It’s no surprise that so much of my brainstorming comes at a time when I am in a state of relaxation or am finally to a point in my day where I can take a step back and unwind. This time seems to most often be when I’m tucked away in bed, trying to find solitude while three overly wired canines chase each other endlessly around the room. Somehow, this is when I am most focused and in tune with my ideas.
I have recently found myself thinking about jumping back into the world of professional writing. Not necessarily blogging, but being able to communicate and share my ideas with like-minded people. I’ve put my passion for journalism on the shelf as of late in order to generate an income and keep up with financial obligations, but I know now that I am more ready than ever to re-enter the world of mass media and content creation.
I’m embarrassed to admit it, but while conjuring up the idea to write this initial blog, I researched why individuals blog. Within moments submitting this inquiry and coming up with a good 945 million results on Google, I realized this was a question that every writer, no matter for personal or professional gain, would probably answer differently. In a world where influencers and businesses of all sizes thrive best with an active web presence, the strategy behind any given blog is likely to vary, as are results. There is no “golden” answer to a question as ambiguous as why we blog. (For an excellent explanation on how blogging has become the ‘picks and shovels’ of establishing yourself online, visit this article by Gregory Ciotti on freelance marketing at Bidsketch.com)
As I began typing this post, I started thinking about why I feel sharing my thoughts is important to others. I have held so many positions in my short 24 years of existence. So, so many. While they have all taught me meaningful skills or lessons, I haven’t found that one true job that has allowed me to dive out of my shell and find my purpose. I’ve been a salesperson, a bartender, an assistant editor, a receptionist, a health educator, etc. These positions have all introduced me to wonderful colleagues and generated an income at some level, but have I really done anything that I would describe as pivotal? That answer is an easy no. My 4.5 years in undergrad taught me to update my skill set as the industry changes, but that’s an impossible task when my career path is continuously changing due to location shifts, flighty financial standards, you name it. I’ve realized the only skill set I can continuously tweak is my ability to create solid content and captivate an audience. And to make what I say matter. As a salesperson, I couldn’t seem to master the perfect closing sale with each customer I served. As a bartender, the drink was never quite right every time. As an assistant editor, my pen and paper were always in hand but I rarely controlled the content that resulted from such a collaboration. Each position gave me a new appreciation for other folks with similar tasks, but I never walked away from any previous job thinking, “That was fun. This is my calling”. If I had, I wouldn’t have walked away.
My point in this long and monotonous post is that many of us blog because we have an idea and we want to share it with whoever is willing to listen. All that matters is that we get it written.
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