How to finally start a successful blog business as a sensitive person
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It’s NOT too late to start a successful blog in 2025
I’m definitely someone who falls into the trap of allowing my research, learning, dreaming and brainstorming to take up all the precious time I’ve set aside to actually DO and CREATE things.
I’m fine with doing and creating as long as no one else will ever see it. And I have ideas for days. But actually pursuing one of those ideas is another thing entirely. Do you relate?
Starting something new, especially something new that you believe in but also comes with exposing yourself on some level to the world, can be absolutely both exhilarating and nerve-wracking. Here are a few things that made a huge impact on me finally taking action; I hope these can help you too!
How I finally started my successful entrepreneur journey
Since 2018, I’ve built multiple websites, from my stroke education blog to an online portfolio for my freelance writing side hustle, using WordPress and Wix platforms.
What allowed me to take action, build a business, and welcome success without complete burnout and overwhelm boiled down to these crucial actions:
Following the advice and guidance of respected sources (and trusting my own discernment)
Stopping procrastinating (for the most part)
Knowing when and how to let go of forcing something to work
Realizing and internalizing the fact that I don’t need all the answers to get started
Learning that most all things don’t need to be needlessly complicated (both in business and in life)
Know that you are NOT alone whatsoever in your dream-blog-building struggles, especially when you’re going after a completely new venture. If you’re tired of just dreaming and want to start making these dreams of success in entrepreneurship a reality, you’re in the right place! I KNOW you have what it takes because (spoiler alert)…
It’s not really all that difficult.
At least it doesn’t have to be. It’s POSSIBLE for you, especially as a sensitive person with a kind heart and intelligent mind.
Tip #1: Get some help
Maybe an obvious one. But maybe not so obvious is the type of help to pursue. There’s so much information out there. (And is it just me, or does it seem like everyone on the internet knows something I don’t?) I’m a huge fan of learning in general and about online business in particular, so I’ve probably spent much more than necessary on courses and guides without doing much with the information I learned. My ADHD tends to rear its head in impulsive spending on and collecting of information.
BUT I’ve discovered a few resources that made all the difference for me.
The perspectives and information these people/companies provided influenced my ability to forge ahead with what felt like the exact right knowledge and confidence required to start an aligned online business.
An aligned business that I was also passionate about while acknowledging and honoring my sensitivity and outright allergy to the “hustle.”
TOP recommended resources for building an online business
Julie Bjelland Heart-Centered Business. $$ AWESOME all-encompassing course on how to set up your entire business and lifestyle to honor your sensitivity and thrive as an HSP entrepreneur. As a successful sensitive psychologist and business owner, Julie’s perspective, education, experience, and understanding are priceless. She also has a great free masterclass if you want to check out her approach to creating an HSP business and any extra discounts that might be available for the full course.
Comprehensive Copywriting Academy. $$ GREAT course for improving your writing, especially writing for your blog posts, marketing materials, and sales pages. I went through this course to grow my freelance copywriting career and had paid clients before I even finished the course! I appreciate how working through this course and doing the exercises also helped build a ready and shareable portfolio of work at provide to prospective clients. This course also increased my confidence in my writing and online presence in general.
Check out my full review of CCA here and/or watch their free video training to get a better idea if this course is for you here.
ChloëForbesK Squarespace Starter Kit. FREE This was so helpful in keeping all of the website-building to-dos organized. I loved that it helped me feel like I wasn’t forgetting anything. Also fun to try out Notion if you’re interested in that as a project manager/way to organize all your thoughts and ideas. Chloe has a huge library of other free Notion resources and some incredibly helpful templates like a financial organizer, sales and revenue log, and marketing dashboard. Currently, I use Trello for all of my ideas and project plans and inspirations and Notion to clearly organize and structure all of these ideas and projects so I’m never left wondering what I should do to work on my business.
Leonie Dawson ENTIRE Library of Courses and Offerings. FREE or $ From her free templates, resources, tools, and motivational content to her unbelievably crazily valuable (and affordable!) paid programs and memberships…there are no words. Her content is like a bag full of brain goodies for people who want to become their most successful, authentic, abundant selves…I’m not sure exactly how else to describe it.
Levee Road Studio 2024 Pinterest Strategy Guide + templates. FREE Pinterest is an awesome way to grow your business and income, especially if you’re not into using too much social media to promote your blog business. Her free course is amazing and her Pinterest pin templates are pure perfection (try saying that 5 times fast!).
AND many many more. There are probably a few extremely obvious and very helpful ones that aren’t coming to mind at the moment. I plan to update this post frequently with new-to-me amazing, valuable resources! Check out my Resources page for more tools that made a real impact on my blogging success.
Tip #2: Make a schedule and stick to it (with a twist)
Build your HSP blog business with ease in less than 5 hours!
Check out the free download HERE.
I’m great at planning and making a schedule. But actually sticking to what I have planned is a completely different story. Maybe because I’m a rebel and/or my ADHD and/or I plan way too many things while also severely underestimating the time they will take and what I’m realistically capable of.
So for me…planning less is definitely more.
I like to pick an overall focus for the week based on what I know is really important to get done soon while also taking into account things like where I’m at in my menstrual cycle, other scheduled appointments or engagements, and even things like the weather. I try to anticipate what I might be excited and energized by most based on these various factors. For example, when scheduling my free time to work on my business, I actively make sure to avoid scheduling work as much as possible if the weather looks perfect one afternoon (IDEAL for playing outside) and instead move indoor work time to another part of the day.
Sounds so simple, I know. But then, with actually taking those things into consideration, I find and schedule blocks of time to work and schedule 2-3 things for those time blocks. BUT I don’t do all 2-3 things…instead, I choose just ONE thing to work on based on what I’m most inspired by and motivated to tackle that day. I find this method is the most effective way to get things done without feeling like I’m always forcing myself to work.
I make sure to write down everything I would ideally like to do and know is important, while also promoting some creativity, passion, and freedom of choice daily.
Tip #3: Anticipate and remove the barriers to getting started
As an occupational therapist, I’m big on removing barriers to promote independence and success with clients. I’m great at helping others, but I find I need reminders to do these things for myself.
Set up your environment for success. Just like you could put your outfit out for the next morning (do you do this?), set up all your supplies and tools for the next morning based on what you want to be doing with your time. I find this is an easy way to remove the barrier and seemingly huge hurdle to starting my day or my work and I spend so much of my precious AM time getting things organized. Everything just goes so much smoother when it’s already all set up (notebooks, pens, laptop charging, etc).
What else do you think is contributing to any resistance you have to work on your business?
Is your environment too crowded or noisy? Do you just not feel like it?
^ Save for Later to Pinterest!
Related to this is staying organized as much as possible. A personal barrier I have is feeling like there is too much to remember at any moment, which creates more procrastination and overwhelm for me. The simple practice of just having something and somewhere to chuck all of my random ideas to add a bit of organization to even my most disorganized thoughts. I currently use and love Trello’s free program to organize it all digitally. I also have a simple paper folder (that I decorated with fun stickers in Elementary school and somehow still have!) with some basic sheet protectors to throw all my random scrap pieces of paper/napkins and organize everything by idea/project.
Tip #4: Forget perfection, take the easy way out
Taking the easy way out maybe isn’t the best advice for anyone and everyone, but if you’re anything like me, it could be exactly what you need to hear and integrate if you’re struggling to work on and build your business.
A lot of these courses (sooo many ones I’ve taken and not taken) recommend using Bluehost/WordPress as your hosting and website design platforms. While this combination IS beneficial for some people (and has the benefit of your website being self-hosted, if you want to Google the pros and cons of that), I found that everything EVERYTHING fell into place when I started my website with Squarespace, even with coding experience.
ABSOLUTELY please do your own research, but I find that Squarespace is the most simple and straightforward to use, looks the best (for the least amount of headache), and seems the most neurodivergent-friendly because:
Just one platform for both website hosting and building to finagle
Easiest (in my opinion) to jump right in and get working on your website (once again, important to remove as many barriers as possible to reduce overwhelm!)
Easy to start with a free or basic plan and gradually add in selling tools, email marketing, etc. as you need them
Learn more about Squarespace and my honest review of the platform in a blog post coming soon.
I know I am (and always will be) learning and growing, but I am so happy and thankful to be finally going after and achieving my dreams.
How are you doing with building your blog business? Are you stuck in “analysis paralysis,” imposter syndrome, and overwhelming self-consciousness like I was?
If you’re starting your blog or business from scratch and ready to feel more confident in creating a purposeful business AND if you’re ready to actually EARN money doing this without becoming overly discouraged, overwhelmed, or burnt out, I cannot recommend Julie’s course enough. I’ve paid more than I’d like to admit on other classes and courses without any results of my own until I discovered her suggestions for creating a heart-centered business as an HSP. What’s extra special about this course is a few months of free access to her Sensitive Empowerment Community, a great way to grow and connect with other entrepreneur HSPs.
If you’re interested, check out her free masterclass or jump directly to find out more information about her work and course HERE.
For a limited time, you can use the discount code FIFTYHEART for 50% off!
And I also lovingly and humbly can offer you my collection of knowledge, resources, and templates in my step-by-step blog roadmap, complete with a business-building checklist, templates, and how-tos for each step of creating a thriving online business and blog with Squarespace in the simplest way possible.
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Hope this was helpful for you! Let me know your thoughts and join our community for more motivation, inspiration, and information about starting and growing your own online business and creating a purposeful, balanced, HSP life you love.
Before you go, a few journal prompts and final thoughts to consider:
What is always on my to-do list that I keep putting off? Curious, why do I think I’m not doing it?
If I had unlimited time, why would I still put it off?
Am I procrastinating because I’m not sure what to do next or how to do it? (Learning more about what you’re trying to accomplish could be helpful here) Or do I know what I should be doing to move my business forward and am stuck by something else?
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