A Look in the Rearview.
- Mouniirah DEME
- Sep 4, 2025
- 7 min read
“When I write something I usually think it is very important and that I am a very fine writer. I think this happens to everyone. But there is one corner of my mind in which I know very well what I am, which is a small, a very small writer. I swear I know it. But that doesn't matter much to me.” — Natalia Ginzburg, 'My Vocation'.
This quote resume very well my state of mind 4 years after launching this website. Back in November 2021, I started to pursue a dream. The dream of becoming a writer, the dream of sharing words that will heal, words that will help. Today, I celebrate a milestone—my 100th post—and for that, I wanted to take a quick look in the rearview, not only to see where we are coming from—the ups and downs, the challenges and the joys—but also to gain a clearer idea of where we are heading. I thank you for joining me. Enjoy.
The interface.
The visual aspect is very important to me as it is what y’all see before even deciding that you should spend another minute here so I spent a lot of time refining how it looks. While navigating through this website, you might notice that it is very spacious and the colors are very light. That is actually a reflection of how I think and how I like my things to be: organized and not overloaded. The website has 4 different categories which are: Home, Blog, Books & About.
— On the homepage: You are greeted by one of my favorite quotes and mottos: “Do what makes your soul shine.” It is followed by another one from Friedrich Nietzsche, which says:
“I want to learn more and more to see as beautiful what is necessary in things; then I shall be one of those who make things beautiful. Amor fati: let that be my love henceforth! I do not want to wage war against what is ugly. I do not want to accuse; I do not even want to accuse those who accuse. Looking away shall be my only negation. And all in all, and on the whole: someday I wish to be only a Yes-sayer.”
Together, they represent the way I see and think about life on a daily basis. I believe that we are all different people with different destiny. What brings me joy is not necessarily what will bring you joy, and vice versa. We must listen to our inner voice, pay attention to the things that make our hearts sing and our souls feel at home, because at the end of the day you will not judge the quality of your life by how much it was similar to other's but how deeply you explored what truly matters to you. So, yea, do what makes your soul shine (as long as it does not harm anyone). I also like to learn, learn about people, learn about culture, learn about life and this is also why I love reading. Nietzsche’s quotes embody two meanings: the love of learning and the love of fate. It's about accepting life as it comes to us, not by being defeated but by surrendering to the things we cannot control while actively trying to see and make the best of everything. It’s not always easy, but it’s definitely worth it.
— Blog: The second page is the blog page, where you can find all the posts published since. They are distributed in 9 categories: #iiaskyou, Life & Well-being, Love & Relationships, Travel & Discovery, Books & Reading, Polyglot, Good to know, Funny Chemistry and Special Edition.
— Books: which displays my current reading list. Usually, one audiobook and one paper book. For the past few years, I have been really inclined towards self-help books but I gradually mix them with more fiction and cultural books.
— About: Where I introduced a bit of myself and the ‘why’ behind the creation of this website.
The challenges:
— Writer's block: I have suffered from writer’s block quite frequently, though. For example, the block I encountered in the past two months. Writer’s block makes it hard to be consistent and can actually be quite frustrating. But I can rejoice from the fact that I have always found my way back to writing, even after long periods of time.
— Stick to a single niche: It’s not easy when you have a lot of ideas, but it definitely helps save time and energy. Hopefully I will be able to commit to a single niche one day, but for now I just go with the flow.
— Zero views: When considering the amount of time and emotional energy that is put in every post, it can frustrating when it does not reach a lot of people. But it’s also understandable. Writing in 2025 is more challenging because we tend to have a shorter attention span. We get bored very easily, even by topics that interest us. I do write anyway, because I myself am also a reader of the website and one day or another, it might be helpful to someone else.
The benefits:
Despite the challenges that I encountered, hosting this website has been joyful and has always been a powerful and transformative experience.
Writing makes you think! And in this AI era, what privilege it is to think for yourself.
Writing as therapy: Writing helps you organize your thoughts, and talking about things you would otherwise keep to yourself helps lighten your heart.
Find a community: By sharing your experience, you can connect with people who have been through the same things or people that are actually going through it. You realize that you’re not alone, and you can also help some people overcome certain situations and find answers to some questions.
Collaborations & Monetization: You can actually monetize your website and earn money from what you publish. You can also be contacted by some companies or private for collaborations.
The urge to live more: This comes naturally when you are committed to producing quality content. You cannot write a book review without reading; you cannot talk about travel without traveling; you cannot describe something you have not experienced. So, writing pushes you out of your comfort zone, it makes you live more, notice more, learn more and love more.
A mark, your mark: Writing gives you something to be proud of and when all is said and done, you will definitely leave a mark that will last even after you, your mark.
>> List of the 100 posts:
1. My 2020's reading list.
2. 144 blocks a day!
3. How I started learning "Deutsch"?
4. ...21 days before 2022
5. How to get rid of static in clothes?
6. Why you should write your own obituary?
7. My 2021's reading list.
8. Happy 2022 y’all!
9. How I started learning "中文"?
10. Geckos & how they defy gravity.
11. 48 hours in Koudougou.
12. Chinese zodiac.
13. History of Valentine’s Day.
14. «Quiet»: Book review.
15. 7 days — Accra experience (1)
16. About IWD.
17. 7 days — Accra experience (2)
18. What you didn't know about the pill.
19. The magic circle.
20. «The Fifth Vital Sign»: Book review.
21. Fasting put to the test.
22. 4 days in Qinhuangdao.
23. «The One Thing»: Book review.
24. Endometriosis: A quiet killer.
25. Being gossipy: A human nature?
26. «Bank in Africa»: Book review.
27. 10 days in Morocco.
28. Ice cube on a string.
29. «Five meditations on Death»: Book review.
30. Inside one African traditional wedding.
31. Ice on fire.
32. A brief history of music.
33. «The Amazing Development of Men»: Book summary.
34. Egg in a bottle.
35. Happiness, a matter of hormones?
36. «Make your bed»: Book review.
37. Don't read this!
38. So, do ➡️👤🗣️ emoji?
39. Jumping coin.
40. 14 random facts about me.
41. The Coke geyser.
42. How I survived 30 days' quarantine.
43. Zoom on IMD.
44. A special note for you…
45. Frankenstein's Hand.
46. My 2022's reading list.
47. «Understanding Women»: Book summary.
48. 264 hours in the City of Rams.
49. The hidden side of 'the Beauty and the Beast.'
50. Happy Monday, Monday Happy.
51. #iiaskyou: Foreword.
52. An approach on FoMO.
53. #iiask Amos SAWADOGO: Chapter 1.
54. «Start with Why»: What I have learned.
55. #iiask Ange KEKOLONGO: Chapter 2.
56. HSK5: My 1-month plan.
57. «How to Die Alone»: Book summary.
58. The Leak-Proof Bag.
59. «Boundaries»: Book Summary.
60. #iiask Yasmine DEME: Chapter 3.
61. Avocado: From seed to plant.
62. Check it before using hair relaxers. (on behalf of ConsumerNotice)
63. Beyond emotions.
64. #iiask Adam YONI: Chapter 4.
65. Celebrating our Communication Heroes.
66. «The 48 Laws of POWER»: Summary.
67. #iiaskyou: Special Pearl Anniversary.
68. «The 5 AM Club»: Book review.
69. #iiask Fahouzzia NACRO: Chapter 5.
70. «In sync with the Opposite Sex»: Summary.
71. FAQ: Special 2nd Anniversary.
72. when it hurts...
73. #iiask Eve OUEDRAOGO: Chapter 6.
74. «The Book of Joy»: Book review.
75. My 2023's reading list.
76. 10 monuments to see in Ouagadougou.
77. Go Stallions!
78. ZhouSanShuoHan 周三说汉.
79. The Best Thing I Never Had...
80. #iiask Natacha GOUMBRI : Chapter 7.
81. #iiaskyou Special New Moms.
82. At the School of Stoicism: Memento Mori.
83. 3D-2N in Paris of the East.
84. At the School of Stoicism: The Inner Citadel.
85. Qingdao, the City of Beer.
86. this user turned on disappearing messages...
87. I passed HSK6!
88. Can Long Distance Friendship Work?
89. A Traditional Wedding in Yaoundé.
90. 25 Life lessons from a 25—Yo.
91. At the School of Stoicism: Amor Fati.
92. My 2024's Reading List.
93. Set S-M-A-R-T goals and C-R-U-S-H them.
94. My first 10K Race!
95. “Master your Time, Master Your Life”: Summary.
96. WoLAf 7, almost as if you were there.
97. How to Be a Good Friend?
98. The Wound That Keeps You from Being Yourself.
99. 47 Days from a Journalist’s Point of View.
100. A look in the rearview.
Writing has always been part of my life and I like to share this passion with you. I am always happy to see how, with my thoughts, a computer, and an internet connection, I can write posts that can reach people and places I can only dream of. I am proud of the journey we have made, because yes, you, dear readers, have been with me all along. Looking in the rearview not only helps us see how far we have come but also helps us adjust where we are heading, which we shall discuss in another post. Meanwhile, tell me in the comments, which one is your favorite post, my top three so far are posts #84, #90, and #100. Take care of yourself, may God bless you.
Kind regards,
Mouniirah.
One more thing before you go... If you have appreciated this post, I would like to ask you to please take a few more seconds to like, comment, or share; that's how I can know that my work is indeed useful. Be blessed.
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