Keep On Keeping On

こんばんは。How’s it going?

It’s the end of the year and as usual, many bloggers and vloggers are re-evaluating their blogs and channels. I’ve seen a few decide that what they are writing about is not adding value, or they feel like they don’t have anything new to write about. Others have found that they’ve reached a plateau in their number of followers and are frustrated that the growth has stopped.

And many of these bloggers/vloggers have decided to pause their activities during the holiday break while they decide if they will continue, re-focus, or quit. I can understand where they are coming from, and I think it’s fine to stop blogging of vlogging if it has become a burden, especially if it’s not your source of income. You shouldn’t feel guilty about losing the motivation or passion that once drove you to create content. People change, and if you force yourself to keep doing the same thing, you won’t grow and you’ll get frustrated.

I’ve actually never done the end-of-year evaluation. I’ve been blogging off-and-on since 2000, and I’ve been posting daily for a couple years now. I suppose the reason why this blog has been going for so long is that I don’t have any long-term goals for it, other than to document my daily life. And my daily life isn’t filled with profound realizations, amazing tips & tricks, or other marketable lifehacks. I just write about anything that strikes my fancy. Sometimes it’s helpful to others, but most of the time, it’s of limited value. I know I won’t make any significant money blogging this way, but I have fun writing, learning about WordPress, affiliate ads, and SEO. And what’s nice is that it takes almost no special effort to do so. That’s because it’s become a habit every night. I never find myself forcing myself to blog… it just happens. And sometimes if I don’t get around to writing that night, I’ll just write two the next day, or simply post a photo. It’s really not worth stressing over.

I said I don’t have any long-term goals for this blog, and it’s true. I blog without trying to gain followers, improve SEO, or make money. Or if I do, it’s just for entertainment. But I do achieve my short-term goal each day, which is to write a little bit and post a photo, which keeps my brain sharp. Those small achievements add up, I believe, and create a sense of wellbeing and a healthy mind.

But for those bloggers who have more invested in their blogs, and perhaps a financial interest in having a profitable blog/channel, you have my respect and support! And I hope you all have a successful 2019!

In the spirit of including a photo in my daily post, here’s a random pic of items on my desk.

I hope you had a nice Friday!

またね～