It's been three years, for 🦊 sake!

It’s been three years since I made my very first post on this blog, in a hammock, outside the Baia Mare Youth Centre. Three years! Can you even believe it?

Honestly, when I started this venture I had no idea where things were going. I can’t really say that I know that now, but that is okay. People say that when you start something, you’ve got to have an end goal in mind, you’ve got to know where you’re going, what’s the plan, have a vision board and so on. While that is precious advice and it’s crucial for some, with all due respect, this is not always the case. I’m a very structured person and I like to think and overthink, I like to imagine, but when it comes to doing things, my focus is right here, right now. That is what always worked best for me and B-Side is probably one of the things that prove it.

Is B-Side a successful blog? I don’t have tens of thousands of clicks every day and I don’t have millions of followers on my social media, but then it’s only been three years and I’ve just let organic growth happen without me trying to force it. However, people are starting to recognise me for my writing, for my blog, for my articles, for my posts, people identify me with the fox logo that J gifted me on my 19th birthday and my muddy shoes. For me, this is what success looks like! I am so grateful for each and every person who’s read any one of my articles and to you all I say THANK YOU!

This blog is a window into my mind and I like to peer through that window sometimes just to see where I’m at. I’ve grown from volunteer to youth worker and all the way to NGO director. I’ve grown from a teenager to a young adult. I’ve grown from student to graduate. Most importantly, I’ve grown from being scared of people misinterpreting my writing to understanding that everyone can take what they need from my texts. These changes aren’t due to the blog, but that’s where I go to check them out. To some extent, this is what B-Side is about - Bea’s side of the story - having an easy way to assess my development and keeping my writing safe. It’s quite a personal blog, you know, but that’s how I want it to be. If nothing else, it shows the impact that things like youth work, education, experiences, or books can have on one person.

Today I’m celebrating with some tea & cake and talking to J about my next tattoo. In September, I’ll have three years of daily posts, so I want to mark it somehow. The B-Side Fox. On my arm. Tattooed. I’m writing this here as a commitment because otherwise, I’ll just keep postponing it for no reason. ‘I’ll do it later,’ she says and then forgets about it.

HAPPY B-SIDE DAY!