The Ultimate Blog Podcast - 49. Success Story: Kristina Cadelina on blogging while also working a full-time job

Episode Date: November 22, 2022

Today we are interviewing one of our Ultimate Blog Bootcamp students about her blogging journey. Kristina Cadelina joined the Ultimate Blog Bootcamp in 2021 after she started a blog on her own in 2020. We chat about the difference that joining the Ultimate Blog Bootcamp made in her blogging business, how she is able to find time to blog and work a full-time job in addition to being a mom of two, and the things she loves about blogging. If you have wondered how you can add a blogging business to your busy life, this is an episode you are going to want to take a listen to!Thanks for listening! Connect with us on Instagram: @sparkmediaconceptsCheck out The Blog Depot. This is a community and course that we have set up for you if you need questions answered before you start your blog. Join the waitlist for The Ultimate Blog Bootcamp, our online course and coaching that helps you build the blog that you have always dreamed of.SHOW NOTES: www.sparkmediaconcepts.com/episode49

Welcome to the Ultimate Blog Podcast with Amy Reinecke and Jennifer Draper. We're on a mission to empower women who want to start or grow their own blog. This podcast is for women who want to learn blogging basics and who crave inspiration and encouragement. Whether you're just getting started or have been a blogger for years, we're excited to welcome you into this space where we are passionate about creating community over competition. We are bloggers who want to encourage you to believe in your potential, step outside the norm and step into a life where you create your own schedule, your own success, and your own story. Join us for weekly episodes as we navigate blogging

and work from home life all while raising a family and having some serious fun along the way. all while raising a family and having some serious fun along the way. It is always such an honor when we get to bring on one of our very own students to the podcast and have really vulnerable and special and important conversations with them. And today, we are really excited to share Christina Catalina with you and allow her to share a little bit about her blogging journey. So Christina, welcome to the Ultimate Blog Podcast. Thank you for having me. Yes, we are so excited to talk to you today. You've been part of our community now for quite some time and we have so enjoyed having you in the bootcamp and now in our alum membership. And so we wanted to talk to you today

because you are a full-time working mom doing a blog on the side. And so before we kind of dive into that though, would you like to share with our audience a little bit more about you and your blog? I'm Christina and I work full-time and also I am a mom and a wife and what else do I do? Hi. I started my blog, When Salty and Sweet Unite. I started it in 2020, but I didn't really start working on it until 2021. And so my blog is a food blog, but it's also a wellness blog. I share my weight loss journey and I share like other like mindset health tips as well, but there is like more recipes. So I don't want to say it's not a traditional food blog, I guess. And what inspired you to start your blog in the first place back in 2020, when you,

you know, purchased your domain name and you decided you were going to do this? What was your inspiration? You know, I think it was the pandemic. So like really thinking about life, there was a, I can't remember like where I saw it, but people, you know, we're all shut down. I can't remember like where I saw it, but people, you know, we're all shut down. Right. And so someone posted, they wish they were back in 2010. And, and me personally, I've came a long way since 2010. So I'm like, I know life is like sucks right now. Cause we're all at home, but I don't want to be back in 2010. And so I was like, the past 10 years have been have been so transitional and great. And, you know, what, what can the next 10 years look like? And so I was really thinking about what I really love. And so food, health and food, but food has just always been a passion of mine.

So the blog came to mind because it was like, hey, I could do this at home or I could do this, you know, in my free time. So that's that's how that started. So did you have any idea at that point that you could turn a blog into a business or that you could make money with blogging? Or were you thinking more of just like this is just a fun way to like share something that's important to me? So kind of both. I mean, you know, I read blogs. Like I use recipe blogs sometimes and I've read like travel blogs and stuff.

So I knew that there was like income involved, but I didn't know to like what extent. But when I started, I didn't necessarily take it seriously. I'm like, okay, I'm going to have a blog and I don't know what my name should be. And, you know, I didn't think about all that goes into a blog. So it just started off as kind of like a hobby. So when was that shift then? Because, well, let's back it up first. So, so in 2020, you had the idea of the blog because your passion with food and all that, but somewhere in there, you also started doing photography, right? Or had

you already been doing photography? No. So I got the camera in like 2018 when my son was born and I had the intention like, okay, I'm going to have this camera, but oh, it's for family photos, but I really want to learn to take food photos. But I didn't know that like food photography was a thing because I was used to taking photos on my phone and seeing people post lunches and things like that. So, I mean, I didn't even know anything about food photography. So in 2021, when I decided that, no, I really want to make this blog work. That's when I'm like, I got to learn food photography. Like I got to dive right into it because, you know, I want to do it right. And so, you know, the phone, the phone gets you by, but it's not the level that I wanted to be at.

Yeah. So you really did like make that decision from the start. Like, I want this to be a business that I'm building and kind of how did that, how did that work? Cause you work full time and you're a mom. So when you decided to take this on, did you have an idea of what the timing would look like or anything like that? No. So, you know, a blog post isn't that hard, like just writing the blog post, right? Hitting submit. Like, okay, not a problem. But, like, I was starting off with, like, recipes that I was just making up.

I mean, these are recipes that I know in my heart, but I didn't have them written down anywhere. So there was like a learning curve of like, no, you actually need to measure it out for people. That was hard because I'm like, I don't know how much went in. I have to redo it again. And this is stuff I've been making for years. So that little thought process of like, you know, you actually have to be exact, you know, and then the photography piece. So that in itself is a whole world because you buy, you know, like online courses, but it's really nice because you get lifetime access. So you can kind of go as slow or as fast as you want.

And, you know, photography is super technical. And I think that's one of my things that I think held me back for so long. Because I'm like, oh, that's too technical for me. I can't do it. But then, like, once I started from the very, very beginning basic, like literally turning it on, learning what the button is about. It was like, okay, it's not, it's not as bad, you know, and just kind of learning it in layers.

Okay. I love what you're saying because I'm like looking at it from the inside too. And I think a lot of people feel that same way when they want to blog and they look at the end goal. So they look at the final thing, the final website, and they're like, there's no way I could do that. So whether you're looking at a blog, whether you're looking at like a photo and you kind of have that thought, like there's no way I could ever learn to do that. We have a little bit of imposter syndrome there, but you just said, take it back to the beginning. And I think that that's a really important tip to think about. Anytime you're wanting to do something new is that everybody was a beginner at some point. Everybody had to pick up the camera

for the first time. Everybody had to learn how to log into WordPress and navigate the dashboard behind the scenes, which is why we created the ultimate blog bootcamp. And so I love that you have that learning spirit because I think that learning spirit really does help you and is serving you well in this. You are one of those students that is still a student every day, willing to learn and listen and hear advice and new research and all of that. And so I think having that attitude of I'm, I can always learn and how I can improve and how I can grow is, is super important. And you do that really, really well. So have you always been somebody who likes to do that kind of

learn in that way? Or is this like a new found, like love of yours? No, you know, like it takes me, I'm a very visual learner. So sometimes it takes me longer than someone else to learn something. And just, I think learning to accept that and then applying it to things in life, like even like my full-time job that I have during the day, like it took me a long time to get that position and learn, have the credentials for it, be prepared for it. And it just took me longer to learn how to do that type of work. And it paid off. Yeah, I think I think oftentimes putting a time stamp on it or a time limit on it can hold us back from what we could potentially be doing someday.

can hold us back from what we could potentially be doing someday. So kind of just embracing the journey and knowing, hey, I'm going to be in this for no matter how long it takes, because blogging is definitely a long game. It's a marathon, not a sprint. You say that all the time. And that's so true. Knowing I might not build as fast as somebody else, but that's okay. Let's go back to that a little bit. So when you, you had your camera and done the photography course and all that, and then you'd already started your blog before you joined the bootcamp. So what made you interested in joining the Ultima blog bootcamp? So when I first started my blog, I did start on WordPress, but I was really confused about them hosting versus self-hosting. And so I just kind of had them host it. So I had like WordPress readers, but I was like, I don't think anyone else is visiting

my blog or like, I don't know how this is working. And so I wasn't even using like a recipe card or anything. I was like typing out the recipe like as a paragraph. And so after doing like a little bit more research and stuff, I found some resources like Food Blogger Pro and they really talked about why you should be self-hosting. And so about four months into it, I switched over to self-hosting and then uploaded the recipe card and stuff. But I still felt like there's something else missing. And I know I wasn't doing SEO yet or anything like that. But I was like, oh, I'll wait. I didn't know the importance of SEO,

what it really meant. And so just kind just kind of like again doing more research and looking at things I'm like my blog really needs something to it and I just I can't figure out like what it is and so like after meeting you guys and then you're kind of explaining everything I was like you know I think that think that's what I need. I need plugins. I need like a functionality to it, like an organization to it, the tabs, just all of those things. Like I was totally missing. And like even the photographs,

like I didn't know that they had to be a certain size or just alt text, the importance of alt text. Just those little things, like my blog was really missing out. And when I started the bootcamp, you guys had everything laid out. So week by week, I mean, it made it easy for me to know what I'm focusing on. But you know, one thing about the bootcamp was that when it got to making your website look nice, like the colors, that was actually really frustrating for me. It took me really long. Like I still don't feel like I'm what I want it to look

like just yet, but it's definitely like a hundred percent better than it was before. I think knowing it's a process too, you know, and also just, I think people really need to listen to what you're saying. Like you don't know what you don't know. And also just, I think people really need to listen to what you're saying. Like you don't know what you don't know. And I think that's so important. Like you didn't know about the photo sizes. You didn't know about the plugins that you needed and all of that. And that's okay. Like we all start there. We don't know when, until we really get into it, like what we need, what we should be doing, the ins and outs of all of it.

And it's just really all part of that process of learning and, and growing and just like not being hard on yourself that it's taking you time to get to that point. Yeah. I was going to say like, you know, I joined food Blogger Pro, like, at the beginning of the year. And, like, they go over a lot of this stuff. But because I'm new to it, I'm like, what are they talking about? And, you know, you don't have anyone there live necessarily. So you're just kind of, like, listening to their trainings and whatnot.

But, like, I mean, you could join a forum or something. But, I mean, I was intimidated because I'm the new person, right? So I mean, I say working with the blog coaches directly and like having a live conversation with you, like that makes a whole difference. email marketing is an essential piece of blogging growing your email list is just as important as seo and keyword research in our opinion and in order to grow your list you need a reliable platform that will allow you to connect with your community and turn them into email subscribers that's where convertkit comes invertKit is the go-to marketing hub for creators like you that helps you grow and monetize your audience with ease. ConvertKit allows you to grow your audience and reach, put your funnels on autopilot and earn an

income with your email list, all with an easy to use platform that is approachable, even for beginners. Click the link in our show notes to learn more about the different plans that ConvertKit has and how it can help you propel your business to the next level. So if you kind of look back over your journey, like how are you feeling at this point in time? And are you glad things kind of came about the way that they did? And do you feel like you've come a long way? Do you feel more confident now in knowing WordPress? I think the question I guess I'm trying to ask is for somebody who's like in those beginning stages, like what would you encourage them to do in order

to keep moving forward and not hold themselves back because of some of those technical things? I would say number one, invest in yourself. So like, you know, if you really want to just do it for a hobby, okay. But if you see the potential of what it can really be, like you really need to invest in yourself. So if that means getting the blog coach, maybe take a photography class or maybe learn about SEO. I mean, those things, they're only going to benefit you later, but not everybody's ready to do that right away. So I would say do the research. So, you know, there's a lot of stuff on YouTube, Google that can kind of lead you in a direction of where to look. And then also find the community

because before meeting you guys, I don't know any bloggers. And then meeting you, then now I've met other people from the bootcamp. And then I attended a tastemaker conference thing, a virtual tastemaker. I met some bloggers on there. We've connected on Instagram.

So I mean, there's like a lot of opportunities to just ask questions and make friends. That stuff's important. And don't you find that the blogging community is such a great community in terms of like sharing and helping and all of that? I think it's very unique from that perspective where if you think about it, you might say, well, we're all competitors or we're all... But there's so much space on the internet for everyone. And so I think creating that community and having that community is such a great way for all of us to help each other and we can all grow and learn new things and be better for it. Yeah. I mean, that is true. Like we're all in competition,

right? But when you give back into like teaching your knowledge to someone like that, really, that's a big deal. And it only but helps you, right? I mean, yeah, it manifests great things. I don't know, like, well, why wouldn't you knowledge with someone else? So I don't know, like, well, why wouldn't you acknowledge what someone else is like? Yeah. Yeah. I think it feels good because I think we remember like where we started, you know, and even being blog coaches like Jennifer and I, like, I remember where we started, but there's still people that we look up to, you know, who are doing more things than we're doing, you know, and so it's always an opportunity to grow and learn and pour into the people who are at the beginning stages and trying to help them. But then also being part of that community, because like you said, I knew of one blogger that I actually knew personally before meeting Jennifer, but I wasn't close with that person. But then meeting Jennifer, I was just so intrigued. Like, how is she doing this? Like, how is she doing this? How is she making money? And you don't just walk up to people like, so I know that you used to be an accountant and now you're staying home. How'd you do that?

But you do, you ask that question in your mind and you wonder, I don't know, could that be something for me? And that's a really important part of why Spark Media Concepts was created was so we could kind of pull the veil back there and say, hey, you can ask us. We're willing to share. This is how people are doing it. And it's all relative kind of to how much time you have and the work that you're willing to put in, quite honestly. So with that said, you do work full-time and you do have your son, right? Do you just have the one? And a teenage daughter.

And a teenage daughter. Okay. So you have two. I thought you had two. Okay. So you have two kids and a full-time job. So how and when do you kind of fit in the blogging? Because you do set goals for yourself and I've seen you crush those goals.

And that's really inspiring to watch you do that. So how are you finding time to make time for all these things right now? So first off my daytime job, it's, I work remotely. So I've worked remotely before the pandemic and stuff. So not having a commute time is time given back to me. Right. So sometimes I'm doing blog stuff before work because it's like, it's super quiet in the house. I can, you know, write stuff out, write a couple of paragraphs, edit some pictures or something. And then after work. So like evening time. During my lunchtime, I don't really find that to work so great. I need my lunchtime to be for me. So I've stopped doing blog things on lunchtime or break time or whatever. And then like weekends. So like pretty much like all my free time goes to blogging and or photography.

But my husband's a big help because maybe he's giving our son the bath or, you know, like my daughter, she drives. So she's able to pick up her brother from daycare and then I might have free hour to myself or, you know, something like that. So just those little pockets of time, I'm able to do something. I love a couple of things that you just said. One, pockets of time, because you can get a lot done even in those pockets of time. I think too often we tell ourselves, well, I have to have 10 hours to do this.

But if you have like a list and you know what needs done, it's much easier to get it done in that time. Like knowing, okay, what are the high level items that need crossed off the list today? And then knowing, okay, I have two hours. So let's just really hit it hard. And you have to do, I have two hours, so let's just really hit it hard. And you have

to do that because of your time, you know, being separated with family and your full-time job. So the pockets of time. And then also I like that you said that you no longer work on your blog over your lunch break because you need that time for yourself. And I think that that is a really important tip because whether you're blogging full-time or you're blogging alongside another job, I still think it's important for people to take that time for themselves and to do something else besides always hustling and always working super hard.

I think there's a time and a place for that, but I also think there's a time and a place to allow yourself to recharge. And so I'm glad that you've realized, okay, that doesn't work for me to do that. And I need that time for me. I think that's just a really important tip to know. Like I'm not as productive during that time or whatever,

or I just need that time to recharge for the day. Yeah. And I had to, you know, because I have so much going on, I really have to look at when is my brain most functional for the task at hand. So like, I'm not going to shoot food at 6am. Like that's just not going to happen. I'm not going to cook a dish at 6am. You know, I really have to think like, okay, 5am, 6am. Hey, I could type. I could just think and just type. But 6pm, let's shoot because this is happening now. The dish was

cooked yesterday. You have to kind of like pre-plan stuff. But I was going to say like in the beginning, when you're learning everything, that can be a little bit overwhelming. So I'm not going to say that's not overwhelming because it's a lot. It's a lot of little things that you have to learn for the blog. So like if you're working full time and then you have to learn like five different things, I would say just focus on like one thing for that week. Or like when I was doing the bootcamp, you know, it was eight weeks and you signed that commitment contract. And I told myself for that eight weeks, I am focusing on this blog. So like I did maybe a little bit of photography, but not much. Like it was truly focused on the bootcamp. So just like really focused. Yeah. And it sounds

like you really have put that mindset to use. Like you have all, there's all these things. And when it comes to blogging, there's always something. There's so many places to be. There's blog posts to write, pictures to take, things to post on social media. So you really have to think about what's most important, I think. And it sounds like you've gotten a good handle on just focusing on what's most important and right in front of you and not like letting the rest of it distract you. I'm assuming you have like a pretty good list of what

you want to get done. Like, how do you go about setting those goals for yourself or knowing what you're going to work on each week? Do you have like a criteria or you, or how do you, how do you figure that out? So I started really using Google Calendar. I think it's super easy. Just it's easy for me to figure out. I was going to say quickly, like, you know, along with blogging, you have to learn all these other apps. Like you got to learn Tailwind, you got to learn Pinterest, you know. And so there's always that learning curve of learning all these things. And so I'm like, I need a content planner that is just going to be easy. Like I don't need it fancy. I just need easy. And so Google Calendar is that.

And I started using Planoly. So Planoly is posting my Instagram posts for me. And then Tailwind for blog posts. I've been using Tailwind since January. So yeah, I don't want to change that because it took me forever to figure it out. I'm like, Tailwind, you got to work. So, and then just recently I started color coding on my Google calendar. So breaking down the task of like posting all your blog posts to Pinterest and all that, or like planning your menu or something, everything's color coded. And I'm not sure if it's meant to feel like this, but I feel like once I color coded, there was a sense of ease. So I'm like, okay, blue means that's what I'm going to post or the recipe or whatever the content.

And then when I change it to pink, that means that I did it. And then red means I need to schedule this day. Green means I need to look at any updates that need to be done or, you know, so just it brought like a sense of ease. Sometimes structure can do that. I think oftentimes we're afraid that structure, I'm totally speaking of myself here. Jennifer's laughing on you because this, this is my life, but structure. Sometimes I run away from structure because I'm afraid of it. But then when I actually implement it in my life, I'm like,

why didn't I do that sooner? That was, that made it actually so much easier instead of being afraid of it. Like you're afraid of like putting yourself in this box, but then when you're in the box, you're like, wow, this really reduced a lot of stress for being in this box. Like, I know, I know what's expected of me and I know what I need to do at this given time, you know, or you can look at the thing that was crossed off the list instead of kind of floundering. And I think with somebody like you, with what you do have on your plate, you've really found a way to organize it to make it approachable. And because too often it feels unapproachable if we can't kind of compartmentalize it and know, okay, like this is when I need to work on my

full-time job. This is when I need to be there for my kids. This is when I want to work on my blog, you know, and, and then it allows you honestly to probably be more successful in all of those areas just by implementing that one organizational piece into your life. Yeah, for sure. Yeah. I'm not like naturally organized, so I have to really like find what works for me and, and use it. Like I really need to use it. Yeah. And I think that that's important for you and I to admit that Jennifer is, Jennifer is very organized and, and likes that. But her, like I say all the time, like your brain works like that. Mine doesn't work like that. And I want it to work like that. I want it to be naturally more organized. And I think that you said it perfectly. I doesn't work like that. And I want it to work like that. I want it to be naturally more

organized. And I think that you said it perfectly. I don't need it to be fancy. I just need it to be user-friendly. And so knowing that, I think oftentimes we can tell ourselves, well, I should be more like this. But just knowing what your gifts are and what your strengths are. And my strength is not organization right out of the gate. It is something I really do have to work and focus on. Christina, you sound kind of like me in that regard. It's something that if I'm taught it or if somebody shows me a way, I can... Okay, I can maybe implement this in my life. But it's not something that comes supernatural to me.

And so being willing to learn that. It's just another way of learning, quite honestly. How can I be successful in this business? And knowing that the organizational piece is a piece. It doesn't mean that you have to be an organized person to be a blogger, but I think it's being willing to step outside of your comfort zone in some ways and say, okay, I can't do all the things all the time. So how can I make it easier on me? And some of that is truly comfort zone in some ways and say, okay, I can't do all the things that all the time. So how can I make it easier on me? And some of that is truly just adding in some, just some simple organizational check-ins so you can hold yourself accountable. Yeah. I was going to say like, you know, because I work remotely for my full-time job,

you know, to work remotely is like different, right? So one of the things that helped me get to where I am with that is that I had to clean up like my environment. So I don't mean like my house is like just so dirty. I may just mean like, I just had this moment when I was on maternity leave looking around like my house, it needs some, it needs an organization to it. And so like cleaning up the environment, getting it organized, getting rid of stuff you don't need to look at anymore. It helps your brain think, right? You get that clarity moment. Like, now I can focus on this because I don't have to think about that donation pile that's

been sitting there for a month or like, it's just little stuff like that, like that, that helps the big picture. 100%. Jennifer, do you feel like that too? I feel like, yeah, clearing that clutter. You can clear the physical clutter from your house. You can clear the physical or the mental clutter from your brain. Like it just helps so much. I've kind of been on a mission to do that over the last few years because I think that can really hold us back in so many ways. I feel like it's held me back, always thinking about the projects that need to be done, that the garage needs to be cleaned out or all the appointments that need to be scheduled. So keeping those things all in

your brain or all in your house is distracting and it's taking up your time. It's taking up your mental capacity. So really, I think implementing some of those systems of, you know, taking the time and just cleaning it out of your house or, you know, it doesn't have to be like major clutter, but just like creating a designated space where you can sit down and do your work and not think about 20 other things that need to happen in your house or setting up a Google calendar. It doesn't have to be fancy. You don't have to spend a ton of time

organizing your stuff. Find a system that's simple, but makes sense to your brain and just keep that stuff there. And then you're not thinking about it all the time. And then when you sit down to work on your blog, you can actually focus on the tasks that you've set forth for that day instead of thinking about everything else. Yeah. Do you want to start a blog, but you aren't sure what to do first? Are you still wondering what you're going to write about and who your ideal reader is? Have you researched blog platforms only to be left with even more questions and have a no idea what platform to build your blog on? Guess what? We created the blog Depot just for you.

The blog Depot is a nine module course that was designed for someone who thinks that they want to start a blog, but wants to build a solid foundation and ask themselves the important questions before jumping in. In the blog Depot, we will help you understand what you need to build a successful blog and important questions to ask yourself. And we do it all with our self-paced online course and membership community. You get access to the course and community forum immediately upon signup. And as a special bonus, we do a live coaching call with Depot members every month. So you can talk to us about your specific questions and needs. We want you to feel confident when you decide to finally start blogging someday

and the blog Depot will help you do it. It's only $47 a month, but if you sign up today and use code U B P 50, you'll receive 50% off your first month. The link to join us is in the show notes, and we can't wait to help you build your solid foundation in the blog depot. So Christina, what is your favorite part about blogging? I know that you love photography and food and all of that, but if you had to pick one piece of blogging, what's your favorite part or two, if you can't decide? Cross between recipe development and the photography. So like creating the recipe, my brain never shuts off. So like I could be out somewhere eating something and my mind is like, what's in this? You know,

and then I'm looking at the menu and then I'm like, okay, there's five different items. Well, what could I add to like, my brain just never shuts. So that, and then the photography. So it's really being able to be creative. Yes. Have you always enjoyed being creative or is this kind of brought out that side of you that you didn't really know was there? No, I enjoyed being creative. I went to culinary school in my 20s and stuff. And so I worked in the industry for a couple of years. And then I left the industry when I was pregnant with my daughter because it was like late nights, long hours.

And so it just wasn't working for me at that time. So yeah. So I've always enjoyed that creation piece. And the photography piece, I've been taking pictures of food since 2007 on my phone. But the whole food styling piece, that's new to me. That's taking a little bit of time to learn. But I mean, yeah, I like looking at pretty, pretty food, you know? Yeah. Do you want to share what course you use to learn food photography? So I took food photography school. And she has like, like a basic one and like an advanced one.

So I finished that course, but I'm still trying to find like my style. So I just recently enrolled in First We Eat course through Eva Cosmas Flores. So yeah, I just really, I've admired her work for a long time. And there's a couple other food photographers who I admire that have taken both photography and Eva's course. So I'm like, okay, I need to follow in their footsteps of learning.

So yeah, I'm really trying to nail my style. And I don't think I've hit that just yet. trying to nail my style. And I don't think I've hit that just yet. So I really love how you continue to invest in yourself and learn. I love learning too, but not only are you doing that, not only are you taking these classes and continuing to build your skills, but you're like really implementing it. Like Amy said, you set some goals and you really have crushed those goals. You really take what you've learned and you put it into action. So I just really want to applaud you for that. I think it's very inspirational. I just love that you just keep moving yourself forward in that way with your blog. So it's clearly something that you're passionate about,

something that you love. I know that you've put a lot of work into it. Do you have like some goals that you've set for yourself with your blog? Like where do you envision this going for you in the future? So like my goals like right now are nailing my photography style and then SEO. So like just really learning it, making sure I'm applying it to each post. Long-term, I would like to see the blog grow and to earn enough income to replace my full-time job. So at first I was like, you know, side hustle. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I mean, honestly, I don't want to work two jobs. Like, I don't want to do that. Not in the long-term. mean, some, you know, like, it's okay, like right now, but some nights I'm up till midnight, not all nights, but some nights, but long term, you can't do that. So I want to choose like an end date, like, like, okay, bye bye corporation. I'm done with you. You know, like, so that's like the big goal. Well, I applaud you for that because I think that knowing, having those short-term goals

and a long-term, and I like what you said about your short-term goals is, you know, like you've learned enough to know like what that's going to take, you know, in order to replace your income and, and, you know, it's possible too. And so you're putting in that important work now, like SEO and content creation, you know, you know it's possible too. And so you're putting in that important work now, like SEO and content creation, you know, you know that you have your blog set up correctly now, things like that. And you're just, you're just continuing to learn, which is only going to benefit you. And I have no doubt that someday you're going to be able to do exactly what you've set your, set your mind to do. So.

I hope so. We're going to be here cheering you on the whole time. Yeah. I'm proud of myself that I even took steps to get the WWW thing, the main thing, those little things, because it's scary putting yourself out there. It is. That took me so long to go back in and actually go live or, you know, whatever the term is, but it was that, oh gosh, you're putting yourself out there and there's people going to be reading it. But then the funny thing is,

is no one's going to be reading it because there was no SEO applied Do it. That is so funny. Well, I, I am so excited and I'm so proud of you because I've already watched you grow immensely just in the short time that we've, that we've known each other and you inspire me and Jennifer. And I know that people listening to this can probably really relate to your story. I think we have a lot of people who work a full-time job alongside their blog. And so they're going to want to connect with you. So how can our listeners connect with you, Christina? Well, I'm on Instagram at Winsalty and Sweet Unite.

And I'm on Twitter. I'm not super active on there, but I am on there. And then my blog, www.windsaltyandsweetunite.com. So yeah, you can find me there. And we will get all those links added to the show notes as well. So people can easily find you. Yes. Thanks so much for coming on today and just sharing your story.

I think it's going to inspire people. Thank you. Thank you for having me. Thanks. Thanks so much for tuning in today. If you'd like to continue the conversation about blogging with us, please find us on Instagram at spark media concepts. You can also sign up for our weekly newsletter where we share blogging tips and inspiration. You can sign up by finding the link in the show notes. For those of you who are ready for the next step and want to start your own blog, join the wait list for the Ultimate Blog Bootcamp.

The link to join the wait list is also in the show notes. Go out and make today a great day.