Every blogger starts from the same line. Those who don't quit get rewarded.

In my last post, I talked about ways to grow your blog, but after I hit publish, I realized I left out those who don’t have a blog yet.

When I started blogging, I didn’t know the great benefits that would come out of it. I just knew I wanted to have a blog that mattered.

Today’s post, I’ll cover some of the rewards you can get from blogging. Some I’ve experienced already and others I’ve seen happen.

You might be interested in blogging, but need that last push to get started. You might see bloggers having fun and you want to experience it.

If you were on the fence about blogging, I hope I’ll have you convinced afterwards.

1. You will meet a variety of great people. 

Since I’ve started this blog, I’ve gotten to know some awesome people online. Not only do I love what they write and what they’re doing, but I love getting to know them.

When I went to Las Vegas to get married, a blogger I’ve gotten to know, Steve Roy from Ending the Grind was out there at the same time. We set up a time to meet and we literally just walked around the Wynn/Encore casino and talked.

Just last week in Taipei, I met Matthew Hooper, who I met through Twitter one day when I first started and got to know him throughout the year. We just happen to be back visiting Taipei at the same time. Matt, a Canadian, actually lived in Taipei for eight years and met his wife here. Plus he worked with Eleanor at a language school many years ago. Small world!!

I know I’ll meet more in person in the near future.

I’ve read stories of people who’ve attended Blog World or World Domination Summit and finally met long time blogging friends, and made new ones.

You know what I’ve found too? Bloggers are some of the nicest people out there.

If you want to know how to reach out to bloggers, read Adrienne Smith’s post about how to do it.

2. Blogging is a great creative outlet

A blog is like a blank canvas. It’s up to your imagination how you want it to look. It could look like a Jackson Pollack if you wanted it to (not recommended).

When customizing my Standard Theme, I spent countless hours on it. I probably could have spent more if I didn’t stop myself. I enjoyed every creative minute of it.

Writing is obviously a great creative outlet. You take a bunch of ideas and make it into something that evokes an emotion in readers.

People have different ways to unleash their creativity, and right now blogging is my favorite way.

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I’m in Taipei, Taiwan now still recovering from jet lag. How do I know I still have jet lag? Every day I wake up around 7:30am wide awake! Back at home, that never happens. I actually enjoy it though. More jet lag for me please.

Taipei is a place close to my heart. I was born in Florida, but shortly after we came back here to live for a couple years. Starting in 2007, I lived here for 1.5 years studying Chinese and just looking to get away from my boring life back at home. I left with here so many unforgettable memories.

I also met a girl, who ended up being my wife.

The last time I came was last year February – April, and this time coming back brought back lots of memories for this blog. Why?

I started this blog, Get Busy Living,  in Taipei.  

It all happened in the second tallest building in the world, Taipei 101, in the food court. Unusual I know.

I had the domain for years, but it wasn’t until my time in Taipei that I really got serious about blogging and knew what I wanted to write about.

I’ll explain why the food court played such an important role.

Later, I’ll share how I’ve grown this blog from nothing to how you see it today. I get asked all the time about it, though I still feel I have so much to learn. However, I know I’ve done something right if people are asking.

I hope my experience can help many of you are looking to start a blog, or grow you blog in 2012. At the end, there’s a great new course for those looking for further help.

Started in February 2011

Last year when I came for two months, Eleanor was working four days a week at a bookstore called Page One, in Taipei 101.

It’s the centerpiece of Taipei. It’s a must stop for any tourist visiting Taipei. It’s probably my favorite building in the whole world. Every year it has some pretty cool fireworks on New Year’s Eve (Youtube).

The building is mainly used for office space but there are five floor of shops.

When she came to work, I came with her. I wasn’t going to stay at home. That’s too boring!

So what did I do while she worked? I’d go down to the first floor where the massive food court is located.

I love the food courts in Taipei. They’re nicer and cleaner than your typical American mall food court. There is a huge selection of Asian food with some American imports such as Subway, McDonald’s, and Cold Stone.

It’s pretty comfortable down there with lots of lighting and tables. The food court became my office for those two months.

I’d bring my iPad and wireless keyboard. I’d start at 11am and it’d be quiet except for employees getting ready for the lunch rush.

By 12pm, the place would be buzzing with office workers, tourists, locals, and shoppers all eating. I’d stay there until about 12:30pm, then would go upstairs and read books waiting for Eleanor’s lunch break at 1pm.

Then afterwards, she’d go back to work and I’d stay there until 6pm when she got off of work.

That was my schedule four days a week for nearly two months.

I liked working down there. The noise didn’t bother me. It actually energized me. Every time I’d sit right by the Coldstone, which wasn’t smart cause I’d stare at it all the time, however I preferred the tables in that area.

That’s where I began to immerse myself learning everything I could about blogging and took action. 

Before I know it, it’s almost been a year and I’m writing a post sharing my tips. It didn’t happen overnight. I started in that food court and I continued that same commitment to learning and improving when I came back home.

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I get a lot of e-mails asking me about the plugins I use here. After trying many WordPress plugins, I have settled on a handful that I rely on.

I’d recommend these to any blogger, especially the beginners out there. If you start with these, it will help get more traffic, more comments, more retweets, and build your community.

Remember, you don’t want to have too many plugins running because it will slow down your site. So be picky about what you use.

Here are a list of my most asked about and favorite plugins.

WPSubscribers

This plugin has really helped me increase subscribers to my e-mail list. The reason is because it makes it easy to add sign up options almost anywhere on your blog.

One easy place is in the comments. After the reader has entered their name and email address for a comment, they can just click a box to get your ebook or sign up to your list. So they leave a comment and sign up to your list at the same time. Makes it easier.

Also if you see the end of my posts, there is an opt-in box was added with WpSubscribers. You can add an opt-in box within your posts, at the footer, as a pop-up, or in the sidebar,

That’s just a tip of the features it has. It’s too many to list. If you want to read more and purchase it, visit the website.

(This is an affiliate product, so I’ll make comission if you buy through this link. However, this is a product I use personally and would recommend.)

Tweet@ Anywhere Plus

This is the tweet box you see at the end of every post. If you want more people to share you post, you have to make it so simple for them. Don’t make them search for the retweet button. Show them how easy it is.

You can set up the wording of the tweet to whatever you want. Your readers can edit it as well before tweeting it.

It wasn’t easy to setup the box at first, but I had it setup up in minutes when I found a video made by my friend Adrienne Smith.

This is my most asked about plugin. Install it on your blog today and get more retweets.

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It’s the holiday season and it’s about buying gifts for friends, family, and the secret Santa gift for the co-worker that you don’t like. While it’s the season for giving, I’m giving you permission to be selfish for a moment.

I’m sure you’ve bought a lot of stuff this year for yourself. How much of it actually will benefit your personal growth in 2012 and beyond?

I’m going to guess many of you haven’t invested enough in yourself this year. You’ve bought things to enjoy and to be productive, but you haven’t educated yourself.

Why do you need to invest in yourself? The reason is YOU are the main factor whether you succeed the next 12 months or not.

It’s not a matter of luck. It’s not up to your boss. It’s not about others. It’s not waiting for miracles to happen.

It’s all up to you. 

When you take action and bust your butt, you’re blazing your own path. You’re creating your own luck. You’re making miracles happen.

I know many of you want to succeed in the area of business.

You want to start your own business whether it’s to make some extra money, or quit your dreadful job and live life on your own terms.

What have you done this year towards those goals?

Just having a blog isn’t enough. Hoping for lots of traffic and making pennies with each click on Adsense is a terrible business model. If you want to become an entrepreneur, you have to start thinking and acting like one.

An eagle who hangs out with chickens will always believe it’s a chicken. It won’t even realize it can fly. 

If you’re looking to launch a business, then the resources available for the Only 72 hour sale will benefit you. What exactly is Only72.com? It’s a package of guides put together and sold at one low price, for only 72 hours.

By the time you’re reading this, there will be less than 48 hours left.

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