The farther I move away from this challenge, the more it is changing who I am as a person. Since starting this, I didn’t think it would be a big deal. I only wanted to improve my writing. But so much more has happened in the process.
Most of us do the majority of our writing in school. Unless you are a professional writer, over 90% of what you will ever write has been done during your early years. I am realizing that very quickly. Since I don’t see a reason for anyone to carve out this much time in a day to write coherent thoughts for everyone else to read. You could say it’s a waste of time, but I am starting to see changes. And here are only some of the realizations that are happening 1/3 of the way into this challenge.
Words are easier to come by
I used to struggle to express myself. It always felt like I had to look for the right words or things to say. That someone might take what I say the wrong way. And for a while, it almost felt like a stuttering problem. My confidence in speaking English wasn’t as good as I’d liked it to be.
Yet every single time I find myself in a conversation now, the dynamic feels very different. I’m able to make myself understood much faster, and with that, I can also express myself better. It was quite unexpected to find out that all this daily writing is finally paying off.
I’ve achieved a milestone I didn’t think would happen
If you asked me 10 years ago that I would undertake the challenge of writing every day, I would have said you’re crazy. The time commitment just didn’t feel like it would have added up. And yet here we are. Not only going through the challenge but getting to the point of surpassing 100K words.
Even when I look at the number now I am still in disbelief. And it’s making me realize how much work an author puts into their book. It’s not only about the word count. But the polishing and editing of the entire piece of work. No one can truly understand that feeling until you walk into a writer’s shoes.
I don’t proclaim myself as a writer. But I can say that after having written all my work, a book is serious business. So to everyone who is writing one, or has already written one, you have my deepest respect.
Writing is a muscle
It’s something you have to constantly train. Think back to your first summer vacation from grade one. If you didn’t practice your writing during that time, you would be quite rusty going back.
So you need constant reminding. I am not talking about e-mails at work as that doesn’t force your creative side to come out. Unless you’re writing newsletters. But carving a little bit of time every day will ensure your writing skills get the time needed to maintain their form. And it will help you in the way you express your ideas to the world.
It has tested my resolve more than once
It has been the first time I’ve ever done a challenge like this. Usually, the only time I had to write was to frantically finish a paper due the next day for University. But doing that every day is a completely different approach. Since there are no topics that are given in advance. And your canvas is always blank when you start.
I’ve worked quite a bit on generating ideas that would help me keep my creative juices flowing. It has worked several times when I was not feeling motivated to write. It has helped me to plan in advance and also make sure that I would not end my day until the day’s writing is complete. And at the end of the day, I see it as a habit that is making me stronger every day. My brain is also being rewired to finish what it has started. That is the type of discipline it takes to make sure you stick to your goals. There are no weekends, it’s absolutely something that has to happen every day.
There is no denying that writing every day helps you become better. It is not only an exercise in mental strength but it also develops your abilities to communicate. And I am looking forward to the next update once I will be able to reach 2/3 of the entire goal. And also share the progress and improvement in my writing.