What 30 Days of Writing [Blogging] Taught Me.

Steel sharpens steel.

Iron sharpens iron.

People sharpen people.

And your written ideas sharpen other written ideas.

For many years I never considered myself a writer, I opened up one page of J.R.R Tolkien's book Lord of The Rings back in high school, closed it instantly and that was I was out!

I thought it was incredibly difficult to read and therefore that is the level one must be able to write at and therefore writing is hard or reserved for "those" people, not I. 

My mum and dad were instrumental figures for giving me to of the best gifts I think any child could have.

The gift of oratory and that of creative thinking.

My dad, an accountant, forced me to join a public speaking club in grade 9 and take part in competitions.

I don't think it was an accident I was bullied in school.

My mum, as a teacher and successful network marketer, would challenge me to sell door to door and help me understand how to be creative. 

As time went on I felt I could be creative in business, ideation, dancing, dramatic arts.

But writing always seemed like something reserved for...others. Whether that was people I deemed more sophisticated or with a better handle on how to write.

The epiphany hit and it sounds simple. 

Just. Write.

The way to begin is to start and the only way to start is to begin.

With a cacophony of ideas and a whirlwind of concepts flying through my mind every moment from the audios, reading and meditating I do each day and have done since I was 19, nothing seemed to help me pinpoint clarity like writing.

But there was no illustrious "AH-HA" moment where I felt at complete ease yet I felt accomplished each day.

Like the many years of learning and the struggle would ultimately glue together new ways for me to view the world. 

There is a great saying by Jim Rohn "Don't wish it were easier, wish you were better."

Creative pursuits fundamentally lend itself to this. The more of the craft you do the better you will get but the hard it will get. 

And so the spiral goes.

The point is I write for two reasons:

The first is for me and the second reason is to earn the respect of the people I respect.

I am aware that as time marches forward I need to shed the crud off my thinking, my concepts, ideologies and with the aim of getting closer to my creator.

Hopefully, along the way I can share some of the ideas I pick up along the way and it helps you as it did me. 

I think if you can tie in the power of writing daily with giving zero fucks to the outcome of who reads it, who will like it and compound that with a pursuit of better writing, simplicity, and ceaseless curiosity then life takes on a new colour.

Don't get me wrong it is nice for that little dopamine hit of someone liking your content but ultimately if the power of validation lies in other people's hands you are doomed before you begin and I would suggest starting off by writing for you.

Allow it to help you gain more clarity, insight, and order to your thinking. 

Who knows? You may discover a dormant talent, latent with potential, ready to unleash an empowering message to the world.

Here are a 9 ways for you to begin your writing:

1. You're not writing Tolstoy's War and Peace and scored against the literary devices you do or do not use. Write for yourself...in the beginning.
2. Develop the habit of writing one article per day, whatever length suits you that day for 30 days.
3. Discipline is to give yourself a command and follow it.
4. Let the words come through you.
5. Write at any time you like, I once wrote a whole article in a waiting area and at 2 am and another on a bench outside when the idea hit me.
6. Have an app on your phone or notepad nearby to take notes at all times and do not wait until the "right time" when the right idea comes you need to act then.
7. Hit the damn publish button.
8. Celebrate your accomplishments. I bought a beautiful audio setup and a typewriter for my milestone. [I had to prove to myself I could do it, then I would level up my content game] Yes, typewriters are still around. No...they do not have the internet. Yes, they slow down your writing so it can be better. #oldschoolnerd
9. Lastly...you have the same time as everyone else how you choose to use it is up to you so do not use time as an excuse for not being able to give it a shot. Just eliminate TV or some other weak activity you are currently substituting for this endeavour.

A strange thing is happening though, which will happen to you too.

My word choices are becoming more powerful, I am feeling more confident, I am speaking better to those around me and feel less stress.

I am morphing into a new me and I like it.

Writers are not born and you are a creative genius.

To expose your genius to the world begin with writing one single word.

Then a sentence.

Then follow it from there.

I hope this serves you well and you pay the gift forward.

Vaughan.

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