I’ve been going through my blog posts the other day and I realized how much of an essay they are, instead of a platform for conversation with you, my dear reader. I pick a topic in my head and I develop the subject. There is the final part in all my texts that I address to you, directly, yet, it sounds a little too composition-like. So today, I want to tell you the story about how I started this blog.
A couple of years ago, when I was suffering from severe migraines, I got the idea of letting my steam off and detain myself in another way. I always was fond of writing, probably since I was 8 or 9 years old. I loved to write compositions in school and I got really good marks too. So I thought to myself if writing makes me more serene and helps me feel better, why not start a blog. Even if I have no experience in writing, as in PR/journalist writing, I decided to give it a chance. I never expected of this blog a lot, I knew that not many people would read it, but I kind of felt that this is my place for letting things go. I started writing for my own soul, but very soon, I understood that I wanted to help people through this blog. I realized that my desire to make people relate to and help them take things easier in life by telling my own stories was bigger than the wish to make all things personal. Thus, I started digging deeper into my mind and soul, and I wrote texts on topics that many won’t admit easily online. The Online is such a volatile place to be sensitive and vulnerable, and it is even harsher when you want to be you. Yet, I find it so liberating being able to say what I really mean and be the “me” I always was.
So, to go on with my story, I had a period of abandonment, where I was absent for quite a long time. 4 years, to be exact. Many things were happening in my life at that time and I was too lost to be able to write consistently. Yet, I never lost the urge to write and I so much wanted to be like other bloggers, who were so present online, so loud and so occupied. I liked the idea of having an audience who would read my blogs, who would comment on my posts and would change their minds upon things, only because I gave them another perspective. Surreal, right? 😆 Well, that’s what I still think, even today. Guess what, I’m not even close to my dream, I’m still floating in the realm of discovery, I’m at under or slightly above 100 readers per post, inconsistent posting timing and lots of learning. I still don’t know if I write good or bad (I mean, my close circle tells me my texts are good, but they love me, and I don’t know if they tell me this only because they don’t want to hurt me, or…), I still learn the proper text format and popular topics that people are very interested in, so my blogging can’t get more real than that. I mean, if this ain’t real-talk, I don’t know what is! I wonder how many other bloggers, or people, in general, can admit to their weaknesses. 😉 Just in case, that was a challenge, right there.
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Anyways, last year, when my daughter was going through some developmental milestones that hit me quite hard, I felt insanely drawn to writing again. So I did. I decided that this time around, I won’t give up on my blog. I love it so much and I feel so fortunate having the opportunity to reach out to you, guys. This past Monday, when I made a commitment to a group of 8 people to write every week, I was asked if this is what I really want, if this is important enough for me, that I want to make it part of my life and my mini-goal. My immediate answer was: “Of course”! No hesitation at all. You see, to me, writing is not only a way of communication, of relaxation and reaching out, it’s also my cocoon of refugee, my problem-solution place, my I-need-to-vent-out space, my be-yourself-and-do-you thingy. I hope it all makes sense to you. It definitely does to me.
In my traditional way of ending my texts (I still won’t give up on it), I want to encourage you to find your own passion, start it and grow with it. You don’t have to be perfect in what you do, just start. Don’t be hard on yourself and don’t expect terrific results right away, but do what you love with true desire, lose track of time, immerse yourself in everything you truly love, and you won’t ever be disappointed. I know that the world asks so much of us all nowadays, but I also know that if I look less to what X or Y does, and instead, concentrate more on my strengths and my talents, I am so much happier and at peace with myself. And when I’m at peace with myself, everything else starts to work out in my life and every single piece of the puzzle just falls right in its place. I think that I will never stop telling this one phrase – Always Be YOURSELF! Don’t try to change yourself for this world, instead, make this world open up to you by doing YOU, guilt-free and shamelessly! At the end of each given day, never forget to show yourself a little appreciation and thank yourself for what you’ve accomplished, because every day, you do wonderful things you probably take for granted, but they make your life magical.
And one last thing – I commit to always be true to you, just as much as I am true to myself, and I promise you that, if you ever feel down or overwhelmed by life, I’ll be here to lift you up.
Ina's Place 