One Year of Sharing My Story: Life, Recovery, and Lessons Learned from Launching a Blog

Picture of Suzanne writing in a journal

One year ago I went live with https://www.suzannedinsmore.com/.

Taking the Leap: Launching My Story After Stroke

People had been encouraging me to tell my story about my stroke, at the time I wasn’t sure if anyone would be interested.

I had prepared for several months writing my first few blog posts, getting head shots (from Awa Dia), creating my website with GoDaddy but then switching over to Wix based on feedback from other creatives, creating an email address and other content for my website.

I started a Substack and I edited my LinkedIn to capture the work I was doing.

Year One by the Numbers: Key Milestones and Insights

In my first year:

• I wrote 38 entries,

• appeared in 1 podcast,

• gave 4 presentations on mental health,

• my blog posts got 880 views,

• my website had 242 unique visitors and 50 shares.

So I am listening to my own advice and taking the taking to celebrate year one! I started this journey having no idea where it would go and honestly I still don’t.

Embracing a Mindful Approach to Content Creation and Side Hustles

I have learned to avoid putting pressure on myself, it’s ok if I don’t write one (or several) week. After all a side hustle is done on the side.

I have started a new routine recently spacing out how I am sharing my content during the week. Similar to how I approach work projects- breaking the work up into smaller chunks- I am doing 1-2 things each day.

Looking Ahead: Evolving My SEO Strategy and Year Two Goals

I am also learning how to improve my Search Engine Optimization so you will see the titles of my posts become more descriptive and heading placed in the my entries.

It has been fulfilling to find a new passion (outside of work) and I’m excited to see where year 2 takes me!