I almost let this one slip by...

This is officially blog post number 250.

I know I’m probably not supposed to say this, but…Holy Sh*t!

I can’t believe it.

More importantly, I have you to thank for keeping me going. What started as a basic WordPress website and a “let’s see what happens” attitude has grown into a newer, prettier website with thousands of views each month. I am still amazed and incredibly thankful that you’re here.

Two hundred and fifty stories.

Some polished.

Some a little cringeworthy (please don’t go looking for those).

Some written through tears.

Some from cafés in Paris, others from my kitchen island in Vancouver.

Some were about travel. Some were about recipes.

Most weren’t really about either.

Looking back on my blogging journey, I realize I’ve spent the last 250 posts writing about one thing: how to begin again.

What have 250 blog posts taught me?

Just start.

Whatever that thing is, a passion, a dream, an idea? Start it.

I honestly don’t know what I was thinking when I created ICovet. I mean, setting up a website and putting my innermost thoughts up for the world to see seems pretty bold.

And yet, once I clicked “publish,” I sort of forgot about it.

Until someone made a comment. Or offered a criticism. Or, better yet, says, “I loved what you wrote. It really resonated with me.”

That’s why I do it.

For those occasional moments when everything aligns, and something I wrote from my kitchen island somehow finds its way to someone who needed to read it.

You don’t have to know where you’re going

When I started ICovet, I didn’t have a five-year plan. I didn’t even have a five-post plan. I certainly didn’t imagine that one day I’d be sitting here writing blog post number 250, or that somewhere along the way, I would start calling myself a writer. Talk about imposter syndrome. It doesn’t matter how many blogs I’ve written, imposter syndrome is a thing.

Even now, calling myself a writer feels a little strange. Like, who am I to call myself that?

And then I remind myself: I’ve written 250 blog posts.

I also wrote a book.

Maybe it’s time.

The point is, starting something is just the beginning. You don’t need to know where it’s going to take you. You just have to be willing to find out.

Not everyone is going to like what you have to say

And that’s okay,

Okay, I’m still working on the “that’s okay” part.

If you’re going to have a voice, not everyone is going to agree with it. I’m learning not to let someone else’s opinion stop me from saying what I want to say.

Everyone has their own experiences, and I can only write about mine. So, opinions are always welcome, but sometimes we may just have to agree to disagree.

The stories I’m most afraid to tell are often the ones people connect with most.

There’s a big difference between writing something and actually hitting “publish.”

I’ve written posts that have sat in my drafts while I wondered, Do I really want to put this out there? I’m always playing it safe. The more personal the story, the harder it is to let it go. I’ve worried about what people will think. I’ve worried that I’ve shared too much. I’ve even wondered if maybe this is the one I should keep to myself.

And then I hit publish.

Honestly, we’re not talking about anything crazy here, but when you put yourself out there and talk openly about your feelings, you become vulnerable. That can be hard. Once it’s out there in the blogosphere, it’s out there.

And interestingly enough, those are often the stories that get read the most.

That said, there are still moments when I know I could share more. And honestly? It’s scary. I mean, who am I to put all of this out there and think anyone wants to read it?

But maybe that’s the point. The stories that feel the most personal are often the most universal. We think we’re revealing what makes us different, only to discover it’s often what connects us.

I write about what I love.

Over the years, ICovet has become a bit of everything. Travel. Relationships. Recipes. Paris. The occasional overshare. And every now and then, fashion.

I’d actually love to write more about fashion. But really, are you ready for me to show up here with a “What to Wear Now” post? Please let me know 😉

Because I have thoughts.

Lots of them.

And apparently, after 250 blog posts, I’ve learned that if something interests me, there’s a pretty good chance it might interest someone else too.

So, consider yourselves warned.

Always take that trip

It doesn’t need to be a year away, but it could be. Aside from my second home, Paris, there is so much to see in the world, and I feel like I’ve only scratched the surface.

Travel has taught me to be curious, to get lost, to try things I can’t pronounce and, occasionally, to wonder what the hell I was thinking. Some of my favourite memories have happened because I went somewhere I’d never been before. And some of my best stories have come from the moments when things didn’t go exactly according to plan.

I dreamt about my year away for what feels like forever, and the fact that I actually turned that dream into a reality is an even bigger WOW. It would have been easy to keep saying “One day.”

It takes perseverance and a little strategy, but if you put your mind to it, you can literally take on the world.

No, seriously!

And I guess that brings me back to where I started.

Two hundred and fifty blog posts later, I’m still here. Still writing. Still travelling. Still figuring things out. And apparently, still beginning again.

I have no idea what the next 250 posts will look like. Hopefully, there will be more travel, more Paris, more stories from my kitchen island and, who knows, maybe even a few of those fashion posts. 😜

But mostly, I hope you’ll keep coming back.

Thank you for reading, for commenting, for sharing, and for being part of this little corner of the internet with me.

Here’s to the next chapter.

Cheers! 🥂