That Time I Was Rejected

I originally told this to a friend, who suggested I turn it into a blog post. I hope you like it.

There are a few things I won't discuss on here, like money. I'm making an exception today. It seems you can't discuss blogging without money in the same breath. Not a week goes by that I'm not asked questions about the topic: how did you make money? How much you do make? Can you give me your contacts/tricks/secrets so I can make money on my blog? What do you spend your money on?

Responding makes me uncomfortable and I see that info as private. But I will tell you I earn the most income from sponsored posts. A few months ago I was contacted to write a sponsored post for a brand that I loved. I wrote the post (posts are submitted months in advance for approval) and shared it with a friend, something I don't normally do, but I was so proud of the post. It was my favorite one, and she remarked it was my best post yet. I was also excited because working with this brand, to me, would be a way to prove I had "made it." The money from the post was going to buy presents, pay off a credit card, purchase a camera lens, and a blog design update. I don't share this, but my blogging money goes mostly toward my bills and back into my blog.

But back to the post--as one does with sponsored posts, I excitedly submitted it to be approved by the blogging company, the brand, legal, etc. This takes a week or so. It is not unusual to hear back in a few weeks or to have edits. I don't take edits personally.

A week passes, a month passes, and nothing. When my post deadline passed, I emailed my contact. She said it was still under review. After another week, I received an email with the subject: POST REJECTED.

Rejected? I'd never been rejected like this before. Why didn't they ask for edits? Did they hate it? Why was it rejected? This story that I loved (that one day I might share here) wasn't good enough. If they didn't like the direction of the post, why didn't they say something? I immediately wanted to boycott the brand. Just another crappy thing to happen to me this year. Great.

I was devastated. I hate failing. I hate rejection. I felt like a loser, like I sucked at blogging, something I love SO much and spend a crazy amount of time and money on. But I accepted it, until I saw sponsored posts from others from the brand's campaign. The waves of insecurity and doubt came back.

All pics from today's post are from here.

Instead of wallowing in self-pity, I realized how lucky I was to be considered for the opportunity. How lucky I was to make money at a job I love. How lucky I am in general. I have no reason to complain. I did something that I don't talk about on here--my love for helping others. In fact, typing this out is making me sweat because I don't want to come across as boasting or anything. I took the amount of money I would have made and gave it anonymously to strangers who needed it, like paying off layaway and other stuff.

Some people I know did not react to this news well. I should have given the money to them, someone I know, someone who could use it, they said. I was foolish to spend it because who knows how long this blog thing will last, they said. But you know what? These small gestures made my heart happy, happier than what I was going to spend the money on. Everything happens for a reason.

Change your thinking. Change your world.

Extra Elle:

• Last day of work until 2016!! I hope today flies by.
• It's the weekend of parties! Last night, I had a much-needed girls' night out (I shared getting ready on my Snapchat--ellesees). Tonight I have a party and then tomorrow is my party. Any excuse to wear red lipstick, I'll take it. Have a great weekend.
• DON'T FORGET--My linkup Story Behind the Pic is on the 22nd! Feel free to share some Christmas pics, if you'd like.