Time to talk about the F word.
Yesterday’s f word was frivolous: Healthy Frappucinos.
But today, it’s time to get more serious; today’s f word is “future.” Specifically, my future and the future of my chocolate-covered blog.
The future of Chocolate Covered Katie…
This summer, I had to make a big decision regarding the blog I’ve written for over three years. I enjoy every second of the blogging process—from writing posts to creating recipes to setting up photoshoots to interacting with readers. But keeping up a blog takes a lot of time, and as the blog has grown, so too has the time requirement. Answering the hundreds of daily questions I receive from readers could be a full-time job in itself!
I knew there’d be no way to maintain a full-time job and still focus as much passion and energy as I’d like on CCK. If I didn’t want to give up the blog completely, I would at least be forced to give it less than my full attention.
This was not ok with me. When I do something, I do it 100% or not at all. But I couldn’t imagine giving up all my passions to make room for a job where I’d be miserable. Therefore, I decided to make this blog…
My full-time job.
It seems to easy, now, to write the above statement. Just. Like. That. But the truth is my decision wasn’t just like that. It took many hours of going back and forth, writing pros-and-cons lists, and eating a copious number of chocolate bars to counter all the nervousness. There were many “cons” on the list of reasons not to keep blogging, but I realized that most of them had something to do with security. And when it comes down to it, I’d rather take a risk if there’s a possibility to be ridiculously happy.
With Robert Frost’s “Road not Taken” poem in mind, I’ve decided to not go out and look for a “real” job. Instead, I will be a full-time blogger, at Chocolate-Covered Katie.
Nothing is going to change, except that I’ll now have even more time to dream up—and experiment with—healthy dessert creations like hot chocolate fudge cinnamon rolls or chocolate pumpkin cream pie. If I have a chance to do what I love for a living, I need to take that chance. I have to take a risk and at least try!
The fact that I even have the opportunity to make this choice is all thanks to you. If you’ve ever recommended my site to a friend, shared a link, liked the Chocolate Covered Katie Facebook Page, made one of my recipes, or even simply read one of my posts, I am so incredibly grateful.
Yes, I’m scared about the future now that I’ve made my decision. But I’m also excited because of the people with whom I’ll get to interact every day: you all! (Well, you all and chocolate. I must admit to being pretty thrilled my job lets me work so closely with chocolate.) I think part of my apprehension for the future is unavoidable no matter what route I take. That’s just the nature of getting out on one’s own and defining one’s life. It’s a scary time.
I am so indebted to your support and kindness that makes it even possible for me to explore this path. I hope, if any of you are ever faced with a scary decision requiring you to take a leap of faith, that you go for it! Don’t force your passions to take a back seat to the “shoulds” and “have to”s in life, because you only stand to look back someday with regret, thinking:
“What if I’d followed my dreams???”
I’m pretty new to reading your blog but already I don’t know what I would do without it! You have completely opened up a whole new world of dessert to me!
You have beautiful way of writing, a really strong voice. I’m sure you will be a huge success.
I hope it’s all going well!
Katie,
I just discovered your blog and I’m in chocolate love! I have pinned so many of your recipes to my pinterest boards (http://pinterest.com/MinnesotaMommy/) and I have still so many more to read! Thank you for your inspiration and allowing me to get my chocolate fix in a healthy and guilt-free way!
Chocolate Hugs to you too!
Guess I’m a little late reading this post. You are a lucky one that knows what it is that you have passion for. Even luckier, that you are GREAT at what you love to do. Those of us that have no idea which direction to go, and end up in a job that does not fulfill…know how lucky you are. Thank you for your blog. I have enjoyed it very much, and wish you all the success I know you will achieve. Happy, happy for you!
Aww, thank you so much, L! 🙂
I have never posted a comment but I read your blog every day and my roommates and I have tried many of your recipes! Baking can be scary since, unlike cooking, quantities actually matter, and having healthy baking options at our finger tips is great!
congrats on following your gut and good luck in this big time of transition!
Thank you so much, Emily!! 🙂
Katie my dear…gosh I was just lucky enough to have found you…..pleaseeeeeeeee do not go away….yikes!!! Your recipes are just the BEST!!! I have so many of them book-marked already…love today’s oatmeal… I actually just finished eating my daily oatmeal with nothing more than SILK soy and some cinnamon….yikes…where have I been…. Your recipe speaks to me girl!! Love, your newest fan, Valerie (up in snowey southern Manitoba xo)
Awwww!! Hehe hugs from Texas (it’s not snowy here… but it’s super-windy!)
CCKatie…… love your site and only discovered it not so long ago! So glad you took time with yourself and thought over what was best for you. Taking the easy way isn’t always the best in our lives even though it may feel easy at first, I think you made an wise decision. I think you’re pretty awesome and am so looking forward to you continuing to keep us happy with Chocolate, Chocolate and more yummy healthy recipes you create.
Oh but I AM going to be squealing with delight when you finally share your Lasagna recipe that you and your friend made for New Years (?). I don’t think I missed it but maybe you already posted it?
Very much looking forward to tasty healthy desserts PLUS entrées etc.
Big Chocolate Hugs sent your way ♥
Aww thanks, Beth!
I haven’t posted that one yet… I need to write a post for it and make it again so I can get some pictures. But I can always send you the recipe if you need it right away :).
Katie, I don’t know how I missed this post before, I was traveling on the road with 3 kids until the 5th of July and thought I caught up with all that I missed but I guess I didn’t. I can say that I am SOOO glad you decided to NOT give up the blog! Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!!!
My next question… what cupcake is in that pic lol
Blue Velvet 🙂
https://lett-trim.today/2011/05/16/blue-velvet-cupcakes/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
thank you! But darn! yogurt 🙁 we can’t do coconut and I don’t have anything on hand anyway. Maybe I could try whipping up some of yours and use it instead… have you tried your yogurt in any of the recipes? wonder if it would work… Course I’d have to make GF too. But I def have to make those 🙂 They look YUMMM-MO!
I haven’t tried it. But you could use Wholesoy, or they even have ricemilk-based and almondmilk-based yogurts on the market now :).
I will have to try that eventually but Im small town country girl, my closest walmart is 90 miles away, so i need to make these this weekend and not planning on driving even further than that to get to the closest health food store, sooooo maybe for now I’ll try it with your yogurt 🙂 thanks!
Yay! This is great news! Every single recipe of yours that I’ve tried has been a huge success and my recipe binder is filling up with them. It’s also been neat getting to know the person behind the chocolate. 🙂
Just curious, How does a blog such as this one make money? I noticed you call it your job (which I think is awesome by the way) – I know some people that have blogs and sell stuff to make money, but I was just wondering how one like this works. Don’t want to get into your business, just curious in general (I have a full time job – promise I’m not looking to still ideas!). I Googled it and saw some people let ads be posted but it doesn’t seem like yours if full of commercials. Just wondering 🙂
Hi Jackie,
I have a sponsor, foodbuzz. Their ads are on the side of my blog, and in return they give me a few cents per page view to my blog. When I first started out, it amounted to a few dollars a month. But if a blog gets popular enough, you can actually make a good living off of even just a few cents per page view :).
A very inspiring post, especially to someone nearing the end of college. My biggest issue is having too many intests ans not knowing which path to take, but I’m sure I’ll figure it out when the time is right. I applaud your decision and wish you the best of luck!
How does one become a full-time blogger? Can you share a little bit about how you are making this work and how things are going for you now?
I guess I need to write a post about it, and about what I do and what it means. But in short, I have a sponsor, foodbuzz. Their ads are on the side of my blog, and in return they give me a few cents per page view to my blog. When I first started out, it amounted to a few dollars a month. But if a blog gets popular enough, you can actually make a good living off of even just a few cents per page view .
Yay! I just recently found your blog. I am so glad you are not going away!
Wow, good for you!! I hope it turns out great for you, but even if it doesn’t, at least you got to do it for a little while! 😉
Okay, Katie, when are we FINALLY going to get a vegan dessert cookbook?!?!?!?! Like a real one that we can go buy from the bookstore and tell the whole world about so they’ll go buy it too? Because it needs to happen!
You are the sweetest!!
It will happen… I’m in talks with agents and a publisher. But I need to have 80% new content for the book (i.e. unposted recipes) so I’m in the process of compiling new recipes at the moment. I need to get good ones! 🙂
hey you’re so young, don’t worry about the real world yet. congrats on finding out what you love at such a young age. shoot, i figured it out and began going to school at 25 lol…. thx for your blog
so guess you could say I don’t know much at all about blogging so my question is how exactly does a person make money blogging?
In short, I have a sponsor, foodbuzz. Their ads are on the side of my blog, and in return they give me a few cents per page view to my blog. When I first started out, it amounted to a few dollars a month. But if a blog gets popular enough, you can actually make a good living off of even just a few cents per page view .