I began blogging last month with a gratitude post and that seemed like a lucky omen. September turned out much better than August for the blog as well as for me. So here I am beginning a new month with another gratitude post hoping October will be even better.
Going through my last month’s post I realised how much more at peace I am now than I was then. I’m in a much better space – happier and more relaxed. What’s interesting is that there hasn’t really been any major change to make things better. In fact, since we’re in the middle of the children’s exams, I expected stress levels to rise. That that hasn’t happened is a small miracle in itself and it reinforces my faith in my favourite quote, Happiness is an Inside Job – that happiness often, has little to do with the things around us.
I’m not much for self-indulgent, psychoanalytical posts so without boring you to death with details of my weird flip-flop mental state, let me just say that while I still haven’t achieved the zen state I aspire to, I am just happier and so very grateful for that.
The uplifting of my spirits might be in part due to the love showered on my blog this past month. I had way more visitors than I normally do thanks to the My Friend Alexa Challenge which I was a part of. The first few days of the challenge I felt a little self-conscious, like someone who knew her house wasn’t in as good shape as she would have liked it to be and was expecting a deluge of visitors.
I wished I had the time to put up better posts, smarter stories and more creative pictures on the blog. I wished I could have tinkered with the layout, made it neater, more inviting. However, once I realised that wasn’t likely to happen with my crazy schedule and decided to go ahead and write just like I always do, things fell into place.
I focussed on my original aim of bringing discipline to my blogging, which I did. I managed to write nine posts in the month which is almost two times what I normally do. So I did complete the challenge successfully. That felt good. And, this might make sense to my blogger friends only, my Alexa Rank fell from 2,244,955 to 1,126,045, a drop of over a million!
I read scores of blogs as part of the challenge and discovered some fantastic ones which I shall be going back to. Huge thanks to the Blogchatter team for their tireless efforts to see us all to the finish line.
Encouraged by this success I jumped right into another one – The Write tribe pro-Blogger challenge. All of October, I shall be joining over a hundred Write Tribers and blogging twice a week, again. Sending out a note of thanks to Shilpa who egged me on to do this, over-riding all of my apprehensions. I remain grateful for friends who always come to my rescue when a blogging slump seems around the corner.
And dear reader, as always, your presence here is much cherished. Wish me luck and do drop by every Monday and Friday for a fresh post. The twins have been keeping me busy with their shenanigans and I have lots to tell.
Linking up with the Write Tribe Problogger October 2017 Blogging Challenge #writebravely #writetribeproblogger
and also with Vidya’s Gratitude Circle
Ditto, ditto, as Aishwarya Rai said at Miss India 🙂
Your blog is on my must read list Tulika as I love what you write & how you write it! Please…..stop stressing over how it looks and just write. Everything will fall into place! Yup its a fabulous feeling to see traffic on the blog Alexa is a big morale booster! But let me share a trick – keep writing consistently and you will never need to worry about Alexa or any such stats for your blog. Read more and write some – great for your blog traffic!!! Wishing you a fabulous October 🙂
Thanks a lot Shalini. October seems to be shaping up quite well. And there’s Diwali to look forward to. It’s going to be a relaxed month.
As for blog traffic, I don’t worry about it much except in occasional spurts. I am generally quite happy connecting and interacting with the handful of people who visit regularly.
So glad to know that your blog is flourishing since September! Perks of blogging challenges, right! Hope you are enjoying the WT challenge too.
I am. I wish I could have taken up the prompts but this will have to to. I’m just glad I am managing to put up two posts each week.
Beautiful blog post. I’m glad that your September blogging was good for you. I am looking forward to reading more of your stories!
Thank you Alice.
I wish to tell you if I am blogging (now that I have got back), I am sure to come for a visit to your place twice a week. There is another point to be grateful about (just for the laughs) and it is, “Thank God people are visiting only our blogs in large numbers and not our real homes, which is more likely to be a disaster situation.” 😀
Ha ha true that Anamika. You should see how fast I get to work when I expect a visitor home, to make my home ‘visitable’.
You indeed had a lovely September! Looks like you made the most of the My Friend Alexa challenge. Congratulations and all the best for this month. Keep writing more
Thanks Reema. Hope to see more of you during the month.
Tulika, your writing flows so beautifully! Love how you infuse emotions in everyday , normal sounding words and actions. Congratulations on your Alexa rank. Beautiful lines – I felt a little self-conscious, like someone who knew her house wasn’t in as good shape as she would have liked it to be and was expecting a deluge of visitors.
Thank you Sulekha – that’s such a nice thing to say. After years of writing I still feel self-conscious of it sometimes.
“Happiness is an Inside Job’ i guess you aced this post with this statement. I too have started listing my gratitude list on a daily basis for last 15 days and I already feel so much at peace. The zen state momma is definitely going to take time. Loved your post.
The Zen state is pretty elusive but as long as we’re on its path that’s all that matters.
Sometimes gaining clarity on what we really need is so important apart from ranks and statistics. Yes, I agree ‘Happiness is an inside job’, and you are doing it well. All the best for October!
Thanks Nupur. Writing a monthly ‘taking stock’ post helps in gaining clarity.
Oh this is so lovely and so honest! I can completely relate to what you felt about the “house in disarray expecting visitors” part. I am feeling lile that now, participating in the WriteTribe challenge for the first time 🙂 But your post goves me confidence to go on. Thanks for that!
You really do not need to worry Rashmi. I fell in love with your writing as will any other visitor and that’s all you need to keep your ‘house’ in order.
Gratitude works like magic…. I am glad you are on that path…
Thank you Nidhi. I sure hope I am.
Glad to know that your September was all you hoped for and more, Tulika. Happiness is definitely an inside job. It’s so good when we feel happy just like that. Wishing you a happy and content October, Tulika.
Thanks Vinitha. Happiness and contentment are all I need.
Great that you could write more posts in September and iam glad you are joining october problogger challenge. Enjoy writing ☺
I’m already doing enjoying being part of a tribe. It’s fun to read someone consistently – it’s like they become a part of our lives.
Congratulations for the terrific Alexa rank. I think life becomes beautiful when we start showing gratitude. More power to you.
Thanks Anchal. I am trying to make out a gratitude list, though doing it everyday is still not happening.
Great to see you on the WT challenge and on my team too.
I know. I’m happy too. It’s been a long time since I took up a WT Challenge.
Good to hear you are happier. It’s so true about focussing on the little things to feel more content. Hope October is wonderful for you! 🙂
Thank you Sanch. I’m looking forward to October too what with exams ending and Diwali holidays round the corner.
I am glad that you are feeling happier and that is what we all aim for. Happy that September went well for you and you managed to write 9 posts! That’s seriously good. I wrote only 2 on the main blog and even the elder son was complaining as to why I am not writing. Well travel, work and so many other preoccupations. I guess, it’s okay to take it at our pace. At least, I diligently write the gratitude post every month. 🙂 Hope October is wonderful for you and that you complete the new challenge successfully. Good luck.
Thank you Rachna. I’ve realised challenges keep me going or else I tend to slack off.
Super excited to have you around. I love reading you. Even your mum tales resonate with a not-a-Mum me 😉
Wishing you a great October!
Aw Parul that’s such a sweet thing to say. Thank you. I’m glad I’m in too.
Well said, happiness is truly an inside job but more often than not we let the worries and fears take centre stage in our life. Glad that you had a happy and satisfying month.
The Alexa jump is pretty cool. Congratulations. I wish I had participated too, my blog could have done with some activity. Thank you joining the WT ProBlogger Challenge. Looking forward to your company and interesting posts. Cheers ♥
Yeah September was a definite improvement. It becomes tough to believe that happiness is in our own hands when things seem to be going wrong and your mind is stressed. It is difficult to control your emotions even when the brain knows you needn’t get worked up.