Today’s question to ponder is what do I consider to be successful blogging. Does it involve “likes” and “follows?”  Damn you, daily prompt, you’ve hit upon something with which I’m currently struggling . In my world domination post (tactfully called going global), I confessed that I would like to be read in every continent. I’m a realist, though, so I’m okay with Antarctica being left out. But now here you are asking about likes and follows. Dad gummit. Yes, okay, yes. I DO measure the success of my blog by those things. I know I shouldn’t. I know I should write quality content for my own self betterment and if the masses find it inspirational or intriguing or whatever that’s all a bonus. But I want to be read. I want to be followed. I want to be liked. There, I said it.

I am completely intrigued by the idea of sharing thoughts, ideas, and inspiration with human beings whose lives are so completely different than mine, yet have so many similarities. We live all over the globe, have all different types of families, come from different backgrounds and circumstances, yet we all share the human condition. We all have loves and losses, we all have struggles and triumphs. I feel honored every time someone visits my blog to see what my take is on this life and its ups and downs. I visit their blogs and gain insight into their worlds. Without those likes and follows I wouldn’t have a window into the world of the trainer in Greece or the artist in London. I would never have learned about the Polish girl living her dream in Turkey or the teacher in Switzerland. My curious mind loves learning about all of them, and when they come visit me and leave their calling cards I feel so honored.

My blog is all about transformation and all of the bumps along the way. It’s about being a fat girl in a not so fat friendly world, and about making myself the healthiest and happiest version of myself possible. It doesn’t happen overnight. It isn’t always pretty. In fact it’s rarely pretty. But it’s my life and my world and I want to share it. I want to explore what’s happening and my reactions to those things. By putting my thoughts down, it helps me to clarify them. It helps me to see where I’m doing things right, and where I need to make changes. Blogging holds me accountable, and allows me to shout my triumphs to the world.

So yes, those likes and especially those follows mean a lot to me. My blog is still new, and I’m still learning how to reach more readers. I make little goals for myself, like when I reach 100 followers I will do the happy dance. I’m not even halfway there, but I know I will get there. I know I have something to say, and that there is an audience for my writing, so I will keep at it, and keep learning about the real world though the world of blogging.

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/08/25/daily-prompt-effort/