Yes, by January 7th everyone is probably finished running their “Best Of” articles. However, if you’ve read the blog here every week and listened to episodes of “Now Hear This Entertainment” long enough you know that I don’t follow the leader. What’s more, last January I ran a “Best Blogs of 2017” and it was very popular, so why break stride?
So, before we really get fully settled into 2019, here’s a look back at the ten most read blogs that I wrote last year:
10) Don’t Be Remembered for the Wrong Reasons - A routine weeknight dinner outing turned into a teaching moment for readers as I shared my disappointing experience and observations from someone performing what was supposed to be background music and should've, ideally, contributed to the restaurant's established ambience.
9) It’s Okay to Ask for Help - Continuing what the blog title says, "It could be the difference between being stuck in the mud, spinning your wheels, and moving forward in your career." This originally ran last June but I'm glad it's showing back up now - at the start of a new year when you're bound to take action and say, "I've gotta get things moving for my career once and for all, and now is the time to do it."
8) Just Because It’s Still Winter, Don’t Hibernate - It's uncomfortable for a lot of people (introverts), but, this blog challenged readers who keep to themselves (far too much) to get out and see -- and be seen. There are references to results seen from doing such at recent events.
7) Winners: Sports and Entertainment Giving Back - Examples are cited of how sports (including a new event coming soon) and entertainment (including some past podcast guests) are giving back, embracing the opportunities that they have because of their profile, to use their platform to bring attention to causes that need and deserve support.
6) Just Stop Talking – Please! - The long-windedness of a guest on a podcast I was listening to, in preparation for being a guest on there myself, proved a good example of what NOT to do when you get booked on someone's show.
5) Why You Should Do an E-Newsletter - A pretty self-explanatory headline, but, this blog gives several reasons why it's worth putting out an e-newsletter on whatever frequency schedule you decide.
4) Hit Your Goals by Challenging Yourself - The reader is challenged to set an attainable (trackable) goal similar to two examples that are given in this blog, which acknowledged that by then (end of February) New Year's resolutions had likely been abandoned, thus the need to re-focus on your career targets.
3) THIS is Their ‘Why’ - A celebration of people who I got to witness first-hand discovering their 'why,' as overused as I acknowledge that buzzword is.
2) Music Makers Face Real Life Challenges Too - Amidst all the events going on at that time was a real-life look at some music creators stopped (by health) from doing what they do for our enjoyment.
Did you cheat and scroll down to see what this one was first? Hahaha, just checking. Okay, here goes. The number one most read blog that I wrote in 2018 was…
1) In Memoriam – CJ Watson - Written in remembrance of a friend, a podcast guest, and a heck of a songwriter who touched so, so many people. Nashville's CJ Watson - gone too soon.
Happy New Year! All the best for 2019. Let me know how I can help you make this a successful and productive twelve months.
Which of these blogs was/were your favorite(s) and/or most helpful? Talk about it in our Facebook group!