100 Followers!!

In celebration of reaching 100 followers on the Little Blog of STUFF (you guys are awesome, thank you!!), I thought it would be fun to list a few things that I love so far in this new world of blogging:

1) I get to express my creativity

This is something that I’ve been struggling with a lot lately. In the field in which I work I don’t get much of an opportunity to be creative. I have always been a creative person, whether it be drawing, painting, writing a poem now and again – I just find it incredibly relaxing to express myself in some way. So since I started this blog, I have had the opportunity to do so. I enjoy taking pictures and editing them the way I like, I enjoy writing and expressing myself through words, I enjoy being in control of my space and how I want it to look. This blog has been an outlet for me and it helps me release what ever I am feeling through the next post I create.

2) Inner Geek, Unleashed

I have always been rather good with computers. I am by no means an expert, but understanding computers comes easy to me. I did a computer applications subject in high school which I really enjoyed, so when I got to university my computer literacy skills was quite good. Blogging is a way for me to better my computer skills and also a way for me to brush up on what I have learnt through the years. I also get to improve my writing skills which I would like to use some day in the future when I find my lifes calling.

3) Being inspired

I have stumbled upon some great blogs in the short amount of time that I’ve been blogging, and with that I have (virtually) met some great people. People who inspires me, who makes me think differently and people who teach me something new everyday. It is a weird and wonderful thing to get to know total strangers through the work they put out there, and it is even more wonderfully weird to find the inspiration you are looking for through this. Sometimes I need a bit of advice or I need to know how people dealt with an issue that I am currently facing; and it comforts me to know that I am not alone in my struggles.

4) Meeting new people

I absolutely love the feeling when I published a post and someone can relate to it. I love it when I receive thoughtful comments from people who just want to let me know that they liked something I wrote. It is a wonderful feeling to know that at least one person has read what I had to say and that it made an impression enough for them to take a minute out of their busy lives to leave a comment.

5) Path of discovery

I don’t have the luxury to pack my things and leave for an unforeseeable amount of time to travel the world in the name of finding myself. So blogging is it for me (for now). I get to explore different paths that I would not otherwise venture off into, and at the same time create a portfolio for myself for the future. I came to the realization recently, that I have not yet found my “passion” and maybe I have a passion for lots of things – this is a space for me to sort out the chaos inside my head in hopes of finding it.

Thank you to every single person who took the time out of their busy lives to like or comment on a post. Thank you to the people who are following this blog, who are in a way sharing my journey as I attempt to find what it is that I want out of life. I appreciate it all and I hope that it continues to be my happy place that I can be proud of for years to come.

– Nihaad

Beating the Block – For Bloggers

I am still a newbie when it comes to the whole blogging world. But as soon as I started I felt this enormous pressure because of what I saw on other blogs – constantly questioning if I will ever be good enough to make any kind of impression. This, in-turn, caused me to have blogger’s block! It’s horrible, especially if you’re like me who have a million and one things swirling in your brain, craving for an outlet. This is how I have been beating the block and how you can too:

#1 Be your own inspiration

If you’ve read my very first post, you would see that right from the start of this blogging journey, I suffered writer’s block. I could not for the life of me write anything that I deemed worthy of being placed onto the internet. I felt overwhelmed because there was so much I wanted to say, but still I couldn’t write anything. I looked through pictures I’ve taken and listened to some music that I adore. I started creating my own inspiration, and my muse was, well, me! Don’t feel pressured by what’s happening on the outside. Just be yourself – tell your story or create a new one.

Be your own inspiration.

#2 Just Write

I find that whenever I sit down with the intention to write a post I just can’t seem to come up with anything! So what I do now is, I pull up a blank document on Word and I just write. About anything and everything. I write about things that are important as well as insignificant ramblings that pops in my head. Don’t worry about spelling errors and structure; just let your thoughts flow onto the blank canvas before you. Soon enough you will find the hidden gem that needs a little bit of polishing, just waiting to be your crowned jewel.

#3 Ignore Social Media

There are times when I feel I really need some motivation. I check out whats happening on Pinterest or I read some new posts on Bloglovin. I end up spending my whole day on these platforms, with nothing to show for it. When I feel I really want to write something and I’ve completed step 1 and 2, I ignore any form of social media, because it ends up distracting me from my goal – to write!!

#4 Write from the heart

If you’ve read this post then you would know that I have been going through some stuff lately which has lead to me feeling really down and uninspired. I wrote that post to just get all those thoughts out of my mind, and put it out there so that it can be something REAL that I can keep coming back to. Sometimes you just have to clear your mind. Write from the heart. I think it helps a lot to unwind; it frees your thoughts so that you can move forward. Writing that post made me feel so much better – lighter. I feel more relaxed to write. I feel motivated to do everything I kept putting off before.

#5 take it easy, take it easy

Sometimes we put way too much pressure on ourselves and we end up feeling overwhelmed because we feel the need to produce. These days when I sense that feeling coming on, I step back and take it easy. I remind myself its not the end of the world. By taking that pressure and stress away you will feel more at ease with yourself. You will create a frame of mind for yourself to just enjoy what comes.

“Take it easy, take it easy. Don’t let the sound of your own wheels drive you crazy.” – Jackson Browne

These are just a few tips that has really helped me lately. What helps you beat writer’s block? I’d love to know.

– Nihaad