Creative Journey

Why Did I Change My Portfolio Website to a Personal Blog?

Our lives aren’t a competition, but working together, just do what you need to do.

I really like having a website because I like designing, feels like being professional with my own domain name, even though I don’t compete with professionals.

I like designing doesn’t mean that I code my own website, I just like having an option to change and customize the theme.

I’m not making money from my website but I want, there is no ads or paid membership as of right now. I’m still thinking about making money without those two options.

I know that we can show our works on social media, without serious maintenance, and it’s free. However, there are some limitations.

The social media that I use a lot is only YouTube, even though I have LinkedIn, IG, FB, and Twitter.

After years of living in social media, I feel bored with the content, almost everything is similar, people make similar content that we already know.

I don’t claim that my content is original, I just follow my passion, no need for competition with professionals.

I have passions but I don’t have a niche.

I love motorbikes, not specific on one type of motorcycle, but I like all of them, bobber, cafe racer, sportbike, adventure, etc.

I love design, and I would consider myself a logo designer, but I also like designing websites, banners, sometimes products as well.

When I was in school, I like drawing motorcycles, my books are full of hand-drawn motorcycles, modifying my dream bike on paper is really fun.

But now, I don’t have it anymore, all of my books were lost, and I’m sorry if I can’t show you my art.

After graduating, I’m focused on building my career and starting my freelance journey.

Most of my works are digital, and I keep all of them on my computer, not in cloud storage.

Some of them are still available on my Instagram account, you can check here.

Okay, now let me tell you, why did I change my art portfolio website to a personal blog.

1. I Want to Improve My English

Yeah, my English is crap. Every time I made conversations with my clients, I don’t feel confident, cause of misunderstandings.

After looking for tutorials, I found some people talking about writing, and I have experience in writing, so I decided to start writing in English.

It helped me a lot because writing in English triggered me to find a new phrase and vocabulary, but still, I don’t want to use complicated words.

I hope my grammar will be better as time goes by.

When I’m looking at how to get my audience, I found medium and LinkedIn, we can publish our articles on those two platforms.

The good thing about Medium is the partner program, I really appreciate how Medium rewards its contributors.

My plan for this writing journey is to read random articles on the internet, and then share my thoughts and ideas, publish my articles twice a week, maybe more in the near future.

2. I Have a Passion for Blogging

I start blogging in 2016, but not in English. I have a passion for automotive, so I decided to make an automotive blog, I’m talking about my experience of riding a motorbike.

However, after a couple of months, I run out of ideas. I have only one bike, not much that I can share with my audience, I just ride around town and have fun.

I like writing is because of social media, so much information that I don’t agree with.

I’m an introvert and maybe that’s why I feel like becoming a good listener, after watching some content on YouTube, I have so many ideas to agree or disagree with.

Sometimes when commenting on social media, it can become one long article combined.

Contents that I consume are mostly in Indonesian language, but when I’m looking for entertainment and tutorials, usually I search for content in English.

Because, it feels so hard to believe in western media about politics, religion, something like that.

No offence, next :)

3. Bored of Seeing My Designs Every Day

I’m doing freelance as a graphic designer for more than 7 years, I have so many designs in my portfolio, and I feel bored seeing them every day.

Having a website for my designs portfolio isn’t worth it, people prefer social media portfolios, like Behance, Dribbble, or Instagram.

Social media has a chat feature and is also more organised. People can easily comment on my art and share them.

Almost no one wants to visit my website, and I’m trying to understand that I also never visits other people’s portfolio website.

If you want to see my designs portfolio, you can check my personal Instagram account and my 99designs profile.

Maybe if you are interested in my creations, and you want to make a logo for your business or personal brand, I can help you.

4. Already Have Loyal Customers

I have a loyal customer and a Fiverr account as well, but I’m not using my real name on Fiverr, I just trying to do simple logo designs.

I made a signature logo for personal brands on Fiverr, very easy to do, one day is enough to finish one concept design.

In my free time, sometimes I search for design contests on crowdsourcing platforms like 99designs, but that’s not my priority right now.

I start building my portfolio from 99designs. There are so many rejected concepts that still look good in my eye, and I think it’s okay to show them in my portfolio.

Because some of my designs that are chosen by the contest holder, they are not the best versions, at least for me.

And I think some designers also do the same as me, what you see in their portfolio is not the final concept, but the best versions from designer perspectives.

If you have clients for your business, you must have the same weird experiences, sometimes they have a weird idea, that’s potentially ruining our portfolio.

5. No Need for Competition

I want to do what I need, sometimes I don’t follow what I want. I feel enough right now, no need to become a professional designer and make a lot of money.

Our lives aren’t a competition, but working together. If you are still thinking that all of your money is yours, then you are wrong.

Some of your money are belong to the poor, people who need it more than you.

If you have a gift or privilege to make more money, basically you have a responsibility to help them.

After graduating from high school, I’m becoming so ambitious, afraid of being failed. So, I’m working so hard on building a freelance career.

I live in a small village, and freelancing is relatively rare, having a dollar income is quite amazing for me because I live in a developing country.

However, after years of having a dollar income, I feel like I can do other things, not focus on money. So, I decided to start blogging in English.

Although I don’t have a full of knowledge, this is really fun to do because I can interact with more people around the world.

Having friends on the internet is amazing because I’m an introvert.

I’m not really confident in real life, but I’m quite confident on social media.

Thank you

Originally published at ainurroviq.com on March 22, 2022.