Happy 7 Years’ Blogiversary + 7 Life Lessons From Blogging!

Hello my friends! 😀 Can you believe it? We are celebrating our 7 Years’ Blogiversary and I couldn’t be happier! Stick around as we celebrate and review 7 life lessons I have learned from 7 years of blogging…

Happy 7 Years’ Blogiversary! 

To be quite honest, I can hardly believe that it’s been 7 years since we first embarked on this journey on 21st April, 2016… Feels like it was just the other day; time sure does fly by! 🙂

I am truly so grateful for the past 7 years, with all its highs and lows, plus the lessons… all of it! Truthfully, I’ve had many moments when I was tempted to throw in the towel. However, I am glad that the temptation did not win.

And through it all, you’ve been here my dear readers….Thank you for always showing up to read. I appreciate your comments & messages of encouragement over the years; it makes a huge difference!

A win for Scrapbook Journeys, is a win for us all. So, here’s to our 7 years’ blogiversary, and cheers to the next 7! 😀

7 Life Lessons I have learned from 7 Years of Blogging!

As we mark our 7 years’ blogiversary, I can’t help but look back at some of the lessons that this journey has accorded me.

I hope that by sharing this, you will feel inspired in one way or another… And hopefully, you will find the courage to give your own dreams a chance. 🙂

Failure is not always what it seems…

When I was starting out, I had many fears about what blogging might look like. But most of all, I was scared of failure. It felt like this big giant that could easily swallow me up in one gulp!

However, being a Travel Creator has meant learning to put myself out there, and how to fail forward. At one point, I remember making the decision that I would try as many things, and as many times as I needed to.

Then there were times when I wrote what felt (to me), like the ‘best blog post ever!’ But then the views did not reflect the same… I would feel such a pit in my stomach and start second-guessing myself. That often felt like failure.

However, with time, I have learned (still learning) to disassociate my value/worth, from the work itself or how it is received. This is an ongoing journey, one that I am sure my fellow creatives can relate with. 🙂

I’ve learned to keep going back to my ‘why’; the reasons why I love writing and telling stories. This helps to keep me going.

Take Life At Your Own Pace & Trust the Timing!

If there is 1 thing that 2020 taught most of us, it is the value of slowing down… And on this 7years’ blogiversary, I can’t help but appreciate the beauty of taking life at your own pace.

I had big dreams for this blog and my travels while starting out… Some that have come to pass, and others are still in waiting. Over time, it is easy to start comparing one’s journey with others. Perhaps you can relate…?

My constant saving grace, is knowing that God has a perfect plan & timing for me.

I love the idea of moving at my own pace, and focusing on what’s within my control. This lesson became especially clear in 2020, when we could not travel at all. I felt stuck for a while there.

Then I got accepted for a scholarship on a virtual Yoga Teacher Certification program. There were times when I felt guilty because I was not moving as fast as I’d anticipated… However, what felt like ‘delay’ turned out to be divine timing. I ended up with the perfect study group, which provided the exact learning environment I needed at the time.

And in 2022, I graduated as an internationally accredited 200hrs Yoga Teacher. Whoop whoop! 😀

So, in whatever you are doing, allow yourself to take the time you need. Move at your own pace, and focus on your focus.

Your Tribe Will Find You

Perhaps you’ve heard this saying: do what you love, and the right people will find you.

I can attest that this is true. Whether it be clients or readers, your right tribe will always come. In the past 7 years, I’ve had the privilege of working with some of the best brands in Kenya. I’ve built amazing partnerships and worked on some brilliant projects. Looking back now, I feel such gratitude well up in my heart. 🙂

Let me take this opportunity to thank the brands that have believed in me and given me a chance! I am deeply grateful: thank you!

It has also been quite a journey with you my readers. I appreciate how you celebrate all these milestones with me. Your support does not go unnoticed, thank you!

And if you are just starting out, or still going in your own journey, keep doing what you love, keep creating… Your tribe will surely find you. 🙂

Expect the Unexpected!

In 2022, I got named among Africa’s 100 Most Influential Influencers in Travel and Hospitality!

And you want to know the truth? That milestone came at a time when I felt like I wasn’t doing well at all…

The travel opportunities had seemingly dried up after the elections, and I was going through a bad case of writer’s block… Nevertheless, I was still engaging on Instagram and sharing stories from past trips.

Then, like a miracle out of the blue, this recognition came up… It was truly so uplifting to my spirit! 🙂

In hindsight, I can now see that the body of work I’ve created over the past 7 years makes a huge difference… When you are in the moment, it can feel as if you are drowning. That feeling will pass.

Remind yourself of how far you’ve come, take note of the big and small victories… It is all worth it.

Rest, Don’t Quit.

One of the biggest challenges about being a creative, is silencing the inner critic. Her voice is loud, sometimes almost deafening. This is also the voice that makes one feel guilty for taking time off.

When you are employed, for example, your leave days are set. Your working hours are also set. While as a Freelancer/entrepreneur, any time feels like go-time. Furthermore, being a Travel Blogger, the concept of work is closely married with leisure.

Hence, burnout is most often than not, inevitable. The tricky part is that sometimes we don’t realise we are burnout, until it’s too late. Sadly that’s when we end up quitting…

To be frank, I am still learning how to balance between work and rest. For instance, now when I travel I allow myself to sleep in sometimes. I do not have to catch all the ‘sunrise shots’.

This means being intentional. Being being present, versus trying to take numerous ‘perfect’ pictures. Suffice to stay: this is a work in progress! 🙂

There are no small wins: Celebrate!!

Someone once said: ‘Life is short and then we die.’ Sounds brutal, right? Yet it’s so true.

For our 7 years’ blogiversary, I am choosing to celebrate. I celebrate the all beautiful places I’ve gotten to experience thanks to this Blog! Sometimes I look back, and it all feels like a dream! Because- wow, see God! 😀

I celebrate all the beautiful people, like you, who I’ve met because of our shared love for travel! And going forward, I commit to celebrating each win, no matter how small.

Can we all commit to this?

Keep Dreaming, Keep Going!

What is your highest dream? Take that and multiply it by 7! That’s our final lesson. 🙂

It really is that simple. If we get what we aim for, then we might as well aim higher than our wildest dreams, yes? After all, in the words of Lupita Nyon’go: All dreams are valid.

So let’s keep going, and keep dreaming! I would rather dream big, try and ‘fail’, than have never tried at all. Give your dreams a chance.

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Thank you for reading our 7 years’ blogiversary post! I am deeply honoured to have you here, and would love to hear from you!

What lesson resonated with you? And what is your dream? Leave comment down below, and I’ll be certain to respond!

Until the next one…

<< Stay. Inspired. Always. >>