Blogging

How Starting My Blog Has Changed My Life In Ways I Couldn’t Imagine

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When I started my blog, I had no idea how much it would change my life.

I dreamed that it would be able to provide me with a full-time income to help support my family, but it felt like it was just that…a dream.

When I started, I didn’t have a solid plan or path to reach my dream of financial independence for my family, but something deep inside me told me to keep pushing forward.

Little did I know that providing a solid income would definitely happen, but that would be just the beginning of all the good things that my blog would bring me. I look back to those early days and I am so thankful that I never gave up even when it took some real work to get here.

It was so worth it. I can’t imagine my life without my blog and Iook back on the day I started my blog as one of the most important days of my life!

If you’re new to the blog, here’s a little bit about me and my blog:

I’m Heather, and I started this blog It’s A Lovely Life® quite a few years ago.

In fact, my first blog was about budgeting, then about saving money, and eventually, it transformed into what it is today, which is a lifestyle and family travel blog.

I write about exceptional family travel experiences as well as things that make my life better.

The thing about my blog that people are so interested in is the money that it makes.

Yes, the income is truly amazing and has been life-changing, but the experiences have been just as exciting for me.

Here are all the ways that starting my blog has changed my life forever:

We have financial freedom. It wasn’t always this way. There were times where we worried about making enough money and about having money for our girls’ education, weddings, our retirement and all those things parents think about. Since I started my blog, we have the financial freedom we have always wanted. We even share our income reports for all to see! Even more important is that we have peace of mind to know that our days of money worries are over. Even when the economy crashed and has gotten better, my blog income isn’t affected like other jobs are. With a blog, I know that the possibilities are endless for me to make money no matter what the economy is doing and that I have control over my family’s financial future. 

We have had opportunities that money just can’t buy. When I started my blog I was focused on financial freedom and making money for my family. I never once thought that it would lead to the opportunities and experiences that it has. I used to live for the weekend and dread the work week. Now it is the opposite. I love Mondays because they are so full of opportunity. I never know what email will come my way inviting us to a cool event or being hired for an amazing campaign where we will be working with a brand or client that we love. Some of our favorite brand collaborations have been with premium companies like Disney, Oxiclean, Invisalign and Yoplait. 

And then there are the special events that I will forever cherish that we got to be a part of. Disney Creator Days, the Lethal Weapon Hollywood Premier,  and Take Me Fishing are just a few to come to mind. I pinch myself sometimes that this is my life! 

I’ve made life long friends. Let’s be real, life can be isolating with the little ones at home. Plus it can also be a bit repetitive. I would go from school drop off to school pick up, repeating it over and over again. Don’t get me wrong, I love being a mom and I even love the more boring aspects of motherhood, but it can get lonely at times. Blogging opened up a whole new world for me and made me a better mom with the support of my blogging friends and a big network of support. My life was forever bettered just by starting my blog.

My family has a mom that is available and present. I have been able to always be there for my family while still being able to fulfill my dreams and love of working. When I started my blog, I was really starting my own business and I became the boss of that business right then and there. That means that I set the hours I worked and where I worked them from. If I had a sick kid home from school, I could work sitting next to them on the couch. If there was a school celebration, I was the room parent that was always there. I took back control over my life and was able to prioritize what really mattered to me by being my own boss.

My family has taken adventures and traveled to places I never imagined.  When I started my blog I was paralyzed with fear. I had anxiety that peaked with even the thought of traveling too far from home so I never imagined that we would also start travel blogging. In fact, I would have never believed it if you had you told me where my blog would take me…absolutely no way I would have believed it! The thing with blogging is that even starting a blog can push you outside your comfort zone. Then you start to feel so much accomplishment from just that, so you just keep leveling it up. When we were invited on a European River Cruise with Adventures By Disney, I realized just how far I had come. This was something I could have never imagined doing ten years ago, but having a blog opens up so many doors and many of these things you never even see coming!

My blog has turned into our family business. I work together with my husband Pete, and our three kids each have their own jobs too…even our little one!

For years I was asked multiple times every single day how to start a blog, so I knew it was time to put together a system to show others how to do what we do and start their own money making blog.

I decided that this training needed to include everything I wish I knew when I started my blog. I knew I could show others all the things that have helped me jump past all the learning lessons and go straight to success.

The course I developed is called the 5 Day Start A Money Making Blog Crash Course.  If you would like to sign up for free, just put your first name and email in the form below and it will be sent out to you automatically right now.

It’s been 2 years since I  started giving away this course and it’s been amazing the impact it has had on so many lives. Over 300,000 students have signed up for the course!

We now run the largest new blogger group on Facebook that has over 140,000 members and growing rapidly.

Each month we run challenges, giveaway laptops, and most importantly we are always helping people get their own blogs started so they can achieve their own successes.

If blogging sounds like it could be right for you, I suggest you start by doing these 2 things:

1. Sign up for the 5 Day Start Your Blog Crash Course

2. Join the Facebook Group

Blogging is no longer a hobby for many…it is a real business that can generate a substantial amount of income. But the best part is that you can design your own life and live a life of freedom, excitement, and fulfillment.

I’d love for my story to be an inspiration for YOU to go out and make your dreams come true. They are there for the taking. You just need to put in the work to make it happen!

If you are interested in seeing more of our adventures, here are some links to some of the fun things we have done over the past few years (because of the blog). If you click around the blog, you’ll find many many more:

Disney Creator Days 2019! Plus The Best Disney World VIP Experiences

The Story Of Courageous- Our Courage Giving Monkey

Invisalign Treatment On The Go Is Easy

Full Review: Island Hopping In First Class With Kids On Hawaiian Airlines

Empowering Our Teen To Go Big In The Pursuit Of Her Passion

What To Know Before You Go- Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland Resort

We Saw FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE CRIMES OF GRINDELWALD and LOVED it!

Family Dude Ranch Review: White Stallion Tucson Arizona

Hard Rock Hotel Cancun Review

Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort Cancun Review

Moon Palace Jamaica Grande Luxury Family Travel Review

Pete And I Are Going On A Surprise Tropical Vacation!

Ultimate Florida Family Road Trip Guide Day 1

Hawaii With Kids- Oahu Family Fun Day 1

Williamsburg With Kids Day 2 Busch Gardens Guide

24 Hours In Baltimore With Kids Featuring Hotel Monaco

The Complete Guide- 2016 Halloween Time At Disneyland

Grand Palladium Resort & Spa Riviera Maya The White Sands Suites Review

Hollywood Date Night- Lethal Weapon Premier

Winter Wonderland Family Adventure To Lake Tahoe With Kia

Incredible Weekend Getaway To Wisconsin Dells With Kids

Garden Of The Gods Club & Resort Review

A Cool 48 Hours In Park City, Utah

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Heather Reese
the authorHeather Reese
Heather Delaney Reese is the storyteller and photographer behind the lifestyle and family travel blog, It's a Lovely Life®! For the past decade, she has vacationed over 150 days a year with her family. She is a vegan, and loves being by the water, spending time with her children, husband, 2 Shih Tzus and Cat.