My 100th Post: Answering 63 Great Questions

I’m celebrating my 100th blog post! I answered 63 of the most common questions on Twitter about self-care, personal development, and mental health. Check it out!

WOOHOOOO! I’ve made it. I made it to my 100th blog post. This may not seem like a big deal to some, but it is to me. I’ve had quite the blogging journey with Riyah Speaks. I started as a general blogger in July 2020 but decided to niche down and rebrand myself as a lifestyle and self-care blog in February 2021.

Rebranding the blog also meant deleting and restarting all blog posts from scratch. Had I not deleted many of my earlier blog posts, I would’ve likely hit my 100th blog post long ago. But enough about the past. For my 100th blog post, I decided to leave the floor open and answer any questions the blogging and writing community has for me.

I won’t bore you with any more chit-chat, so let’s jump right into these 100th blog post questions.

Side note: I tried hard to hit 100 questions on Twitter but failed, lol.

100th Blog Post Questions

How Long Did It Take You To Reach Your 100 Posts?

Since I rebranded and took a blogging break from November 2020 to February 2021, it took longer than expected. But, since restarting the blog in February, it took me almost eight months to get to this point.

Do You Make A Living From It?

I’m assuming you’re asking about whether this is full-time. Unfortunately, blogging and content creation are not my primary source of income. However, I’ve been steadily increasing the number of sponsored posts and hope to make this my full-time job soon.

Do You See Yourself Continuing This For The Long Haul?

Yes, as long as my health is not at risk and I have the means.

When Is Your Favorite Time Of Day To Write?

Mid-afternoon to early evening, sometime between 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM.

What Is Your Favorite Blog Post And Why?

My favorite blog posts that I’ve written thus far are the Open Letter To Depression and the Open Letter To People With Suicidal Thoughts. These are my favorite blog posts because they meant the most to me, and I felt cathartic. As someone who speaks openly about her mental health, I felt like writing these open letters opened a new door of healing for myself.

What Are Your Best Tips For New Bloggers?

• Plan ahead of time: Please don’t be that blogger that writes their blooms posts as December is happening. Plan ahead of time. Start writing your posts about a month in advance. If you have to take a posting break to do so, then do it. Trust me, you’ll feel more relaxed.
• Be yourself: There is no reason to compare your work to someone else. We’re all different and have different blogging styles.
• DON’T PLAGIARIZE: Plagiarism is the worst thing you can do as a blogger or creative entrepreneur.

What Is One Thing You’d Like To Do/Learn In The New Year?

I have so many things on my New Year’s bucket list that it’s hard to pick one. But if I had to pick one, I’d say I want to learn how crystals work and how to use them to manifest and affirm things in my life in a positive way.

What’s Your Blog Vision, And How Do You See Your Blog Looking 5 Years From Now?

The blog’s vision is for people to use this site as a resource for mental health and wellness information and find inspiration during their darkest times. I hope that makes sense. 5 years from now, which will be 2026, I hope I am making full-time revenue from the blog, following my passion for writing, and making a difference with one word at a time.

What Is Your Favorite Place In The World?

I’ve never traveled outside the United States but Morocco. Morocco is beautiful, rich in culture, and offers excellent food.

What Are The Pros & Cons Of Blogging You Learned During Your Journey?

If I had to make a list, the pros and cons of blogging would be its blogging series. But since this is my 100th blog post, I’ll shorten it to a few sentences. One of the pros of blogging I’ve learned is that.

• It is a great way to pass the time
• Meet new people from all over the world
• Learn new things
• Build technical and writing skills
• Looks great on a portfolio or resume (depending on what you write)

While there are many pros to blogging. Some of the biggest cons I’ve experienced are

• No degree prepares you for the amount of work you must put into it
• Social media management sucks
• You have to be willing to learn and support others
• Blogging is harder than it seems.

How Do You Overcome Writer’s Block?

I have a few different strategies for dealing with writer’s block that I learned from here.

• Pomodoro Technique, which I reference in these productivity tips.
• Take a break
• Use writing prompts
• Read

What’s One Thing That Can Always Motivate You?

Food. Call me fat, but I love food, and it’s super motivating.

Who is Someone You Look Up To In The Blogging Community?

This has to be a trick question. There are so many different bloggers I look up to within the blogging community for various reasons. Below is a list of bloggers who inspire me and why they inspire me so much.

• Kayleigh Zara: I would love to be as successful as she is
• Ofaglasgowgirl: Her blog is so cute and has a major following.
• Jenny In Neverland: I would love to have a blog that is amazingly designed, just like hers
• Dear Dating B: One day, I plan to write honest posts like hers without feeling ashamed.

What’s Your least Favorite Task In Running Your Business?

SOCIAL MEDIA — It’s so time-consuming

What Are Your Next Steps For The Blog?

I don’t want to spoil anything, but I want to create a YouTube and put more effort into the blog. The following steps for the blog also include adding additional products and promoting the shop more.

Do You Ever Plan To Do A Podcast or Film Videos?

YES, to both of these. I have already filmed Instagram reels and TikToks. In addition, I started a new IG series and plan to turn that into a podcast soon.

What Is A Food Item You Could Eat Everyday?

Oreos

Your Favorite Piece Of Advice

Never make excuses for how you feel and why. Your feelings are valid regardless of the circumstances.

What Is Your Favorite Stationary Item?

Journals and pens, I have thousands of different types of journals and pens. Some of my favorite products are featured in this list of Amazon Office supplies.

Why Is Blogging Important To You?

Blogging is essential because it is a creative outlet for me to talk about my passions and topics I care about. I’ve always felt like I had this useless skill since everything was related to Mathematics or Science. Blogging allows me to use my skillset, share my story, and offer advice and inspiration to people who need it.

What Motivates You To Continue Writing?

I’m motivated by the number of people who reach out to me and say thank you for sharing and writing about the things I’ve published. It honestly means the world to me that someone out there in the vast world finds my work inspirational and uses it for good.

How Long Have You Been Writing Blogs?

For as long as I’m physically and mentally able to

What Have You Learned Since You Started Blogging?

Since starting Riyah Speaks, I’ve learned a lot about myself and blogging in general. In terms of myself, I knew that I had a lot of pent-up trauma to sort through and that I needed something artistic to put some energy into. Blogging did that for me. In terms of blogging, I learned that it’s not easy. A lot goes into running a functional blog and updating it with Google’s standards.

What Advice Would You Give To Others Who Want To Start A Blog?

Research your niche and have posts written before going live.

What Is Something You’re Proud Of?

I’m proud that I earned my Master’s Degree during a pandemic. I cannot tell you how often my boyfriend had to convince me not to drop out or put me to sleep because I was stressed from the workload due to the pandemic. I did it, though.

I can also proudly say I’m the first person in my family to hold a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree. The best part is that I’m only 24 years old.

What Type Of Blog Posts Do You Like Best?

I love shorter listicle posts or blogs that go straight to the point. For example, If I’m trying to learn a new recipe, I prefer the recipe to be at the top and not the history behind the ingredients. I hope this makes sense. I also love reading personal stories on mental health and relationships because they always provide greater insight that I’ve never considered.

Are You Able To Make A Living From Your Blog?

Not yet

Where Do You Find Your Inspiration?

For writing posts: Reddit, Twitter, blogging tags, or personal experiences

For life: My mom and loved ones

What Did You Intend To Achieve With Your Blog? Did you Achieve It?

When I first started Riyah Speaks, I wanted this to be a safe space to share my thoughts and passions without judgment. Then, I rebranded it, and my new goal became to help people learn how to better themselves and find happiness through self-care and love. I also wanted to educate people on mental health by sharing personal stories and information.

I think I have achieved my goal based on the number of people who have contacted me to say thanks.

Why Would You Quit Or Not Quit Blogging?

I would only quit blogging if I could not keep up with it financially, physically, or mentally.

What Is It That Makes You Want To Keep Writing?

I keep writing to make a difference in someone’s world.

What’s Your Dream Brand To Work With?

Honest Beauty or Adidas

Best Travel Spot You’ve Been To

Harry Potter world inside of Universal Studios

What Is Your Favorite Movie?

007 Goldeneye (James Bond Film) and Harry Potter (all of them)

What Is Favorite Movie Prop?

The chicken bones from the horror movie Clown that they tried to play off as human bones 🤣

Which Living/Dead Person Would You Love To Have Dinner With?

I’m going to is a nerd now and says I would love to have dinner with Carrie Fisher from Star Wars. I was super devastated when I learned of her death and started binge-watching the series as a result. She seems like a sweet and calm person to hang out with.

What Would You Say To Bloggers Just Starting?

Don’t give up. Your blogging journey is just starting, and much more is to come. Also, constantly ask questions and seek help if you don’t know something.

Where Do You Get Your Confidence From?

I learned it after dealing with lots of trauma from high school and college. If you asked anyone who knew me before 2017, they’d describe me as insecure and unhappy. Part of that was due to how I was getting treated in school, and the other half was just who I was. So, I needed to go through mental health issues to find some confidence in myself.

Favorite Shoes

I guess my comfy Skechers.

Why Did You Start Blogging?

To inspire and help people while using it as a creative outlet.

What Are Your Future Goals For Your Brand?

My future goals are to hit a 10k blog view milestone, hit 20 DA, and continuously have brand and sponsorship opportunities.

What Is The Number One Thing On Your Bucket List?

To travel out of the country at least 5x before I die.

How Has Blogging Impacted You As A Person?

Blogging has impacted chiefly my personality and my ability to understand others. Before blogging, I would consider myself someone who could easily read the room and was pretty friendly. But, through various interactions, I learned to be more understanding in reading the room. Just because there are tensions does not necessarily mean everything has gone wrong.

Also, it helped me to work through some mental health trauma that I had pent up from college.

Where Is One Place You Want To Visit?

Platform 9 3/4 in London

What Is An Unpopular Opinion That You Have?

Just because I choose not to have children does not mean I can’t / I don’t like children / make me a weirdo / or you can spend all of your time trying to convince me why I should.

What Is Your Favorite Topic To Blog About?

Mental Health or Self-Care

Do You Have A Number One Post Out Of The 100, and Why Is It That One?

Hmmmmmm. This is a good question. If I had to pick a single post, it would be about debunking mental health stigmas. Instead, this is my number one post because it’s the post I needed to write and be published.

I wrote this post immediately after being told I would kill myself simply because I disagreed with taking a drug, which offended me a lot. He also went on to call me violent and say lots of mean and untrue things about people with mental health illnesses.

How Do You Manage To Stay Upbeat When Everything Does Not Seem To Be Going As Desired?

I have two answers to this question. The first one is that sometimes I’m not an upbeat person. I allow myself to feel negative emotions sometimes, and that is okay. On the other hand, I often do things that make me happy or calm me down, such as watching TV, journaling, sleeping, or writing.

Also, I always remember that some things are beyond me. I cannot control everything, but I can control my reactions to it.

Are You A Morning Or Night Person?

Neither, I’m a mid-afternoon person. I go to sleep by 10:00 PM and don’t wake up before 8:00 unless I have work.

If You Could Only Use One Social Media App For A Year, Which Would You Choose?

I would use Twitter. Not only is it my favorite platform, but I’ve never had any issues with them. Plus, the memes tend to be hilarious when things happen, politically or culturally.

What Is Your Favorite Social Media App?

Twitter.

What Is Your Favorite Post?

My favorite post that I’ve written is the one I’m most proud of, which would be the stigmas post. When mental health is being spoken about openly, I feel like there is a lot of work that needs to be done surrounding the negative stigmas and assumptions about mental health and people with mental health illnesses.

If You Could Change One Thing About Your Blog, What Would You Change?

Call me crazy, but I would change the domain. I would’ve chosen something more niche-related so that Google would rank me higher sooner. But I also like the way my current blog name sounds.

What Is Your #1 Piece Of Advice You’d Give Someone Starting A Blog?

Do your research before you go live. Make sure you understand everything about SEO and optimization because it plays a massive role in how successful you will be in the future.

How Did You Get Started?

I have a bachelor’s degree in journalism and creative writing. Once I started my master’s, I knew I would want to prove my skills. I thought about starting a YouTube channel, but that seemed too much work for my brain to handle.

Then, the assignment came, and so did the pandemic. During the pandemic, I got an assignment to start and run a class blog. I did reasonably well and decided that blogging would be my perfect outlet during those difficult times.

What Is Your Favorite Podcast?

Right now, I’m in love with the podcast Sex With Emily. If you don’t have proper sex education, then this podcast is for you.

How Do You Promote Your Blog?

I promote my blog in a few different ways. I use social media, email marketing, and word of mouth with friends and family.

Do You Have An Email List? How Do You Get Subscribers?

Yes, I have an email list. I also frequently promote my free resource library on all social media platforms, have popup banners on my blog, and encourage them in some posts.

What Have Been Your Most Popular Posts?

My most popular posts have been my more personal ones, like the open letter to my 24-year-old self, which I wrote for my birthday in June, or the open letter to depression.

How Did You Decide On Your Blogging Niche?

When I first started blogging, I didn’t have a niche. But then, I decided I wanted to make a more significant impact, so I based my niche on my personal experiences: mental health and wellness. I also researched trending topics and found that I could quickly write about many of them.

How Do You Stay Connected With Your Followers As You Grow?

I am active on every platform and try to stay active throughout the day as humanly as possible.

What Is Most Important To You In Writing Your Blogs?

I am being honest and my most authentic self. I would never want to write something untrue that aligns with my core values and beliefs. The same thing goes for advertisements and sponsored posts. I will never work with a company that goes against my morals.

What Life Roadblock Or Struggle Did You Learn The Most From? What Lesson Did You Take from It?

The biggest roadblock was suffering from depression while studying for my bachelor’s. There was a time when I couldn’t focus, I was failing all my classes, and I was struggling to care for myself after a series of unfortunate events such as a breakup, traumatic events, and almost being attacked.

During this period, I sought therapy and learned about the years of trauma I was holding inside of me. This roadblock taught me to understand better how to address problems and seek help when needed.

I was afraid of going to therapy because I didn’t want people to judge me or call me weak. But, it was honestly the best decision I’ve ever made. I fixed my grades, graduated, and rebuilt and improved my personal and romantic relationships.

My 100th Blog Post Note

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this 100th blog post. It means a lot to me. Also, I want to thank my lovely subscribers and social media followers who have been with me on this blogging journey. We made it to this 100th post together. As far as the future of this blog goes, I can confidently say that I plan to continue writing and even expand my brand name to a few other areas.

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