A year! Wow!

It’s been a year and a few days to that first click on the ‘publish’ button – that click marking the roller coaster ride that From The Corner Table is!

Another upload and click sometime today will mark another milestone for the blog – I’ve got a logo that is a visual representation of the idea that is ‘From The Corner Table’! Do check it out on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.

Amid this nostalgia trip and a bit of excitement over the logo, my current mood is similar to that of a child let loose in a playground – jumping from ‘astonished’ to ‘pride’ before rushing towards ‘happiness’ and ‘joy’. There is an occasional jump towards ‘anxiety’ and ‘disbelief’ too before swinging on the bars of ‘what next’ and sliding down ‘planning’.

Looking back at the reasons for starting the blog in my rather heartfelt notes Once Upon A Travel and Musings From The Kitchen Corner, I’m stoked that I’ve stuck to these intentions.

What is even more interesting is that blogging regularly (almost!) has taught me several lessons and created moments of enlightenment. Blogging has helped me grow as an individual.

When I look back to the time I first heard about blogging, it was a niche activity sans monetary value attached. There were no professional bloggers and the bloggers’ community was small. Today, the community has evolved and how! Spend some time on the internet and you will be amazed at the various topics that people are blogging about. The manner in which some blogs have created identities are mind-boggling. There are trends to blogging, there are technical aspects like SEO and ad words involved, visuals are important as is marketing and the stress, at times, is real! But the stress notwithstanding, what has remained constant is the way in which blogging can and has benefited individuals.

Blogging is one of the best ways to develop your writing skills. 

Here’s my list of 10 reasons why blogging could be one of the best things to happen to you… and I speak from experience.
1)   This is one to remember for all those budding authors. Blogging is one of the best ways to develop your writing skills. It is a known fact that some individuals are born writers and others, like me, have to put in time and effort into stringing together words that make sense. The only way to improve is to write regularly and consistently. As you continue this practice of ideating, writing, reading and rewriting, you’ll become a better writer. You might not become the overnight sensation that you wish to be! But as you start paying attention to the choice of words, syntax, sentence construction and proofread your work, you will get better.

2)   A side benefit of blogging is improved communication skills. Look at it this way – why are you writing a blog? To communicate your thoughts to readers. And improving your communication skills is a massive plus in the digital age when everything is being done online! Even social media updates require a bit of thinking, right?

3)   You’ll also learn some very interesting skills along the way. Case in point – yours truly. When I started out a year ago, I was a kitchen novice who only knew how to cook instant noodles, coffee and boil an egg. A year down the line, I can safely say I’m capable of whipping up a decent meal and talk food with people. I style+click+edit the food photographs that are posted in my blog and on social media handles. I am the unofficial travel planner for several people and can often be heard giving out lists of dos-don’ts to solo travellers. And then there is that entire list of technicalities that go into making the blog visible on the internet. All this I’ve learned by reading, reading and more reading. And while I won’t boast of being stellar, I can definitely boast of an increased skillset.

A blog is your portfolio and a way to build your personal brand.

4)   Do note that a blog is your portfolio and a way to build your personal brand. The content that you publish and the thought process that goes into developing that content is an amalgamation and reflection of your personal self. A blog is often an almost perfect way for budding authors and freelance writers to showcase their capabilities.

5)   Allow me to yet again remind you of the fact that this personal diary (not a secret diary) is a platform for you to share those viewpoints that buzz through your brain space. And all this without having to bother about being censored or edited! As a former journalist, trust me when I say how empowering that feels at times.

6)   Those bloggers who’ve been around for a while will also identify when I say that blogging has helped me become more organised. While writing gives the space to think, write, edit, proofread, rewrite and proofread till you are satisfied (a never case with me!), the exercise aids in and enables a clear thought process.

7)   Knowledge sharing! Now this obvious process was pointed out to me by a friend during a random discussion about why I write. “You are sharing your experiences and the knowledge that you’ve accumulated. When a third person reads what you’ve written, they will learn something from it, for sure. What is that if not knowledge sharing and making a difference?”

8)   I spend at least an hour everyday on my laptop reading other people’s blog posts or social media shares and liking them or leaving a comment. It’s just a way of boosting the confidence of a fellow blogger. Trust me when I say nothing gives me confidence booster as a comment on a published article or feedback on a post on Instagram. These are kind words from people who understand the effort that you’ve put into each word. Pssstt… do return the favour once in a while, if not regularly.

9)   Moreover, when you read other bloggers’ posts, you will be inspired and might just be introduced to a new thought process. What I enjoy most about writing a post is the doing research for the post. So, many times I’ve stumbled on ideas to write on while reading up. And in hindsight, I come to realise that the extensive reading has changed my perspective on several topics.

10) On a ‘fun’ note, I’ve even met some rather interesting people through my blog, some of who are rather good friends today. So that is another plus of blogging.