Confessions of a Blogger Gaelyn

In today’s Confessions of a Blogger we meet a truly awe inspiring woman, Gaelyn from Gaelyns Heart of Iron, who although I have never met, feel like I know so well! Read on to find out more about this amazing woman!

I am a 29 year old wife, step mom, aunty, sister, daughter and friend. I have my own diet and lifestyle coaching company called A New Weigh, which is just the most rewarding job ever! I am currently training for my very first Ironman 70.3 which is in January 2015. I live in East London and we share our home with a rescued pit bull Zeus (who thinks he is human!) I love the beach, being outdoors, sport, singing, rainbows and travelling. I am happy go lucky, laugh far too loudly and always look for the silver lining.

• When did you start your journey as a blogger and why? I started late 2013, so am still a newbie. I have always wanted to write a book, and this seemed like a good first step. I feel like I have an untold story inside me, and my blog is a great way to start getting that out to the world. Also, because a lot of my posts are personal, I find it cathartic and healing. I always hope that what I’m sharing will touch someone in some way, and help them keep going on whatever difficult journey they are on.

• If you are not blogging where will we find you? At CrossFit, the gym, the beach, or spending time with my family and friends (either at home around the braai or out somewhere fun!)
• Tell us a little about your space on the interweb and what you blog about? I don’t think I quite fit into a particular blog category, and I kind of like that. I blog a lot about my journey to reach my goal weight, my disability and its challenges, training for Ironman, and other bits and pieces that I find interesting. Whether it’s a person or organsisation I want others to hear about, or a new product I found, or just something awesome – it will find its way onto the blog! I also do enjoy blogging about controversial topics, and to date these remain some of my most popular.

• What do you think makes a blog successful? Passion! Since starting my blog I have spent quite some time reading other blogs, and am always disappointed when I am referred to a well-known and popular blog, that shares posts that are obviously boring to the writer. If you don’t believe in what you are saying, how can you possibly expect anyone else to? I don’t enjoy blogs that always produce the same content. There are only so many beauty product reviews one blog can do! Blogs that are full of sponsored reviews and giveaways are boring too. Adding a little diversity goes a long way to engaging more readers.  People respond to emotion, to real life, to meaningful posts. They respond to humour and sadness. The reader wants to feel like they know the blogger, that they’re friends. I LOVE bloggers who reply to comments left by their readers, personally it always makes me feel like I matter, that the blogger is writing to actually engage with readers and not just be heard and admired. (I know that not everyone will agree with all that, but it is what I feel makes a good blogger.)

• Being a blogger is not always easy – what motivates you and keeps you going? Easy schmeasy! It has been far tougher than I expected. I am surprised at how many bloggers appear to be in competition with one another. They attend the same events and receive the same products to review or giveaway, so it becomes a race to see who gets posts up first/most likes/more comments. Knowing that I live in a small town off the PR radar means I can focus on sharing content of value. It’s helpful reminding myself that blogging is not a competition, and that success in the blogosphere is not measured by number of followers. Reading comments or tweets from other bloggers I admire, is hugely motivating. They noticed me! The content I share is often personal and will affect people in quite deep and meaningful ways, and hearing from those readers is touching, and reminds me that the risk I take with my honesty and transparency is worth it. I am not just writing for me, I am writing for my readers too. I want them to learn from me, ask questions of themselves, look within and challenge themselves and their beliefs and behaviours. It’s only by constantly pushing myself, researching and learning new things, trying out new ideas and challenging myself that I can grow as a blogger. And at the end of the day, if I love and am proud of my content, anything else is a bonus!
• What have your biggest blogging challenges been? Trying to decide how much of myself I am willing to share, opening myself up for criticism and judgment is scary!!! Posting regularly, but without just sharing something for the sake of having a post that day. Accepting that even though I may read, comment on and engage with other blogs and bloggers, doesn’t mean they will always take the time to read mine.

• What do you love most about being a blogger? Knowing that what I have to share, means something to someone. That my story might just be enough to keep someone on the path to their own goals. That what I have to say might stop someone else from giving up! I also do love interacting with so many new people every day. I’ve always been so interested in people and their stories, and my blog has created a platform for me to interact with and learn about (and from) people I would never have normally met.
• What has your journey as a blogger taught you {about yourself or in general}? Has it changed your life in any way? I have learnt that not everything in life is a competition (I am naturally VERY competitive). I have learned that I am never the only one going through a certain challenge or struggling through an issue. I have learned that people are actually interested in what I have to say. (Family and friends are kind of obliged to listen, aren’t they? People online choose to read my posts!) I have learned that if you ask for help, 9 times out of 10 you will get it. I have learned that my words have the power to hurt, and to heal, and I must choose carefully.
• What are your top 5 SA blogs? Midlands Musings – Kerri writes how I would love to one day write. She has a way of making words beautiful. She has a way of turning words into pictures in my mind, its just beautiful. Indieberries – I love Che’s self-deprecating humor, and I love that her blog is just so different from every other! You will never get bored reading her (HILARIOUS) posts.Nadia Van der Mechst – I am absolutely hopeless at anything craft related, and despite never having been interested in pretty things before, I love reading about the lovely things Nadia is involved in. CityGirlSearching – Roxy’s is one of the first blogs I ever found, and I still love it! She has such a perfect balance of topics, recipes, make up, beauty, fashion, photography and travel. It never gets boring. Raising Men –Natasha writes so beautifully about so many topics, but the absolute love she has for her boys shines through in everything she writes, and I admire that. She isn’t afraid to speak up on touchy subjects, and asks questions of her readers which I appreciate.
• If you had to give a newbie blogger any advice, what words of wisdom would you impart? Persevere. Don’t measure your success on page views. Find content that enthralls you, or challenges you, or excites you, or upsets you, and write about that. Interact with your favourite bloggers – you will learn so much from them! Last but not least – have FUN with your blog. As long as you are proud of it and love it, nothing else matters.

Thanks Gaelyn for sharing a bit more about your life and blogging journey with us! You can find out more about Gaelyn and connect with her here:

Blog link: http://gaelynsheartofiron.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anewweigh

If you would like to be featured on Confessions of a Blogger or would like to see a blogger featured here, then please email Fiona or leave a comment below.

Images: Gaelyn