When Gigi’s Ramblings first began, I had no idea what it would become. I didn’t know who would read it, how long I would stick with it, or whether it would ever feel like anything more than a side project. At the time, it was just a space I needed. Somewhere to write, to experiment, and to figure things out in public.
Ten years later, the blog looks different. I look different. The internet itself feels like a completely different place. What started as something casual slowly turned into something steady, personal, and oddly permanent.
Then: Writing for the Algorithm
In the early days, I wrote almost entirely with the algorithm in mind. I paid close attention to what I thought I should be writing instead of what I actually wanted to write. Trends mattered. Keywords mattered. I spent a lot of time trying to sound more polished, more professional, and more like the bloggers I thought I was supposed to resemble. There was constant second-guessing and a quiet fear that my natural voice wasn’t good enough to stand on its own.
Related: 10 Things I’ve Learned in 10 Years of Blogging
Now: Writing for Real People
Now, I write for real people. SEO still matters, but it no longer controls every decision. I care more about whether something makes sense, feels honest, and actually says something than whether it hits every invisible rule. The writing feels lighter now because I’m not trying to perform for an audience I can’t see.
Then: Chasing Traffic
Back then, traffic felt like the main goal. I checked stats constantly and tied my confidence directly to numbers on a screen. High views made me feel validated. Low views made me question everything. It was easy to forget that actual humans were behind those numbers.
Now: Valuing Impact
Now, I pay more attention to connection than reach. A thoughtful comment sticks with me longer than a spike in page views. A message from someone who felt understood matters more than ranking for a keyword. Traffic still matters from a practical standpoint, but it no longer defines whether the work feels meaningful.
Then: Hiding Behind Polished Content
I used to edit out anything that felt too personal or too messy. I wanted everything to look curated, even when life absolutely was not. There was a strong desire to appear put together online, no matter what was happening behind the scenes.
Now: Showing Up Honestly
Now, I’m more comfortable being honest. Not dramatic, not oversharing, just real. Writing feels easier when I stop pretending I have everything figured out. The blog feels more like a reflection of my actual life instead of a filtered version of it.
Then: Writing to Fit In
In the beginning, I was writing to blend. I wanted to sound like other bloggers, belong in certain spaces, and prove that I deserved to be taken seriously. A lot of energy went into fitting instead of standing out.
Related: Ten Years of Gigi’s Ramblings: A Decade of Real Life & Real Talk
Now: Writing in My Own Voice
Now, I lean into my own voice. It is not trendy or perfectly packaged, but it is consistent and it is mine. That shift alone changed everything about how the blog feels.
Then: Treating Blogging Like a Phase
At first, blogging felt temporary. Something I would do for a season and eventually move on from when life changed.
Now: Treating It Like Part of My Life
Now, Gigi’s Ramblings feels permanent in the best way. Not rigid, not boxed in, just steady. It adapted to new seasons, new interests, and new priorities without losing its core. It didn’t replace anything in my life. It grew with me.
Related: Why I Almost Quit Blogging More Than Once
What Changed the Most
The biggest shift is that I no longer see the blog as something I’m building toward an end goal. I see it as something I’m living inside of. A long record of growth, mistakes, shifts, and survival.
Then and now don’t feel separate anymore. They feel connected, like different chapters of the same story.
And honestly, that’s the part I didn’t see coming.
Lisa Crow contributed to this article. She is a true crime junkie and lifestyle blogger based in Waco, Texas. Lisa is the Head of Content at Gigi’s Ramblings and Southern Bred True Crime Junkie. She spends her free time traveling when she can and making memories with her large family which consists of six children and fifteen grandchildren.