An Anatomy of a Farewell

~ livelytwist

 

How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.

There was no perfect time to begin Livelytwist. Four years ago, I did not have all the answers I needed to start a weekly blog. Chief among them being whether I could sustain the tempo—whether I could produce writing that would entertain, inform, inspire, or provoke thought, week after week. In Six Degrees of Separation and Other Stories, I bare my soul.

“I started this blog with grit, a little knowledge, some research, plenty goodwill, confidence, trepidation, and a two-month content calendar.”

The question that I am frequently asked after I introduce myself as a blogger, after, what do you blog about, is: do you monetize your blog? The question is not always direct. Sometimes, it is cloaked as queries about ad revenue or sponsored content.

In his book Outliers, The Story of Success, Malcolm Gladwell says that hard work is a prison sentence only if it does not have meaning. Monetizing Livelytwist was never my primary focus. I just did what I love with dedication and excellence, which are hallmarks of everything I set to do.

The result is a resume I can present anywhere.

  • Produced over 200 articles with quality content.
  • Displayed my range with a rich landscape of varied writing: creative non-fiction, short fiction, op-eds, reportage, memoirs, and personal essays.
  • Highlighted my range by tackling topics from the mundane and comical to the serious, made relevant because of the underlying message(s).
  • Synthesized and delivered local content to international audiences. 
  • Facilitated and sustained online engagement with heterogeneous crowds via the comment section.
  • Identified, managed, and promoted (new) writing talent.
  • Discovered and negotiated new business through engagement on other platforms.
  • Harnessed marketing opportunities by collaborating with others and leveraging their social networks to reach new audiences.
  • Developed and managed diverse teams by initiating several writing collaborations.
  • Received 100,000* blog hits on livelytwist.com through organic growth. 

However, the emails and conversations that attest to the fact that I lit other candles remain my greatest treasures. All because I dared to ignore the butterflies in my stomach and move in the direction that my heart was tugging me to go.

. . . this gift that chose me, feels like a solemn trust, like a platform to do my life’s work. When you read something and say it inspires you to do life better, I let my tears fall where they will. –Timi Yeseibo

Someone said that it is not that life is too short but that we take too long to begin. I concur. People now ask me, “So you’re gonna stop blogging, what next?”

Four years ago, I could at least define what I was beginning, a blog. Now, it isn’t easy to articulate my next steps. This is what I know for sure. Whatever follows will involve me writing in some form. I now know that when you identify your gift, develop it, and use it to serve others, you will inspire others to do the same.

I once read that sometimes when it seems as though things are falling apart, they are actually coming together. In hindsight, it was true four years ago when my life took a difficult turn. I believe it to be true now.

©Timi Yeseibo 2017

P.s. April marked four years of blogging at Livelytwist, a success story that has you, dear reader, by my side. It is now time for new adventures and to stop blogging. I first wrote about it here. I’ll write some more in the coming weeks and then I’ll stop.

  1. Gladwell, Malcom, Outliers, The Story of Success, (London: Penguin Books, 2009), 175
  2. Not quite 100,000 hits . . . yet.

Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/en/child-beautiful-model-little-cute-920131/
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45 thoughts on “An Anatomy of a Farewell”

  2. You will be missed I am sure. I wish you nothing but the very best in life and whatever choices you decide upon. Keep your skill tuned.

    Blessings on top of blessing!
    Cheryl

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  3. I suppose I have survived the early grief, but nursing these thoughts that an amazing writer is leaving the blogosphere still has its numbing effects.
    Thank you very much ma. You inspire me.
    P.S: Did you monetize?

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    1. Hello Michael, monetizing my blog was not my focus. I am humbled to hear that I inspire you through my writings, Thank you! Keep the torch burning as I pass it on. 🙂

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  4. Awww… Timi!

    To say this is sad is an understatement. As one of those whose candle your light lit, I am certainly going to miss you.

    But then, I am happy. I know whatever it is you decide to do after blogging will yet be inspiring for all of us who look up to you.

    Congrats on your anniversary. Your next shot is the big one.

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    1. Hi Lani, saying goodbye is hard, but yes, I believe that the future is brighter than the last four years have been. Thank you for your support and encouragement through the years. 🙂

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  7. “However, the emails and conversations that attest to the fact that I lit other candles remain my greatest treasures. All because I dared to ignore the butterflies in my stomach and move in the direction that my heart was tugging me to go”
    Yeah, you surely lit candles and mine is one of them… Though I found your blog through another blog ;yours swept me off completely. Especially how you capture the mundane and explicate how life happens in banal moments.
    I must say that your are blessed and you have been a blessing to others in this sphere of life.
    Thank You for ignoring those butterflies and daring to move in the direction your heart was tugging to go. I guess you have passed on the baton to some of us; I hope we do life better.
    And to the fact that life ain’t short, we only take too long to begin; I concur.
    Have a bliss Aunty Timi, I am glad you did life with me.

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    1. I am glad that I did life with you too and humbled that my words had an impact on you. It thrills me no end. I write for people like you!

      Continue to hone your craft and give it your best shot. 🙂

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  8. I haven’t read or commented half as much as lots of you but I will boldly claim to be twice as heartbroken as anyone here. You’ve been amazing, Timi, and I treasure the friendship we’ve built because of our blogs. It ends on the page here but I’m happy to have you in my close circle now, friend, sister, counselor, love. xo

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    1. Dela, it warms my heart to see you here. A saying comes to mind:

      A ring is round and has no end; that place that seems like the end, may just be the beginning.

      Thank you for your support and friendship through the years on the blog and off the blog. It has meant and continues to mean so much to me.

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  9. Timi, as you know, I discontinued my own blog earlier this year. It was a well thought out decision which, some four months later, I don’t regret. I have however continued following your blog, thanks to the e-mail notifications that reminded me of your beautiful solo writings or collaborations every Sunday. I will miss it once you finally stop but what a pleasure it has been to read your posts since I first ‘met’ you here. Thank you for being such an inspiration to me as a blogger and a human being. Go well…

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    1. I feel as though I can call you dear friend because of words that connect us. I am so glad we met here and thrilled that I made some impact on you through writing.

      I was sad to see you go earlier this year and now I am joining you! I am excited about the future and can’t wait to see what it holds. Thank you so much for your support through the years.

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  10. Hi Timi,

    How are you doing?

    For some reason, I remembered that I had a WordPress blog today and decided to work on a post, not without much self-pep-talk I have to admit. My drive for consistent blogging has diminished significantly. Alas, Life has happened to me. 😀

    Anyway, I remembered to go through the Reader page and I saw “Anatomy of a Farewell”. I hoped it wasn’t what I thought it was. I was deeply saddened when I confirmed it.

    You have inspired me a great deal, both with your beautiful writing and with your way of exuding what seems to me as a graceful personality. Thank you so much.

    I wish you the very best.

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    1. Hello Nedoux, I’m happy to see you here. I am happy you returned to blogging just in time to catch this post. Thank heavens that words connected us. I am humbled to know that I have inspired you. I will miss your brilliant way of mixing life with sewing tips.

      Thank you for your consistent support through the years. It means a lot to me. 🙂

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  13. Wawuu. You’d definitely be missed on this side of your writing adventure. Thank you for ignoring the butterflies and inspiring me to dare to do.

    Grace, peace and progress in whatever you set your heart to do next.

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  14. It’s been an honour doing life with you, Timi. We’ll enjoy whatever you post in the coming weeks, and spend some time going through pages of what you leave behind.
    Thank you for honouring that call 🙂

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  17. Parting is such sweet sorrow. The universe is not static so why should you be? The moving finger having writ moves on. You are merely in a growth pattern. You have successfully created a blog that is entertaining, informative, and inspiring. You have inspired me many times in many ways. Proud to know you and be your friend. Let us not say goodbye, but rather farewell.

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  18. Timi dear, I’ll surely miss your write ups as I read them every Sunday. One of my favourites was the one on ‘ body magic’, you had me up in stitches for a long while. You sure are blessed with the gift of the pen so please don’t stop. Wishing you the very best as you move on.

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  20. ‘I just did what I love with dedication and excellence, which are hallmarks of everything I set to do.’

    ‘I now know that when you identify your gift, develop it, and use it to serve others, you will inspire others to do the same.’

    These statements to me are the truest definition of success. I celebrate 4 years of successful (using what you love dedicatedly to inspire others) blogging with you! Like the say ‘success is a journey ‘ so you’ve only just begun!

    Sure would miss your blogs but please don’t stop on this successful journey!

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    1. Thank you so much. There are many definitions of success out there. I am learning what true success is.

      I will miss seeing you on this platform but I hope to see you on the next one. 🙂

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