Goals
June 27, 2020
Can y’all believe that we are already at the end of June? Or that this is the forty-fifth post on this blog?! I cannot believe how quickly the time has gone by. For me, the end of June has another importance; it is when I purchase my new planner, I prefer academic calendars that run July – June. My planner is not just for remembering dates and keeping appointments, it is also my way of keeping track of my goals. Goals are useful to have because it organizes my thoughts and actions. Especially at a time like this, when things are chaotic and unsure, goals ground me.
One of the unintended consequences of writing last week’s and this week’s entries was that they fell on parallel tracks. While last week, I was looking back and sharing one of the reasons I began this blog, this week, I am looking forward and exploring what I want the purpose of this blog to be. So I want to share some of the goals I have for this blog.
When I started, I really had no idea what shape this blog would take. All I wanted was a platform to share my stories. As I began this project and continued working at it, I realized what my boundaries and limitations were. I also realized what my personal capacity was. Based on the insight I have gathered and feedback I have received from you readers, I have an idea of the changes I want to see this upcoming year.
There are three areas I would like to improve or expand. First, I want to foster more engagement on the topics I write about. Leaving a comment or sending me a message really does help! Let me know what you thought of the post. Was it something you related to? Was it something you have never experienced? Did you think it was too bizarre to actually have happened? Let me know your reactions. If it is something general or unrelated to a particular post, you can find me on these fine social media platforms: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook. In fact, why not take a quick moment to tap on those links and click the “Follow” button. I would very much appreciate that!
I understand that engagement does not pop up out of thin air. I know I am more likely to leave a comment on the media I consume if I have something I can contribute. So my second goal is to provide a greater variety of stories. My stories come from my experiences, and while I feel like I have plenty to share with y’all, I know it can translate as one-dimensional. In the next year, I want to hear more about your experiences and showcase stories from you, the readers. If you have a story you would like to share, please click here for guidelines on how to submit or click on the “2020 Stories” section from the main page.
If these two goals are implemented in a effective way, my third goal of increasing readership will develop automatically. It is not an accident that this is my third goal (as opposed to my first). This blog is a platform for me to share my stories and express my thoughts; at its core, it is therapeutic. But as I was writing about these topics, I realized my complaints and frustrations are issues others have probably experienced. The reason I do not know about them is we are not encouraged to talk about things that deviate from the norm. If that is the case, let us talk about it. And I need your help with that! If there is a story that resonated with you, or you think someone could relate to it, share the post. Let us take these uncomfortable topics and bring them out into the open, shine a light on them, call them out.
In order to work on these goals, I am going to need some time. That is why I am going to take a summer break. In the beginning, I said this blog was going to be of indefinite length. I do not feel I have reached that end yet, so I will be returning. But like I said, I need to figure out the best way to achieve these goals. I plan on picking up again in September. In the meantime, send me your stories and reach out. Send in your suggestions or topics you want me to discuss as well. The next year is going to be all about growth, and I hope y’all will join me in that journey. See you in September.
- Aemi
