My First 100 Followers & Neon — Professor, Tao, Purple Love

My humble story but heartfelt thoughts on my writing, images, and path. Some blah-blah, but with a twist.

Stay focused, stay dedicated, and keep pushing forward — reader will come.

Welcome, my friends! Today marks a milestone in my journey as I celebrate reaching my first hundred followers. It fills me with great joy, and I’m eager to share my thoughts, musings, and experiences with you. From discussions about personal style and photography to reflections on the path I’ve embarked upon, this article promises to be a sincere exploration of my journey thus far. With gratitude in my heart, I invite you to join me on this introspective adventure.

Let’s fly!

Part I: Inspiring Message

After about the fourth of my story, I got messages on Medium. I received two messages on when I was thinking about how to improve my style and make it truly mine. The first was spam, and the second was a defining message.

Professor Lance Cummings PhD threw a message at me: “Hey, dude, let’s write together.”

I was like, “Ok, bro. Why not, if 100% — yes? With great pleasure!”

And I can tell he’s an excellent professor. It was almost like in my story about a Moroccan teacher: “Wow, an American professor thought my writing wasn’t too bad!”

It gave me confidence and made me feel like I was on the right track. You know, it was like you memorized a verse, but Father Christmas didn’t come to give you joy. And then you see him with a present, knocking on the window. It was a feeling of melancholic magic.

At some point, presumably when there were around 21 articles published. I remember thinking at the start of my journey in March that I would have 100 followers by my birthday (September 29).

Weeks turned into months. From the start, I realized this would not be an easy road, but when I saw that I had gained three new followers in a month, I understood that it would take even a year. Instead of panicking, I began working on myself more, meditating more, and attempting to improve my writing technique, style, and voice.

I remained committed to working hard, no matter what obstacles came my way. All of a sudden, I had an epiphany. I remembered that the key to my tiny success in the past as a copywriter was simply being true to myself and sharing my authentic self with my readers.

This time the problem was only how to cut down my experiences to 2-3 topics to tell my reader whether or not they should follow me, but then I realized I’d be posting my life reflections as well. As a result, I honestly wrote about it in ‘About.’ I trusted that by doing so, my audience would naturally find me.

I spoke to myself, “Stay focused, stay dedicated, and keep pushing forward whatever happens around you. Sooner or later, my reader will find me.”

Despite the results, I kept writing with full commitment.

I know that genuine followers are like friends, not just readers. I am aware that my work is being read by a real person, and I am accountable for what and how I write. At the same time, I make it clear to my reader that I am full of self-irony and have a sense of humor.

Let’s take a look at my page, friend! Here is the fun part.

According to my theory, I quickly filter out individuals who judge a book by its cover while attracting those who value originality, daring, and individuality. So, most likely, this is my reader. As a teacher, I constantly advocate for equality and do not condemn anyone based on their skin color, nationality, hair color, or religion. As a result, if a potential reader quickly closes my profile, he or she is not my reader. Then I immediately make it clear that I am a little versatile.

When the writer is genuine, the follower is genuine, and the writer’s work is genuine.

Writer?

Yes, I have written several unsuccessful but kind books and have little so-called writing experience.

Teacher?

Yes, I have been in a Thai school for almost eight years. For me, happy years, but I am not sure about my students, though. Maybe not for them... There is also a tiny experience of teaching at the university for a few hours.

Thinker?

Bingo! This time, bingo! I was told by a Buddhist one million years ago that I overthink and should live more and act more.

Satirist?

Yes, again. I like to make fun of problems that aren’t funny. In this way, I give lightness to the idea that I want to convey. In any case, my task is to use humor and irony so that my reader leaves, albeit in a sad mood, but with confidence that not everything is so bad. There is light!

I left out the tail of my self-ironic statement to add some interest.

My reader is a curious person, so he or she wants to see what it is, and on the mobile or tablet form, they see the sentence — Not Astronaut Yet. In this approach, I highlight the paradox that, while everything is true, there are so many possibilities that my reader could potentially make a joke like this:

“Hey! You shouldn't be an astronaut yet, are you?” Ironically but friendly, “with such different directions, how is it possible?”

I wanted to be original on the one hand and not egoistic on the other. That’s why I immediately laugh at myself for not being an astronaut yet, hah!

Part II: The Taoist Online

After the professor’s message, I felt the energy electrifying, and I sensed that signs were about to descend before me. I was looking for a sign, and one came in the form of an article about hiring writers. I was assisting a colleague with her first story when I realized it was time to share my modest spiritual journey with Patrick Stewart's The Taoist Online.

It was like a bolt of lightning! It was truly a moment of grace! I was certain it was great timing, which is why I was so pleased, and everything was beyond my expectations; I had a very good feeling while writing my email. I felt it was going to be something good, but I was wrong…

It was ten times better than good!

I had 49 followers prior to the publication of my post. Within a week of publishing, I gained 15 new followers. That was a huge blessing for me. I proceeded to work with a renewed sense of inspiration.

I didn’t just follow for the sake of following. The simple reason is that I strive to be as honest as possible. I also consider other people’s emotions. And just because I read one or two articles doesn’t guarantee I’ll read others. Therefore, I wouldn’t like someone to get thrilled first only to find out later that I don’t read at all.

I mean, isn’t it tragic?

Well, I also wouldn’t like to make someone feel obligated if I follow but don’t read. The person may believe I followed simply expecting the same — following back. No, it’s just not my style. I wouldn’t like to make anyone feel obliged. I’m more of a writer than a reader, though I do read other writers on occasion. And will continue to do so, although in a haphazard manner.

Conclusion

Reaching this significant milestone of 100 followers has been a transformative experience for me. From the early stages of uncertainty to moments of self-doubt and determination, I’ve learned valuable lessons along the way.

Through authenticity and genuine connections, I’ve discovered the true essence of writing and sharing my stories. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to each and every reader who has supported me on this journey. Your presence and engagement have profoundly impacted my writing and motivated me to continue crafting pieces that touch the heart and provoke thought. Thank you for being with me, and may we continue to embark on this creative voyage together.

P.S. I want to say I was one of those guys who sat at home and wrote poetry for a girl and dreamed of just helping to carry the school bag of his beloved young lady, but she, of course, did not pay attention to him. She loved someone else.

I bought this neon light to celebrate my first 100 followers. I believe that this was a wonderful chance to begin crafting the ideal ambiance for melancholic pieces with touches of compassion.

Empathy test — Vampire Town (Remastered) started playing softly.

Thank you for being with me.

Your,

Alex Baidun💜

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