I know this is going to come as a huge shock to most of you, but I am the biggest introvert EVER!
Those who know me well, can attest to this. I have great trouble talking to people. I’m incredibly shy, I’m not charismatic, and I never really know what to say. I’m horrible at small talk and can’t carry a conversation very long. It takes every ounce of my body just to go to church every week. I’m used to going when there’s 80-100 members and at my church now, there’s like 300+. It drives me insane. It frustrates me, why can’t I just talk to people. It’s normal, right?
If you feel like this, there’s good news. While I’m extremely introverted, I also run a very successful blog business, and you can too!
Can an Introvert Run a Successful Blog?
For the most part, I feel that I’m really different from everyone around me. That they don’t or won’t understand me. As normal as I seem online, I’ve just always been known as the oddball. Not many in person really understand my blogging career. Even some Christians in my circle can’t understand why I work as hard as I do, to stay home with my kids and provide for my family from home.
I’ve never been a follower, so I can’t just follow whatever a crowd is doing. I have my own thoughts, ideas, dreams, hopes, and goals. I know a small piece of where God is taking me and people in person don’t seem to understand that.
On the other hand, you have all the people who want to be your friend just because you’re “famous,” which I definitely am not, but I think that a lot of people see me that way because I’m running a blog, been on TV, etc. I even get that from my kids sometimes. They say, “Oh, you’re going to put my picture on your website. Awesome, I’ll be famous.” I ask them, “Why is that?” “Well duh, you’ve been on TV, mom. You’re famous.”
For the most part, I just stick to myself. I don’t like keeping up appearances with those that want something from me and the people who know me best, some have turned extremely jealous and try to cause me to fall. Others could care less about what I do and they don’t get at all why I do what I do. It just seems easier to stick to myself. That may not be right. It may not be the best idea, but it is me. That is who I am.
The truth is that I’m an introvert, through and through. The challenges that introverts face, I understand them. I can also understand the challenges that outgoing people face, because all my life, I WAS outgoing. But years of emotional abuse for 14 years with my ex-husband changed that. Then, when he left, feeling all the more rejected completely, it got worse. I’m not sure how to pull myself out of that and just all the sudden, be an extrovert.
Being an introvert causes many problems in life…but none of that matters when I’m online.
When I’m online, I feel free to just be ME. To just be who I am inside. To let the real Sarah Titus shine through. There’s no barriers, there’s no problems, the people who leave nasty comments on any social media, by mail, or on this blog get immediately blocked, no questions asked. It’s okay to disagree, but not get nasty about it.
In that way, I can keep my world happy, chose who I spend time with and it makes ME more happy and content with my life. I control things more. That’s why I love my blog so much. It’s an expression of who I am and I can fully 100% be ME.
A lot of times I get asked if I think it’s a good idea an introvert start a blog. “Can an introvert run a successful blog?” they ask. “I don’t know…you tell me…I’m an introvert!” I jokingly reply.
Even though I am a huge introvert, I’m opening up on my blog and I feel like it’s a GOOD thing when an introvert starts a blog. I think that it allows us to be in our comfort zone, while still making our comfort zone bigger. It stretches us, little by little, over time and helps us to grow as women.
Yes, there ARE going to be more opportunities for women who are extroverts online. The whole public speaking thing is definitely good, being on TV, etc. it’s all easy for extroverts. For me, it seems impossible. All I can do is pray through situations like that and some I do turn down, I have to admit. I run from the spotlight. I’ve always considered myself to be a helper in the background. You know, the women serving meals and helping that no one takes the time to see. I like those positions. I like being in the shadows just doing my job, helping others excel, lifting others up to reach their full potential. I had no idea God wanted ME to be in the spotlight and that He’d use all of this for my good and His glory. It has stretched me so much farther than what I thought possible, so much farther than I WANTED to go (!!!) and He still stretches me more and more each day.
While I’ve never been much of a follower, blogging has allowed me to embrace and become more of a leader than I knew was possible. It helps my kids to know to go after their dreams, even when the whole world says you’re crazy…do it anyway.
And here I stand, an introvert that runs a wildly successful blog. In my first year of blogging, I hit nearly a million in page views and going strong ever since! It’s amazing all the opportunities I’ve had, the people I’ve met, the friends that I’ve made, and the readers that I inspire. It’s one of my greatest honors (besides being a Christian and a mom to my kids).
So, yes, I would say wholeheartedly, if you are an introvert, that doesn’t HAVE TO stop you. You CAN go for your dreams. You CAN run a successful blog. The only thing that can stop you is yourself. You tell yourself you CAN’T do it because of this or that. THAT’S what stops you, not that you’re an introvert!
Are you an introvert? Do you love the idea of starting a blog? Have you taken that step yet?
