Not that I can't just talk endlessly about the highlights of the year; nah! I've got that inscribed in my mind like the year began yesterday but I decided to scroll back to the very first post I made this year; January 12, 2024 because I wanted to explicitly pick one.
If there was one way to describe the start of my 2024,it will be chaotic and depressive. The year began with mountain of failures in my life, I had big dreams and flawless plans laid out on paper, but reality tore them apart. At a point, I stopped and asked myself, "Am I even on the right path?"
Making my first post of the year by 12 days after entering the year definitely has "I'm not fine written all over it." Life is always intertwined together - I wasn't depressed because of Hive-related troubles but my academics which was going south. That trouble encroached every other aspect of my life, leaving me unmotivated.
Sorting the academic setback finally kick-started my hive highlights because only then was I settled enough.
2024 came with a lot but then one particular thing stood out: The process of writing every post.
Inking the papers for each of my posts remains the true highlight of my year. Ever since joining Hive two years ago, I have found joy in creating quality contents to grace my blog and engage my readers. That singular process of thinking of how to creatively dispatch a topic to make it stand out sometimes feels tiring but refreshing.
Every word, every post and every writing can be a highlight on its own. It wasn't all about one big jackpot or one life-changing win, nah! it was about the joy of showing up consistently, putting my thoughts into words, and sharing pieces of myself with the world.
As bloggers, you will agree with me that there is no better way of expressing what you feel more than via writings.
Screenshot From My Phone
Despite my chaotic start, I had it at the back of my mind, how happy I was earning the Buzzy Bee Badge and The Monthly Badge and I wanted to always bag them the more..
Not all the posts were bursts of excitement and not all of them came with hefty paybacks, but , beyond what the post rewarded, what mattered to me was that they were reflective pieces sometimes written during moments of doubt and uncertainty. Looking back at them now to see how far I've come further sediments the saying that, "You'll never know what stands on the other side - failure or success - unless you try. And what's worse than failing is never trying at all."
There were days when the words flowed effortlessly and my ink battles to write forever whereas there were days I ran out of ideas, starring at the paper wondering if there was anything worthwhile to share. Both days thought me the value of perseverance.
Sharing the posts alone wasn't what made the year special but the joy was made complete by the connections the post brought. Through every post, I found people who resonated with my stories through the comments and shared their own stories reminding me that everyone is uniquely passing through their own lives.
Screenshot From My Phone
I also onboarded many of my friends from school and created a WhatsApp group where we discuss our challenges and help one another grow on Hive.
At this point I would love to give a big shoutouts to THE CITY OF NEOXIAN DISCORD CHANNEL. A server that's more than just a chatting platform but a place you can call home with wonderful souls always willing to reach out and help one another.
Looking back from my chaotic start, I find it hard to pick a post and say it's the highlight of my year because each one of them felt like small victory that accumulated to the larger victory that made up my year.
Closing the year, I'm filled with gratitude and ever happy my brother @kenechukwu97 introduced me to this platform. I wouldn't say it's the best year but it was a honest one, with every post I share reflecting who I was or what I was passing through at that moment, and together, they tell the story of a year well-lived.
🥂🥂 Here’s to a year of words, growth, and countless little highlights. And here’s to doing it all over again in 2025. Cheers.
I am participating in the Hive Highlight Challenge 2024 hosted by @hiveio.
Thanks for reading and have a nice day ahead 👍