Meet the fitness and lifestyle blogger - Jimmy Clare

Hey readers,

It is snowing a lot today and I am lovin' it! I hope you are drinking a hot coffee or a hot chocolate because it is freezing out there. Also, because hot choco is a must for our interview series!

In a few days, we will be at the beginning of a new year! Before ending this year, I want you guys to meet an amazing blogger who has inspired so many people with his journey. His blog motivates you to bring the best out of yourself and maintain a healthy lifestyle. I want you all to meet this amazing blogger: Jimmy Clare! Head over to his blog: CrazyFitnessGuy

Welcome back to the Daily Sunlight Interview Series! 

To start off this interview, tell us a little about yourself.

 

My name is Jimmy Clare and I am a motivational speaker, Autism advocate, author, and founder of CrazyFitnessGuy.  I am from Ambler PA.  CrazyFitnessGuy is a website that promotes and explores healthy living through the perspective of an autistic college student.

 

I am slightly Autistic and I used to be bullied because of being different than others in school.  I created CrazyFitnessGuy because I wanted to help people who are different know that they are not alone.  Being different is a good thing and embrace it.

You are absolutely right, being different is a good thing. You have this story that you share with yourself and others and that makes you who you are. I am really sorry you had to experience being bullied in school but right now, you are one of the strongest people out there and I am so glad you found yourself through blogging, speaking out and by sharing your story.

I can see that your blog consists mainly of posts related to fitness along with other self-care posts. What inspired you to create your blog and how did you decide that this was going to be the purpose of your blog? 

Some people think my website is mostly about fitness which is not exactly true.  When I first started my website it was mainly about fitness but over three years of blogging I changed the direction of it.  If I have to sum up what CrazyFitnessGuy is to everyone it would be categorized under healthy living and everything that goes with it.  The reason why I started CrazyFitnessGuy is because I wanted to continue practicing my writing after my English class in college.  I couldn’t see myself writing in a word document or on a piece of paper over and over again.

I needed something that I could come back week after week and be consistent.  So I started a website on WordPress on April 12th, 2017.  But after working 90+ hours a week for a whole year I decided to move to Squarespace in the fall of 2018.   

That is amazing! I think you are doing really well. You were able to write a variety of posts on your blog and not just related to fitness which is very inspiring. I love reading about your advice, your stories.

After reading your blog, I can see that your agenda is quite full. Being a blogger, a motivational speaker and much more, how do you manage everything that well? 

I use many different tools like TimeTune which is a block scheduling app that syncs with Google Calendar.  This tool helps me work on certain projects for a certain amount of time.  I also use a digital to-do list app called To-do by Microsoft because it syncs across all of my devices.  It helps me tackle one project at a time.

I also use notion which is an all-in-one tool that lets me keep all of my notes, blogging ideas, podcasting ideas, and more in one place.  I don’t know how people can store so many files in so many different places.  That would just drive me nuts.

How do you stay consistent with your blog posts? A lot of people struggle with creating content on a regular basis. Where do you get your inspiration from?

I like to keep my blog posts schedule in my Google calendar so I can stay on schedule.  I like to find blog post ideas on Quora and reading other blogs and website.  

I see that you are mostly someone who schedule their posts. That is nice! Oh wow, I do use Quora but didn't thought of use it for any blogging purpose. That's a great idea. 

What can you tell us about your future in blogging terms? Do you plan to keep on blogging for a long time? Do you plan on making any changes or have bigger plans? (perhaps a fitness business) What are your goals towards your blog?

I want to continue blogging but I also want to speak at large events in the future speaking in front of 100,000+ in all in one place.  I also would like to travel all over the world speaking to everyone and be on talk shows.  I would also like to be on more podcasts and do some ted talks.  I would also like to hire some writers as well for my blog.  

I truly hope that you continue to blog and are able to at large events because everyone needs someone as inspiring as you to share their stories. You are so great, I hope that you go worldwide and fulfil your dreams. I can see that you have a lot of things planned out. I hope you can achieve all these goals, can't wait to see what you got for us in the near future!

Do you have any favorite tools or apps that you use for blogging?

I love using Notion, Grammarly, Crowdfire, Hootsuite, and Post Early. 

I have just heard of two out of your list but I'll check out the others. It is always nice to have tools that can help you for your blog. We always need them!

Do you have a specific routine when it comes to publishing your post? Are you more someone who schedules a post in advance or simply writes everything on the spot?

I like to post right on the spot but if I am super busy sometimes I like to schedule it out ahead of time.

That's great, I guess you are just so occupied with so many things, it is easier to schedule but of course, when you have time, it is nice to write on spot.

What is your favorite post that you have published until now and why is it that one your favorite?

My favorite post on CrazyFitnessGuy is The Ugly Truth About Signs Of Shame In A Person.  The reason why I like this post because I feel like many people can relate to this post.  I also wrote this post when I was very vulnerable.  

Every time I write a blog post I try to make it so people can relate to it somehow.  

This is nice, it is so important to write for yourself but yet, keeping in mind the audience that is going to read your posts. I can say I relate to your posts and I am sure a lot of other people do too. I love hearing your voice through your writing style.

Apart from your blog, you also have a mobile app and a podcast to help people maintain a positive mindset and a great fitness routine. How do you feel knowing that you have been changing people’s lives for better for years? 

It makes me feel great that I can help people from all around the world.  When I first started CrazyFitnessGuy I never thought people would read my posts or even care about what I have to say.  But I am really glad that everyone finds CrazyFitnessGuy really helpful and I love what I do.

Your posts are very inspiring! I think if anyone is reading this right now they should check out your blog because it is worth it. I am glad you found yourself a great audience who enjoys reading your blog as much as you enjoy writing.

If you have to name three people in your life or any three bloggers who have inspired you along your journey, who would those people be and why? 

Lewis Howes who founded the podcast The School of Greatness.  Lewis Howes motivates me every day to go out there in the world to do something great and make someone's day better.  

Scott Smith who is the founder of the Daily Boost podcast.  I just love his energy and his inspirational advice.  He always says if you don’t like what you are doing then do something else.

Tony Robbins.  He gives great advice and he inspires me to motivate everyone around me.

It is always nice to have people who we get our inspiration from. Sometimes, it is that one person (or more) that helps you change your life the way you changed other people's lives for the better.

What advice would you give to someone who just started blogging?

For those who are new to blogging learn search engine optimization (seo) right away so you don’t make the mistake that happen to me years ago.  I didn’t take seo very seriously when I fist started and all of my traffic I had at the beginning whittled all the way down to nothing.

I was about to give up when I finally purchased these seo books from Make Traffic Happen.  It was the best thing that I ever bought.  

Another piece of advice I would like to give is have patience because Google runs the whole show.  They show content when they want to show it.  You can persuade the Google bots but that’s it.  

That is great advice, having patience is very important in the blogging world. Thank you for mentioning this!

Is there anything else that you would like to add or share in this interview? (Any pictures, awards, a favorite quote)

Autism is not the end of the world

Wow, that is so true! I couldn't agree more. Being different only makes you more special. I love this.

A thank you note to Jimmy:

Thank you so much for being a part of this interview. Your blog is amazing and your stories are so inspiring. I love that you are able to stand for yourself and speak up about everything and anything that needs to be said. You are an amazing person. Thank you for sharing your story with us.

Also, you will find the links to all his social media below, go follow him.

Facebook: jimmy.clare.speaker

Twitter: jimmyclarespeak

Instagram: jimmy.clare.speaker

Website: crazyfitnessguy.com

~ Thank you for reading and happy blogging ~