Keeping up with the Joneses: A Lesson Learned

September 23, 2011

 There is a blog that I regularly read. I have had the pleasure of getting to know a bit about the author of it over the past couple of months. We’ve talked on twitter a few times and I’ve really enjoyed what she’s written in her blog posts.

Recently I got to thinking about her blog. Her Alexa ranking is better than mine, she has many more readers than I do, her posts are funnier and she always seems to find things to say. Not to mention her fabulous accomplishments with her debt.

I found myself beginning to wonder how I could be more like her.

I needed to post more blog posts.

I need to visit more personal finance blogs.

I need to converse with more personal finance blogs.

I need to visit THE personal finance bloggers message board, Yakezie.

I need to find a way to write more posts about random things that can be linked to finance.

My to do list got very long, very fast.

Luckily, I stepped back and looked at the list. Sure, I could do those things and I’d love to be able to do more with my blog. However, I know my limitations. I know my personality. If I start to hyper-focus on this one area, other parts of my life will slip by me. I can’t allow that to happen.

I need to respect the type of blogger that I am and own it. I need to accept my limitations.

I need to stop trying to keep up with the “Joneses “

This was the same problem that I had when I first found credit cards. I wanted to have brand names on all my clothes. I wanted to be seen in Abercrombie, Ralph Lauren, Gap and any other name that I saw other college students wearing.

But really, where does that get any of us?

Broke?

Envious?

Stressed?

Depressed?

The value in life is to be found in owning who we are and what we are capable of doing. It is not found in what we can aquire or who we can emulate.

And so, I am going to blog the way I blog. I’ll post when I can and I’ll grow my blog in time (hint: it helps if you tell people how great I am ;) ). I won’t allow myself to be envious of others whether it’s how great I may think their blog is or what they own.

I’m owning who I am. What I and doing with my life. What I’m teaching my children!

Forget the Joneses, I’m keeping up with ME!

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5 Responses to Keeping up with the Joneses: A Lesson Learned

  1. Carrie Starr on September 23, 2011 at 2:22 pm

    I could not agree more! There is so much pressure as a blogger to be like someone else. It seems like everyone is more successful, has better discipline or more relevant content. Yet, we are not called to be like someone else. We must write what we are passionate about and our “schedule” of writing, etc must be our own. Kudos to you for knowing what you can and cannot do. I think your site is fabulous and I look forward to reading more!

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    • Jessica The DebtPrincess on September 27, 2011 at 1:29 pm

      Thank you so much Carrie and welcome to my site!! It’s so great seeing new readers popping up! With everything that I have on my plate now, it’s so important that I remember this lesson!!

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  2. money management on September 29, 2011 at 10:32 pm

    In today’s economic climate we all need fresh informatiom to aid in our financial decisions. Thank you for your input.

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  3. Mal on October 19, 2011 at 1:37 pm

    Well, for what it’s worth, I just found your blog today, and I really like it, just as it is. :)

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    Reply
    • Jessica The DebtPrincess on October 19, 2011 at 9:45 pm

      Thank you very much! I am happy you found my blog! I hope any changes I do make will be for a greater blog.

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      Reply

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