When I started my first blog, I thought the hardest part would be writing. Turns out, the hardest part was believing it would matter. A blank homepage feels like opening a tiny shop on a road no one drives. Now, in February 2026, I look at blogging differently. A blog is a home base. It’s…
If you’ve been telling yourself you’ll start a blog “once things calm down,” I get it. That’s exactly how I delayed my first one. The funny part is that blogging doesn’t require a perfect plan, it requires a first post and a setup you won’t hate maintaining. In 2026, the basics still win: pick a…
The first time I noticed revision bloat, it wasn’t during a speed test. It was during a backup. My database export kept getting bigger, even though I hadn’t added that much content. When I finally looked closer, I found posts with 40, 60, sometimes 100+ revisions. If you want to limit WordPress revisions without breaking…
The first time I turned on two-factor authentication for a client site, I felt great for about ten minutes. Then I pictured the worst-case scene: a lost phone, a locked-out admin, and a launch day ticking closer. That’s the real story of Two-Factor Authentication in 2026. It’s not just adding a second code. It’s setting…
Have you ever posted something you were proud of, then watched it disappear under a pile of newer posts? I’ve been there. Social apps are great for quick updates, but they don’t feel like a stable place to build anything. That’s why I keep coming back to blogging. Not because it’s trendy, and not because…
The first time I updated a “simple” plugin on a client site, the header vanished and the checkout stopped working, causing a site crash. This is often the result of updating plugins on a live site without testing. Nothing like watching real sales fall over to teach a lesson fast. Since then, I don’t touch…
The first time I handed a client their WordPress login page, they stared at the Dashboard like it was a cockpit full of unlabeled switches. They didn’t need more options. They needed a custom WordPress dashboard (the right options, in the right places, with fewer ways to break things). That’s why I build a custom…
The first time I did a WordPress site migration without downtime, I still felt my stomach drop at the DNS step. It’s like swapping tires while the car keeps moving. The trick is simple, though: I don’t “move” the live site, I build a second copy, test it, then flip traffic over when I’m ready….
Nothing makes a WordPress site feel “broken” faster than missing emails. A contact form gets submissions, but you never see them. WooCommerce takes orders, but customers don’t get receipts. Password resets vanish into thin air. When this happens on my own sites, it’s almost never the form plugin’s fault. It’s usually the way WordPress sends…
Spam never shows up politely. It arrives like a swarm at the gate, hammering your Contact Form 7 endpoint and making it tough to stop form spam before your inbox turns into a junk drawer. I wanted something quieter than puzzle CAPTCHAs. Something that provides bot protection without making real people squint at crosswalks. That’s…