Building Personal WordPress blog – November Update

Over the past few months, I’ve been gradually building and shaping my blog. It started as a simple project, but it’s grown into something much more personal and fulfilling. 🧠

This week, I finally had some time to focus on improving it, exploring new ideas, and learning more about the tools that can make it better. Here’s a summary of what I’ve worked on, what I’ve added, and where I’m heading next.

🔄Reconsidering Plugins

After reading some stats from Patchstack, I decided to review all the plugins I use and search for free security and caching solutions. I settled on All-in-One Security for enhanced protection and UpdraftPlus for backups.
I made my first backup and configured all the essential security settings, including basics like two-factor authentication.

⚡Speed Optimization

Since I’m not planning anything massive for my blog, I wondered if I really needed a speed optimization plugin. However, Site Kit recommended trying Performance Lab to optimize images. So, I figured—why not give it a shot?

Currently, I have 22 plugins installed, grouped into these categories:

• Security & Backup: UpdraftPlus, All-in-One Security, Performance Lab tools, Hostinger onboarding, and utilities.
• SEO & Analytics: RankMath, Site Kit by Google.
• Content Management: JetEngine, JetSmartFilters, JetFormBuilder.

📄New Pages

• Resources: A dynamic listing page using custom post types and filters.
• Mental Health: Still a work in progress. My vision is to create something intentionally chaotic—like a list of “100 things that help me.”

🔜What’s Next?

Now that I’ve laid the groundwork, I can start channeling my ideas and creativity into the blog. My next steps include:

• Experimenting with the plugins I’ve installed.
• Refining the structure of new pages.
• Building a booking page, possibly with a custom form.

I’ve come to realize that this blog is more than just a project; it’s a hobby I’ve been looking for. It feels like a diary, but more interactive.

I’m not sure who (if anyone) will read it, but for now, I’m doing it for myself—and that’s enough. ❤️