Fresh Start February

A fresh start is subjective. It will mean something different to each and every person reading this entry. Some will use it as a chance to shift some pounds, whilst others will see it as an opportunity to save money. For me, it is the opportunity to take a look at my writing, to analyse the last year, what has gone well and what has not.

What Has Gone Well

Regardless of whether it was my birthday, Christmas Day or even my wedding day, I stuck to the task.

During the course of 2021:

• I went from 59 to 864 followers on Medium at the end of the year
• I wrote a trending article that received more than 64,000 views and provided me with a $100 bonus
• I wrote a Top Story for Vocal
• I connected with many amazing authors, many of whom still read my content and I make an effort to do the same.

On top of all of this was the consideration that for the first time in my life I achieved one of my new year’s resolutions…that being to write 1,000 words a day. For 365 consecutive days, I got into the mindset of writing a set number of words. Regardless of whether it was my birthday, Christmas Day or even my wedding day, I stuck to the task.

This created a habit loop that is now interchangeable. As the New Year rolled around I merely swapped out the writing for learning French. For every day that has passed so far this year I have spent at least twenty minutes learning French. This is something that would not have been possible were it not for the habits created in 2021.

What Has Not Gone Well

They were well within their rights to let me know and I appreciate this, as life is after all a learning experience.

No one is perfect. We all have flaws and I am full of them. From the lack of control when I see a chocolate cake to my obsession with anything Pokemon related. I am a creature of habit with flaws coming out of his ears.

With regards to writing, I have let articles out the door that I am not proud of and have rushed content to publications, for which they have let me know this is the case. This is something that is said in reflection of myself and not the publications. They were well within their rights to let me know and I appreciate this, as life is after all a learning experience.

I’ve not engaged enough with my audience and this is the number one regret that I have had for the last year. I wish that I had dedicated more time each day to reading, as it is every bit as important as writing. I know that I have made the effort and always respond to comments (good and bad) eventually, I know that there is more that I can do.

What Will Change

…there is only one certainty in life and that is change

Change is hard-earned and you do not need to look far to find those who are resistant to change, as we all are. In one way or another, we stubbornly cling to the past as it provides us with comfort when there is only one certainty in life and that is change. Life changes before us each and every day of the week and we need to stay on our toes and never get complacent.

I have become complacent in many ways and I recognise this. I need to embrace change and become comfortable with being uncomfortable or else I will never grow as a human being. It is with this in mind that I have made the following changes to my writing life:

Rather than a static amount I am looking to sit down for half an hour a day to write

I will only publish during the working week and use the weekends to concentrate on writing my content for the next week

I will spend half an hour a day reading the content of others, to learn and grow as a writer and as a human being…if anyone has any recipes for a healthy sponge cake, then I will be eager to read!

I will embrace change and continue to believe in myself.

A Final Thought

…change is inevitable and for the remainder of 2022, I will be embracing it.

Change is inevitable. Whether that is from the eventual need to change our job, find a partner, move house or have children, life is replete with the opportunity to change, yet we fear it. We see change and oftentimes begin running in the other direction as most of us are looking for a happy, stable life in which we are in control. This is something that is a little ironic in the consideration that any thought of control is an illusion.

If the country in which we are living declares war then we will all be forced to change. Alter our habits and modify our behaviour to ensure that we can survive at a time when prices will increase and if the conflict becomes serious, then we could be forced into conscription. It is unlikely, but it could happen.

If we lose our job at work owing to the consideration that our manager does not like us (when a person’s hero is another’s villain), then we will need to change. This is something that would cause most of us to pull back and change the way we live for a while. If the industry is dying then it may cause the person in question to retrain.

The central point from all of this is that change is inevitable and for the remainder of 2022 I will be embracing it. I will say yes to opportunities for change and no to the status quo (within reason, my wife may object to me leaving in this manner).