Self Improvement: How the Digital Writing Trend is Improving the Lives of Others
During 2020, Self Improvement Blogs recovered to a 12.2% gain in 2021 and another 11.6% gain in 2022 — John LaRosa
Contrary to popular belief, the self-improvement blog niche remains a relevant one. Following the pandemic, many people recognized the need for significant improvement in their personal lives. The quarantine era forced many people to be by themselves, for better or for worse.
During these times alone, most were forced to confront their flaws.
And here we are with the sudden uptick in the self-improvement niche for content writing.
Self-improvement gets a bad rep because of all of the mundane content, AI, and fake gurus misinforming those who truly can use it.
Check out the impact of self-improvement blogs on pickthebrain.com:
www.lifeoptimizer.org: By Donald Latumahina — “This blog employs simply motivational messages, that help inspire me everyday. It’s the simple words he uses to pass his message along is what attracted me to the blog in the first place and has kept me there ever since.”
www.personalexcellence.co: By Celestine Chua — “This blog has really help me how to be my best self and live my best life. I always arrive de-motivated and leave inspired and full of energy!”
www.Stevepalvlina.com: By Steve Palvina — “This blog is the first and still the best personal development blog in the world, in my opinion. It my favorite blog because of the genuine interest Steve has for sharing everything he knows in other to help others grow consciously. Anytime I read any of his words, I gain more clarity about life.”
When They Create and You Can Relate
One of the most significant factors contributing to loneliness is the lack of someone with whom to relate.
You can be surrounded by friends and family and still be incredibly lonely. Everyone you know is battling with something that you may not be aware of. When these struggles are unique and personal, even close friends and family may struggle to relate.
This is where relating to your favorite self-improvement blogger comes to mind.
Finding creative solutions for everyday problems
It gives readers hope
If written correctly, readers have tangible steps to figuring out their problems.
There are still people who want to improve their lives, contrary to popular belief.
Napoleon Hill talks about having your own council of mentors. Your mentors don’t need to be in physical form; they can be mental, especially from digital writing.
After returning to the United States from my first digital nomad stint, I consumed content from others who had also returned to the US and resumed their digital nomad life.
I needed to do this for motivation and to keep myself sane. Without this process, I don’t know if I would have made it.
“Souls recognize each other by the way they feel, not by the way they look,” — Atticus
Turns Personal Lessons Into Public Value
The best self-improvement writers have used their failures as guides to help others.
As an introvert, I have my own unique challenges that only other introverts can relate to. I follow an introvert coach named Wenzes who helps introverts create their best life. She isn’t a blogger, but she shares her own struggles and turns them into wisdom and tangible steps to help me find solutions to my introverted problems.
When your audience sees your personal losses turn into wins, it gives them hope to continue their journey. Sometimes, hope is all people have before they finally see a breakthrough.
When you write about your own growth, failures, and insights:
You normalize the struggle, you make the wins seem attainable. People tend to put people whom they deem successful on pedestals, and that makes goals seem unattainable.
You offer hope by showing what’s possible. Your audience will only know what’s possible when you show them the good, the bad, and the ugly.
You become a relatable guide. It gives the audience a relatable friend who knows the path ahead. Sharing those personal insights builds trust.
Everyone always talks about building a community. It takes a certain amount of vulnerability to build a community.
I have shared my knowledge, wisdom, journey, and lessons with others who hope to live a life similar to mine. The price I’ve paid is that it’s weeding out those who don’t align with me, in the form of rejection.
PNAS, The Science of Sharing — “Emotional content is one way to enhance social bonds”
Gives Clarity to the Confused
Confusion is often disguised as a lack of clarity.
Remember when you were confused about a particular problem going on in your life until you came across a blog that gave you crystal clear clarity? It is difficult to climb those proverbial mountains alone. Getting help the traditional way isn’t always the answer.
Sometimes, you need a different perspective to gain clarity.
People search online for solutions like:
“Why can’t I stay motivated?”
“How do I stop comparing myself to others?”
“What’s my purpose?”
Self-improvement writing breaks down complex problems into clear, digestible insights, often accompanied by actionable steps, compelling stories, or effective frameworks.
Self-awareness is an underrated tool that people don’t use for personal development. Tools like the Myers-Briggs personality test help give you clarity and bring self-awareness.
For example, I read a lot of content about INFJ personality types because I identify with them. These blogs have helped me gain clarity about why I behave the way I do as someone who identifies with being an INFJ.
Helps You Grow While Helping Others
Self-improvement blogs aren’t just improving the lives of their audience, but also help the writer.
Writing is similar to a musician making music. Some of the best music is created when musicians pour their hearts into their craft. Musicians often say that making music is like therapy for them.
Writing is healing for the writer, too. As you clarify your thinking, reflect on your journey, and organize ideas into something useful, you:
Reinforce your growth
Deepen your understanding
Attract a like-minded audience or community
Some say the self-help writing niche is dead, but fail to consider the benefits it offers to writers.
Some of the things I have benefited from writing:
I can articulate my thoughts more effectively verbally, which is sometimes a struggle for someone with introverted tendencies.
I never run out of things to write about because I can always repurpose some old content.
It helps me connect the dots when it comes to my behavior or the social dynamics of people.
“A writer, I think, is someone who pays attention to the world.”
— Susan Sontag
Contrary to popular belief, the self-improvement niche is valuable, and there are still people out there who could use your help.
According to Zipodo, The global self-improvement market was valued at approximately $10.9 billion in 2021.
Get your work out to the world.