Blogging and me
January each year is a time for reflection, looking back at the year that has gone and wondering where the new one will take us. As 2020 proved only too well, you never know what is coming around the corner.
It’s best to make the most of every day and that’s where blogging comes in!
What a year!
Celebrating the year with a look back at what went on in my blogging world.
The most important blog post
It is on the most important blog.
Yours.
Even if no one but you reads it. The blog you write each day is the blog you need the most.
It’s a compass and a mirror, a chance to put a stake in the ground and refine your thoughts.
And the most important post? The one you’ll write tomorrow.
Seth’s Blog
This post resonated with me when I first saw it, especially the sentence, ‘It’s a compass and a mirror’….what do you think, would you agree with that train of thought?
I know that blogging helps me process things, I notice what’s going on around me more, I’m more observant, interesting sights and places excite me, new ideas come to me, beauty comes alive through my camera and I feel productive. Even if it is only me reading my thoughts 🙂
So how did 2020 go down?
Like a lead ballon??
Something I always like to do at the start of the new year (along with almost every other blogger) is to take a look back on the year that was.
It’s always interesting to see what has gone on and I’m often surprised at what posts came out on top in terms of views and likes. I don’t often dwell on the statistic side of blogging but this is one time of the year I delve into them.
Sue at Women Living Well After 50, wrote a post Review and Reset in 2020 and mentioned this sentence from a course she’s doing: We need to review before we can reset. As we go into 2021 we need to know where we’ve been, what we’ve learnt from the year and what has shaped us as we move forward.
This was written in relation to our everyday lives and it resonated with me. I know we’re not meant to look back, as that’s not the way we’re going, but sometimes, as Sue says, we need to look at where we are and how we got there.
According to the stats these were the Top 10 viewed posts in 2020
I’ve only included the posts that were actually written in 2020 in this Top 10, there were some perennially popular posts that just keep popping up from other years but I’ve decided not to include them. I’m planning to write a Top 10 of my favourite posts at some stage too.
- A Guide to Riding the Tumbarumba to Rosewood Rail Trail – I am most proud of this post and for being involved in our local community’s effort in getting our rail trail up and running after almost 18 years of hard work. We are all volunteers but we enjoy what we do so much we have to tell everyone about it – well maybe that’s just me!
- If 2020 was a food what would it be? This was a fun off-the-cuff post that for some reason, has hit a spot and continues to be read.
- Once you have tasted the taste of the sky, you will forever look up – this was a post for Sunday Stills all about the sky and this great quote from Leonardo da Vinci really appealed to me as a title.
- When the granddaughter you were expecting turns into a grandson – my youngest daughter had been told she was having a baby girl but then a few months later that all changed! I can tell you she had a baby boy, our first grandson.
- 12 things to do before turning 60 – A list of 12 things I wanted to do before I turned the big 60. As the year unfolded I wrote an update post later in the year.
- Marriage Unarranged – A book review from my blogging buddy Ritu’s first novel
- 40 years of Marriage – The Mathematician and I celebrated 40 years of wedded bliss last year so of course I wrote about it! I was only 19 when I was married, just saying so you don’t think I’m all that old!
- How do you manage to balance your self care in the world of social media – a personal look at the balance we need to keep taking care of ourselves in the world of social media.
- Life goes on in my little cocoon – a look at being in lockdown back in the early days of 2020, I even wrote a poem!
- New Motherhood perspectives in these challenging times – my youngest daughter had her first baby in February 2020 just as COVID hit. It’s fair to say it wasn’t what she was expecting, and she wrote very honestly about her feelings.
It’s interesting that my most viewed posts for 2020, were a mix of personal events, family issues, ageing, photography, books, thoughts and blogging/midlife topics. I try to be honest and I’m not averse to showing my vulnerable side at times. I enjoy engaging with other bloggers in similar areas as I feel we all learn from each other. You’re never too old to stop learning!
My blog is based on Midlife, Travel, Adventure and all things in between, and is really just the world, as seen through my eyes! Maybe I should drop the travel off for the foreseeable future – particularly international travel 😦
My stats for 2020
As readers know I’m married to the Mathematician, and so each year I take a deep dive into the stats. To be honest, he’s really not that interested, so it’s for my benefit only 🙂
- I wrote a total of 163 posts – less than in most previous years (I know it’s hard to believe I wrote less posts than ever before, not more!!)
- There were 53258 views of my blog (up from 35302 in 2019)
- I welcomed 27732 visitors to my world (up from 18080 in 2019)
- I smiled at 7887 likes 🙂
- I received 5456 fabulous comments (somewhat less than last year)
I know these numbers are negligible to some bloggers, but to me they’re brilliant!
Followers – yes that’s you!
The number of people following my blog, liking and commenting on posts has exceeded my expectations again this year. I know not everyone who clicks on my blog engages with me but I am very happy to have grown in so many ways. I appreciate every one of you.
I still don’t have a newsletter or any pop-ups or ads on my blog, and I’m not involved in any affiliate programs. I make no money from my blog, I like to keep it simple and don’t like bombarding people with unnecessary emails. I’m just glad you managed to find me and have stuck around after all these years!
I blog for pure enjoyment and as a creative outlet. My aim is to make you smile, educate you in some way, maybe inspire you and to share my world while also learning more about your world.
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Weekly Link-up parties
I have enjoyed participating in several weekly linkups this year. These have reinforced my belief that bloggers are amazing, generous people who love to share their lives, their wisdom and their friendship, regardless of where they are in the world. Among my favourites are these:
- Midlife Share the Love, #mlstl, was hosted by my great friends Sue and Leanne on Wednesdays – unfortunately this link up finished mid year and I know I miss the camaraderie but I understand the reasons why it finished. I’m thankful to both Sue and Leanne for their generosity in running it for so long.
- Denyse’s #Lifethisweek on Mondays – Denyse has a theme each week and we are invited to write using this theme as a prompt or share any post we like
- Sunday Stills hosted by Terri (and sometimes others) on Sundays – this a themed photography prompt
- Becky’s Squares – this was a new one for me in 2020 with Becky posting a monthly theme every few months and bloggers could join in daily or not, with the only criteria being the main photo at least, has to be a square.
Where are you from and how did you find me?
This year Australia has topped the stats for views, followed by US, UK, India, Canada, New Zealand.
As in previous years, WordPress, Facebook and Pinterest were my biggest referrers – I enjoy sharing to Twitter, Mix and Flipboard but they don’t yield much in the way of visitors. Instagram isn’t any good for bringing in readers either, but I must say I do enjoy it!
I also had nearly 1000 referrers from Rail Trail Australia as they list my Guide to Riding the Tumbarumba to Rosewood Rail Trail in the description details for our local rail trail. Thanks for that 🙂
Comments and engagement:
Like every other blogger out there, it’s comments that make my world go round. Those who have commented the most during the year just happen to be some of my favourite bloggers and are now lovely friends – I’ve linked to their most recent post in case you’d like to visit them. Tell them Debbie sent you 🙂
Donna from Retirement Reflections
Erica/Erika from Behind the Scenes Photography
Carol from Reading Ladies
Leanne from Cresting the Hill
Leslie from Once Upon a Time happily Ever After
Sue from Travel Tales of Life
Sue from Women Living well After 50
and there are many more who regularly leave me comments, I really appreciate every one of you, so thank you for your friendship and support xx
Summary of 2020
So in summary, in relation to my blogging world, I think 2020 was about life, family, learning, sharing stories but not too much (international) travelling!
My 2020 Word of the Year (WOTY) was Jump and I think I made the most of this action word, especially given the year we’ve had!
This year I’m going BOLD.
In my real life, 2020 was again a year full of emotion, ups and downs, happiness, sadness, light and darkness, a real rollercoaster (again). My blog reflected only some of this. Contrary to what some may think, I don’t actually write about everything that happens!!
Writing helps me a lot, and I am thankful to have such a caring, non-judgemental group of friends out there in the blogging world. Your friendship really helped me cope, again – I remember saying something very similar last year. I do try to stay positive but it can be extremely hard sometimes.
It seems like I use this quote every year but there’s a reason for it!
How about you?
How was your blogging year – was it a good year for you in terms of what you wanted to achieve? Leave me your thoughts if you’d like to.
Thanks again to everyone who has connected with me during the year. I’ve enjoyed reading a vast variety of blogs and engaging with you.
In a year we couldn’t be all that social in person we have managed to stay connected through out blogs and our use of technology. And that’s a good thing!
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Wishing you all the best for 2021 with lots of love, laughter and happier times.
Go forth and be bold….
Deb xx
You can also find Deb’s World in lots of other places – stay in touch by clicking any of the buttons below.
Everyone has a story to tell!
Deb is a young-at-heart & active 60+ blogger/retiree, after being made redundant from her 22-year career managing education programs in a men’s correctional centre (jail). She now spends her time reading, blogging, riding her ebike and travelling. Deb was awarded a Bravery Award from the Queen when she was 17 after a tragic accident – a definite life changing moment! She is married with 3 grown-up daughters & has 4 grandchildren. You can read more of Deb’s story here
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Deb's World 
Lovely synopsis of your year of posts. I don’t often look at my stats, and never in this depth. (I might need to now as this was very interesting!) Like you I blog for a creative outlet, the enjoyment, the connection. I hope I inspire people (at times) as I am inspired by people (at times).
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Thanks for the support Pat! I encourage you to look at your stats from time to time, they have lots of insights to offer.
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Hi Deb – congrats on another year of blogging and sharing your life. I definitely agree about blogging being a place to process our lives and the world. It certainly helped me through the process of recovery after leaving that awful job. My views and interactions have dropped over the years, but I think it’s across the board and I don’t want to sell myself out to try to attract more viewers (or pay for them!) So I’m happy enjoying my little community and the wonderful friends (like yourself) who have been a godsend. Here’s to another year of writing our thoughts, dreams, intentions, and life stories xx
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Thank you Leanne, your blog is a source of inspiration and I always enjoy reading your thoughts as you process the world around you. All the best for your blogging year ahead, I’ll be there with bells on! xx
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Nice wrap-up! I really should look at my stats now and then but I just don’t think about it. Like you, it’s the writing and interaction that is important. I love your new word!
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Thanks very much Janis, it is something I always enjoy doing once a year and then put aside. The engagement is more important than any numbers! I’m very happy to be going BOLD in 2021!
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Good word for the new year Deb, something to aim for I guess. It’s been a tough year for the whole world and we’re not out of the woods yet. Seems like you had a really successful year on the blog last year, some pretty impressive figures. Famous around the world eh?
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Famous in my own mind perhaps Jonno! Thanks for coming along on the rid and I hope 2021 gets sorted for you and Jo to continue with your fabulous lifestyle.
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Wow…that’s quite a statistic!!! Very inspirational. I just started of this year and would love to have my blogging experience like yours. Keep inspiring 🙂
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Many thanks Ritu, I’ve been blogging for many years and so it’s a case of being patient and persistent! Nothing happens fast but I enjoy this form of communication so much! All the best.
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Thank you for sharing my blog and its Monday Life this Week link up. It’s funny to think we have both been blogging for some years but really only “met” a few years back.
I do enjoy blogging but, unlike you do not have those great numbers of stats about how much your blog is read and shared. Congratulations on all your blog brings to you and how you share it with the world. Looking forward to more connections in 2021. Denyse
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Thank you Denyse! You are one of the many inspirational bloggers I enjoy reading regularly and I always like linking up with you. I too am so glad we ‘met’ and follow along. Wishing you well in 2021. xx
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oh what a fabulous review of your year. So lovely, do hope you can join us again for squares 🙂
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Thanks Becky, I’ll definitely join in as the month unfolds.
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Excellent news 👏
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I know showing our vulnerabilities is hard for some, but I think most people connect with that because we all have things that frighten us or areas to work on. When we’re genuine, we connect with others. Happy blogging in 2021!
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Thanks Pete, it’s been a year and a half but I’ve come through the other side and feel stronger now. Happy 2021 to you too.
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A strange blogging year, devoid of some of the usual inspiration. International travel, not often on my agenda anyway, was definitely out last year. I missed reading about other people’s holidays and trips abroad. Ups and downs with WordPress had me frustrated for much of the year as I struggled with blog presentation. Then I realised it was only me sitting in judgement of my blog presentation – or if others were judging of my lack of formatting skills, then really, did I need to care. I was going to pack it in, but then I thought…. why! I blog because I like blogging, and realising that took the pressure off. So now if my blogs are repetitive, if photos aren’t aligned, if there are spelling and grammatical errors, I’m ok with that. So 2020 was the year I came to terms with my blogging imperfections.
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Hi Chris, I’m so glad you continued with blogging, and on your own terms. It is hard when things don’t go as you plan but as you say others don’t notice or even care if somethings are out of whack, we are far too critical of ourselves at times aren’t we? Looking forward to further connections with you in 2021.
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What a great new word for you Deb and a lovely look back at the year that’s been. You’ve had a fabulous and active year of blogging. I know for me, although I blogged less and read less, the sense of connection somehow increased and that’s gotta be a good thing. Big hugs, much love and warmest wishes to you for a bright, bold, wonderful year in 2021. 😊 xx
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Thanks Miriam, you are always a source of inspiration for me and a blogger I truly value. I get how you feel the connection somehow increased in 2020 and I feel the same way, regardless of posts written or read. Maybe we can catch up again this year! Wishing you well. xx
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I would love to catch up Deb. Who knows, we may even come via Tumba sometime this year! Enjoy your Friday. xx 😊
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Wise words, Deb, “a compass and a mirror” and then I read further how these words resonated with you, too. I will visit Seth’s Blog next. New to me. “Review and reset” is also new. It may be the concepts are similar, yet I use different words to assess and reevaluate what is working in my life and what needs to be changed. “…where we are and how we got there.” The busyness of life often takes over and I will mull on the above phrases.
Thank you for mentioning my name in this post, Deb.🙂 I look forward to connecting and sharing in 2021. And, yes “it’s breathtakingly beautiful.” xx
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Thanks Erica, I loved that line ‘a compass and a mirror’ and am glad to hear you ‘get it’ too! Life is so full of ups and downs as you well know, but I feel underneath all that happens to us, it is breathtakingly beautiful and we are so privileged! Thanks for all your support 🙂
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I love your reflections and your insights here, Debbie.
Thank you for sharing quotes from Seth’s Blog. “(Our Blog) is a compass and a mirror.’ That so true — and comes with it much responsibility!
Thank you also for the shoutout — I greatly appreciate it.
See you Tuesday!
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Thanks Donna, you are a special part of my blogging community and appreciate your support as always.
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Wow Deb! I can see why this post takes a day to write. I’m very impressed with your stats and isn’t it lovely when people like or comment – it just brings a smile to your day, doesn’t it? I also like the idea of looking back at the most popular posts because sometimes we write posts and then forget about them. 2020 was especially difficult for you but you’ve shown through and look at you now 60 & Bold! Love it! Happy 2021 my friend and thanks for the reference to my Reivew and Reset post. xx
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It’s a huge effort to put these things together Sue but I really enjoy looking over the year this way. It seems to make me draw a line under the year and when I see how far I’ve come, I’m happy 🙂
2020 was difficult in so many ways, and us in particular, as we both lost our MILs, but with support and friendship and a community around us, it was made a bit easier. Your Review and Reset post was spot on and I’m happy to link to it!
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I love your reflective post and I’m a stats nerd! It’s so exciting to measure growth and look back on all the positives! You’ve had a wonderful blogging year! Each view and comment IS a thrill! Discovering and following you and chatting has been a highlight of 2020! Thanks for the shoutout, friend! Thanks for sharing your life and insights! Love the perfect quote! Looking forward to a brighter 2021! 🎉🥂
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Many thanks Carol, I agree with you, the thrill is in the comments and engagement with others. Looking forward to another great year of blogging for both of us.
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