I’ve Been Blogging For 18 Years, That’s Over Half My Life… Thank You!

18 years ago today (on February 4, 2008), I launched OMAAT, and published my first post. I want to take a moment to express my gratitude to all OMAAT readers, because I wouldn’t be here without you. I also can’t believe how time flies, and that it has already been 18 years… I guess the blog is now officially “legal!”

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

I’m not writing this post because I’m looking for any congratulations or recognition (I’m the same way about birthdays). But the reality is that this isn’t about me, it’s about all the awesome members of the OMAAT community who read and comment, as you’re the reason I’m still writing this blog 18 years later.

Words can’t adequately express this, but thank you from the bottom of my heart. Whether you’ve been reading for years or are new here, I really appreciate you. No “job” is perfect, but I’d say mine is pretty close. I’m incredibly fortunate that I get to wake up every morning and cover my favorite industry in the world (gosh, has it changed a lot!), and I make a living doing it no less. I’ll never take that for granted.

I started this blog as a hobby in my freshmen year of college, at the encouragement of Randy Petersen. I never thought I’d make a dime writing this site, let alone that this could end up being my “career.” Tens of thousands of posts later, I’m still here.

This is something that’s only possible thanks to the support of the OMAAT community. So honestly, thank you… I don’t say it enough.

My biggest takeaways from 18 years of blogging

I’m hardly qualified to be a life coach, but I can’t help but share a few thoughts as I reflect on doing this for 18 years. It’s kind of terrifying how time flies. I can’t believe it has been 18 years. I mean, I started this blog when I was 17 years old, so I’ve been writing it for over half my life. I remember back in the day when I was younger than just about everyone else in this space, and now… I’m not.

There have been many things in recent years that have made me more reflective on life, from my mom passing after her long battle with cancer, to being the father to our two amazing sons, Miles and Jet. If anything, blogging has been the most consistent and stable thing in my life. So I’d just like to share two things, particularly with younger people who may be reading.

First of all, time flies, and life is too short not to try to make the most of every day and enjoy life. 18 years has passed by in the blink of an eye. I vividly remember the day I sat down and started the blog, like it was yesterday. As a kid, you always hear older people talk about how time flies, but don’t believe it. Well, I’m very much feeling that now. The days are (sometimes) long, but the years and decades are most definitely short.

Enjoying life doesn’t have to mean giving up your job and partying or traveling like there’s no tomorrow. It can just as easily be seeing the beauty in everyday life, which I’m increasingly appreciating as I get older (and it’s something my mom taught me during her six plus year battle with cancer, as she’d always say that the best years of her life were her last ones, as it’s when she most appreciated life).

Life can also come in many chapters. A little over a decade ago, I was living in hotels full time and was happy as a clam, and now I’m married, have two kids, and certainly have a less carefree life, and am still happy as a clam… but in a different way.

Second of all, don’t ever feel pressure to take a traditional path. I’ve written in the past about how I became a full time blogger. Like I said, this started as a hobby, and I just never believed it could be something I could do full time, because society largely discourages people from sort of doing their own thing (or at least it did 18 years ago… I think times have changed there, for the better).

But I think if you’re passionate enough and are willing to put in consistent effort, anything is possible. And as a quirky introvert, I’m particularly grateful for that, since I’m not sure how well I’d function following someone else’s path for me.

Bottom line

I can’t believe it has already been 18 years of OMAAT, so here’s to the next 18 years, God willing. Thanks so much to everyone who has been here for the ride, I appreciate it more than words can express!