For my blog's first anniversary, this post offers a brief insight into who I am and my aspirations for my blog.
Have you ever experienced the thrill of diving into a sea of advice, contemplating each piece as a potential treasure waiting to be unearthed, prioritising them against each other, and estimating the effort and benefit of each one?
This past year since I launched my website and blog has been a journey of self-discovery. I've found great joy in exploring new ideas and perspectives, and the invaluable feedback and suggestions from my readers have been a great source of inspiration.
But here's the twist: I don't just nod along and blindly adopt every suggestion. At times, I diverge entirely. Yet, I consistently reflect upon them all. So, when you explore my site or delve into my blog, you encounter a fusion of my musings with your invaluable insights and suggestions.
But amidst the many suggestions I receive, there is one that stands out, one I acknowledge as excellent, yet I've made a deliberate choice not to follow. Allow me to illustrate with an example message:
“Hey there! I really love your bird and nature posts, but I have to say that the photography and novel don't speak to me. Why don’t you split them up into separate blogs? It'll be much easier to target folks who share each interest, plus it’ll boost your social media too.”
After much contemplation, I'm certain it is a great advice. After all, I do not doubt that focus is the cornerstone of success. Yet, against all odds, I've opted to turn away. To explain why I have made this unconventional choice, let me unveil – probably for the first time – a piece of myself. I do not believe in single-minded efficiency.
Truthfully, I must confess that despite my natural inclinations, the corporate world did manage to mould me into a rigid straight jacket. Now liberated from those confines, I strive for my site to reflect my authentic self and not the persona dictated by social media's perception of efficiency.
To illustrate what I mean, consider the ongoing theme on LinkedIn asking if you have ever left a good and secure position to pursue your dreams. I can confidently say that I've done it time and time again.
I cherish nature, art, and science, along with photography and writing. My blog should reflect these pursuits—no compromises. Should you choose to journey with me, I hope you find pieces that resonate with you, while feeling free to discard the rest. Yet, your insights will keep guiding this creative journey, so please keep them coming. I eagerly await the opportunity to learn from your perspective.
And here is some advice I did follow.
Some have shared their difficulty with shopping at an unknown, obscure online shop. They said they were reluctant to make direct payments despite their admiration for my work. Understanding this concern, I've taken a step forward by launching an Etsy shop. As I have just started, most of my work is not there yet. But if any of my work resonates with you and you prefer getting it through Etsy let me know, and I will make sure to make it available there.