365 Day Blog Post Challenge Update (Day 56)

Hi guys! It’s been 56 days since I started the 365 Day Blog Post Challenge. This year, I want to be more consistent in my work, so I challenged myself to publish one blog post every day for 365 days. I was hoping this challenge would help me stop overthinking, value progress over perfectionism, and post more content on the blog. Was this unrealistic? Oh, heck yeah! Have I been able to keep up with the challenge? Of course not.

I realized early on (Day 4) that it would be impossible for me to write one blog post everyday because my second goal was to create valuable content for crocheters. If I continued this challenge, I would have to sacrifice quality content for quantity, and I couldn’t do that. Instead, I decided to give myself some grace (and time) to create meaningful content.

You may have noticed that I publish patterns more than any other crochet content, and that is true. I feel most comfortable sharing patterns because they are within my comfort zone. When I write a pattern, I know what to do: I take step-by-step pictures, write the written instructions, make a gauge swatch, calculate different sizes and yardages, have Emily at Fiat Fiber Arts tech edit it for me, create a video tutorial (maybe), edit the video tutorial, etc. I have a system and a template to follow when I share patterns on the blog. Other crochet content, like yarn reviews, caring for crochet makes, etc. are new to me, and require different skills.

So have I made any measurable progress? Yes, I think so.

I’m human, which means I am a work in progress. I am constantly learning and growing. I have setbacks like everybody else, and sometimes, I can push through these obstacles, and other times, I struggle. However, I am trying to be kind to myself, and celebrate the small wins this year because I’ve made some big (to me) progress!

Let’s See the Progress Lady!

Alright, without further ado, here is my measurable progress/small wins. In the last 56 days (8 Weeks), I have:

Written 12 Blog Posts:

• Pattern Posts: 4
• Pattern Round Ups: 1
• Yarn Review: 1
• Crochet Technique: 1
• Goal Setting/Crochet Sharing: 5

Instagram Posts: 15

This is an average of 1.875 posts/week.

Facebook Posts: 21

This is an average of 2.625 posts / week.

Email Newsletters Sent: 4

This is an average of 1 email ever 2 weeks.

Facebook Group Posts: 10

I started a Facebook group to build a community, and actually have fun sharing crochet content, without worrying about engagement levels and numbers. I wanted to create a place for crocheters to ask questions, and make friends, without it being overrun by scammers and clickbait links. This Facebook Group started on February 18, 2022, and so far we have 32 members! This month we are participating in a National Crochet Month Challenge, where we share 1 picture and a caption, that relates to the topic for the day.

If you’d like to participate, or meet likeminded folks, you’re welcome to join our group here. Crocheters of all levels are welcome!

What Were My Numbers Like Before?

To help you compare and see the progress, here are my before and after numbers:

Wrote 3 Blog Posts between June 21st, 2021 and January 6, 2022

You can see below that before starting the 365 Day Challenge, I shared 3 patterns within a 6 – 7 month period. This is an average of 1 pattern or post every 2 months.

Instagram: 3 Posts Between October 1, 2021 and January 6, 2022

This is an average of 1 post every month.

Facebook Posts: 11 Posts Between October 1, 2021 and January 6, 2022

This is an average of 2.75 posts per month.

Email Newsletters Sent: 4 Between October 1, 2021 and January 6, 2022

This is an average of 1 email per month.

Any Other Takeaways?

I love numbers as much as the next person, but I think that mindset is what is affecting these numbers. My mindset towards my business, and sharing crochet content has slowly started to change. I am not overthinking as much, and I am starting to feel like my content is somewhat valuable to my community. I am really trying to be better this year. Not perfect, just better. And I think that within the last 56 days, I have started to do better for myself and my community.

This wraps up Day 56 of the 365 Day Challenge. Thank you so much for reading and following along with me. I hope that you enjoy this series that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Have a wonderful day, and happy crocheting!

Read and explore more topics in the 365 Day Blog Post Challenge here.

Love, Dayna