IT’S MY ONE YEAR BLOGAVERSARY!!!
I can’t believe I just typed that! I started my blog on January 12th of 2017 on a whim with no plans or goals in mind. I had thought about starting a blog or YouTube channel for the longest time but never pushed myself to take that final step. I was too afraid of failure so I just never tried. But it was a new year and I was tired of not doing things because of fear. So I started looking up different blogging platforms and, before I knew what was really happening, I had written my first post! I knew nothing about what I was getting into – all I knew was that I wanted to have my own space to talk about my biggest passion – BOOKS! What I didn’t expect to happen was that it would turn into this amazing thing that has given me pride, confidence, great books, and even better friends. I feel like this blog is not only my space to talk about books, but I found a worldwide group of people who understand me. And this group is amazing! The people that I have met throughout this year makes every bit of stressing over posts worth it!
Blogging isn’t easy – that’s for sure! Sometimes it’s easy to sit down in front of your computer and word vomit onto the screen. Ideas flow like water and it feels like you have a never ending amount of things to talk about. And then, 3 weeks later, you’re struggling to come up with something. It takes an insane amount of time and dedication to keep writing, blog hop, interact with other bloggers, and more. I said this in my advice series – if I knew the amount of time that I would be putting into this place BEFORE I started blogging, I’m not sure I would have done it. But in the end, every bit of time is worth it. I wouldn’t change the decision to start this blog for anything. It’s the best decision I’ve ever made. Well, besides having my kids – they’re pretty cool too! LOL!
In this first year, I have accomplished so much. I now work with 4 main publishing houses in Canada (Hachette Book Group, Penguin Random House, Raincoast Books, and Harper Collins) and review physical copies of books. To me, this is probably my highest accomplishment. I’ve always admired people who got to review books for publishers and never imagined that I would be one of those people. And it’s not the free books that makes it special – though I’m not going to lie, that’s a pretty damn big perk! But it’s the fact that the publishing houses that I’ve admired since I was 4 years old are now trusting me to review their books that just blows me away. Sending books to “media” people might not seem like a big deal to them. They do it every day. But for little me, a bookworm with a passion and a blog, this is the biggest accomplishment I’ve achieved all on my own. So thank you to the publishers for the chance to work with you – it really does mean more to me than you know!
I’ve also started my own weekly meme – Top 5 Tuesday. Which I never intended to turn into a meme! I just started it because I really enjoyed making lists and wanted to have at least one day a week where I wasn’t struggling to figure out what to post. Slowly, people started asking if they could join in. Of course you can! I started adding participants to my posts, essentially making a master list. Then more people started joining in that I didn’t even know. Now, Top 5 Tuesday has turned into a monster! Some weeks there can be 25 or more bloggers participating in a topic. This just BLOWS MY MIND! Every week I look forward to see who will participate and what books will make it on their list. 25 might not seem like a lot to some bigger bloggers but, when this started as just me making random lists, to see the amount of people joining me each week, I’m stunned every time. Thanks to each and every one of you who join me and make my Tuesdays something to look forward to!
Lastly, onto the followers. Once again, when I first started, I had no clue what to expect. I wasn’t doing this for the views and followers – I just wanted to talk about books. It took quite a few months to hit triple digits and I wondered what I was doing wrong. There were so many people out there that started AFTER me and were over 500 and still growing. Then out of nowhere, I was gaining more and more. Before I knew it, I was hitting the 1,000 mark! I cried – seriously. I didn’t know that there would be that many people out there who cared what I had to say! And as I’m writing this (a few days early because as you know I like to pre-write and schedule) I am sitting at 1,276 followers………… CRAZY!
This post is getting long and I feel like I’m ranting, so I’ll close now. I just want to say THANK YOU to everyone out there that has followed me, supported me, and has had some great conversations with me. This blog has changed my life in ways that I could never have imagined. And to think – if I would have passed up this chance because I was too scared, where would I be now. You only live one life – and even then, you have no idea how long that will be. Stop holding back. Take chances. Put yourself out there. Try for things even if they seem out of reach. Follow your passions…. because you never know where it will take you. It might just be amazing.
Thank you!
Until next time, happy reading!
I’m going to go wipe my tears now, excuse me lol
CONGRATS ON ONE YEAR ❣❣❣❣❣❣❣
LOTS OF LOVE
PRIYASHA ❤
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Thanks! 🙂
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Congratulations! You’ve done so much in such a short time.
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Thanks! 🙂
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Congratulations!! You’ve achieved so much so your success is very well-deserved!
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Thanks! 🙂
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Happy Blogiversary!! That is so awesome! You have accomplished so much is only a years time. I can not wait to see what this next year brings!
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Thanks 🙂
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Happy anniversary!
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Thanks!
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Congrats😀
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Thanks!
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Congratulations!
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Thanks!
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Happy anniversary!!! I can’t wait to see what amazing things you do in Year 2!
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Thanks!
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Congratulationss! ❤
You deservee it!
Looking forward to more of your amazingg work! ^_^
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Thanks!
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Happy one year Blogiversary! Wishing you many more😁
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awww, this is such a great post and it made me very emotional because i had to think of all the amazing people out there that make this community so special! congratulations on your first your shanah! you are doing an amazing job, i love your posts about books but also your specials like the bullet journal posts. i am so happy to be joinging top 5 tuesday and i am looking forward to many more posts from you! 🙂
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Awe thanks so much! Yes! This community really is spectacular 😃
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Congratulations!! I can’t wait to see what posts you make this year! 🙂
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Thanks!
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Congrats, Shanah!
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Thanks!
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Happy blogiversary, hope you have another amazing year.
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Thanks!
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Your welcome ☺
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Congrats, and good luck with all the years to come!
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Thanks!
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Happy blogaversary!! It’s so cool to see all that you’ve achieved since you started blogging, especially your partnerships with the publishing houses! I didn’t even know bloggers did these kinds of things when I started out!
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Thanks! I jumped in head first and hoped for the best. And it worked! Odd because nothing like that has ever worked out for me before 😂
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Congrats and happy blogaversary ❤
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Thanks!
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OMG congratulations! I can only imagine how proud you must be! You have an amazing blog! Keep it up and good luck to another year 🙂
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Thanks!
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Congratulations on another year! Give yourself a hug!
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Thanks! I will 🙂
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Congratulations!! That’s such an amazing feat! Your blog is amazing and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for 2018! ❤
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Awe thanks!
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Congratulations! Here’s to many more happy (and maybe slightly stressful) years of blogging! 😀
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Thanks! I do hope this year is a little less stressful. It’s starting off that way at least!
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Happy 1 year anniversary!🎉🎊 You’ve achieved so much and it’s amazing when reflecting what has happened and how far you’ve cone in a matter of an year… Huge congrats and cheer to more success!!💖
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Thanks!
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY! 🙂 Cheers to many more!
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congratulations, Happy Blogiversary!! 🙂
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Thanks!
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Congratulations! And happy blogiversary 😀
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Thanks!
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Ah, happy first blogiversary! 😘 It’s so awesome to see how much you accomplished, and I wish you all the luck! 😄
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Thanks!
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Congratulations!
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Thanks!
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Congratulations and happy blogiversary!!! You were one of the first bloggers I followed when I started my blog and it’s so inspiring to see how far you’ve come! Here’s to many more years 💖
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Thanks! And you were also one of my first followed bloggers! Feels like yesterday but also ages ago 😂
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Congrats! Happy Blogiversary!!
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Thanks!
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Ahhh happy one year to your lovely blog, Shanah! It was so hearwarming to read about your blogging debut and your accomplishments, you have accomplished SO much in such a short time, you’re incredible, do you know that? 🙂
Here’s to many more years of blogging! 🙂
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Awe thanks so much 😢 those are happy tears 😂
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That’s good to know, I’d hate to make you sad 😂😂
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😂
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Congratulations Shanah!! You have accomplished so much! As an international blogger I can’t expect physical ARCs unfortunately so I live vicariously through yours LOL
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Thanks! I really do hope that there’s more opportunities for international bloggers soon! There’s got to be a way!!! I’ll cross my fingers for you!
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Happy blogiversary!!! ❤️
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Thanks!
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Happy anniversary, Shanah!! You’ve done amazing things in your one year, and I can’t wait to see what you do in the years to come! Congrats!!
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Thanks!
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Congratulations and Happy blogiversary!!!
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Thanks!
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Congratulations to one year! 🙂
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Thanks!
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Happy Blogiversary, Shanah!! You’ve created an amazing space for yourself!
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Thanks!
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Happy blogversary and congratulations on one year!❤️
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Congrats and happy blogiversary!!!
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Thanks!
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Congratulations!!
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Thanks!
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Congratulations on one year of Blogging! Here’s to many more incredible years of Blogging 😁
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Thanks!
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Congrats!!!!! This is such a huge milestone and is amazingggg!!!! So happy for you and all you’ve accomplished! ❤
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Thanks!
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Congratulations on one year of blogging! ❤
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Thanks!
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Congratulations on hitting one year!! That’s so exciting!
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Thanks!
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Congratulations on one year! You’ve achieved so much!
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Thanks! 🙂
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Congrats on year 1! I hope there are plenty of years to come! It is such an exciting landmark!
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Thanks 🙂
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