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Closure
Thirty days ago, I challenged myself to write every day, and today I can proudly say that I’ve completed the challenge. There were a few times when I didn’t write on my blog due to other writing deadlines, but I did write which was the point of the challenge in the first place. This journey has been filled with transparency, discovery, and a realization that I need to incorporate writing for a purpose into my daily schedule.
When I say writing for a purpose, I mean writing for it to be shared and published to the world. I always say that writing is my therapy and this journey has confirmed that once again. There were days when I thought that I was being too open, but I fought that feeling and posted anyway. I wanted to ensure that I was being completely transparent as that was one of my commitments I made going into this process. Allowing myself to open up and not worry about how it may come off to others was freeing. I was able to write without fear and without concern of judgment, I just let my hands hit the keys and pour out whatever was inside of me.
This reminded me of when I first started writing. That raw uncut emotion resonated with a lot of people and ultimately turned me into the person I am today. Writing with that kind of truth takes courage and built me up to take risks in my writing career. I’m not a perfect writer, I do not have a formal background in writing, I’m not in school for my MFW all that I have is my love and drive for this craft. There have been many times in my life when I second-guessed myself and compared myself to others, but not anymore. I write because it makes me happy, it keeps me grounded, and gives me purpose. I’ve been able to accomplish so many of my goals because of my passion for writing, it has taken me this far, without being trained, there’s no reason for me to stop now.
Don’t get me wrong, I do invest in my craft and often attend writers’ workshops and classes to sharpen my skills. Last year I attended Yale’s Writers Workshop and it changed my life. Not only were the classes, seminars, lectures, and panels phenomenal, but the friendships I made there were priceless. Those relationships and connections alone have taught me to be a better writer. As I come to the end of this challenge, I’ve decided I am going to continue to post to my online journal a minimum of two times a week (I will reassess this when I graduate and my time free’s up again). What I’ve discovered during this process is writing levels me out. No matter how busy or crazy my day, when I sit down to write and get it all out, I feel better. I feel alive when I write, I know I’m living my purpose when I write, writing is what makes me, Me, so I will be writing daily. Talk soon. XOXO