So it’s been a year today since I hit that publish button on my blog, I was a complete nervous wreck, I had to change my top twice as I was sweating like a sweating like a nun in a field of cucumbers and I consumed a whole tub of Marks and Spencer’s spicy chicken wings (no regrets) It’s funny because now I look back and think why the hell did I not do this earlier? Its been a hell of a journey and with this post, I want to be a little bit more open with you all, as to why I started this blog and what I have achieved from blogging.
BEFORE BAB ABOUT TOWN
Since the age of ten, I have also had an interest in writing, the number of stories I have written all crammed into my closet is crazy, many girls collect shoes, I collect scripts. My love for writing suddenly was put to the back of the mind when I was nineteen and was in a serious relationship. One thing I have learned from relationships is that love does distract us from our passions in life, sometimes we don’t notice because we are so wrapped up in love or the idea that we are in love. Suddenly my life was almost planned out for me, work in courts, marriage, kids and growing old together with my Ex. I do remember wanting to do the blog when I was in a relationship but as the years passed I seemed to lose a lot of confidence in myself and just cancelled out that dream.
I would call myself a bit of loner because I liked going out a lot on my own with my camera, taking pictures of Birmingham, it was sort of therapy for me really, creating a world that was in my mind that really, I wanted to live in, so weird because even in a relationship, I still felt very alone.
Due to the breakdown of my relationship, it sent me in a deep depression for months, the worse thing I did was hide it and that is the worse thing you can do when you are feeling down. I would say, I was punishing myself for the breakup, I stopped believing in myself, I was a complete NOB to myself and it was like my mind was bullying my body 24/7. It’s hard to look back because I look at that depressed Girl and God, I feel so sorry for her. I remember sitting in my room one night thinking “You either stop moaning and kill yourself or you get some balls and live your life to the fullest” Just like that, I did the sulking, I did all the crying in the world and I got some balls and wrote a list of things I wanted to achieve before thirty. Of course, getting over/dealing with depression is not as easy as that, it took a lot of time to finally forget the negative and focus on the positive, I really owe it to my friends and family who provided me with a blanket of love and support through such a horrible time.
WHY I STARTED BAB ABOUT TOWN
“Start a blog” was on my list to do before turning 30 so, I did some research and I went on Twitter and got some advice on how I could put together a blog. What was it going to be about? well, I thought I love photographing and talking about Birmingham, so why not combine them together and create a blog based on my City with reviews, beautiful photography and Brummie banter, I love my City and so, I wanted my readers to fall in love with Birmingham like me. People who know me well, know I am a bit of a Gobshite, so if I was going to put together a blog it had to be honest, true and pure Amy, The Amy who doesn’t think before she speaks, shouts Balls all the time and talks about how fucked up vaginas are. I remember drafting up my first post and thinking why would anyone read this? but then I thought well at least I’m going to give it a go and say at least I tried.
To be totally honest with you I think well, I know! I definitely underestimated the blog and myself. I thought maybe I will do this for a couple of weeks, maybe months and then get bored of it or just think no one is reading it so what’s the point? However as I kept up my writing and documenting my way through Birmingham and posting it on the blog/social media, I started to get followers, subscribed readers, business contacts regarding promotional/PR collaborations for the blog and invites to new business openings in and out of Birmingham, that is bloody crazy. The weirdest thing is going out in Birmingham and to have someone come up to you asking if your Bab about Town and then proceed to talk about your blog like your some big shot, That is bizarre to me, but its a nice bizarre! It just makes me think wow, people like you, they like your blog, your writing is actually interesting…Now, how the fuck do I become a millionaire from this?! 😛
WHAT HAVE I LEARNED?
The main lesson I have learnt from Bab about Town is don’t be afraid and it’s never too late to achieve what you want in life. Why do we think of the negative before the positive? Sometimes you just got to tell that negativity in you to shut the fuck up and take a backseat because I remember all the negative thoughts on this day last year and all I can say is MAHA MOTHERFUCKER! Honestly is important in the blogging game, I panic if I have attended a venue or if I’m tasting out a new menu and it’s not up to scratch but you have to be honest, and there’s the disrespectful way or the professional way, A lot of people rely on me, to tell the truth, and I have always said that my blog will always be open and honest to my readers. Another lesson is that blogging is not easy, you can write a post about pretty much anything but it needs to grab readers, lucky for me I am a photographer and I do use a lot of photography to lure the reader into my blog posts but obviously, your words need to match. I am always researching, educating myself and not many people know that I am dyslexic. I’ll put a sentence together in my head and when it comes to writing it down, it makes no sense. I can sometimes sit on a sentence for 30 minutes, trying to work out if it makes sense or not, so this is something I am still learning to deal with but it never stopped me from blogging.
ADVICE FOR PEOPLE WANTING TO GET INTO BLOGGING?
The best advice I can give is to be consistent, be true and remember to give yourself the credit you deserve once in a while because you bloody deserve it. It’s a tough world out there and starting this blog up when I was in two minds of ending life completely proved how strong I am, we all go through a rough patch in life and you either go forward or shutdown, I chose to go forward and use that negatively in my life to push forward and strive for positively in life. I know your probably thinking who the hell does this girl think she is, Jesus Christ or something but honestly, what I am telling you, it works, I am the proof in the pudding baby.
WHATS NEXT?
More content, more reviews, more laughs and more bad bitch vibes of course. My life is about to get REAL, maybe I am a bit behind in getting a house etc but I needed to do this before jumping into the serious stuff. How can anyone fall in love with you when you haven’t got love for yourself? 2020 has been a bloody bizarre year but I have made sure I have given myself the love I need, that lead to more people falling in love with me and the blog. The blog has helped me to grow up, and the girl last year to the woman now I don’t know at all, no confidence, always putting herself down. This blog post is quite emotional for me because it’s kind of saying goodbye to that person, it sounds morbid but it’s almost like putting her to sleep…
Who knows what will happen next? but I can only see Bab about Town growing and getting bigger, I have worked really hard on this blog and I will continue to work hard and remember to give myself a bit of loving and credit that I deserve now and again. You never know, I might have a sodding book by next year?! I might even be a Victoria Secret Model…Well, anything is possible if you got enough nerve right? the only thing is stopping you is you, and like I said before, sometimes you just got to tell the fear in you to shut the fuck up.
Thank you to everyone who’s believed in me, friends, family, and people who don’t even know me but saw the potential, really thank you. Its been a crazy and exciting journey, and I can’t wait to celebrate with you all next year!
Much love
BAB x
