Welcome friend! Last time in the Blogging Shelf, I wrote about blogging as a hobby and lessons that have helped me continue it with shifting seasons of my life. This piece picks up that thread and celebrates a milestone I never dreamed of when I first started. The other day I came across a notification in my WordPress: “Congratulations! Your site, Armed with A Book, passed 500,000 all-time views.”
My first thought was ‘cool’ — said out loud with zero spark, even though I knew this number meant something. It felt like something that was inevitable. It was eventually bound to happen. I have returned to my blog consistently for over six years, and though I routinely look at monthly and yearly stats, 500,000 is another number. I’ve never strived for that. My lack of celebration, though, gave me a pause: how is it that I can easily rejoice in my blog’s birthday each year, but not when it reaches a milestone? That’s what I’m exploring in this Blogging Shelf post.
The blog launched in May 2019. I have authored almost 1,500 posts since then, with Ariel contributing 40 of them. This is roughly 250 blog posts a year or 20 a month. There have been many types of posts I’ve covered over the years: reading challenges, highlighting readers, authors, creators through guest posts, and book excerpts. I’m curious about creativity and have learned from people all over the world. I have shown up for my hobby across big changes: wedding, pregnancy, newborn, and now return to work. I’ve kept all this while staying true to my craft, writing about what I read. I have no ads or affiliate links. I know of no formula to go viral. I just show up, authentically as myself. I have written so much, and 500,000 views is an invitation to look back at what brings readers to my blog. Let’s explore together.
What does 500,000 views mean?
Hitting 500,000 views makes me feel… sought after. Not in a flashy way, but in the steady putting-in-the-work kind of way that reflects years of trust-building. Publishers, authors, and publicists now reach out because they know I will show up for their work with care. Readers return because they know they’ll find honest thoughts, a range of genres, and reviews that reflect how I actually read: sometimes through discussions, sometimes through quotes or reflections, sometimes through messy life context. Half a million views tells me this approach resonates with people. I am seen.
The ~1,500 posts that sit in my blog archives are proof of the years I have written through. They are the books that have shaped me and conversations that have held my focus at different times. Looking back, I love how varied they are and how they show my evolution in their unique way. I was curious and looked for the posts that are most widely read – one of them nearly 20,000 reads.
Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life (May 2023)
This belongs to the season when I was posting a non-fiction book review every month. Looking back, I can see why people still find their way to this one. For one thing, it was recommended to me by two friends separately and that is rare! This book explores how we can live a long life by taking care of our bodies and pursuing something that is meaningful to us. It is about being intentional.
We Used to Live Here (June 2024)
I distinctly remember reaching out to the publicist to interview the author when I saw that this book was going to be a movie – probably why this book review gets so many hits. The premise is uninvited visitors who take over the house. I wasn’t a fan of the execution. It surprises me that one of my lukewarm reviews is among my most-read.
Moon of the Crusted Snow — Discussion (December 2021)
The December afternoon that Laur and I spent discussing this book is forever frozen in my mind. It was surreal and writing out our discussion as a book review was a lovely endeavour. The unexpected release of book 2 in October 2024 probably made this review part of top searches. Moon of the Crusted Snow is a beautiful Indigenous post apocalyptic winter novel about community, values and survival.
Writing it all out, I realized something simple and huge: I have a catalog that surprises even me with its range and the moments where I have covered books before they became well searched are brilliant. My interests matter. My words matter. I matter.
There is a warm, cosy feeling of being loved for who I am.
I am kind, curious, and thoughtful. It shows.
Success
Some years ago, I embraced this motto:
“Success is the action, not the outcome.”
Success is accumulative — it is tiny acts stacked quietly over years.
Some days, scheduling is a mindless chore; other days, sharing links to a blog post is exhilarating. I have built this hobby on those moments of satisfaction and fulfillment. Work well done. In the last two years, I have enjoyed writing book reviews more than before. I’m surprised when one or two months after reading, I can still find so much to say about a book. Reflecting on my experiences has made space to rejoice again.
I fear coming off too proud, so I often minimize my accomplishments. Maybe it’s because I don’t know what place accomplishments and pride have in a hobby. It’s pure labour of love and self. As a new mom, I didn’t know how to talk about myself. I could answer questions about my baby but my personal landscape was complicated. Simple questions were too heavy to answer. I remember an older family friend asking how the blog was doing, and I instinctively, enthusiastically said, “Really well!” I felt so good to be asked about something that is uniquely mine.
Those warm feelings are success; half a million views is a consequence. It’s a reminder of the goodness I feel inside; how a hobby and art flourish in their own right. The blog is art that is personal, meaningful, intentional, and true. I turned to myself to feel good in my efforts and all I do, and it’s also OK to, from time to time, feel good by looking at something external like a number. The internal compass is not lost. It is validated.
Sustainabilty
In 2024, I was pregnant for most of the year. I wrote on the blog 224 times. In 2025, as a first time mom, I made time to share 130 times. People who read my words may not have known this unless they read a review or reflection where I mentioned the seismic shifts in my life.
I show up. My archive and the internet’s strange rhythms take care of the rest. I see now that the blog — in its very existence — is what keeps people coming even when I rest. Even if I don’t post in a week, part of me is still here. It took almost 6 years to get to 500,000 views. The world saw a pandemic and the emergence of AI, the rise and fall of various social media.
I’m still here.
I will make it to 1 million views by just being me. I have to continue to trust in myself and what I have to say and keep returning.
Invitation
It is important to be dazzled by yourself.
Look at all you do — put a healthy meal for your family six days a week? Smile at your partner every morning and brighten their day? These small everyday things have a huge impact.
At least once a year celebrate you. Be proud of yourself. You define your success. You are successful.
In the comments, please share a milestone you’ve ignored!
Thank you so much for soaking up in my success today. ❤️
Be First to Comment