The happy 35th blog post but, what’s next?

As I am writing this blog, I have mixed feelings. I am grateful and nostalgic. The publishing of this post indicates that I did it. I reached my initial goal and wrote “the final post,” the 35th blog post. 

Two years ago, I set a goal to write 35 blog posts. I chose this number to keep it accessible and feel like I can do it. Yet, I did not. I actually stopped after writing 2 posts.

One thing you shouldn’t do when setting goals.

When I first learned about goals, I set so many all at once and didn’t complete any. It’s not because I’m lazy or couldn’t achieve them. It’s because I couldn’t focus on many things all at the same time. I had to quit something.

Even though we are bombarded by “don’t quit” and “quitting is for losers” messages, reality forces us to quit something or give less attention to some stuff to focus on the most important.

Quit the less important and persevere with the most important.

Lately, I have been procrastinating. I avoided writing this blog because it indicated the end, “the final post,” where I had to decide what to do next and assess what I have done.

The truth that we haven’t been told is that starting something is always easier than finishing because we don’t really hit a finishing point. Life continues, and we progress from one end to another.

Pause, Reflect, and take action again and again. 

Setting measures to keep track of our progress is crucial when setting a goal. 35 blog posts seemed more achievable than 50, yet it still took an effort to stay dedicated and committed.

I used to admire successful people and wondered how they could become so. I thought that success was destined for certain people. I assumed that perfection means success, that successful people are flawless, and that they are the ones who don’t make mistakes and don’t slack, and don’t doubt themselves.

I was wrong.

As I matured, I found out that the perfect version of success I had in mind was unrealistic. And that success had no single definition. To succeed, you have to fail so many times and try again and again and again.  

It’s never too late to fulfill the promise you made to yourself.

Two years ago, when I set the goal to write 35 blog posts, I never imagined that a future version of myself would come back to fulfill the promise I made to myself back then. 2021 was one of the best years of my life. It was full of change, excitement, love, courage, and an uncompleted list of goals, and that’s okay.

During that year, I started writing again and posting short videos in which I read my own Arabic writings and thoughts. Later, I stopped to focus on another project: the “Read with Ninette” campaign to foster a culture of reading.  

Now that I have more time, I’m back to writing in English and Arabic, experimenting with different types: blog, screenwriting, novel writing, and thoughts.

If you like what I post on my blog, let me know. Your feedback will help me decide on what to do next.

Thank you for sharing this journey with me.

Love,

Ninette