When I was in school, I was known as the shy, quiet girl in my class.

For a lot of people with social anxiety, the anxiety goes away when they’re safe behind their computer screen.

But nope. Not me.

But with the help of blogging, Social Anxiety to Social Success, and gradual exposures, my social anxiety has lessened in quite a few areas of my life.

Keep reading for 4 ways blogging has improved my social anxiety.

4 Ways Blogging Has Improved My Social Anxiety

1. PUT MYSELF OUT THERE

First things first. Who would’ve thunk it that the nervous, quiet girl would be this outspoken about her mental health?

So much of my life was spent fading into the background, avoiding conversations, and having no eye contact whatsoever. I was the exact definition of a wallflower.

Now I put myself out there daily, and people get to see the real me.

Being vulnerable with my mental health has allowed me to open up in so many unexpected ways. A lot of these vulnerabilities transformed to other areas of my life as well, like with my family and friends.

2. SENDING EMAILS

I never thought in a million years I would be sending out emails day after day.

The thought of even emailing teachers back in school was enough to give me sweaty palms and a racing heartbeat. It always felt like there was no turning back once I hit send.

What if there’s spelling mistakes and grammar errors? What if I send it to the wrong person? Ahhhh! No way!

It took me about a year and a half to even start building an email list (which was a big mistake) and then I only emailed once a month. Yikes.

Now with ConvertKit, I’m sending out Mental Health Mondays  each and every week. Plus, I use emails to interact with brands or other bloggers for collaborations. Without sending emails, Okay Now Breathe would probably vanish into oblivion.

3. COMMENTING ON BLOGS

For the life of me, I couldn’t interact with other bloggers. I still sometimes have a hard time texting people I’m close to, so imagine the anxiety talking to complete strangers online would give me.

I would put on my brave face, type out a thoughtful comment, proofread it, and proofread it some more. Then I would chicken out and backspace the entire comment.

I thought I sounded like an idiot who was inexperienced in life. I couldn’t bear to feel this imagined embarrassment.

But with exposing myself to actually sending these comments, the easier it got. And the more I realized I love sharing the blogger love. I love making other bloggers feel appreciated for their content.

4. SOCIAL MEDIA

Ever since I started using social media back in high school, I always felt like I was being judged. It was hard to get my personality across, and I always feared looking dumb.

And, honestly, it become one big comparison trap, because I didn’t have many friends. I always secretly felt left out and even worse about myself.

But now I have an account on nearly every social media platform. And guys! I actually make little videos on Instagram stories. I actually put my face, my voice, and my story out there and actually enjoy it!

The more I do these exposures, the less anxiety I feel. Exposures (if done right) are truly an amazing thing.

Did you know that there is online therapy?

Online Therapy is a complete online therapy toolbox.

Your therapy toolbox includes:

• Live video, voice, or text chat session with your therapist
• 8 easy-to-follow sections, including 25 worksheets
• Activity plan, journal, and tests
• Yoga and meditation videos

What I love about Online Therapy is that there are several life-changing options and therapists available, and you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your home.

This means you never need to worry before getting help.

Get 20% off your first month with my exclusive link.

TRY ONLINE THERAPY NOW

The post 4 Life-Changing Ways Blogging Has Improved My Social Anxiety appeared first on Okay Now Breathe.

And I’m guessing you’re probably a lot like me. (Well, maybe you actually hate your job, but you still get the boredoms.)

Either way, I’m sure you heard the saying before, “Work smarter, not harder”. That’s so true though.

Often times we don’t work smart, and we end up wasting time.

We each have the same amount of time in the day.

Some of us just choose to spend our time more wisely.

If you’re having a hard time getting things accomplished, try these 6 time management hacks to be more productive.

6 TIME MANAGEMENT HACKS TO BE MORE PRODUCTIVE

1. FIND WHEN YOU’RE MOST PRODUCTIVE

If you’re lucky to have a flexible schedule, identify your most productive hours. 

Since I work from home, I get to design my own work schedule. I usually work both morning and night.

The morning is when I handle the business aspect. I schedule and answer emails. I schedule my posts for Pinterest on Tailwind (which is an absolute lifesaver I might add). 

I also take the time to make some money through Swagbucks, Inbox Dollars, and PaidViewpoint.

At night is when I’m usually the most productive. The night is where my creative juices are flowing the most and I get the most of my writing done.

You can also figure out where you’re most productive, like your office or your library.

This probably doesn’t include on your laptop in front of your TV (even though I’m super guilty of this).

2. DO ONE TASK AT A TIME

I’m notorious for not following through with this piece of advice. +I often have my phone out, YouTube running, and a million and one browsers open.

But this causes my brain to be overwhelmed by how many things I’m trying to accomplish at once.

In the end, I get only about 60-75% of the things I need to get done accomplished.

Instead, it’s a great idea to block your schedule apart.

The idea is that you set a timer for a specific task and designate a certain amount of time to that task.

For example, if you’re a blogger, give yourself 5 minutes to brainstorm a topic you want to blog about. Another 15 minutes to research the topic. Then give yourself 45 minutes to an hour to write the post. Then another half hour to create a graphic, and so on and so forth.

3. BATCH RELATED TASKS TOGETHER

Different tasks require different types of thinking, so it totally makes sense to group the similar tasks together and do them consecutively.

For instance, in the example I talked about earlier, I grouped all my blog post related tasks together. It’s the sequence I use, and it makes for a much more productive work day.

Other task groups include blog promotion (scheduling for Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook), emails (answering them and sending them), and writing eBooks (outline, research, and write).

Other tasks I group together are surveys (Swagbucks, Inbox Dollars, and Earning Station)

When you feel a good productive energy, continue with that flow to the next task instead of unnecessarily switching to something that requires your brain to redirect itself. 

4. COMPLETE MOST IMPORTANT TASKS FIRST

Once you’ve completed the most important task, the day has already been a success.

Everything else will basically feel like busy work.

You’ll be surprised at how relieved you feel once you get that big ole weight off your shoulder. You’ll feel proud of yourself and super productive.

If you have chronic procrastinating-itis, it should be one of your top goals to try to break the habit.

5. TAKE BREAKS

If you sit at a desk all day, make sure to get up and walk around at least once every hour.

During breaks is the time when you can check your phone, go to the bathroom, and get something to eat.

It also might be a good idea to stretch a little bit to loosen up your muscles.

Make sure you schedule these into your day, so you don’t end up taking a thousand breaks throughout your day.

6. DECLUTTER YOUR SPACE

There is a lot of stress that comes with clutter. Clutter clogs the mind.

It makes things more chaotic, especially when you can’t find something buried within all the mess. Your mind can never be fully at peace because of it.

If your space (like your desk), has unnecessary items cluttering it, I highly suggest reorganizing and getting rid of a bunch of stuff you’re not using.

You can ask yourself these 8 questions if you’re having a hard time getting rid of something.

After I declutter and organize a space, I feel so much calmer.

I have room to breathe, and my brain isn’t fogged up by all the unnecessary noise and clutter.

In turn, I’m so much more productive.

What are your favorite time management hacks?

Related posts:

• How to be Productive When You Have Depression
• How to Create a Profitable Mental Health Blog on Bluehost
• 8 Best Survey Sites to Earn an Extra $100 a Month

Did you know that there is online therapy?

Online Therapy is a complete online therapy toolbox.

Your therapy toolbox includes:

• Live video, voice, or text chat session with your therapist
• 8 easy-to-follow sections, including 25 worksheets
• Activity plan, journal, and tests
• Yoga and meditation videos

What I love about Online Therapy is that there are several life-changing options and therapists available, and you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your home.

This means you never need to worry before getting help.

Get 20% off your first month with my exclusive link.

TRY ONLINE THERAPY NOW

The post 6 Time Management Hacks to be More Productive appeared first on Okay Now Breathe.

Deep down, I knew I deserved a better life. But I didn’t know exactly how. What started as an outlet for me was actually the beginning of a journey that would completely change my life.

I have no idea where I would be without blogging. I’ve connected with so many amazing people, especially in the mental health community. I’ve grown so much as a person because of it.

However, one of the greatest perks of having a blog is that I get paid to do what I love. I get to work from home, make my own schedule, and be my own boss.

Some reasons to start a blog:

• Express your thoughts and opinions
• Help others
• Connect with people like you
• Have a creative outlet
• Make a difference
• Make money with your passion

If that sounds like something you’re interested, keep on reading for my step-by-step tutorial to creating your own profitable mental health blog.

HOW TO CREATE A PROFITABLE MENTAL HEALTH BLOG

Now, you might be asking, “How do you get paid to blog?” For starters, you’re going to want to be self-hosted, meaning you own your domain. Like so many other bloggers, I highly recommend using Bluehost for your hosting needs.

You now might be thinking, “Can’t I just start my blog for free and just change over later when I’m making money?” Nope. Not really.

Making money on any free blogging platform, such as Weebly, Wix, and Blogger, is very difficult. In many cases, it never happens.

This is because having your site be yourwebsite.blogspot.com is way more cluttered and hard to remember than yourwebsite.com. In fact, most advertisers and companies tend to steer clear from these websites, because they don’t seem as professional as self-hosted WordPress blogs.

With Bluehost, you can run ads, affiliate links, and sponsored posts that will allow you to earn money. There are so many other reasons I believe Bluehost to be one of the best web hosting providers out there.

These reasons include:

• I personally use Bluehost. If I didn’t, I certainly wouldn’t recommend it to you!
• They power over two million websites worldwide
• You will be self-hosted, which means you’ll be able to monetize your blog.
• You will appear much more professional to companies and readers.
• Bluehost makes it incredibly easy to create your own WordPress blog.
• Bluehost is extremely affordable. For just dollars a month, you can own your very own website.
• You will get a blog domain with a 12 month plan for FREE.
• They offer 24/7 technical support.
• Bluehost offers a 30 day money back guarantee if you’re not completely satisfied.

Without further ado, let’s continue to the part you’ve been waiting for: the step-by-step tutorial.

1. CHOOSE YOUR DOMAIN NAME

When you are ready to create your blog, click the green “Get Started Now” button.

The very first thing you will need to do when starting a WordPress Mental Health blog on Bluehost is to think about what you want your blog to be called. This will be your domain name.

For example, my domain is okaynowbreathe.com. I gave some really serious thought to my name. Almost 3 years later and I’m still so happy with it. I feel like it represents my brand so well.

Tips to find your domain name:

• Search what’s already taken
• Make it easy to type
• Keep it short
• Target your niche
• Avoid numbers and hyphens
• Be memorable

You can get your domain directly through Bluehost, which is awesome because this makes the process really easy to do!

If you decide to do this, you can get your domain completely FREE for the first year, as long as you buy 12 months worth of Bluehost web hosting. If you want an even better deal, the best value would be purchasing a 36 month plan, because your monthly rate is much lower.

2. BUY HOSTING FOR YOUR BLOG

Once you decide on your domain name, click on the package you’re interested in. The basic package is a great starter package, so you can skip the Plus and Prime plans. You can always upgrade your package later if you want to.

It’s important to note that Bluehost requires you to pay in full at the time of purchase. Still, if you break down the cost, it is incredibly affordable.

Like I said before, the best value would be signing up for the 36 month plan, because your monthly rate is much lower over the long run. If that’s too big of a commitment, you can certainly select a lower option. Remember that you’ll only get your free domain if you commit to at least a 12 month plan.

After you select your package, you’ll be asked to enter your personal and payment information. Then it’s time to create a secure password.

3. INSTALL WORDPRESS ON BLUEHOST

Once you login to your Bluehost account, all it takes is a few clicks and WordPress will automatically be installed into your account.

To sign into your WordPress account, you will want to save the WordPress login information that you’ll receive in a separate email. This email includes your WordPress login URL, your username, and your password.

Your URL is separate from everyone else’s. It’s the Admin page and the only way you’ll be able to access your account.

Now the fun part of blogging begins!

4. CHOOSE YOUR THEME

Bluehost will ask you to pick a theme. (On the left hand side of your dashboard, Appearance > Themes) You can purchase one, but I recommend starting out with a free one. You can always upgrade and change your theme at any time!

A great starter theme I recommend is Pure & Simple. It’s actually the one I’ve been using for years. It’s highly customizable, and you can easily pick your color scheme.

5. INSTALL PLUGINS

Plugins are third-party devices that add additional functionality to your blog. (On the left hand side of your dashboard, Plugins > Add New)

It’s best to keep your number of plugins to a minimum and install only the best plugins, because too many plugins can slow down your site.

Plugins I recommend:

• Yoast SEO: An all-in-one SEO solution for WordPress, including on-page content analysis, XML sitemaps and much more.
• WP-Optimize: Clean up your database easily and safely in one click.
• UpdraftPlus: Create backups and restores of your site.
• Shareaholic: Helps you grow your website traffic and engagement.
• All In One WP Security: Top rated security plugin.
• Pretty Links: Makes long and ugly affiliate links look like they’re part of your site.

Don’t forget to hit “Activate” after you installed them, or otherwise they won’t work.

Other WordPress Tips:

1. Login: When you want to login to your WordPress account, always go to WordPress Admin Page.

2. Posts: Posts are what you use to create your blog content. The newest post will be displayed first, unless you state otherwise.

3. Pages: Pages are typically the menus you see on a blog under its title. I recommend an About Me, Contact Me, and Disclosure pages to start with. Make sure they’re easy to find.

4. Categories: Categories are general topics for your site. They are created as a way to group your posts with similar topics together. For example, my post “25 Relaxing Self-Care Ideas for a Bad Day” falls in the Self-Care category. Categories are also displayed on the blog’s menu.

5. Tags: You can also use tags to describe specific details about your post.

6. Plugins: A plugin is a software that contains functions that can extend functionality or add features to your blog.

7. Widgets: Add items to your sidebar, footer, and so on. For example, I currently have social media plugins, search bar, ads, and popular post widgets in my sidebar.

8. Emails: Get started on your email list as soon as you can. I use Convertkit.

9. Stock Photos: To stand out as a blogger, you need your content to be visual and include pictures. Check out 40 Pin-Worthy Free Stock Photo Resources I Use to Grow My Blog for more info.

10. Promotion: You’re going to want to constantly promote your blog posts for your content to be seen. Pinterest is my number one source of traffic by a landslide, because I use Tailwind to schedule all my pins in advance. (If you want to grow your blog tremendously, try this FREE trial of Tailwind).

More Posts to Read:

• 3 Super Simple Ways to Drive More Traffic to Your Small Blog
• 10 Super Easy Ways to Earn Money From Your Blog
• How to Be a Successful Blogger When You Have Social Anxiety

There you have it! You created your own mental health blog on Bluehost!

Did you know that there is online therapy?

Online Therapy is a complete online therapy toolbox.

Your therapy toolbox includes:

• Live video, voice, or text chat session with your therapist
• 8 easy-to-follow sections, including 25 worksheets
• Activity plan, journal, and tests
• Yoga and meditation videos

What I love about Online Therapy is that there are several life-changing options and therapists available, and you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your home.

This means you never need to worry before getting help.

Get 20% off your first month with my exclusive link.

TRY ONLINE THERAPY NOW

The post How to Create a Profitable Mental Health Blog on Bluehost appeared first on Okay Now Breathe.

Social anxiety doesn’t go away once I leave the public. It doesn’t even go away when I’m in the comfort of my bed.

My job relies on me interacting with people who are complete strangers. I have to constantly engage with my readers and network with other bloggers. I have to constantly promote my blog posts, even though they are filled with words from the core of my soul.

It’s a very vulnerable feeling, but I’m starting to get the hang of it. Throughout the years I’ve been blogging, I’ve discovered these three ways to help minimize my social anxiety so I can run a successful blog.

Sidenote: If you want to make money blogging, you can!

The best way to make money through blogging is to have a WordPress, self-hosted blog. Making money on any free blogging platforms, such as Blogger, is very difficult. Most companies don’t view them as professional as self-hosted WordPress blogs. In fact, most of the networks on this list only work if you’re self-hosted and own your domain.

Why I’ve chosen to use Bluehost for the past two years:

• It’s extremely affordable by starting at $3.75 per month
• WordPress through Bluehost is free (HUGE savings!)
• You’ll get a free blog domain
• You’ll look more professional
• You get to earn money from your blog

INTERESTED? Read my How to Create a Profitable Mental Health Blog on Bluehost step-by-step tutorial.

LISTEN TO AUDIOS

Excel at Life has made the biggest impact on my life the past couple months. They have the best audios I’ve ever heard. Seriously, I can’t say enough good things about them.

All of their audios are cognitive therapy based with a focus on mindfulness. They’re incredibly eye-opening and life-changing. I listen to them multiple times a week, and I’ve noticed a huge change in my way of thinking and thought processes.

They have several anxiety audios, as well as articles you can read alongside them. Excel at Life also has audios about other mental illnesses, like depression and OCD.

You can listen to them from a couple different Android apps (only available on Android), or you can listen to them from the internet here.

Related post:

• 6 Apps for Relieving Anxiety and Improving Mindfulness

LEARN TO BE MORE MINDFUL

All of us have experienced mindfulness without even realizing it. We were “in the zone” or “one with nature.” That’s because mindfulness is being in the moment and soaking up the present experience.

Still, mindfulness is quite a confusing concept to grasp. If you’re having a hard time being mindful, trust me, I used to be there. When I first started to focus on mindfulness, it actually gave me more anxiety. You can learn more at Excel at Life. Not sponsored. Just absolutely adore them.

Learning to be more mindful is essential when trying to overcome your social anxiety. Before you try to be more mindful in social situations, such as conversations, practice mindfulness a few times a day, everyday. Doing so will help make the experience more natural.

After you do that, you can focus on exposures that induce social anxiety.

Related post:

• 5 Simple Ideas to Help You Practice Being More Mindful

FOCUS ON EXPOSURES

If you want to be a successful blogger, you need to network. You need to put yourself out there, and that’s very scary and intimidating to anyone. Even to those without social anxiety.

When you begin to dive into exposures, you want to do it thoughtfully. If you just jump into it, you could be doing more harm than good. Understand why you’re doing what you’re doing and be as mindful as you can in the experience.

Examples of exposures:

• Responding/sending emails
• Commenting on blog posts
• Initiating conversations on social media

I feel like the best way to become more comfortable with networking is Twitter. When it comes to mental health, there is a huge support system, and there are so many great chats you can join in. Even if you don’t actively participate, you can still like other’s tweets and get the lay of the land before you join in.

As hard as it may be, sit with the uncomfortable. Focus on the present experience and the things you’re feeling. Learn to engage in conversations and not worry what the other person is thinking of you.

If you want to practice exposures through Twitter, you could always send me a tweet.

NEED MORE HELP?

SOCIAL ANXIETY TO SOCIAL SUCCESS: Social Anxiety to Social Success is an eBook Kel from Anxious Lass created. It’s written in a warm and relatable way. I’ve read countless ways to recover from social anxiety, and I still found new, important information in her book.

Related posts:

• 3 Super Simple Ways to Drive More Traffic to Your Small Blog
• 10 Super Easy Ways to Earn Money From Your Blog
• How to Be a Good Friend to Someone with Social Anxiety

Do you struggle with social anxiety online? How do you cope?

Did you know that there is online therapy?

Online Therapy is a complete online therapy toolbox.

Your therapy toolbox includes:

• Live video, voice, or text chat session with your therapist
• 8 easy-to-follow sections, including 25 worksheets
• Activity plan, journal, and tests
• Yoga and meditation videos

What I love about Online Therapy is that there are several life-changing options and therapists available, and you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your home.

This means you never need to worry before getting help.

Get 20% off your first month with my exclusive link.

TRY ONLINE THERAPY NOW

The post How to Be a Successful Blogger When You Have Social Anxiety appeared first on Okay Now Breathe.

Although I’ve lived with mental illness my whole life, I am not a medical professional. If you need help finding a mental health care provider, call 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or visit BetterHelp to talk to a certified therapist online at an affordable price. 

CONTENT WARNING: This post mentions self-harm and suicide.

Because there are so many different levels and severities of depression, everyone goes through their depression differently. Some people have high-functioning depression. Others can’t even get out of bed.

But one thing is for certain, depression is not a fun, trendy thing to have. It tries to destroy every part of you from the inside out. It’s hard to do even the most simplest things.

Here are 6 things I accomplish every day, despite having my depression:

6 Things I Accomplish Every Day Despite My Depression

1. I got out of bed every morning.

If it weren’t for my dogs, I wouldn’t get out of bed. I usually lay in bed an hour before I even get up every morning. I’ll just close my eyes and pretend I don’t have to live this way.

But my dogs rely on me every single day. I need to let them outside. I need to feed them. They need fresh water, love, and attention.

If it weren’t for me, they would have nothing. I would never let them suffer. No matter how much I’m suffering.

Related post:

• Why Our Pets Fight Our Depression

2. I brushed my teeth.

I don’t know why, but it takes so much motivation and determination to brush my teeth. I’ll go into my bathroom and walk past my toothbrush multiple times a day, but I can’t find the energy to pick up my damn toothbrush.

I’m lucky if I brush my teeth more than once a day. I’m extremely lucky if I floss, and I used to be an avid flosser who flossed every single day.

I know my health is declining because of this, but I just can’t find it in me when my depression in plaguing my bloodstream.

3. I took a shower.

I prefer taking bubble baths, because they help my mental health a lot. However, baths don’t make me feel as clean. My hair goes down all the way down to my hips, so I need to take a shower in order to wash my hair.

A shower is so much harder for me than taking a bath. Just standing and moving my body is enough to tire me out. By the end of my shower, I want to lay down for the rest of the day,

Related post:

• 3 Mental Health Benefits of Taking a Bath

4. I ate something.

About a year ago, I lost 15 pounds in a couple months due to stress and emotional pain. I’m only 5 feet tall, so a weight loss like that was very significant. People even made comments about how sunken in my face looked.

Because of my depression, I hardly ever have any appetite anymore. When I actually do eat something, I can’t eat that much because I automatically feel full.

I feel so proud of myself for eating my fruit and vegetables over processed foods. I can tell that it makes a huge difference.

5. I worked on my blog.

My blog is my job. My income relies heavily on how much effort I put into my work. If I don’t put the effort it, I don’t get paid.

A lot of people don’t realize that there’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes. It’s not just writing a post and hitting publish.

You have to research, take photos and edit them, and research some more. You have to constantly promote and network, and network and promote. It’s the never-ending cycle of blogging.

You’ll never realize how much effort it takes to blog until you try blogging, especially when you try it full-time. Add depression to the mix, and it’s a whole new ballgame.

Sidenote: If you want to make money blogging, you can!

The best way to make money through blogging is to have a WordPress, self-hosted blog. Making money on any free blogging platforms, such as Blogger, is very difficult. Most companies don’t view them as professional as self-hosted WordPress blogs. In fact, most of the networks on this list only work if you’re self-hosted and own your domain.

Why I’ve chosen to use Bluehost for the past two years:

• It’s extremely affordable by starting at $3.75 per month
• WordPress through Bluehost is free (HUGE savings!)
• You’ll get a free blog domain
• You’ll look more professional

You get to earn money from your blog

6. I didn’t relapse.

Do you know how hard it is to constantly battle against the thoughts in your head? Every single day, my brain wants to destroy me.

But I didn’t give in to my self-harm urges. I didn’t listen to the voices telling me to give up on my life. No matter how much my brain was persuading me, I did not give in.

Even if all I did was get out of bed to feed my dogs, that’s something to be incredibly proud of.

What ways do you battle your depression every day? Let us know in the comments below!

More Recommendations:

1. ONLINE THERAPY

Better Help is the largest online counseling platform worldwide. It makes professional counseling available anytime, anywhere, through a computer, tablet or smartphone.

2. RESILIENT BIG EBOOK BUNDLE

In the Resilient Big Bundle, you’ll get 6 amazing personal development products, such as 30 Day Negativity Detox and Figure Out Your Life. All of these together would cost over $120 if you purchased them separately, but you’ll get a big discount if you get the whole bundle.

3. MENTAL HEALTH JOURNAL GUIDES

Rose Minded created three 52 week Mental Health Journal Guides. You can pick from anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder. In the guides, you can find weekly gratitude, emotional intelligence, self-care prompts. Use the code meagan15 to get 15% off.

4. BLESSING MANIFESTING DIGITAL PRODUCTS

Blessing Manifesting sells a bunch of digital products focusing on self-love and personal development. You can either buy them in a digital version or physical copy.

The post 6 Things I Accomplish Every Day Despite My Depression appeared first on Okay Now Breathe.