
Who would want to read a blog about my experiences?
Would I be judged for making a personal website?
Will people even read my posts?
I had to take a step back and collect my thoughts before making any irrational decisions. Where were these thoughts coming from, and why was I having these doubts in the first place? A few moments later, I realized that these worries derived from my lack of belief in myself. I did not believe I had it in me to create a website, nor the ability to write a blog because what could I possibly add of value? This act of undermining ourselves is what prevents us from taking the first steps towards new opportunities and accomplishments. With this in mind, I blocked out these thoughts and bought my domain name. And it was the best decision I've ever made, and coming from an over thinker, this says A LOT!
I'll go more into depth as to why I created this website, as well as why YOU should create one of your own :)
Why did I create a website?
One of my main motivations for starting a website/blog is my love for writing. Since I was 8, I was constantly journaling over every aspect of my life. It was a way for me to write down all of the "tea" from school and write about my friends and family. I loved the feeling of looking back at old entries and seeing my thought process during that period of time. You really get to see how much your viewpoints has changed and how you were coping with certain scenarios.
As time went on, my journal entries became this outlet I'd turn to whenever I felt immense pressure, anxiety, and doubt, just to name a few. Journaling forces you to self reflect on the most challenging moments and face them head-on. You become raw and fragile as you write down the most intimate moments of your life, unveiling every emotion you may have subconsciously been suppressing.
With this, I decided I wanted to include a good portion of this blog about mental health and self improvement. Especially being in your 20's, life can pose some great challenges as there are so many uncertainties revolving around work, school, finding your purpose, etc. Therefore, I want this blog to serve as an outlet to speak about those various difficulties and the steps we can take to overcome them. I may not have all of the answers figured out, but my goal is to provide guidance through the lessons I've learned based off my experiences.
I am also dedicating a portion of this website to documenting my personal life. As I am entering uni for the first time, as well as experiencing pivotal changes in my life, I am eager to document those moments with you!
Why YOU should start a website in 2024
You may be wondering, "why should I start a blog in 2024?" The thought of creating a website wasn't even on my mind a week ago, but here we are!
So what changed?
There are so many reasons as to why creating a personal website is beneficial, whether it's for a hobby or to showcase your work (i.e. a professional portfolio, your services, etc). For the sake of brevity, I'll list my personal reasons as to why you should start a website in 2024.
1) It makes you look professional
There's just something about giving your website to someone under your name... We do this all of the time with our Instagram handles, but rarely do I see someone give out their website. I mean firstly, how cool is that? But most importantly, it gives you this professional edge that makes you stand out. It looks good on a CV and on professional websites (i.e. LinkedIn), while also giving you the upper hand as recruiters can easily access your work online. Additionally, having your own website makes you seem more credible - Not that you aren't credible, don't get me wrong! What I mean is that having a website under your name makes your LinkedIn profile or CV look even sharper as you are using your website as this reinforcement to your work. By the frequency you post, it can also demonstrate your ability to be consistent, a valuable skill in today's work force.
2) Having a website can open doors for new opportunities
Having your posts published can lead to many exciting opportunities, whether big or small ones. You never know who will read your posts... it can lead to anything, from new job opportunities to establishing connections, the possibilities are endless! You won't truly know about these opportunities if you don't try to put yourself out there.
3) It motivates you to develop on your writing skills
Maintaining a website with frequent posts requires you to write quite a bit, thus you are propelled to work on your writing skills to create compelling stories. This is a valuable skill to have for any job, no matter which industry you work in. Your writing will drastically improve the more time you spend on developing this skill.
4) Your website can be of influence to others
The power to convey your message through your craft can quite literally transform someone's life. Books such as "Think and Grow Rich" motivated its readers to chase their dreams through its captivating story-telling methods. The ability to influence and persuade people through your content is so rewarding, even if you are solely speaking on your personal experiences. You never know how much your writing can influence someone, whether it's through the wisdom you share or the advices you give... Your life and your journey can serve as a source of inspiration for someone out there, which is a beautiful thing in itself!
5) It serves as a digital journal to document your life
Think of your website as this digital journal you can use to express your thoughts. Your website can serve as a way to document your life, whether it's to share it with your friends, family or followers... Or even if you are doing it for yourself, it's a great way to look back on your past posts and understand your thought process when writing about certain topics. That's what I love about journaling, you remember how you felt about specific scenarios which fascinates me because 99% of the time, my thoughts change completely. You can visualize how much you've grown as a person, which is motivating in itself. Having a website to document all of this is inspiring and it makes for a great source for self reflection. It's like having a social media account, minus the endless doom scrolling.
6) It allows you the creative freedom to post about anything
Do you want to dedicate your website to posting about the top cafes in your area? Perhaps you want to use your website as a way to help others in your community. Point is, you can write about anything your heart desires as you have the creative freedom to do so. It's your website, therefore you have complete creative control over what gets posted and how you'll execute your message. This also exercises your thinking skills as you're constantly brainstorming about new content ideas.
And for those who are still hesitant about creating a personal website:
You have a unique story that's worth sharing
This is especially crucial for those who don’t believe they have a story worth sharing. Each and every one of you has a unique story that belongs to you. Yes, you may have shared experiences with others, but the way we approach these experiences are different. The way we think and articulate are all unique to us. Trust me when I say your story is worth sharing.
If you are going back and forth right now about starting your own website, I'd say just go for it. It's better trying rather than wondering what could have been. Though I've just started my own website, it gave me a lot of motivation to strive to become a better writer and learning how to be more consistent with my craft.
Figure out your why, your reason for starting your own website and use this as motivation to kickstart your journey.
You got this, I'm rooting for you! <3
