In this video, I’m breaking down my first year on YouTube as a small creator—what I posted, what changed my channel, and the exact process that led to me getting my first YouTube check. I talk about how I started my channel in January 2020, posted my first video in February (a hair video), and how nervous I was in the beginning. I was recording on my phone with a ring light, stuttering, and trying to figure everything out on my own while still dreaming about monetization like it was on my vision board every single day. I also get real about what was actually hard: the 4,000 watch hours. Hitting 1,000 subscribers wasn’t the hardest part for me—watch time was. I share how one video blowing up helped push me over the edge, what it felt like getting the monetization approval email, and why I wish I created my Google AdSense account way earlier. Between waiting on the AdSense PIN in the mail and fixing a tax form mistake, the whole process took me almost two months. And yes—I show the amount at the end. My first YouTube check hit my bank account randomly, and it was way more than I expected: $1,060.18. I’m super grateful, and I share tips for anyone starting out—just do it, and keep going.