The writing habit

I went a long time between blog posts recently. I seem to have a flurry of posts and then take a break, but this summer, the break was too long.

Life gets hectic, the weather is too nice to be inside on a computer, or I get caught up in things that cut into writing time.

The reality is, writing should be a habit, one that I turn to every day. We can all benefit from writing.

I know what you’re saying – you don’t like writing, you don’t have a blog, you don’t want people to read what you write. That’s all fine. You don’t have to publish what you write. But the act of writing is a reflection on life that I find valuable.

It’s scary to write something and put it out in the public eye. It takes a leap of faith, and some thick skin, and perhaps a small amount of “I don’t care” attitude. I feel that fear every time I write and publish a post.

But writing doesn’t have to be in the public eye. A little bit of reflection every day is healthy. You could start a gratitude journal. You could write a diary or journal of daily happenings. You could write a bucket list or a travel log or create your personal guide for self-improvement. You could share your knowledge on a particular topic or write a how-to for something you love.

You could write a letter to a parent, sibling, spouse, friend or child. You could do a list of important events in your life or your children’s life (ever try to remember those events once they are past?). There are a multitude of possibilities, and even five minutes a day would be valuable.

So, you say, why don’t I do as I say? Good question. I need to develop a habit. For me, the simple act of thinking of something to write about is enjoyable. I often write in my head before sitting down to put it to paper (computer, actually). It isn’t easy to do it every day, but I’m working on it! I appreciate you participating by reading my blog.