This post is as much for me as it may be for you.

Blogging takes confidence. This list below includes several circumstances and what I know from experience helps make that confidence grow upward instead of into the dumps:

• The recognition to spot a stumble with content and how to get ahead from that confidence-lacking position.
• The ability to hear, process and get beyond the somewhat-negative commentary implying that “you suck” at this blogging thing and should hang it up.
• The strength to read and take inspiration from the massive amounts of content being generated by others in the blogosphere and on social networking that put your feeble attempts to match that to shame.

If anyone is anyone who is a blogger who had to start somewhere, I bet any of the above has come to fruition. Indeed; for me it’s true. And, let’s not forget – we are our own worst critics.

And, so, these tips below are as much for me as they may be for you:

• Blog with confidence and believe that you have something to say today.
• Hear, process and determine whether to take action about others’ negative comments who at heart are critics not intending to derail you.
• Read the blogs you subscribe to, comment there, and become inspired from peer bloggers’ inspiration. It’s OK to adopt a topic and fashion it into one of your own with a new perspective.
• Be true to yourself. If your editorial content is more about reporting on a wide variety of topics, there’s a reason for that. Perhaps you come from the agency world of public relations (ahem) where knowledge about a breadth of topics, industries, companies, and concerns navigate your ship.
• Know that it’s commonplace to stumble on voice because no one has the perfect voice every day they blog. It’s OK to craft a simple, short post chock full of emotion about one topic or another. It’s OK to struggle with what to write about today and then recognize that maybe today is not a good day to write.
• It’s very OK to wonder if anyone is reading these words, and then it’s OK to be pleasantly surprised when someone provides a comment (whether positive or slightly smarmy) verbally or on e-mail because that is an indicator someone is paying attention.
• You’re not to worry about the dag-gone back-end of the blog because that, too, comes with experience. You will persevere on the technical insides of your blog (Jayme) because learning does not happen overnight (Jayme).
• When you’re having second thoughts about blogging, look around. Are you in balance? What circumstances have your inner balance off kilter? This can be your children, your finances, summer, and a house under construction, clutter, or lack of “me” /”you” time. Breathe, and focus on you.

So, blog with confidence, people, and know that that is exactly what you’re charged to do. Being a thought leader or expert comes with time.

I’d like to thank Macali Communications, Kevin Donnellon and Christina Rampersad for providing the inspiration for pushing this blog forth.

What expertise can you lend to we less-than-a-year bloggers to keep on truckin’?