How My Blog Changed My Life: Kali from Common Sense Millennial

by Melanie

Hi everyone! Lately, I’ve simply been in awe with how much my life has changed since starting a blog. I feel like I have an amazing community, real-life friends, and fun freelance jobs because of it. If you have been following my journey since the beginning, you know that this is pretty much a complete shift for me. I was sad, depressed, and felt lost and without a purpose when I started out. The only thing defining me was my debt, which was a painful reminder of my mistakes. Now, I am excited to write my way out of debt and see what the future holds.

Thinking about all of this got me inspired to start a series called, “How My Blog Changed My Life.” This new series will feature a diverse array of bloggers whose lives have changed because of their blog. My hope is to inspire myself and others through this series. I’m so thrilled to have Kali on board from Common Sense Millennial as my first guest.

kali-hawlkIf you don’t know already, Kali is a rockstar. She is somehow so talented, gorgeous, and amazingly nice and helpful. And she just quit her job to be a full-time freelancer!

More about Kali: Kali Hawlk is a freelance writer and content manager who recently launched her full-time business. She’s passionate about personal finance, careers and business, and all things Gen Y – she writes about it all on her blog, Common Sense Millennial. An avid runner and horseback rider, she enjoys getting outside as often as possible when she’s not immersed in blogging and helping other small businesses build and manage their online presence.

1. What was the inspiration for starting your blog?

I’ve always been passionate about writing, and for years I had been interested in firing up my own blog. It took so long for me to get started because I had no idea what I wanted to write about. I didn’t feel like I had any worthwhile stories or experiences to share — until I started reading more and more personal finance blogs. (I was trying to do research on how to invest without a financial advisor!) From there, I realized that personal finance was something I had a pretty unique perspective on. I was 23, graduated without debt, owned a home, and was more interested in saving money and growing my wealth than acquiring material possessions. This was the polar opposite of most other twenty-somethings I knew, so I figured I might have something to say on the subject of Millennials and money.

2. What has been the most challenging part of having a blog?

Knowing what to write! It sounds funny, as now a large part of my income comes from brainstorming content ideas and then executing on those, but being confident about my own content that I’m writing, providing readers, and sharing with my network is tough for me. Specifically, I feel I have a hard time balancing valuable, useful content with personal and not-directly-finance-related posts. I want to be interesting and accessible, but I don’t want anyone to be like, “ugh, no one cares about what you did over the weekend.” So I struggle with that fine line of providing posts that are in line with my blog — personal finance, careers, Millennials — with ones that are just light and fun and a nice break in the constant talk about money.

3. In what ways, direct or indirect, has your life changed because of your blog?

My life has changed tremendously in a highly direct way because of my blog! And it’s all in a fabulous way, too. My blog allowed me to launch a new career and a business as a solopreneur. When I was first getting started and didn’t have much experience, I could point potential clients back to Common Sense Millennial to prove that I could talk the talk and walk the walk. My blog stood as my portfolio before I had one, and it also allowed me to make incredible connections in the community. Having a network is crucial to success if you want to launch something on your own — whether you just want to freelance or want to become a fully-fledged solopreneur. You need to have a few fantastic people who can vouch for you, who can help you find fresh work, and who can simply be there for you when you need them. (And don’t forget, that’s a two-way street; you’ll find people who need you, too!)

4. What have you learned from blogging?

Two major things come to mind immediately:

  • Practice is everything. If you want to improve at anything, you need to practice — endlessly, relentlessly.
  • People are everything, too. As I mentioned above, having a strong community of wonderful people around you is the key to success. You should value your blog readers, your fellow bloggers, and others who are leaders in your field, and treat those people accordingly.

5. What advice would you give to new bloggers who are thinking of starting a blog?

Most people will tell you to “just start.”And while this is great advice — inaction is a terrible thing — don’t be afraid to do a little planning ahead of time. Think about what your niche will be. Think about how you will connect with others in your space (and think about who those people are).

Take the time to learn how to set up your website in such a way that eventually scaling up your blog is a smooth and simple process (in other words, start with wordpress.org if you want to be serious about blogging). Search for a website theme and design that really suits your personal taste and the message you’re hoping to convey.

And then, yes, jump straight in. Start writing and keep writing.

Thank you Kali for sharing your experience!

 

 

Melanie
Latest posts by Melanie (see all)

17 comments

Debs @ debtdebs.com June 10, 2014 - 4:59 am

Great series, Mel! Nice to get to know other bloggers that you don’t get to visit on a regular basis – Hi Kali!

Makes me realize that I need to think about moving to self-hosting soon. Ugh.. the things I wish I knew before I started blogging!

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Michelle June 10, 2014 - 5:40 am

Great post! Congrats on going full-time Kali – I know I’ve told you that like 10 times but it is amazing!

Blogging has definitely changed my life. I’m so glad that I started!

Reply
Laurie @thefrugalfarmer June 10, 2014 - 5:43 am

Awesome series idea, Melanie, and perfect pick in Kali for the kickoff. 🙂 Thanks for sharing, Kali – great to know more about how you made your blog such a great success!

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Tonya@Budget and the Beach June 10, 2014 - 7:51 am

Great feature series Melanie! I agree that practice is really important. You can’t expect miracles overnight.

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Connie @ Savvy With Saving June 10, 2014 - 7:59 am

Great idea! Really looking forward to this series.
And Kali, love your blog! Congrats again!

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Shannon @ Financially Blonde June 10, 2014 - 8:09 am

This is a great idea Melanie!!! Blogging has absolutely changed my life for the better and I love hearing about how it has impacted other people. Kali is an inspiration and a testament that hard work and focus will bring you want you want in life.

Reply
Kayla @ Shoeaholicnomore June 10, 2014 - 8:14 am

Great series idea! Can’t wait to hear from some more bloggers. I’m always looking for new reading material 🙂

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Shannon June 10, 2014 - 1:00 pm

I’m a HUGE fan of Kali and her blog :). So great to see her story here. I started reading her blog early on and it’s been so amazing watching her star rise so quickly. A voice for our generation for sure!

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Melanie June 11, 2014 - 9:09 pm

Definitely! I’m so proud of her. Her blog isn’t even a year old and she quit to be her own BOSS!

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Mackenzie June 10, 2014 - 3:04 pm

What a great series idea, Melanie 🙂 It is inspiring to hear about other bloggers taking the plunge into freelance and following their dreams, and having it be successful!

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Melanie June 11, 2014 - 9:08 pm

Thanks, Mackenzie. We all need a dose of inspiration!

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Stefanie @ The Broke and Beautiful Life June 10, 2014 - 6:59 pm

Kalli is super amazing and inspiring. I’ve found her point about using your own blog as a portfolio of your work to be incredibly useful in securing other freelance gigs.

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Melanie June 11, 2014 - 9:07 pm

Isn’t she?! Having a blog is certainly helpful to refer back to.

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Lauren June 11, 2014 - 7:05 am

Great series! I’m looking forward to reading more of these. I love hearing how blogging helped someone make major, positive advances in their personal or professional lives.

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Melanie June 11, 2014 - 8:31 pm

Me too! I started the series for selfish reasons. 🙂

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Jason @ Phroogal June 12, 2014 - 2:06 am

This is a great series. I never knew blogging back in April 2013 would lead to learning so much about myself and about others. It’s truly is motivating.

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Addison @ Cashville Skyline June 12, 2014 - 1:51 pm

Great interview and great idea for a series! I’m really looking forward to reading more. I feel like blogging has been more meaningful to me than I ever could have expected. What an amazing community! Cheers!

Reply

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