Blogging has been a game-changer for me. My initial reason for starting a blog was to make money. I have been a stay-at-home mom for over 10 years and we have been living off of one income. My kids are all in school now and our expenses keep rising, so I really needed to find a way to make some money and contribute to our family income. I found blogging and it is truly a great way to make money for people with a chronic illness or a mental illness-I have both (although I think they are one in the same.)
I have lived with mental illness for my entire adult life. Then a few years ago, I was diagnosed with
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1. Blogging is a real source of income (Yes, you can actually make money.)
You can make money blogging. It is not an overnight money maker, but if you research and learn as much as you can, blogging can be very profitable. That is why I believe blogging is a real way to make money for people with a chronic illness. Although I do recommend that you take a comprehensive blogging course right at the beginning, you don’t have to to be successful. That is what I did and it really gave me an edge to make money with my blog faster than if I’d try to do it by myself.
2. Blogging allows you to have a flexible schedule.
Living with a chronic or mental illness means we have lots of differences from the average person’s daily routine. When you are chronically ill, you have a lot more doctor’s appointments. Our daily schedule probably looks a lot different because we have to accommodate for our individual needs and limitations imposed by our illness. When I am having a flare with my rheumatoid arthritis for instance, I need a lot more rest so blogging allows me to take naps during the day.
3. You can “not show up for work” on hard days and still make money.
Whether you are having a chronic illness flare or going through a very challenging time with your mental illness, you can completely stop blogging for a while if needed and still make money. When I was recovering from my last manic episode, I had to take several months off, but my blog still kept getting visitors and still generating income. Now, it was a lot less income than when I am actively blogging, but blogging allows you to pick up right where you left off after a time of absence. Nobody is counting sick days when you own your own business.
4. It’s a creative outlet for something I am passionate about.
I don’t want to spend all day focusing on the fact that I have a chronic and mental illness. Using my energy to be creative puts me in a positive mental space. If you love talking about the things in life you are passionate about, then it will be easy to write about those things. You don’t have to be a professional writer to be a blogger. Honestly, people don’t want to read about things in a “textbook” sort of way. Writing like you would talk to your best friend is going to make you a successful blogger.
5. Writing about my illness is a positive coping strategy.
There is something about sharing your struggles that makes you feel connected with others and helps you deal with your challenges. After I was diagnosed with Bipolar, I was in a state of shock and quite honestly, embarrassment. Once I started “putting it out there,” I had readers coming to me and thanking me for “going public” because it made them feel less alone.
6. Blogging helps others while being a legitimate way to make money for people with chronic illness.
You may not realize it, but you have something of value to share with others-a unique perspective on life that no one else has. There are things you have learned in life (or things that you are really good at) that can help people in areas they struggle. Just simply sharing your story can help others not feel so alone or hopeless.
7. Working to build a business keeps me from focusing on the hardships of my chronic illness.
Even though I started blogging as a way to make money, the biggest benefit by far has been that fact it keeps my mind off of all of the struggles my chronic illness causes. I would be sitting in my big comfy recliner (my CRPS pain keeps me from being able to stand or walk for more than 5 or 10 minutes) just ruminating on how awful my life is and how I have to sit down for much of the day if I didn’t have blogging. Instead, I sit in my recliner with my computer on my lap blogging the day away;)
✅ Blogging builds a powerful platform to raise awareness for chronic and mental illness.
Each day I sit in my recliner working to make this world a better place where people don’t have to be ashamed of their illnesses (whether chronic or mental). I also work every day to make money with my blog and there is no shame in that. Making money through blogging is an honest day’s work and as I talked about before, can help you emotionally in dealing with your illness as well as help others with invisible and mental illnesses live a better life. Ten years ago who would have thought that something like blogging would be a great way to make money with a chronic illness?
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P.S. Would you do me a favor and pin this post about why blogging is a great way to make money for people with a chronic illness? I sure do appreciate it!
