What It Takes to Become a Successful Blogger

Daily Prompt: Secret of Success

I would like to think that I am more of a happy blogger rather than a successful one. As we all know, blogging is a learning process and to become successful at that would entail a lot of practice and dedication.

I am not on a level where I can consider myself a successful blogger but if these points would be achieved, I might consider that I am near or could be successful, at least in my own standards. Here’s my nugget list:

• Inspire and influence people in a good way that would make them do the same.
• Being able to show your true self while not being afraid of what others might think about you.
• Write what you have learned so that others would learn from it, too.
• Write posts that people could relate. Readers would be more drawn to you because you have established a connection.
• Blog, blog, blog and blog until you can but only post when you have something sensible to post. Otherwise, keep the negative thoughts, grievances and shits to yourself. You do not want others to be in a bad mood — unless, the post you want to portray is otherwise.
• Write posts that are useful. Have some topics that you are most passionate about.
• Learn continuously. It is only  through learning that we become our best selves.

I am hoping to reach 100 posts and that is yet to come. For fun, I am hoping to reach at least 100 followers before 2013 ends. I am just fascinated with the number 100. However, 101 and above would not hurt.

Thanks for reading and for keeping up with my eccentric and nonchalant writing. Finally, I was able to keep my blog for a year and experienced the warmth of WP community. You know, things turn out to be great or successful when we least expect it.  🙂

__________________________

My Other Related Posts:

• On Writing: Quantity or Quality
• Why It is Not Good to be in a Hurry
• My Writing Links

Dystopia of Expectations

In response to Weekly Writing Challenge: Dystopia.

~ I have learned that not every person I meet deserve my kindness, not every person deserves a second chance and not every person is nice. – Lurker’s Tidbits of Learning

I do not generalize but I have observed that most of the things I have done for the significant people in my life is not reciprocated with love, effort and the amount that I expect them to reciprocate. So, what’s the wrong part with me even if I have given my all? It is because I expect. I expect too much — that I feel they should somehow appreciate what I have given.

The thing is, I should not expect at all because it is useless. When we expect, it is also like telling them subtly that there is an exchange for what we have given. When we help a person, when we give something to them, when we love them and when we risk our hearts getting broken again, we should just not expect at all. I think things would have been easier back then if I learned not to be tied up with my expectations.

Now, I guess I have learned the hard way. I hope you don’t so please do not expect. Love. Live. Give. Without Any Expectation. Let us create our own utopia, a world without boundaries, a world filled with love, abundance and most of all, acceptance. We must learn to accept that people might not be able to reciprocate. Take me or not, leave me or not, it is your choice. I am just glad that for the nth time I have embraced vulnerability at all costs.

Yes, I will never expect again. 🙂

Free Association: Family, Death and Blessings

Write down the first words that comes to mind when we say HOME, SOIL and RAIN. Use those words in the title of your post.

This DP Challenge is just in time because I am thinking of my family and home before doing this post. My boss allowed me to go on a two-day leave which I can use to visit my family back home. For me, this is an opportunity to show them my love by giving them my time. I do not want to sound cheesy but this is a real life example most of us face — when one works outside his country, the work culture is different. Going back to your hometown or having your deserved vacation is not that easy without having your leave approved by your boss(es). Fortunately, I was granted the two-day leave after working for long hours last month. Being with my family is definitely priceless — even for TWO DAYS.

So, here goes my simple reflection. It is indeed a blessing that I was given the opportunity to be with them. Being outside from home for one year and a half made me appreciate my country more and the people in it. I do admit that I did not feel the nostalgia because I am surrounded with lots of work and activities. Thus, my mind was occupied with these things. It left no spaces for melancholy, pity or negative thoughts, though I am naturally a person always looking the glass half empty. Now that I am given this chance, I am not going to lose it. I also have a more understanding now why friends are so addicted to going back home, not to mention that some of them are taking care of their parents/siblings that are inflicted with sickness.

That part where they go back to their hometown for that reason is without a doubt heartbreaking. To be honest, I do not want to experience that part. I remember an adage where it says that it is better to give flowers to someone who is alive rather than give it to someone who is already dead. The alive person can still smell the flowers and adore its beauty while the dead can do nothing about it. If life is certain, death is also certain and it will knock on our doors unexpectedly.

I would rather visit them that I am still ALIVE. I would hug and tell them that I love them so much now that they are still alive. I do not like to have regrets that I was not able to let them know how I feel and how I care and love them deeply. It might be beyond words can explain but if I lose the opportunity of letting them know now, they may never know. I actually did tell them before I left our home. The last time I called my mum, I told her I love her. And, I will do it again when I get back.

It sounds cheesy and that is a fact. Showing how much we love them is a cheesy act but death is not. When we are in front of our loved ones’ graves, would saying those words sound cheesy at all? If at any point I would die, I would be glad that they do know that they are the reason why I breathe, they are the reason why I do things that I am doing now and most of all, they are the core reason why I live.

Who are your blessings in life? Have you told them lately that you love them? Go on. Just do it. If it is not possible to do it real time, send a mail or call them up. Trust me, you won’t regret it. 🙂

What Are You Grateful For?

Grateful. This is the word I can call mine.

I am grateful that I am breathing with ease today. Today is my birthday and I am euphoric that I have gotten a year older. I do not dread the fact that I am aging because it is a blessing — a gift that I would be looking forward every year. I do celebrate my birthday in more ways than one. But, on the day itself, I celebrate it with friends and loved ones. The solo celebration (the one I considered the ‘core’ celebration) would be celebrated next week.

Grateful. My friends celebrated “my day” with so much fun and love in their hearts.

Yes, I had a birthday party awhile ago and seeing my beloved friends eat and drink made the kid in me feel giddy and excited. Oh, did I mention that we all wore black? Black is my favorite color and I am surprised that they have put in a lot of effort to wear “my color” today! They happily tugged my heartstrings. Sweetness overload.

Grateful. This is a good year and I have to make it one of my best years.

2013 may be just another year or just a number for some. And, this year, I want to be more grateful for each day. Being aware that each day is a blessing and being able to live life up to this very moment is indeed a miracle. I admit that I cannot always have a positive outlook and mindset yet I have the choice to be grateful and see the positive in every negativity. It is entirely up to us how we perceive things and how we make things happen. Today, make a choice. Choose to be grateful.

I wish you and your loved ones well. Let us rock this year and see the magic happen! 🙂

Overcoming Procrastination

I am a procrastinator and certified at that. There were times when I do not notice that I am procrastinating, only at the end of the day I would realized how much time I have wasted. I have been putting off things that I should be doing. I know, it is a lame excuse for a writer to say that it is writer’s block when it is really procrastination.

I think it is a sin. Sometimes, I feel guilty and at other times, I feel nonchalant about it. And, it just came upon me that I should stop wasting my time. Wasted money can be recovered by hard work and moonlighting. Wasted body can be recovered by healthy foods and medicines. But, wasted time can never be recovered.

When faced with deadlines, no matter how unreasonable, I have learned to prioritized things. I determine the severity of a certain case then tackle it even if I do not feel like it. Piece by piece, little by little, each task will be done and accomplished. The hard ones I do first because it will take me some time and then, the easy ones follow.

Having an itinerary also helps and I put an alarm to it so that I would be notified. Our memories can fail but our lists won’t. When bored in the middle of completing a task and the urge to procrastinate sets in, I take a walk outside my office. Having a break refreshes the mind and body. Take note that this is not procrastination but an energy booster to combat time wasting.

If I feel like a kid on that day, I give myself rewards after completing my tasks. Let’s say I was able to finish 75% of it, I would reward myself an ice drop. If I was able to accomplish everything on that particular day, I reward myself a bottle of wine or a plate of chilli crabs. Having something to look forward to would overcome procrastination. With a sheer attempt it would but it takes more than ample amount of determination and a strong mindset to overcome this bad habit. If you really want to overcome procrastination or any weakness, you just have to say this to yourself: Just Do It!

The Amazing Obituary

Daily Prompt: In Loving Memory

AMAZING!!!

By default, only the name ‘Amazing’ is etched on the tomb.

The epitaph does not have any other words in it except the word AMAZING. People who knew Amazing knows how amazing she was as a person, philanthropist and writer. I may seem like dreaming when I said that I am an amazing person, when in fact, I am still a work in progress. Yes, a work in progress to become the amazing person that I wanted to be.

By that, Amazing is not just an adjective but also a name. A name that would always be remembered, loved and cherished. 🙂

Morton’s Fork: Read or Write?

If you had to choose between being able to write a blog (but not read others’) and being able to read others’ blogs (but not write your own), which would you pick? Why?

What if an idea pops into my head and it presents itself to me? I blog. I want the whole world to know about it. But, in order to write, we have to read and have our reading fix — be it magazines, news on the net/paper, blogs, etc. This is the start or the evolution, as others call it. In order to write, we have to learn how to read first. That is a known fact backed up by science and research.

And, here’s my realization…

I am a lurker. Thus, the lurker’s list (https://thelurkerslist.wordpress.com) was created. As much as I love writing, I also love reading other blogs. I like to observe. I like to watch. I love to see what is happening. I enjoy being that way. I enjoy myself as a lurker. Just lurking around.

Just r-e-a-d-i-n-g. Reading is my hobby that is equivalent to the “coffee fix” that the others are having every morning. After all, if I wanted to write, I can just pour everything on my diary and do the writing exercise using my hands. That seems more artsy and interesting to me. 🙂

My Best Friend

It is human nature to speak and write using the first person. I am no exception because by default, I use the first person whenever I blog. When I write technical documents (e.g. user guides, operation manuals, HLD/LLD, white papers, etc.), I use the second or third person. Mostly, I use the second person, as this is the kind of POV that is requested by most clients. In some instances, I also do not use the second or third person in some of the technical documents such as diagrams, workflows, blue prints, etc. So, what “person” is the best to use when writing? It depends. It depends on what you are writing and how you write it. For this challenge, let me share with you the story of my best friend and how she inspired me to live and love life.

My best friend woke up with a jolt and she found herself staring blankly at the corner of her room. “Change, I guess, is what I need in order to live,” she said to me. Off she went to the airport, all by herself armed with one small bag containing all the essentials she would need to survive. She brought her own version of the so-called bug-out bag.

I was surprised by her impulsive move. It was totally unexpected and I could not contain my sadness because I do not want to see her leave the country. Her reasons are plausible enough for me to believe that she wanted to move on after getting her heart (and pocket) broken for the nth time. “Not even him, not even mum and not even you can stop me from going,” she muttered.

Moving on is never easy. It never was and never will be. Starting anew in a foreign land is daunting for a first timer. Her ardent desire to live life elsewhere is so inspiring. When you look at her, you will see a happy face and not even a trace of pain is evident. I hugged her and kissed her poker face for the last time. Before the plane took off, she left a message for me in her blog. It says, “I’ll be okay, bezzy. Please don’t worry about me. You’re right. I can do this.”

How is she now? How is she feeling? Did she ever make it there all by herself? Absolutely. It is a known fact that there is always a rainbow after the rain, they say. How do I know if that is true? Because I am my own best friend. She is my first person. 🙂

Life Is Not A Dress Rehearsal

I think this quote explains why I am so spontaneous about my life. To be honest, I do not have plans although I know what I want to do with my life. But then, I noticed that whether or not we are prepared, what matters the most is our willingness to take risks and go with the flow then adjust our sails in order to survive.  For some people, having plans and practicing things are their ways to go. Well, good for them because they have carefully laid their paths. For people like me, spontaneity and thrills embody the soul. I am the type who like to explore and experience the unknown. I think the best way to go is to find what suits you so that you can live your life well and live life on your own terms.

There is literally no practice at all because every thing we do has an impact on our lives, big or small. So, I suggest that it is better to just learn and commit mistakes. Sometimes, we just have to be brave enough to take the plunge and see what happens from there. Who knows that one bold move can create a great performance, right? 🙂

Life is not a dress rehearsal. Stop practicing what you’re going to do and just go do it. In one bold stroke you can transform today.
Marilyn Grey