Being Grateful- How This Blog Came To Be

The Blogosphere is truly a welcoming and awesome place.

Author Tim Jones has recently added my site to his links. Over at Wrideo, my post on Say No to Pen Name Obsessions! is on the popular list with three votes (I don’t know who voted the other 2 but thank you!).I’ve received emails and comments from people I didn’t think would respond to me.

Probably other bloggers would scoff at these because tsch! they’re just small fry. But to me, who’s never had these sort of things happen before, it’s a big deal. Especially since I’ve had this blog for 3 years. It’s like tasting that cheese burger for the first time because all your life you’ve only had rice and fish.

It is true that I’ve been blogging since 2006 but it’s my first time to finally get this feeling of what it means to become truly a part of it. Before I’ve just blogged and seldom reached out to other bloggers –content to stay in my own little box. It didn’t help I wasn’t exactly the most sociable person in the planet. This blog also underwent massive transformations. I could say it changed along with me and the directions I took in my life.

This blog is a reflection of me.

It started out like all other blogs –a journal to hold my rants and ramblings. Then when I submitted an anime review which scored huge hits and readership (and still get random views till now), I was like, “Hey, I could do this and be at the top!” Then well, uh that fizzled down as well.

Then I got into personal development and wrote articles about it. And yeah, guess what? Procrastination took over. 😉

I’m still into self-help now but unlike previous years, I’m striving to implement day by day it rather than slacking off and climbing that torturous hill again. And everyday I learn lots of new things to improve my growth and ouch! uncovering the truth of the inner shit of my life sometimes hurt. But that’s part of it.

Then I moved to China and my blog got trapped in its abrasive firewall claws. I never got to open it till this year.

So you see, there’s a pattern of trial and error there.

Then I got to blogging about writing. This is it. I’m finally blogging something I love doing, am 100% passionate and dedicated about. You dear reader can surely guess what happened next.

Nothing.

I’ve blogged everyday, sometimes even posting twice in a day last April.

Sure, the stats increased from its usual 10 (I’m laying all the cards out for you) and I’m finally adding value to my blog. I swear I’ve never seen that top posts section with content before. But there was no connection and the stats sorta reached a plateau and never increased beyond that.

I changed directions again. Decided to promote my blog. Joined Stumbled, Digg, Technorati and Blog Catalog. Posted my stories instead –my soul crying out, “I was rejected but hear me out!”

I achieved some measure of success especially with all those stumblers (who liked those kinky sex posts) 🙂 .But like others, it didn’t last.

Again owing to my unsociable nature and limited time constraints, I wasn’t able to make full use of those social bookmarking sites. I’m envious at all those others who have dugg, reddit, stumbled, twittered, scoured all over facebook, commented, argued and bitch-slapped people at forums and still have time to eat dinner.

Me? I’m struggling over my lesson planning, making my materials, teaching sexually uneducated and starved teens, writing my short story and insert blogging in between. And gulp –the insurmountable task of marking papers start next week.

But still I continued to blog.

Over the course of time, I’ve finally commented on some sites I enjoyed for the joy of it and posted links of those that provided value to me never dreaming that they’d respond either with an email or a comment.

There are people there who read my work.

And that realization thrills me deep down to my core and I’m elated.

If you’re an unpublished writer, this is the nearest thing to a fan base.

Sometimes they’d find me as well and (laughs) I have no idea how they did it but the Secret must be working because I’m now finally in alignment with my passion, reaching out to people and attracting them.

And yeah, the blog stats have gone a long way from what it used to be.

The secret is as Mathew points out in his post is to comment and seek out blogs that start the same time as you (well, that doesn’t exactly cover this blog, but let’s say blogs who are also starting over a new leaf). Comment time to time and seek out a casual relationship. I’d like to also add looking for blogs with the same interest as you do.

So reach out even if it’s an arm or a leg from that box of yours. And I promise next week, a whole head of mine will slowly emerge.

——–

I always give thanks no matter how small it is. I count my blessings.

To:

Rita Schiano

Mathew Dryden

Amy Derby

June Saville

Amanda

Mai of MySinigang

Chris Guillebeau

Jim Gaudet

Courtney Vail

Friar

Sharon

Seo

Tech

Mymoen

And all those who’ve commented and read my blog.

Thank You.

Related Posts:

What’s the Rush?–Why People Are Missing Out on the Important Things in Life
Strip Down- Getting Rid of the Non-essential Things in Life

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