One year ago I did this silly little thing and started a blog.  I was having a quarter life crisis, (can you have that at 30?)  It’s a classic tale of leaving one’s cushy job with a steady paycheck and retirement benefits in order to pursue one’s passions.  Starting my blog was the last step of the process: I quit the job, I took time to process what really mattered to me, then I put pen to paper, or rather fingers to keyboard.

A year of writing has been more fruitful than I could have ever imagined, but it’s also been more challenging.  I promised myself I’d be pumping out content regularly, and that didn’t happen in year one.  I promised myself I’d have 100,000 followers, and yet I’m pretty sure my mom is the only person reading this. (Hi mom!)  But one of the things I also learned in this blogging process is that I have to stop “shoulding” all over myself.  I am my harshest critic and blogging means that my flaws, and typos, and failures are out there for anyone on the internet to see.

I didn’t start blogging to make money, or fame, or get free stuff sent to my house (although that is sort of awesome.)  I started to blog to write and bake and drink and eat, all the things I love dearly in this life.  Blogging has opened doors that I didn’t know could be opened to me, and blogging has led me to self-actualize the life I’ve always hoped and dreamed of having.

Ciao Vella year two is going to be more of the same, but also more.  I’m going to post more regularly, I’m going to hold myself accountable for the content I want out there, and I hope you’ll continue to read with me, friends, readers, and my mom.  Thank you for your support.

Cheers and ciao!