BLOG-o-VERSARY + JULY RECAP

Hey guys.
I have rehearsed this greeting over and again because I didn’t want my hype littered all over it. It’s not everyday that we have a monthly recap blog post served with our Blog Anniversary. Yes!!! this kingdom has reigned two years now and we are still all about annexing everyone to join our blog family.

Blog-o-versary happiness

When I think about how far we have come my heart melts with gratitude. Sometimes I fear that I don’t thank you, my blog family, enough for making this place worth living in. The super hero things you do when you comment, like, share, drop me that email, give me that opportunity, that feedback is why we are still here. I appreciate you fam.

Looking at how far we've come

Real talk.
If you asked me two years ago whether I’d be a blogger I’d probably laugh in insecurity.
You see before I started on this journey I had a throng of insecurities hanging from my neck. I was choking on the disillusionment that I was not a writer and up till now that noose hangs loosely.
I am slowly growing into the writer I am and learning some of the most valuable lessons along the way.

For those that started this journey with me I see you, I love you (y’all make me emotional even) you definitely have a clue about what this journey has been like. You have seen me on my hyper days when I shared two blog posts in a week, to when writer’s block hit, to my never ending exams, my random disappearances (see why I call you super heroes)
If you want to know the dramatic events that landed me here and my journey starting this blog, I shared all the juice in a blog post you can read here.

For the love of African literature

The biggest change I made on this blog this last year was introducing the #BookReviews category. Many of you have asked why I started reviewing books and how I even did the damn thing.
Honestly it wasn’t a decision, it was a goodass accident that I never recovered from.
I wrote one review and went like hey.. this is possible  I could do this. I can just share what I think about a book, add some “Luzungu” and call it a review. It was also possible because of the kind of feedback I got for each book I reviewed. Any blogger will tell you this, feed back has a way it keeps you on the road and you my good people have given me lots of it.
Most importantly I decided to review books because I love reading and reading has enabled me see how multifaceted people and the world in general is. Reviewing books is my way of getting people to open up to the beauty that is out there especially the beauty on the continent. I have reviewed African novels more than I have any other books because I am enthusiastic about getting stories of people that look like me read and adding to improving the reading culture in Africa.

This previous year also saw me doing collabos with brands. Again thanks to each of you that recommends me (it’s raining in my eyes now). I am extremely humbled by your love and support.

This entire month, I have been counting my blessings on here and believe you me I ran out of fingers. I have learnt that in this life whatever you want to do, start anyway. We are always over thinking our decisions and giving up on journeys we haven’t even taken because we are scared.
But here’s a lesson I picked from Trevor Noah’s book ‘born a crime‘

“We spend so much time being afraid of failure, afraid of rejection. But regret is the thing we should fear most. Failure is an answer. Rejection is an answer. Regret is an eternal question you will never have the answer to. ”

Hello A.U.G.U.S.T

July has been all about taking risks and doing things I was afraid of doing. It’s been a journey of self discovery. I literally had to go through my journals from two years ago to weigh progress. I for one believe that growth and success is not measured by where we are at but rather how far we have come. Reading my old journals reminded me of places I have been, victories I have seen and that I didn’t come this far simply to come this far.
That was July for me in a nutshell. How did July go in your side of life? Feel free to share with me some of your lessons in the comment section.

For August I am ecstatic. It also doubles as my birth month which probably explains the excitement. There are going to be a lot of changes on the blog. There is also something I have for you, my blog family, simply keep your eyes on the blog for this one.

Happy New month.

Bellows of love
©Tales of a Curious mind