#Reflections – my first ever #AtoZChallenge

I finally did it 🙂 In my wildest dreams I had not visualized me completing the #AtoZChallenge considering three major facts – 1. this was my first daily blogging challenge 2. April had been a roller coaster ride personally 3. I also decided to be a Minion this year for John’s Holton’s Heroes and being able to put up a #Reflection post but today as i pen down this post am feeling so overwhelmed and accomplished. I DID IT !!! 😀 😀 😀

Just sharing my achievements in terms of the Blogging Stats here it goes

2021 Views || 866 Visitors || 607 Likes and 491 Comments ❤ ❤ ❤ To check out the complete list of my entries during the challenge click here

My #AtoZChallenge Blog Posts

I had picked up a theme which I thought would be an easy piece of cake but it’s only when I dived into the challenge I realized the depth of it. Here are my key takeaways from the challenge:

1. Preparation is a must :
Whether or not you have chosen a theme for your challenge, deciding it way before the challenge starts makes half the challenge easier. At least the 26 words that you would be using should be well jotted down from before.

2. Look and Feel of the Blog Posts:
If you have in mind to follow a particular style of font, images and other cosmetic customization to follow for your posts prepare that well in advance. Also if you could do with the draft of all your posts with these basic things like the framework all you would be left during the challenge is to post the content

3. Follow for a follow, comment for a comment:
The #AtoZChallenge is all about collaboration and networking. When so many people with so many topics have been registered for the challenge there is no point if you are just focussed on your blog alone. Try to reply to all the comments that have been posted on your blog(if not the same day but not too late either). Follow folks who have followed your blog, read their posts and leave them a comment as to what you liked about their posts. Mutual encouragement is very important during the challenge cause who doesn’t like appreciation of the hard work you put into

4. Stick to the deadline:
Ohh yeah, we are all so used to procrastinating things in life but having a deadline helps you not do it this one even more if you don’t have your posts scheduled for the challenge way before. There would be times when you’ll face the Writer’s block but don’t let is stop you from blogging. Just write even if it’s about how the writer’s block is not letting you come up with ideas but just do it.

5. Read Read and Read:
The knowledge base that is formed during each challenge is immense. One should spend more time in reading other blogs to gain knowledge in just 26 days and also do a lot of reading for your own topic if required.

Personally this challenge has helped me in lot many ways, it helped me organize and plan my posts, it made me force to think how new my next blog post could be and how better than the previous one, picking up a theme like #Emotions helped me understand each of these 26 emotions personally as I did research on them. The challenge helped me collaborate with so many old and new friends. ❤ 

I would also like to thank all the guest bloggers who took time from their blogging challenge to post on my blog and share their thought and views

Darshith for writing on Disappointment and how it’s related to over expectations. Darshith himself couldn’t finish the challenge due to some personnel emergency but he did manage to guest blog on mine. Check out his Vlogs which he had started as part of the challenge.

Ketan for taking time from his really really busy schedule and sharing his views on the emotion Empathy (more credits since he is not a blogger himself). Special thanks to Ketan who actually planted the seed of blogging and more specifically writing in me.

Vikas who gives his input on a daily basis for all the topics that i chose to write about and finally my biggest achievement to make him do a guest blog cause the blogging community needed to know an amazing writer like him. Do read his post on the emotion – Jealousy

Pratyusha is my singer blogger sister friend who sang beautifully for me on the emotion Love. Listen to her sing so amazingly and also check out her blog for more of her songs.

Jennifer is an amazing blogger and more importantly a friend now. The #AtoZChallenge brought us really close as friends. I would always wait for her comments as soon as i finish publishing my post. And during the last sprint of the challenge he accepted to do a guest blog for me on the emotion Vulnerable. We also love the same person – Brene Brown.

And finally a huge shout out to all the amazing new bloggers i met during this challenge and am sure to read more of their work during my time here in the blogging community. Thank you so much for all the comments, likes and encouragement which made me push myself to perform better with every new emotion i picked up. Congratulations on the survival ❤ 🙂

Cheryl Wright
Aura with Writing
Gail
Shalzzz
Dr Gulara Vincent
Aaliyah Zahra
Nuttie Natters
Lori Henriksen
Vinay
Vishal Bheeroo
Me in the Middle Writes

Thank you everyone once again! The challenge wouldn’t have been a pleasurable one if it wasn’t for you readers. And a huge round of applause for the people behind specially Arlee Bird this amazing blogging challenge, all the co-hosts and the minions who made such a challenging task seem so simple.

Arlee Bird @ Tossing it Out
Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh
Heather M. Gardner
Jeremy @ Hollywood Nuts
AJ Lauer
Pam @ An Unconventional Librarian
Damyanti Biswas @ Daily Write
Zalka Csenge Virág @ The Multicolored Diary
Joy Campbell @ The Character Depot
John Holton @The Sound of One Hand Typing

Looking forward to the next year already . 🙂 Live ❤ Love ❤ Laugh ❤