Yesterday was a milestone day. I wrote my 500th post on my blog. Believe it or not, becoming a blogger was never something I planned. I was looking for a way to network and market my book, Pretiring with the Monkey Lady. But, a strange thing happened along the way in my little corner of the blogging world.
First, I never finished my book. I became too engrossed in telling recent stories of cultural immersion on Ometepe Island. Second, along the way I began to notice the positive effects blogging had on my life. It served its purpose as an online journal, but far more than that, it forced me to look at my world with eyes without borders. I began to develop new life skills that transferred to other endeavors of my life.
Six Life Skills I’ve Learned From Blogging
1. Being an Observant Traveler
I’ve learned to be an observant traveler, honing and sharpening my perceptions of the
world and relying on more than just my eyes.Β I count things, collect things, talk with
locals, shop with locals, and most importantly share my life with others in a culturally
compassionate way. Being nosy helps! π
2. Writing Skills
Writing is not just about correct grammar, punctuation, and paragraph formation.
Instead, writing has become my life. I’ve learned how to decipher what is special,
unique, important, and valuable in a place. When writing, I’ve developed the skill of
putting the place in context, historically and otherwise. Blogging has trained me to
notice, to pay attention, and to be more creative. Choosing specific, interesting
details, enriches my writing, as well as my life.
3. Confidence, Humility, Humor
I often find myself pushing the limits of my individual comfort zones while blogging. I’ve
developed many new skills, but in attempting to write stories with different
slants and styles, which produce many anxiety-provoking situations, blogging teaches
me to develop my self-confidence. I dislike conflict, yet I’ve learned to write from both
sides of an issue that is important to me. I try to be nonjudgmental, but if you read
between the lines, my opinion is usually obvious.
As I force myself to know more, I run the risk of becoming arrogant and overconfident.
Blogging forces me to be introspective, to evaluate my own weaknesses, react with
compassionate and empathetic understanding of a situation, and learn humility.
Blogging has been a gentle metamorphosis and taught me to have a healthy balance
of confidence, humility, and humor in everyday life.
4. Commitment and Perseverance
My blog has guided me through the dark nights, and it is what gets me through the
difficult days. I’ve learned that success and perseverance go together. Blogging
teaches me to focus on commitment to my readers, as well as myself. I just might finish
my book one of these days. π
5. Helping Others
In learning to look at the world with eyes without borders, I’ve discovered that blogging
is a wonderful means of helping others understand tolerance, compassion, and
empathy in our troubled world. Blogging gives me a way spread my stories of cultural
compassion and immersion in a different world from which I was raised.
6. Networking
Through my blog, I’ve met and interacted with other bloggers and new friends from
around the world. I’ve learned to: take Time Out for Art, minimize my lifestyle, increase
my understanding of environmental concerns, new technology, gardening skills,
photography…so many new things that I can’t begin to count them all!
I’ve been on safaris, magic carpet rides, hiked mountains, paraded
through towns and villages throughout the world…all because of blogging
connections!
Blogging has become a huge part of my life. The many lessons I have learned from blogging easily transfer to other endeavors of my life.Β I appreciate my readers! You all hold a special place in my heart and world. Thank you for becoming a precious part of my life.
Here’s to the next 500 posts!
I just found your blog today. So congrats a little late! We are a Cdn. family who may someday retire etiher in Guat or Nica, so I am eager to follow you. In the meantime, we are off to Cairo to live for 2 years as I am a teacher. Happy travels and happy retirement, Cheryl and the C family
Hi Cheryl and family,
Nice to “meet” you. Thanks for the lovely introduction. What exciting news. Have a wonderful experience in Cairo and be sure to come to Ometepe Island when you are in Nicaragua.
Thank you. I am currently reading your stages on adjustment and may share it with my teen who has never experienced the ups and downs of adapting to a new culture, but soon will. I myself can really relate having lived in quite a few spots. It can be agonizing at times, wondering what you are doing and so rewarding at others. Have a great day, Cheryl
I think if your teen has some idea of the stages of cultural adjustment, it will help. Happy travels. You have a great day, too.
Wow! Such an accomplishment and one you should be so proud of. I love your blog: your outrage, honesty, thought-provoking posts and love for your adopted country are wonderful to read. It’s great to count you among my blogging friends!
Ditto! Your thoughts are how I feel about you, too. π
Deb – You do it really well. I read most of your posts, altho not always in a timely manner! Thanks.
I miss you my friend. Thanks for the lovely thoughts.
Mary and I are some of the lucky ones who have learned from you, lived your experiences, and enjoyed life through your eyes. We are approaching the 500 milepost too. We, like you, see things differently now. I often find myself thinking, “I bet our readers would love to see that.” We are better observers and our lives have been enriched. Here’s to 500 more!
Definitely, here’s to 500 more posts. I’ve learned so much from you, too…especially bugs and celebrations in Ecuador. π
As it happens, the day you published your 500th post is the day we published our first! Congrats on such a huge milestone and thank you so much for sharing your insights into the blogging life. We have so much admiration for : a) your writing b) your AMAZING photography and c) your hopeful outlook on life.
Congratulations! That’s awesome. Now I need to read your blog. Is it a WordPress blog? Can you send me the link?
It’s thepazeras.wordpress.com (I think). Still learning the ins and outs of WordPress!
let me know if I can help you in any way. π I’m off to check it out.
Congratulations on 500 posts, Debbie. I’ve learned a lot about life on Ometepe and what this experience has meant to you through your blog. And, like Holly said, makes us reflect on our own reasons for blogging. π¬
Thanks, Lynne. It’s hard to believe I’ve published so many posts and I still have many stories to write. π
I’m only coming up to about 200 blogposts so far, but I totally agree with you on the rich learning that’s available not just thru reading other blogs but in researching and organizing our own blog posts. Congrats on the 500th!
Thanks so much, Annette. I think my favorite part is the research. I have learned so much from 4 1/2 years of blogging.
Love this post Debbie and I feel the same way. Bloggibg has changed my life and changed the way that I travel, express myself and experience life. I love reading about all your adventures and experiences. Here’s to the next 500 posts!
How sweet, Nicole. Thank you. I never imagined myself as a blogger, but like you said, it has changed my life. Thank goodness for faster internet! lol
Debbie, I can’t imagine that you’d ever become arrogant. Keep on posting!
Saludos,
Don Cuevas
Ha! There are times my friend! I miss you! Hope you are both well and happy.
When i check my email your post is always the 1st one opened. Thank you.
Thanks, Ken. It is great to hear that you enjoy my posts.
my life is better for knowing you and ron, and it was my great luck to have met you there in bahia de caraquez to get to know you even more. here’s to seeing you on ometepe and rio san juan one of these days! maybe it’s time to dust off the magic carpet and take it for a spin! z
I feel exactly the same way! Bring your flying carpet our way soon. Hope you are feeling better.
Here’s to the next 500 posts, indeed!
Thanks, Sue. π
Thank you for making me consider all the things I’ve learned from blogging…I loved reading this! I look forward to your next 500 posts!! Keep writing Chica!! Love ya!!!
Love ya, too Holly! Are you posting from the garage? I get exhausted just reading about all of your construction. You go girl!
Thank you for sharing…. I blog a little.. .from time to time.. and also have a book inside… waiting to evolve into printed word. Moving to Nicaragua July… 2016… visited Ometepe in Feb 2014 and enjoyed the solitude of it.
Hi Mark, maybe I should have a writer’s workshop where we can just spend our days finishing our books! Hope to see you next year. Best wishes on your move.
Keep blogging! We love reading your blogs!
Thanks, Mary Helen. I can picture Nemo swimming and singing, “Keep blogging. Keep blogging.” lol