Happy New Year, friends! I can’t even believe 2014 is upon us already. I have so many dreams, goals, and plans for this year and I am really excited to get them going. I’ve spent the last few weeks laying the groundwork, and now it’s time to execute and get serious about crushing some seriously big goals.
In any event, that’s not what today’s post is about! I’m still looking back at 2013 and I saw a fun post on Caroline’s blog the other day, where she reviewed some of her favorite blog posts from the past year. I thought I would do something similar, using some of her prompts and a few of my own. So, without further ado, my top ten blog posts of 2013!
1. My favorite post was Fatherless Father’s Day.
2. My most popular post was Goodbyes and Hellos.
3. My most helpful post was When Intentions Fail.
4. A post whose success surprised me was Writing Is Work.
5. A post I feel didn’t get the attention it deserved was We Are Strong.
6. My most beautiful post was On a Special Bible.
7. My favorite post I wrote, spawned from a post another blogger wrote, was Changing My Story.
8. The post I was most scared to push publish on was Guarding My Heart.
9. The post I am most proud of was This is Good Enough.
10. My favorite guest post I wrote was On Learning to Say Yes.
When I think about this blog, I never really have any specific goals for it. I’m not looking to increase readership, though I love when new readers happen upon my blog and connections form. I’m not looking to make money from blogging or get tons of sponsors or anything like that. I just want to write my story down. I want to be honest and truthful about what I’m dealing with and going through and triumphing with and losing at… the good, the bad, and the ugly. The happy moments and the sad moments. The times when I’m proud and the times when I’m defeated. All of it. It’s for me, because it’s a cathartic healing process for me to get it out of my brain, but it’s also for you. For the I’ve been there’s. And the I thought I was the only one’s.
So when I think about where I want my blog to go in 2014, the truth is, I don’t have a clue. I’d like to continue blogging consistently, which is something I don’t struggle with too much. When it’s something you love doing, you make the time. No matter what. I’d like to launch a new design because this one is starting to feel a little dated. And I’d like to be a better blog friend. Send cards for birthdays, email more, strengthen connections, reach out. I hold back a lot because I fear rejection and I get too caught up in my own head. They already have close blog friends, what do they need from me? The truth is, we all want to strengthen our blog friendships and I’ve never received an email or text or tweet from a blog friend checking in on me, or asking me about something, and felt annoyed. It always feels good. I want to make others feel good, too.
This blog may get more health- and financial-focused in the coming year, as these are two huge goals of mine and I know there will be many thoughts tumbling through my head that I want to get out. Above all, though, it will remain pure Stephany Writes. Snippets of my life, essays on what I’m going through, and plenty of pictures of Dutch to soften even the hardest heart. 🙂 Bring it on, 2014! I am so, so ready for you.
I liked reading this summary of Caroline’s and your posts as I remember reading each one! I feel the same way about my blog as you do about yours. I don’t strive to be super popular or gain readership – I just want to continue to share my story and strengthen friendships with the people who read my blog. I want my voice on my blog to continue to result in people meeting and saying – you are just like you sound in your blog, if that makes any sense.
Here’s another fabulous year of blogging! Looking forward to reading along with your adventures 🙂
Happy new year, Stephany! I’m so ready for 2014, too. Let’s do this!
Your blog is one of my favorites to read for many of the reasons you listed above, like the honesty aspect. Thank you for sharing your story with all of us!
I have a goal to strengthen my blog friendships this year too. They are very rewarding. 🙂
Oh this is a fun way to sum up your blog for the year, I should consider doing this! My blogging goals have changed A LOT over the last couple years. Because I now am in a career I feel really passionate about my blog has fallen by the wayside a bit as I was using it a bit to further my career at one point. I still find it to be a really fun hobby and love writing and reading my old blog posts and connecting with readers so I don’t think I’ll give it up anytime soon, but I’m sure there will continue to be many weeks where I only blog once a week and I’m fine with that!
So many great blog posts here. You had a great year of writing 🙂