I spent two years diddling around on being consistent with writing before committing to a daily writing practice. I kept myself small by repeating to myself that if I wrote every day and emailed it out, people would be pissed off, there were too many emails. Or that I didn’t have the skill, and hadn’t been formally trained to write. That I didn’t have the time. I questioned if I could see the point to doing it, I mean who did I think I was that people would want to read what I wrote? Yet my heart pulled at me to do it. And my ego shut it down.
And when my friend Jeff, who also writes daily in a newsletter, on questioning from me, said he simply sees the writing as being of service. It keeps him educated and inspired and studying, and hopefully inspires someone along the way.
All of a sudden it made sense, and I realised that I was avoiding it simply due to excuses and ideas around where it could wrong, instead of where it could go right. That I had been making it about staying safe, and not expanding in any way I could. So now I write daily, and these little Letters go out to almost 40,000 people. Yes it’s sometimes annoying and I don’t want to write or I forget and last minute smash something out on my iPhone. But it’s mostly delightful, and if I am on fire and I can easily form the basis of so many Letters in a single sitting, or research and read to my hearts content. I often scribble little ideas and notes and quotes in the strangest of places to find them later. I get feedback every single day of the year, I interact with people, we share concepts, and real life, and the ups and downs together. Our readers have become part of our extended Broad Place family. People’s kindness and generosity in responding and sharing has been incredibly wonderful. I think my writing is improving, slowly, and it has taught me to be honest and authentic and has helped me find my grounding in a few years of huge change. Something about creative expression just can’t be topped in any other area for me.
With all that in mind, I can’t believe I delayed that process for two years before beginning. If you have a creative project that pulls at you, honestly just start. The rewards will make you kick yourself that you didn’t start earlier. It won’t all be cream and strawberries, but better to have applied yourself to something that to regret it later.
Written with love,
Jac x