Reflecting on my Three Years of Blogging

Time flies for sure, this is the first line I will use to start my article with. I cannot believe it has been three years since I first started my blog. Three years of many stories and ideas. Three years of opportunities and growing through this virtual space. It never imagined that I was going to write at some point in my life. I have always loved writing and especially because I love English language and the way sentences are formed has been mind dazzling for me.

I always admired writers because they had the ability to transform scenes into words and we get to travel in those stories and go to places we have never been. Writing for me was an idea and I truly never thought that I would actually write and have my own blog, I didn't even have it as a goal. 

Until 2016, I participated in Yala program for citizen journalism and that awakened the passion I once had for writing. I was in my last year as an undergraduate student at Tripoli University in Libya but I was so determined to focus in it and discover my ability in writing. A few months later, like today, a dear friend of mine, Khadeja, encouraged me to start my own blog and I remember that I started this blog around 2011-2012 but I wasn't active at all, I think I only wrote three or four pieces and they were too short to be called articles. However, I was scared because I didn't know if I was going to be consistent or what blogging actually was. She told me to just start and things will fall into place once I do and things truly fell into place and I will always cherish her advice and support in order to start my blog. 

In three years, I discovered the history of my own country in ways I never thought I could and I heard amazing stories from the old days. I met incredible people because of blogging and I interviewed so many talented human beings from Libya who are hopeful and amazing in ways I cannot properly describe. I met digital artists, athletes, photographers, and the list goes on and on. Writing introduced me to international platforms and gave me the chance to write about taboo subjects and make my voice heard through my own words. I believe that writing made me more expressive and brought out the rebel person in me because I consider myself conservative for some period in my life but writing changed that and I am grateful for it. I discovered myself more through writing and it is liberating.

I read so many books and I believe a good writer is a good reader and that helped me develop a lot of vocabulary and improve my English as a blogger. I wrote a total of 168 articles on my blog and I have over 80k views. My main advice is that consistency is key. I made it this far because I have been consistent in terms of content creating and publishing and blogging has been a main priority regardless of my busy schedule whether when I used to work or as currently a graduate student. I won't forget the support of readers and especially people from my country, Libya, friends and strangers, who shared my articles or gave their feedback, I sincerely appreciate it. You made it all worth it. I cannot wait for what's yet to come through this journey of blogging.