Marking the 20,000th and a Tribute to My Biggest Blogging Inspirations

by Raymund Tamayo

Last night, I noticed that this blog has passed its 20,000th page view, and as I’m writing this now it is at 20,226.

With that, I’d like to express my warmest THANKS to all the wonderful readers and visitors of this blog. Please know that I truly appreciate you stopping by and reading my thoughts, and sharing them to your friends and loved ones.

While comments are turned off here, you can always reach me via email at raymundtamayo@gmail.com. Many readers send their messages thru that, and I always personally answer.

Inspirations and Influences

It never occurred to me that I would know so many remarkable men and women in the Internet since I started this blog in August 2011.

I’ve never met them personally, but they have been my biggest source of inspiration in continuing on writing. They have influenced me a lot in terms of living with focus, simplicity, and purpose.

As a tribute to these great men and women, I’d like to share them with you, hoping that as you read through their writings, you will also be inspired to live life better and fuller.

1. Leo Babauta. He is the first simplicity blogger I’ve ever read, and reading his writings convinced me to become a minimalist. I first read his blog, mnmlist, and thru that discovered Zen Habits. Everything about my simplicity journey started there.

I’m particularly amazed at how he lives as a minimalist with a family of eight (with his wife and six children). I said to myself, “If it works out for this guy, I believe it also can for me.”

2. Joshua Becker. Also a minimalist family man and the second simplicity blogger I discovered after Leo. His blog, Becoming Minimalist, has become an enormous source of inspiration. He also inspires me to become the godly father that I have to be for my children.

Since I am a Christian, I especially liked how he is able to fuse writing about his faith and about minimalism. I loved the simplicity and practicality of how he does it.

3. Joshua Fields Millburn. I came to know this guy more recently thru his blog The Minimalists, with his co-writer Ryan Nicodemus. I singled out Joshua because I see myself through his writings. I don’t know why, maybe because we’re both passionate about writing fiction or we’re about the same age.

I love their prioritized approach on the key five areas of life: health, relationships, passion, growth, and contribution. This principle is helping me in a big way.

4. Barrie Davenport. The only rose among the thorns, her writings at Live Bold and Bloom on having a meaningful life and pursuing our passions has motivated me every… time.

She’s so kind-hearted and considerate, a sincere and genuine person. I can sense that whenever she responds to my comments on her website.

5. Corbett Barr. His websites Think Traffic and How to Start a Blog that Matters influenced and guided the creation of my blog with my wife, Plain Haven.

I’ve learned a lot about blogging, practical and actionable ways on how to make your blog more successful, through him. For that, my sincerest thanks. For new and aspiring bloggers, I highly recommend that you read his works.

I consider these five as, so far, the greatest influences and inspirations on my minimalist writing and living.

There are also many other blogs that inspire me and I learn a lot from like:

·         Charles Specht

·         Loving Simple Living

·         Write to Done

·         Seven Sentences

·         Be More With Less

·         Raam Dev

·         Courage 2 Create

These are great resources not only on simplicity and spirituality but also about life in general. They always spark my creative juices.

There are also fellow Filipino bloggers that influence me. We’ve written an article about them at Plain Haven.

Moving Forward

I hope to continue having your love and support, and I also hope to learn more about living a passionate life of focus, simplicity, and purpose so I can share more.

Blessings to all of you from this side of the globe!