If you wish to be a writer, write
For the past two and a half years, since I’ve been publishing my blog, it has happened to me a few times that I had no clear inspiration for a topic for my monthly article. I have noticed that this usually happens when I have too much on my mind.
This month is one of these moments.
I was happy to go back to work after my maternity leave and to pick up my professional duties again. Even though I was not looking for more complexity in my life, during the same period I was approached by a recruiter with a nice opportunity for professional growth and development. Although it was a tough decision to leave my current employer, I couldn’t resist the temptation to follow my curiosity and to give it a go.
As much as I am enthusiastic about my new professional challenge, I am leaving a job I have had for almost 4 years and I am leaving behind a lot of colleagues who I can definitely call friends. I had my farewell party the other day and believe me saying goodbye to this group of people certainly does something to me.
In my personal life, going back to work resulted in my four-months old daughter going to the crèche. It’s been a tough month for her as well, getting used to the new surroundings and all unfamiliar sounds. On top of that she has reached the age when it’s time to start introducing solid food and I need to familiarize myself with this new experience for both of us.
With all of the above happening in my personal and professional life, there are so many things I could write about that my mind got overwhelmed and I was not able to pick up one single topic.
It has happened to me many times to put together the whole article in the last days before my deadline but I have rarely stressed about it. After all, it is a deadline that I have set for myself.
Yet, here I am less than 24 hours before publishing time, panicking and desperately searching for a topic for this month’s article.
Then all of a sudden I was reminded about the promise I made in my very first article A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step:
“I promise you that I will be open and honest and that I will share my personal struggles and experiences. I hope that by reading about how I am striving to overcome my blockades and to move in the direction of my dreams, you will get the courage to do it, too.”
With this article I honor the fact that our lives are not perfect. Sometimes they get messy and chaotic and we can feel overwhelmed by everything that is going on around us.
However, I made a promise to myself that if I want to be a writer, I should write. Once I allow myself to start deviating from and/or missing out my deadlines, then each following time it will be easier to continue doing so until I quit.
Writing is where the real Neli gets the chance to be who she is and not who she is expected to be in her role as wife, mother, daughter, friend, employee, etc.
I am writing this article the day before publishing date and to be honest it feels great: the moment I decided to go with the idea of sharing what I have been going through lately and why I push myself to write about it month after month, the words started flowing.
When the intention is right and when everything comes directly from the heart, the topic surfaces without any effort.
Quitting is not an option because if I want to be a writer, I need to keep on writing.
What’s in it for you?
This month I am sharing my struggles with you because I believe that the following formula would work for anything you wish to achieve in your life.
For example:
If you wish to be a singer, sing.
If you wish to be a painter, paint.
if you wish to be a chef, cook.
You don’t need to be famous as long as you keep on doing what is important to your soul. And stick to it, no matter the circumstances.
Don’t be ashamed. Don’t panic. Don’t overthink. Don’t procrastinate. And don’t even consider quitting!
Just do it!
No matter how imperfect the result might be.
