#whyiwrite

writing |ˈrīdiNG|

noun

the activity or skill of marking coherent words on paper and composing text

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October 20th is the National Day on Writing, which is hosted by the National Council for the Teachers of English. Thanks to my friends at #TeachWrite who have also inspired me to share the reasons #whyiwrite.

Without further delay, here is why I write. Drum roll please…

• to challenge —> I write to challenge myself. Writing is rarely a simple task for me. Truthfully, I’m not sure I really need another challenge, but I show up anyway.  I challenge myself to commit to the task. Sometimes I’m satisfied, and other times not so much. One thing I know for sure is that writing never seems to get easier for me, but I do believe I get better. That’s the beauty of a challenge.
• to capture —> I love all the moments I can capture with my writing. My moments and memories are captured in my various journals, right here on my blog, and on my social media sites (Twitter & Instagram).
• to reflect —> I’ve read a lot lately about the power of “morning pages”. While I love the idea of morning pages, I just can’t seem to find the time in my morning schedule to write. I do, however, write in my Fit Happens gratitude journal most evenings.  I’ve said it before, but I adore this little journal. It allows me to reflect on multiple aspects of my day in about 10 minutes. I guess I’ll call this reflection time “evening pages”.
• to relax —> I enjoy sipping a cup of hot tea, relishing myself with a chai latte, or taking delight in a glass of wine. But if I want to be truthful, I am never going to sit down and enjoy my tea, latte, or wine unless I’m doing something else. That something else would be writing or reading. Writing allows me to relax and enjoy some other guilty pleasures of life.
• to inspire —> My primary purpose for writing is for me, but when others share that my writing or my topic has inspired them in one way or another, I feel a sense of accomplishment. I’m happy when I can inspire others and I’m inspired when others share positive comments with me.
• to reminisce —> If I’m being honest here, I love reminiscing through my journals and my blog. It’s fun to relive the moments I’ve captured and this too inspires me to keep up with my writing!
• to connect —> Writing has enabled me to connect with others via my blog, my Twitter account, and my Instagram account. I’m grateful to “meet” others who enjoy doing what I do. Writing also allows me to connect with myself as I reflect on my life, my emotions, and my daily happenings.

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So, there you have it!

It’s…

I’m curious if you’re a writer too, and if you are, why do you write?

If you’re not a writer, I encourage you to find a little time and a little writing space so you can reap the rewards of writing!

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Thank you to Jennifer and her colleagues at TeachWrite for providing this opportunity to share #whyiwrite.