Well it has officially been two years since I launched The Madison Dorenkamp Blog….. so much has changed in those two years. I have been thinking this past week about what all this blog means to me, and what was inspired in other areas of my life from starting this blog. I wish I could tell you I have a trick to starting a blog or that this has been the easiest thing I’ve ever done, but I would just be bullshitting you.

My first blog posts were about like the papers I wrote in high school… to the point and no personality. My blog posts as Miss Colorado USA were not truly as raw and real as I am because they were always edited and approved by my management…. let’s also not forget I’ve absolutely never been consistent about posting.

My blog is a true work in progress, but really my entire life is, and the more I’ve thought about that, the more I’ve come to realize my life will always be a work in progress. Some days you win and feel on the top of the world, other days are hard and an up hill battle, but regardless I always love who I am becoming and I love what this blog is becoming.

I think that is the real trick to anything…. love who you are becoming.

Throughout these last two years of this blog, I do have two important things I would like to share that have helped me…. self awareness… and absolute confidence in myself.

When it comes to putting yourself out there for the world, it’s important to understand who you are. I know for me this meant figuring out what type of blogger I am. I thought maybe I’d be a fitness blogger or a fashion blogger when I started out. I love fitness, but really love fitness classes, and I can only talk about what I know so that would’ve been maybe 5 blog posts at most (shortest blog ever lol)… Then I thought well maybe I’ll be a fashion blogger……..what the fuck was I thinking. I always thought ‘I love clothes’…but after my year as Miss Colorado USA and the stress that shopped caused…. absolutely not. If I could have a personal stylist and never have to shop again my life dreams would come true because I dislike going clothes shopping that much. If I share clothes now, it’s because I don’t want someone in my audience having to look up where I bought something. Also while on the topic of self awareness, I will NEVER understand why bloggers or influencers don’t respond to their DM’s that’s literally your job! I am not referring to DM’s from everyone trying to sell something, or dick pics, or any of the other dumb pickup lines…. I’m referring to DM’s from a person in your audience asking a real question about whatever you wrote or posted on social about… if you aren’t responding to those people I’m confused on why you are a blogger or influencer because clearly you don’t care about your audience.

Another thing that happens when you put yourself out there for the world, it gives the world an opportunity to form an opinion and perception of who you are. I think it’s important to note most people don’t ever put their real self out their for the world… and I decided that I was going to have such confidence in myself that I was going to be the real me with and without the glamorous parts. I would never want someone to agree with everything I said or think, but it is so important to me that even if you don’t agree with me, you respect me because you know its real and not some BS that I thought I should say. Finding and growing confidence to do that in an online space has been challenging, and like everyone on earth, I have doubts, but I also know I am not for everyone and when I gained the confidence to be okay with that…. I felt my blog improve, my personal relationships improve, my career improve…. really my entire life improved from gaining that specific confidence.

I could write so many blog posts about what these last two years of having my blog has meant to me, but I really feel like I am just getting started on my blog, and this is only the beginning. I have some readers that have been here since day 1 and others that found my blog last week, regardless I am so happy you’re here. Thank you for reading and supporting me. I hope you’re still here at this time next year.

XO,

Madison