How Blogging Made Me a Nicer Person

WARNING:  this post is a rant, partly sarcastic, and could appear rude to some – read at your own risk.  and try not to hate me; i’m still struggling to become nicer ;-)

The past Nisha used to be picky and brutally critique, though intentions were always only to improve myself or others.  But ever since I started blogging, a lot has changed the way I write and respond.  Part of it is because of what I see others do.  That doesn’t mean I do what people do.  I can’t be preaching “dare to be different” if I don’t follow it myself.  But the present Nisha has changed and how!

Let me give you a few scenarios of some food blogs I’ve come across and comments some  bloggers usually write:

Scenarios: 
a blogger posts a picture of the dish so zoomed in you can’t even tell what it is, OR 
a blogger uploads a picture of dish either so blurry or so bright you’d get a headache, OR 
a blogger posts picture of a dish that obviously looks overcooked and almost burnt...

comments from fellow bloggers? picture looks great, dish looks inviting, i’m drooling on my keyboard, looks amazing, looks mouthwatering, you’ve made it perfectly, can’t take my eyes away, looks tempting... {and trust me, half of them don't even read the post a blogger puts so much effort in writing}

Scenarios:
a blogger has really weird font/color on a color background making everything too hard to read, OR
a blogger goes on, and on, and on, and on about something random and unrelated, OR 
a blogger keeps writing half a page about weather in every other post, OR 
a blogger inscribes utilizing lexis you merely encounter in GRE manuscripts {translate: a blogger writes using words you only find in GRE books}...

comments from fellow bloggers? you have a wonderful blog, great post, good post, interesting post, wow you made this despite the adverse conditions, hats off to you...

And that is how I also have learned to motivate, encourage, and appreciate everyone, no matter what I really think in the back of my mind.  And then I try to leave meaningful, encouraging comments on any blog I visit, aiming to be nicer and less critical.

But several times I’ve wondered what will happen if one day everyone writes their true, real, honest opinion (with constructive criticism) without any fake, sugary-sweet words?  And what if everyone takes it with a positive spirit too?  Or what would the past Nisha have said?

~ ‘those unnecessary stories were boring and a waste of time, you could have tried relating to it or at least make it sound interesting?’

~ ‘hey if you switch off flash next time, the photos could look better.  i learned this pretty late myself..’

~ ‘dude, you are cooking and blogging in this heat/snow coz YOU want to; not coz you’re forced to, so repeating about cooking in bad weather and no electricity consistently isn’t heroic’

~ ‘er...you could have cooked the dish again and clicked again instead of posting pictures of burnt or blurry food...’

~ ‘hmmm.  sky will not fall down if you don’t send an entry in time to a food event/blogging marathon you know?’

Okay, I think those were more rude than constructive.  But my point is – even though I know blogging is just a hobby/casual pastime for some, at least with the honest comments a blogger will improve writing and/or photos and have a better blog?  (i’m not saying to become a professional writer or photographer, and i’m not comparing one’s work to another – again, can’t preach what I don’t follow)  And at least with genuine feedback, a blogger will not be under the illusions of artificial, flowery comments some people write?  (bloggers do realize that some people leave comments for the heck of it, or simply for a backlink to theirs & don’t necessarily mean everything they say, yeah?  i have figured, ask me how.)  

Because for all I know, I always look for sincere and honest responses, and meaningful comments to improve myself.  But it’s difficult I know, because in blogosphere, everyone wants to appear nice, otherwise people won’t visit them back.  And because every person leaving a comment on every blog post is a matter of life and death *rolling eyes*, we have to give a good impression.  And because of one negative comment, the whole blog world could go against us, taking the name-calling and war on Facebook pages. (all of this cracks me up, really.)

So, at the beginning of last year when I started this blog, because of writing nice, kind, appreciative comments everywhere even if I didn’t initially mean them, I actually started to feel positive energy inside and outside me.  It confirms that when you do good things everyday, you become a good person.  When you say nice things to yourself in the mirror, you start to believe in it.  When you encourage, motivate, or inspire someone and they feel better, you feel really happy too.  And soon it becomes a habit, and you sincerely start to write favorable comments and replies on blog, and give around compliments in real life too.  You learn to appreciate someone's efforts, no matter how small.  You put up your best self naturally and eventually become a nicer person.

And that is why, even though I have noticed this suspicious behavior in my recent visitor activity since a few months EVERY DAMN DAY from New York and Ireland:

Instead of saying, hey what the fuck is up with that pattern of visit??  I’ll say, thank you for visiting, I’m so glad.

Because blogging made me a nicer person.

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If you’ve reached here, I gotta say thanks for reading this random rant!
I hope this post did not freak you out =D  And before you shy away from commenting on this blog ever again, wait.  Here’s your turn to write an honest opinion - about the post, the blog, or the blogger.  Go ahead, I won’t mind.  It’s now, or never ;-)