What Makes My Blog So Special?

WARNING: This is going to be a long post, and things might get a little deep. I’ve gone back and forth and re-written this post a million times already. As my husband knows, anytime I start a statement with “I’ve been thinking….” there’s usually something pretty major about to go down. So, here goes nothing.

I’ve been thinking.

About this blog, about my brand, about myself, about my contributions, my value, and my future. I’ve really, really, really been thinking.

What I think is that this blog is missing something – or rather, was missing something (but I’ll touch on that in a few moments).

This blog started out as a crazy idea and, without a ton of thought, I started writing it. Since I had already been doing some stationery work, I decided to have my blog follow along under the umbrella of stationery, but it was all sort of haphazard. The problem is that my early blog was that of a newbie designer that didn’t have a ton of confidence, because well, I didn’t really know who I was or what I stood for. That’s definitely changed.

My blog lacked direction, intention, and an overall sense of “special-ness”. My blog did not accurately portray who I am as a person.

Let me tell you a little of why I think that happened. I allowed myself to become intimidated. I mean, I’m a good designer, but maybe I’m not that good; and I’m a good writer, but damn, “so-and-so” is freaking amazing! I let the focus of my blog shift because I was so afraid that other people would start comparing me to some other mysterious unknown entity. My fear of judgment seemed to have, unintentionally, allowed the topics on my blog to shift from business-driven to personal-driven. Because, hey, I don’t mind being judged as a person, I am who I am and proud of it, but as a new business person, I was definitely a little less secure.

Anyway, lately I’ve been thinking; and I think I’ve found my missing link. I’ve finally found some confidence. Over the past few years, I have grown tremendously as both a person and a designer. I have also grown tremendously in my professional 9-5 job within Talent Development. Looking back, I am sad that I didn’t write more about my experiences as an insecure newbie. I’ve learned a lot and I believe it would have been a valuable thing to have documented. Not just for readers, but for myself. I also wish I had combined a little more of what I really do for a living (Talent Development and Industrial/Organizational Psychology) with my passion for stationery, design and all things pretty. I seemed to have tried to create a divide between the different aspects of myself, part of me is a designer, part of me is an I/O specialist, part of me is a wife, etc etc - in reality, I'm not parts of myself, I am me. All of me, all together, all at once. I am one person that's doing a lot of things. And that right there is missing link number two. My blog needed to be a little less about what I thought would make readers happy, and a little more about would have made me happy. So moving forward, that’s how it’s going to be.

That’s what is going to make my blog special. The fact that it is mine, and the fact that nobody else has my expertise. (yes, I said it, I have expertise, and if you continue to read my blog, you’ll find out more about what it is!)

So, from now on out, I don’t want you to only view this blog as “Believe Notes”, but also as “Jackie Mangiolino” as in me, the person. I promise to write about the things that are important to me; the things I have learned, the things I continue to learn, the tips and tricks I pick up, and the real, honest successes and failures that little business people, like me, face. I am not perfect and I will not pretend to be. I’m a little a lot quirky, I have a wild, slightly dry sense of humor, and I am one ambitious little lady. I am passionate not only about stationery design, but about people as individuals and professionals. I spend 9 hours a day coaching people through their professional careers, and I would love to share some of that insight as well.

I can’t predict the future, but I would like to think that by having a blog that better reflects me, I’ll end up with readers that really understand and appreciate my thoughts.

Welcome to my new blog, I hope you enjoy the ride.


PS - do you like the opening graphic? I'm thinking of turning it into a stamp to sell in my Etsy shop :) I heart my mom :)