Turns out that being vulnerable about personal growth is way easier than being vulnerable about professional growth. I’ve wanted to write some of these goals publicly for years but never do, I’m too afraid I’ll be laughed at or worse: they won’t happen.

One of the weird things about blogging is everyone either thinks you’re good at what you do = you make money and have opportunities OR it’s just a silly hobby. You post photos of your kids on the internet???!!!?

I’ve been writing/blogging for 11 years now. ELEVEN. This past 2 years it’s become a career and I make money and have opportunities. I even create my own opportunities (and try to make them accessible for you, too).

I’ve never had millions of hits or page-views in any given year. As far as audience goes, I grow steadily but not by leaps and bounds.

What I love most about my community here is that you’re all so vulnerable with me. A lot of you just read and cheer in the bleachers – some of you interact through commenting (which I LOVE), on Facebook and even Twitter.

I think the attractive side of jodimichelle when companies/opportunities etc are interested in me is that it’s a loyal voice with an even more loyal, captive audience.

Basically – you guys rock.

In the next 12 months I’d like to see some of these things happen for all of us. Because it’s not just about me any more and I’m not sure it ever was. It’s my personal passion to be involved in a community where people are encouraging and accomplishing their impossible.

In the next 12 months

I’d like my Facebook page to triple in fans. I interact through Facebook the most – we have some surprising conversations, you guys ask questions … I share links etc. I love Facebook because I love relationships.

I’d like to see your projects. Jodimichelle has a Flickr Group! Remember all that talk we did about Flickr and how you should be using it? Even if you don’t have an account you can email me your photos or a link to your own blog post about a project you finished/found/etc because of jodimichelle and I’ll share it for you.

My core post structure for jodimichelle is Videos, Life List, Food/Recipes, How-to’s and Photo’s. I share my life in between these interactions (often through them) and it’s a personal goal to get better and staying consistent. (Ehum, videos.)

Of course for further opportunities in the future for all of us, we need to keep growing in traffic. So tell your friends. A great way to do this is to share something you liked through Facebook and at the bottom of every post there’s a handy little dashboard with all kinds of sharing options.

If we’re already friends through Facebook you know that I’m going to start scheduling meet ups … um, I need someone to show up 🙂 A few years ago I started doing Live Cooking Demo’s and that was my first taste at a personal meet-up for jodimichelle. I’d like to keep it going.

Don’t be afraid or nervous if you have nothing to say or talk about, if all you want to do is grab coffee with like-minded women (or, ok, WINE) and talk about something – I’m all for it. I’m actually shy and nervous about this, too. So lets do it together.

Those are the goals for now – I’m going to keep them simple and attainable for my first year of writing them down publicly and hopefully grow in confidence to keep sharing/dreaming for the professional side of jodimichelle.

Don’t ever be afraid to ask questions – I love love love sharing.

Thanks, friends!
xoxo