Blogging Advice from Casey Wiegand

I’m not sure today’s guest blogger needs an introduction. Casey, of The Wiegands, has quite the presence in the blogging community! Casey and I are two very different people with very different lives, but there’s something about Casey that makes me feel connected to her, and that is her ability to be open and vulnerable on her blog. I’ve mentioned before how this is something I struggle with. It’s very inspiring to see someone else do it so well. I asked Casey if she would give some insight on how to be more open through blogging.

“If you have followed me for awhile you know that I have a mentor.

She is absolutely amazing and has walked along side me through many many decisions and many many things. She is incredible and recently did a post about “rethinking blogging for 2013. I love it and I think it is good to refocus at the beginning of the New Year. I started this blog “CaseyLeigh” 2 years ago this time. I took a random family blog that I updated here and there for grandparents and transformed it. It was a New Year’s resolution. Ironically the first blog that I ever found, loved and followed- Take Heart just this week said

 “in case i haven’t convinced you to start a blog yet… start a blog. i promise it is the best new year’s resolution for you this year. it is much more rewarding than losing twenty pounds… i think. i mean, i haven’t lost twenty pounds yet but i do blog. so just go with it. it could be private, it could be public. you could write once a day, once a week, or once a month. one person could read it, or one million people could read it. the important thing is that you tell your story. the important thing is that you don’t forget. the important thing is that you wrote it all down so your kids can read it all one day. the important thing is that you share what you’re passionate about.”

Love this. Yes. Tell your story.

I often get emails saying things just like this: One thing that I struggle with on my blog is being open and true to myself (I’m working on it but it’s hard to not feel like I’ll get judged)

My advice is- I do get judged. There aren’t always nice things said.

Being vulnerable is scary because people aren’t always kind with it.

But the truth is I believe that people need to hear our stories. Our voices and heartaches and stories being shared help people. When I wrote about losing our baby, at the time, it was an outlet for me. I was just writing to get through the emotions. To process.

But you know what, I had no idea that over a year later I would still get daily emails of women walking that road. You get to leave a “footprint”… what footprint do you have to leave? It can be anything. God has gifted everyone with talents and passions and sharing those is so important.

Living out your purpose.

and sharing your journey along the way.”