Celebrating my 5th Blog Anniversary with gratitude #MondayMusings

This post was ideally due last Monday. Since I had a major meltdown that day, I couldn’t write anything to celebrate my blog’s 5th anniversary which is a big milestone and deserves a dedicated post.

Feb 8th was the big date. It was on 8th Feb 2014 when I published my first post. I am not at all into gifting due to my laid back nature and it requires a strong connection and even greater compelling to gift someone something. I can count on my fingertips the number of times I have given gifts and I will have several fingertips to spare.

Speaking of strong connection, I felt compelled to gift a new theme to my blog on its big day. My brother chipped in with providing his invaluable help with code modifications required for customization and making the blog look decently appealing. The new look has been around for a week already and owing to the fact nobody recognized or pointed it out makes me believe my readers are not interested in good looks but are invested in the goodness of my posts. A positive thought is all that it takes to feel good, isn’t it?

I am grateful for my blogging journey in many ways, a few of which are –

(A) Blogging gives me the reason to feel upbeat about waking up each weekday morning, especially Mondays, when I can sit with a cup of tea writing and reading blogs. Blogging helps me stay sane and keep my anxiety at bay.

(B) The need and desire to spend time daily on blogging makes me stay regular with packing off Dhruv to school which is important here because there are no textbooks or homework for the parents to refer to. All the learning takes place in school. Remember, I said something about laid back nature somewhere above.

(C) It has given me earning opportunities from time to time (in addition to adequate exposure which bloggers are promised as ROI). My blog is also my introduction which precedes me. It has given me recognition and respect even in the unlikeliest of places such as Dhruv’s present school where I am just another parent and I behave like one.

(D) Being a serious person in the real world, blogging gives me a chance to get in touch with my funny bone and I feel happy about it.

(E) I get fabulous children’s books to read and review almost every week. (Picture) Books + Blogging are my 2 B’s of happiness and contentment. The other aspect where I am creating value for first-time children’s books’ authors by talking about their books and giving their works visibility within my limited capacity raises my satisfaction level. I wish I could do more.

(F) Above everything else, I am most grateful for my blogging community which is extremely supportive and encouraging.  Most of them are awesome friends sharing common values and life’s struggles & achievements. I might not have met many of them but this never stops me from feeling a close bond with them. The way I feel about my friendships which have come as a function of blogging, I am incapable of expressing it in words.

There is, however, one area in which I have slacked. The one I intend to make reparation in is replying to the comments. I shall be dedicating one day of the week for this from now on.

Thank you, my readers, old and new, for being with me and supporting me with your visits, reads, comments, and shares. You make blogging worthwhile for me.

*All images are taken from Canva*

Linking this post with Monday Musings hosted by Corinne Rodrigues