Blogger’s Corner featuring Janine from Reflections from a Redhead

The Blogger’s Corner series is an interview series featuring advice and experience from bloggers whose blogs are older than six months.

If you would like to take part, you can find all of the details here.

Today, we have the lovely Janine from Reflections from a Redhead.

1 Introduce yourself

Hey, I’m Janine Ripper! Hailing from Perth, Western Australia, I’m a long-time blogger (9 years+), freelance writer, mentor, a bit of a fangirl, and lover of naps, dogs, books, movies and podcasts.

I’m also a marketing and communications specialist with a passion for using digital media and other forms of communication to build brand awareness, as well as engaged and connected communities. I mostly work with not-for-profits and small businesses these days.

And lastly but nowhere least, I am a mental health advocate – sharing my story of living with mental illness, to help others and to help combat stigma.

2 Tell us a little bit about your blog

I started Reflections from a Redhead in 2010. Initially, my blog was a self-reflection tool to help me rediscover my love for writing – of which I had lost. It was also a place where I could reflect on my life and struggles with burn-out, anxiety and depression. It has since transformed into a place where I can connect and help others just like me, as well as a forum to motivate and inspire others to focus on their self-care and mental health.

3 What can your readers learn from your blog?

Over on my blog, I share my story with the aim of helping others who may be dealing with stress, burn out and mental health issues. This includes changing careers in mid-life (of which I successfully managed), and how to survive being an adult (because it’s hard!).

I also share resources, advice and tips about self-care – because it’s the key to maintaining both physical and mental health in this super-busy world we live in!

4 What’s your favourite thing about blogging?

My favourite thing about blogging is having the ability to share my story and to connect with people all over the world. For me, it really has been lifechanging, helping me to find my voice as well as like-minded people.

5 And your least favourite thing about blogging?

My least favourite thing about blogging is the stats. It’s so easy to get caught up with how many people read your posts, or follow and unfollow you on social media. Sometimes it can really affect your confidence, and at times, desire to continue blogging. It’s especially the case when you’ve poured your heart and soul into writing a blog post and hardly anyone reads it!

6 Tell us one random fact about you

I used to be a project manager in the corporate world. Long story short, I burnt out, had three car accidents from being so tired, and then quit because it so wasn’t worth it! That was in my mid-30’s. I’m proud to say that I successfully managed a career transition from a lot of self-learning and trial and error in starting my own freelance business. I now balance that with working part-time for a local not-for-profit.

7 If you could only blog about one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?

It would have to be travel. To be a travel blogger -that is the dream! Or a movie and ‘TV’ reviewer. I’m becoming such a fangirl in my 40’s!

8 What was the hardest part of starting your blog and why?

The hardest part of starting my blog was actually pressing ‘publish’, followed by the fear of what people would think. It was terrifying! I didn’t need to worry however.

9 If you could give new bloggers one piece of advice, what would it be?

That it’s okay to break the ‘rules’!

There are so many people out there on the internet professing to know everything about blogging. There are also lots of copycats. And there are a lot of people selling advice and courses on blogging.

Remember, it’s totally okay to do it your way and to find your own way! After all, that’s how you learn (and you can learn a lot about blogging from trial and error and for free via Google or Pinterest search!)

I find this approach also helps to keep you grounded and blogging more authentically.

10 Is there anything you know now that you wish you’d known in the beginning?

There are so many technical things I wish I had known; however, in hindsight I wish I’d known how obsessed I’d become with blogging in the initial years and how much of an impact it would have on my relationship! I took a more of an ‘all-in’ approach, without a lot of explanation to my partner about what I was doing and why (not that I need to justify or explain myself, it’s just he did feel neglected!). Life is all about balance, and I really didn’t have that in the beginning – and so I burnt out from blogging also!

11 Do you have any long-term goals for your blog?

Last year, I almost gave up on the whole blogging thing. However, I’ve rediscovered my love for blogging over the last 5 months or so. In the long-term I would love to create some e-books and other premium offerings, to continue mentoring others in blogging, and to earn a steady stream of income from my blog (it’s sporadic at the moment).

12 Who’s your blogging hero?

Ruth Soukup runs the Elite Blogging Academy (EBA). I have a tremendous amount of respect for her, love her blog and down-to-earth/practical advice, and I love the EBA. It’s the only course I’ve actually paid for and found beneficial, year after year.

13 What’s your favourite social media network and why?

I adore Pinterest. It’s a great source of traffic for my blog. It’s also a personal obsession of mine, helping me to learn to like cooking (of which I used to hate), to plan my wedding, to guide me on changing my personal fashion style, and more!

14 Anything else you want to share with us?

By blogging authentically (that is, being true to you), you will attract the right followers. This will also enable the whole blogging process to become so much more organic and enjoyable.

15 Where can we find you? (blog link and links to any social media)

Reflections from a Redhead, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.