The Monthly Community Linkups I Used to Run
You may be wondering, “what are linkups”? In brief, they are blog posts written in response to writing prompts, and gathered in one central location online – usually on the host's website. They function just like a networking event or meet up of like-minded people, except that it's all done online.
Linkups can be done via a comments thread. Another popular tool is inLinkz, which I used to use. All you need to do is insert the code snippet onto the web page, which then allows people to submit and view each others' entries via the widget.
*Disclaimer: This article is meant for educational purposes, and is based on my personal experiences as a patient. I am not a doctor, and nothing in this article should be substituted for medical advice. Please consult your own doctor before changing or adding any new treatment protocols. This post may also contain affiliate links. It will cost you nothing to click on them. I will get a small referral fee from purchases you make, which helps with the maintenance of this blog. Read our Privacy Policy page for more information. Thank you!
Why Did I Stop Running These Linkups?
I ran these linkups for 7 years (time flies a little too freakishly for my liking...). Towards the end, I was basically just coming up with new writing prompts and setting the page up for a few other bloggers, without participating in them myself. The number of participants had also reduced over the years. It had become more of a chore than pleasure to do, and without a great number of benefits either.
Why Don't I Delete This Page, Then?
For the exact same reason as to why I ran them for 7 years – they're a timeline and treasure trove of memories. When I 'flipped through' all the blog posts I had written for these linkups, I realised that they were like diary entries. Many of them were personal, heartfelt pieces, as compared to the other posts on my blog, which had a more advocacy or research spin to them.
Reading them also brought back many memories, both the good and bad. I also realise how my perspective about life has morphed over the years – subtly month by month.
A Mix of Good and Bad Memories
The good – I find happy photos of friends, pets or events that I had forgotten all about, and see how I've grown as a person despite chronic illness and disability.
The bad – it also resurfaced unhappy periods of time in my life, and I felt a bit of despair that I haven't progressed in terms of health, but regressed instead. I also feel like I'm stuck in time, as certain desires or milestones are still the same as before. For example, I haven't 'climbed' any ladders in terms of career, family or life goals.
Memories are Footprints of a Life Lived
Regardless, memories are precious. And having my thoughts written down at that point of time is definitely much more accurate than if I try to conjure that moment in time again. As they say, your memory of events became less reliable the more time passes by.
So in a way, those entries, whilst quite 'useless' for SEO, are in fact more precious than SEO. They are a smudge on the wall as the train of life speeds by, a small marker of existence. Also, they might just come in handy when I start actually sitting down to write my memoir 😂
I hope you enjoy the trip down memory lane as much as I did 🙂
Timeless Linkups
- My Responses to “A Day in the Life” Linkup (What Does 'Normal' Even Mean?)
- Invisible Cities Linkup: Pros & Cons of Living with Chronic Illness in Your City
Monthly Linkup Party for People with Chronic Illnesses
My 2021 Linkup Entries
- June 2021:
It is *Always* Possible to Make Time for What Matters Most - March 2021:
Why I Moved from SiteGround to Cloudways (and Couldn't be Happier). Plus Cute Puppy Pics & A New Pacing Strategy. - February 2021:
The Barriers That Throw Rocks into My Bucket List with Chronic Illness - January 2021:
Timeless Duties Toward Life Every New Year
My 2020 Linkup Entries
- October 2020:
The Savagery of Panic Attacks & The Saving Grace of Internet Friends - September 2020:
Triggers Trigger Triggers (Re-Stabilisation Procedure Encore) - July 2020:
July's Supply & Demand: Learning to Maximise Wellbeing in the Midst of Stress - June 2020:
A Car Accident & A Song Gone Silent (How Life Lessons from Chronic Illness Tide Me Through) - May 2020:
To Live with Chronic Illness is to Learn to Live with Maybes - April 2020:
A Hurried Return, but Chronic Illness's Opening Hours Remain Unchanged - March 2020:
Winter Fun, Games & Pain with Chronic Illness - February 2020:
Coming Alive in the Winter Air (Pushing for Personal Changes & Group Advocacy) - January 2020:
Hello 2020: A Bubble Covered in Glitter. Please Don’t Pop.
My 2019 Linkup Entries
- December 2019:
Travelling New Paths with Chronic Illnesses in My Pocket - November 2019:
Plunging Into a Sparkling Sky of Unknown Possibilities, with a Tinge of Nostalgia in Tow - October 2019:
Life is All Sorts of Crazy, but She's Definitely a Keeper - September 2019:
On Being a Decent Human Being and Other Thoughts - August 2019:
A Perfect Capture of Life with Chronic Illness - July 2019:
The Eternal Spoonie Struggle: Justifying Rest & Recovery Time - June 2019:
A Pain Pill, a Caress, an Exhalation of Relief - May 2019:
Investigating Chronic Pain Levels Post-Dengue Fever - April 2019:
Tiring First Quarter Being Muggle Sick - March 2019:
Epic Fail and Redefining Success - February 2019:
Hopes to Awaken Life Within Me Again - January 2019:
Chronic Pain has a Hold on Me, and I Need to Break It
My 2018 Linkup Entries:
- December 2018:
De-Stressing and Winding Down in December 2018 - November 2018:
Meeting and Collaborating with Chronically Ill People in Real Life - October 2018:
Trying to Earn Passive Income Whilst Pacing - September 2018:
Reconnecting with Friends & Family, and Sharing on Social Media - August 2018:
Boredom Can be Stimulating & Cuddling My Pet Birds - July 2018:
Blogging Rants & Protecting My Peace - June 2018:
Self-Reminder on Listening to Your Body - May 2018:
In Memory of My Parrotlets & Designing My Days - April 2018:
Marvelling at the Miracle of Life & Splurging for My Birthday - March 2018:
Sorting My Medications & a Hike Up Little Adam's Peak - February 2018:
Adapting to the Ebb & Flow of Chronic Pain and Depression - January 2018:
Reflections on My Refreshing Holiday in Australia
My 2017 Linkup Entries:
- December 2017:
Recovering from a Cold & Reminiscing My Childhood in Hong Kong - November 2017:
Discovering the Importance of Gut Health & Rediscovering Old Friendships - September 2017:
Resisting the Urge to Stress Myself Out Unnecessarily & Supporting the Supporters - August 2017:
Missing a Stable Income & Striving Towards Healthier Habits
That's All for My Diary Entries!
So there we go — almost 7 years of self-reflection, using the writing prompts in the monthly linkups. You'll also notice that there is no 2022 or 2023 listed, as I had personally stopped submitting entries.
I hope you enjoyed the trip down memory lane together with me. Do or did you also participate in other linkups? What are your thoughts then and now – are they similar or different from mine?