Introspection, and self-actualization are two thought processes that are very unique to the human species. You may be surprised to learn that one of the best ways to discover your potential is to somehow keep track of your progress as well as your thoughts in various instances of life.
The reason that blogging happens to be the perfect medium for recording such ideas is that it’s much more than just a journal. Blogging offers some invaluable bonuses that writing in private does not provide.

It’s been just over a year since I’ve started blogging, and the benefits that have come from this experience can only be summed up as priceless. Blogging has been a wonderful way to share and explore a topic that I am very much passionate about.

Bonuses of Blogging

1. Track progress. Your blog’s archives serve as a time machine into the chronicles of thought that you have etched onto the internet at some point in time. This is an excellent way to see how you differ between now and then. You’ll easily see the things that have helped you to make progress in your life, and repeat this action to multiply your positive results.
2. Get feedback. The audience that your blog attracts will inevitably comment on your writing, thoughts and ideas. They’ll ask you thought provoking questions, as well as offer meaningful advice and constructive criticisms. All wonderful tools to further improve your own life.
3. Share knowledge. You have a gift. You are now in possession of a life, a brain, and your experiences. By sharing your knowledge with the world, you are helping people shave time off their learning curves, avoid detrimental mistakes, and make life altering decisions. That’s a lot of power to have.
4. Meet like-minded people. Birds of a feather flock together, and your cast of hawks will surely make their way to you. Through almost magnetic means, blogging has the possibility to connect people in marvelous ways. Once you meet like-minded people, the possibilities of your journey in life being connected are endless.
5. Running Resume. Your blog is serious business. It has the power to completely sway someone?s opinion about you. It fulfills the needs of lurkers everywhere who Google you to see what kind of person you are. Show them your best. (If you?re looking for work this is extremely important.)
6. Family Links. Not only can the whole family get involved in blogging, but you’ll also be leaving a trace for generations to come. Your great-grandchildren may just be curious about what lifestyle you led, and they’ll have your archives to answer their questions, and possibly guide them through life.
7. Creative pastime. Instead of absorbing heaps of knowledge from the TV or mindless internet browsing, you will have a focused outlet to express your creativity. You’ll be passing time with more purpose than you did before, and you’ll find it to be a great way to escape boredom.
8. Stay sharp. When you have a blog, you will notice that you’re constantly on the look out for article ideas, no matter where you are. This is a great skill to develop because it helps you to become more observant, and therefore more interesting in other facets of life.
9. Make money. While most people will not make a decent amount of money via their blog, there are some that have gotten rich, and even more that make a full-time income blogging. This allows you to have a ‘job’ that can be performed anywhere in the world with a laptop and internet connection.
10. Develop writing skills. Practice is the only way to improve on the art of writing. Writing blog posts provides a very fun and engaging medium in which to practice.

How To Start Blogging

If you haven’t started blogging yet, or would like to give it a shot, I would recommend going directly to the source. Wordpress.org provides an excellent platform that is easy to set up, and has a large library of blogging tips within their codex. Or, if you don’t want to be bothered with hosting and installing software yourself, try their hosted service at Wordpress.com.

Once you’re set up, feel free to look at lifehack.org’s very own 101 Steps to Becoming a Better Blogger, as well as Darren Rowse’s Problogger for additional tips. You should be able to get started within a few hours.

Can you think of other ways that blogging can make 2008 your best year ever?

Alex Shalman is a graduate student who writes passionately and extensively about communication, relationships and personal development.

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