Between blogs and YouTube I spend on average 5+ hours online everyday, so it’s pretty safe to say I’m an addict. Blogging has always appealed to me and I’ve wanted to pursue it for a few years, except it’s always seemed quite daunting, but I guess the more I blog the easier it becomes (at least I hope it does).
Over the past few years I’ve followed countless blogs, which have finally inspired me to start one myself. Jamie Oliver has been a personal hero of mine, since childhood. He has made cooking easy and accessible for everyone. It’s encouraging to see what he has done for the home cook since he began.
Another blogger who has inspired me is Donal Skehan. It’s great to see someone with such a genuine passion for food inspire others through his recipes.
Here are a few reasons I’ve started this blog.
Sharing My Passions
They say follow your passions and the chance to share what I love really excites me. Two things I’m very passionate about are travel and, of course, cooking. If only one person visits my blog and can see my passion and takes some kind of value from that, then I consider it a success.
At the end of May I’m setting out on my next adventure, embarking on a grad visa to the United States. This visa allows me to intern in my field of study (culinary arts) for up to 12 months. This is the perfect opportunity to see more of the States, something I can tick off the bucket list. My first destination is Chicago and after that who knows, I’ll figure that out along the way.
Love of writing
From an early age I’ve enjoyed writing and I’ve wanted to follow this desire, but there’s always been something holding me back, a lack of confidence I guess. I’ve never really felt comfortable sharing my writing, maybe afraid of what people might think. But I feel now is the good time to start. As with anything in life the more you work at it, the better you become (or so they say).
Learning
Blogging is the perfect way to learn. Even just setting up a website has thought me so much, so I can’t imagine what I’ll know 12 months down the line.
Blogging teaches you to be productive and more proactive with your time. When you’re in writing mode you learn to think clearer and focus on what you’re saying and how you want to get it across.
Researching articles keeps you in touch with your niche. You want to make sure what you’re putting out there is relevant and gives some value to the reader. That’s why it’s important to know what you’re talking about. Pick topics you are comfortable with so you can explain them in a clear way.
Accountability
I think the fact that I’ll be publishing my writing on such a public platform will keep me accountable for everything I want to achieve with this blog. It will improve my writing and help me become more productive in my everyday life, coming up with ideas for articles and becoming more disciplined with sticking to a schedule. And, most importantly, it will allow me to share what I love and hopefully help some people along the way.