It’s more than what it is

This blog is more than just a blog.

It’s a daily blog.

It’s a writing practice.

It’s a come as you are space where I feel free to write as I please.

It’s a habit.

It’s a commitment.

It’s a hobby.

I’ve been blogging for years and but I never considered how I would feel about having a daily blog where the sole focus was on words. Turns out I love it, I could happily stop writing my lifestyle blog that’s how much I enjoy this blog.

It’s so much more than what it is. After over 7 years of writing online I’ve finally given myself permission to share my words in my own way.

I like a mixture of serious and silly. I can write about feeling afraid, the inner monologue and the importance of exploring yourself. But I can also write about creating a dream life and make up analogies based on cars.

And then there’s references to Seth Godin, someone who has had a major influence on me alongside pieces that are about moments I’ve experienced.

It’s hard to summarise what this is but it’s definitely more than just a blog.

Here’s the process

I feel like knowing I have to contribute something everyday makes me a little more alert, curious and introspective but in the best possible way.

I’m not just ruminating and pondering over things for my own sake but to catch the spark of what is worth sharing.

I have specific times of my day where writing has been ingrained into my physiology where I am able to write hundreds of words with ease.

It doesn’t feel like effort, it could be compared to pouring water from a teapot into a cup, or perhaps water down a hill.

And so I’m learning to make the most of my peak writing times so when I go to actually schedule my posts all I have to do is edit for spelling, grammar and clarity and pick what to post when.

My aim is to batch schedule posts at the weekend which means I still have time to live my life without worrying what to post each day so that I’m open to seeing and allowing my curiosity to be piqued.

Girl off-track

It happens to the best of us and sometimes it’s what we need. Falling off-track serves as a necessary reminder of what we’ve learnt or how far we’ve come.

Noticing that your habits and practices have dissolved and been replaced by your former unhelpful ways is just a sign to get yourself back on track.

Perhaps it could have been triggered by something like stress, which effects many of us.

But the amazing thing I’ve learnt is that awareness is fundamental, if you were once ‘on track’ you can always get back on track.

Whatever triggered you to fall off-track it’ll be worth dealing with it or else you might find yourself getting off-track again and again.

It might not be writers block

If you want to write something but nothing good comes to mind, you might think say that you have writers block.

And so perhaps you take a break from writing, convinced that you have nothing good in you to pour out at this time.

But you’ll be back to writing once the cloud clears and all your good ideas are back because what’s the use in writing if it isn’t good.

However there’s a second option, to keep writing. Even when you think it’s bad or when you know it’s not your best. Do it for the practice or for the routine.

You might even find that what you thought was writers block is just a sentence or 2 of ‘bad writing’ and after that you’re back to your usual flow.

A writers confidence

My writing habit was born from journaling which explains why I write with such confidence.

I’m used to writing about my thoughts on life and things I’ve experienced, in fact I’m incredibly comfortable doing it.

Granted a blog is more open than a journal but the practice is the same.

It’s been more than a decade and since I first started journaling and more than 7 years since I started my first blog.

And looking back over 10 years, my writing has improved so much. I can’t promise I’m the best at it but I’m confident that I’m better than I used to be.

Best of all, it’s something I love to do.

Something to look back on

I had a thought a few days ago about how this blog will be something to look back on in a years time or maybe even 6 months.

Granted this isn’t an online personal diary but I’m writing about what I think and experience. The beauty in this is that I’m constantly evolving so my opinions and perspectives are likely to change but I’ll have record of the old ones.

I don’t have any aspirations for this blog aside from to keep up with it daily. I suppose a secondary effect of blogging daily will be that my writing develops and improves which will happen with anything you dedicate time to.

I’m really glad I took this leap and decided to commit myself to blogging daily.

I think a year from now I’ll look back on my old posts and laugh but I’ll be glad I stuck with it.

1 Month of daily blogging

Tomorrow will be February which is strange because I feel like new years day was only a couple of days ago. Today marks the end of my first month of daily blogging and it has been a real learning experience.

I’m learning each day to get the most out of my life because it gives me something to share. The beauty of having no pictures on this site means that I don’t have the opportunity to be shallow and just show you pictures of things I buy, I have to tell you life stories or just share thoughts.

I have to think more and think differently. I won’t lie and say that this month blogging has been easy but I’m challenging myself and I like it.