How Associated Content Saved My Life

Is it possible that Associated Content could have saved my life?

Well, perhaps that's a slight exaggeration. But then again ... maybe not.

Like many people these days, I joined Associated Content to try to make a little extra money in this horrible recession. You see, I'm one of the 15 million Americans (probably many, many more than that in reality) that lost my job as a result of the economy and, try as I might, I've been unable to find a new job anywhere, doing anything.

I had a great job - Was making pretty close to six figures - and with great benefits, worked from home, all my equipment was paid for. It was an amazingly great set up for a single mom, struggling to raise a child on my own while fighting a long, contentious and protracted battle with my ex-husband. I had already been financially devastated by my former spouse and left with no support but all of his debt. So working my way up to such a well paid position was nothing short of miraculous.

Unfortunately, it was also miraculously short-lived.

After less than two years, the economy began to sour and the little start up company I was working for decided to prune the hedges a bit. I, along with 20% of their work force nationwide, was one of the branches trimmed.

And so back into the big world of "where's your next dollar going to come from" I went.

Still, I never dreamed in a million years I wouldn't find another job ... for a million years. Of course, I'd never lived through times like these. I'm sure you know what I mean.

I've taken a number of straight commission gigs. I've tried to sell real estate. I've tried a few businesses on line. Still nothing I've tried has made me any money. In fact, just about all of it has cost me a lot.

So I've been reduced to trying to survive on unemployment benefits which cover about half of my mortgage. I've used up savings, sold things I didn't want and things I really did, gotten help from my church, help from my family, prayers from my friends.

And I never gave up trying or applying for any and every job I could find that I thought I could have any chance of getting. Still the longer I've been out of work, the less likely it seems I will ever work again. I gotta tell ya, it can wear on a girl's self-esteem.

But then along comes AC ... You were waiting for this part, weren't you? Yeah, I had signed up to write for Associated Content back in early 2007. I wrote a dozen plus articles about random things. I didn't know what I was doing, writing for the web, but I had always enjoyed writing and had done some work in fiction and screenplay editing. Nothing happened with those articles. I only made maybe $30 or so total. And then I got my great job and forgot all about it.

So I don't know what made me think of Associated Content again all these years later, but back in February of this year it somehow came to mind. I scratched around and found it on the web again. It took me some time to remember my password, but I finally did. Then I discovered one of my 17 original articles had gotten a few reads every month, even made me a little money after three years. It got me kinda excited.

And so I started writing again. Poorly at first, of course, because that's just the way a beginner should begin. I started reading everything I could find on the Associated Content website about writing for the web - keywords and SEO and LSI and something called a Tsu Dho Nimh.

I got on the AC forums and started asking questions that had already been answered and was told to read a zillion threads, which I did.

I started to do what the Associated Content forum threads and articles said to do and I kept asking questions and I even stumbled upon something amazing called Stumble Upon which turned out to do me no good whatsoever.

But I kept trying, I kept writing and I kept learning. I got better and better and better at writing for the web and now, just look at me - I still don't get any of it!

But here's the thing ... In this process, short as it's been ... I've learned so much on Associated Content and I've seen my self-esteem, my belief in myself, my belief in my future, start to come back. This economy has knocked the wind out of me, just like it has so many millions of people - Humbling to say the least. I lost my car - my beautiful little soccer mom/realtor SUV - a few months ago and it seemed any shot at regaining the place I had worked for in my career or even getting a menial job was no longer even a possibility. But through Associated Content I have begun to see a way out ... a way up. It will take a while and a lot of hard work, but I believe I will one day be able to make money on here. I will branch out and add other writing gigs as my skills and confidence grow (I'm almost brave enough to apply to other sites!). And then maybe, just maybe, I will even get to where I can make a living again.

Associated Content has given me a place to focus my mind and my efforts and my determination when all my other options seem to have been taken away from me. It's given me some pride in myself - in learning, in improving, in working hard and seeing my little planets change color and a little red firey thing show up by my name. (Who'd a thunk?!) AC has given me a reason to get up early and go to bed late again. It's given me something to look forward to, something to strive for. I guess you could say Associated Content has given me a reason to hope ....

And hope is what has saved my life.