This
morning I told my parents: “Today, your first grandchild turns one”.Yep, today
my baby, my blog-Fashionopolis- turns one. I feel like a proud mama and daddy {since this was
an immaculate conception, I play the part of both parents!!} Like any proud parent I am happy to share this news with you all. For my blogging journey is not complete without your support, your ever growing love and your undying faith in me. So thank you for everything and more!
For weeks I have been thinking as to how I would like to celebrate my 1st blogoversary {blog+anniversary}. While giveaways and special anniversary post are the popular choices, I decided to do what I do best-write! Not about fashion but about my year long journey and what I have learnt from it.
{F.Y.I: This is gonna be a text heavy post}
My blogging journey was born from a place of rejection, dejection and sheer frustration. I was at one of the lowest times in my life. Believe me, for someone who is shit scared of failure and does not take un-calculated risk this was a big leap in Amena terms. But, I took the much needed plunge.
From over coming massive writer's block, to dealing with lack of traffic panic attacks to almost bullying my trainer at the gym to follow me, I learnt to deal with all this and more. And like all good things, this too paid off-after initial struggle sweat and blood, off course!
All-in-all, this has not just been a journey of self-expression as well as a year of self-discovery.
If you ask me, has my life changed due to blogging? The answer is YES.
While most people see blogging as a socially acceptable way of wasting time –at one time I did too- I love it. Even though many of my friends and family members keep telling me how I am wasting my degrees and talent on it and that I need a serious paying job and not this 'spare change gigs' I indulge in, I still think staring a fashion blog was one of my best career {and life} choice.
For blogging has made me a more confident person. It has made me aware of my talent and my weakness. It has made me see thing in different ways. Most importantly, it has pushed me out of my comfort zone and literally forced me to try out something new without worrying too much about failure.
Has the opportunity rolled in like I though they would? The answer is perhaps no, but it has opened up avenues for me that I did not consider before. I started blogging as a way of combining my fashion knowledge and writing skills, hoping a magazine job would come my way from it.
What did come were offers to contribute for some wonderful websites and blogs such as Yebhi Blog, Mumbai Mag and Indian Fashion Bloggers.
Has blogging influenced my life in a better way? There was a time when I would spend every spare minute reading books and watching TV. Those day my life was scheduled round TV shows. I would never go out on certain nights, not answer calls at a particular hour and so on. Blogging changed all that. I watch TV, but not as religiously as my pre-blogging days. As a friend wisely said it, I stopped channeling my energy into watching creative stuff and started directing it towards producing creative stuff.
Channeling of my energy into something creative paid off in a huge way. This positive change is one of the reason why I have had the wonderful opportunity of being featured numerous times on Independent Fashion Bloggers Link A La Mode Weekly Round-Up. Plus, my blog was selected as a 'Notable Newbie' by BlogAdda and recently it was added into the Directory of Best Indian blogs by Indian Top Blogs.
Do I now consider blogging my career now? A 100% YES!!! As blogging evolves so do the job profiles.
As much as I love designing and handling social media I realised I don’t want to give up blogging completely. What was started as an ‘experiment’ till I found my dream job in a span of year has become my dream job. Who would have though that!
As I start a new blogging year a huge thank you to my parents, my brothers, my friends and most importantly to all of you for your love and support. This has been one amazing year and I can't wait to start the new one.
Love,
Amena!!
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[Images via Pinterest]
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