Why I Try To Blog Every Day

When I first started blogging, I had the goal of publishing a post a day. Now that I’m older and busier, I wonder why I set future me up for failure.

On a serious note, I don’t have to publish something every day. But nowadays, it feels wrong not posting.

I think 15-year-old me was wise in some ways. Trust me when I say she was not wise in many ways.

Still, she knew practicing every day does a lot more good than practicing once a month. But she also knew that without a goal, Herminia will do nothing. She’d sit on her hands. She would wait for opportunities to fall from the sky into her lap. She’s also lazy. She comes up with excuses.

I’m also realizing now that if I let myself try to write the perfect novel, I would. But you can’t make anything perfect. You have to write a lot of bad before you write anything good.

I’m not aiming for perfection every time I hit publish. I’m aiming for progress. I want to learn and grow. I can’t do that if I spend my whole life trying to plan the most perfect post or the best novel.

There’s still so much I don’t know. But I do know I enjoy the challenge of creating content. I like having a place where I can be less academic, formal, professional, etc.

I’m allowed to do whatever I want, however I want. So maybe just maybe I can go back to being that naïve girl who fell in love with blogging and never looked back. She made her own rules, found success on her own terms.

Working Hard In Silence

I think there’s something to be said about working hard in silence and not always announcing your accomplishments to the whole world.

I don’t want to brag or show off. I also don’t want to show anybody up.

Going forward, I just want to live my life quietly. I’m not sure why, but I don’t feel the need to share my successes with anybody or everybody all the time. Of course, I share some details, but I don’t share a lot.

There are things I want to achieve in my lifetime that I’ve never told anyone. If and when I do accomplish them, I’ll probably keep some things to myself. Then again, I like surprising people who underestimate me.

When I’m working away, I avoid talking about my progress. I’m not the best at selling myself, so I’d be awful at promoting my own work.

I want to be someone who works hard and goes about my business every day. Which is part of the reason why I don’t post much on social media.

I literally enjoy working in silence. Noise will be the death of me.

I like to believe that if I want something badly enough, I will work for it. If I don’t want it, I won’t. And that’s okay.

When it comes to my career, I feel I have a good idea of what I want. I probably have an even better idea of what I don’t want.

All this being said, I’ll talk about big milestones until my dying breath. But the small wins often stay close to my chest. I’ve just never been one for the spotlight.

After all, the strongest people survive battles no one else knows about. The smartest know when to stay silent and just listen.

More than anything, I have to define success on my own terms.

What Should I Do With This Blog?

It’s that time of the year again where I feel a little lost with my blog. I don’t know what I want to do going forward.

Even though I ultimately write for myself, I still want to create content others enjoy reading.

I think I’m stuck in a rut, creating the same kind of content day in and day out.

I want to challenge myself, but I don’t know exactly how. I want to do better.

Sometimes I feel like I’m taking two steps backwards for every one step forward.

I’ve been thinking about trying other platforms, trying different projects. Problem is I’m stubborn, so I want to stick to what I’ve been doing.

On bad days, I think I’ll never measure up, never be good enough no matter what I do.

I know I’m not the best blogger. I’ll never be perfect. But I am good enough.

I won’t make excuses. I want to work harder and smarter. I’ll push myself, even and especially when no one else will.

The journey ahead won’t be easy. No one said it will be. Still, I’ll try to enjoy myself.

Besides, I don’t have to know exactly where I’m going all the time. When I’m lost, I’ll find my way.

I believe in creating my own chances. So I will.

I might stumble and fall, but I can get back up and try again.

Failing is a learning opportunity. It’s a time for growth. Most importantly, it’s one step closer to success.

When You’re Feeling Anxious About The Future

When you’re feeling anxious about the future, remember to breathe. Focus on your breathing.

You can’t control everything. Change what you can. Don’t worry about the rest.

Double check. Triple check. Don’t let anything slip through the cracks. Make sure you’re on the right track.

Failure is inevitable. You will fail. You’ll lose. The key is to hold your head high.

Take rejection like a professional. You’re one step closer to success.

Try to live in the present. It’s so much easier said than done. But you only have today. You don’t know what tomorrow may bring, much less next year.

Appreciate your own accomplishments. You’re here because you’ve succeeded in the past. There’s no reason why you can’t succeed again.

Let go. Leave the baggage behind. Your past doesn’t dictate your future unless you let it. Likewise, your current circumstances don’t dictate what’s to come. Things change. People do too.

Believe in your dreams over your nightmares. One day, you will get where you want to go. But you have to take the steps to get there. Take life one day at a time, one deadline at a time.

You can’t do it all. You don’t have to. Everyone has 24 hours.

You’re stronger than you feel. You’re smarter than you think. In fact, you’re better than you know.

You can give something your all or you can get nothing instead.

Do what you want. Do what you need. Do makes you happy.

It’s OK to forget. Sometimes you have to forgive others. Other times, you have to forgive yourself.

Take care of your body now, so you’ll be healthy later. It’s easier to stay in shape than it is to get back into shape. Self-care extends beyond exercising.

If you’re struggling, ask for help. You’re not alone. You will never be.

When you’re anxious about the future, imagine a better world. Get excited about new possibilities. You don’t need to have all the answers, just a desire to ask questions.

When You Feel Like You Aren’t Good Enough

You are. You’re enough.

Pick yourself up and brush off the dust. This journey is your own. But that doesn’t mean you’re alone. Someone cares. You might not think anyone does, but there is a person out there.

You always want to do more. But you only have 24 hours in the day. You can’t accomplish everything in one night. After all, no one is an overnight success.

Sometimes you feel lost. Then again, you’re finding your way just like everyone else.

No matter how long you’ve been doing something, you’re still learning all the time.

You don’t want to settle, so it’s difficult to feel satisfied. Make sure you celebrate small wins because they lead to bigger victories.

The world isn’t fair. Life isn’t fair. All the more reason to be kind to yourself.

You’ve set the bar so high. So you keep reaching and falling short. One day, you will reach the stars. You’ll be higher than you’ve ever been before.

In an age where everything seems to happen instantaneously, it can be hard to be patient. You might want to quit. You’ll wonder if your destination is worth it. Trust your instincts.

Focus on the process, not the product. Concentrate on the things you can control. Don’t worry about what you can’t.

Look ahead. Move on. Imagine a better future.

Live a life you will not regret. Sometimes you only have one chance.

When you fail, remember you’re one step closer to success. None of your mistakes are in vain if you learn from them.

Drown out the noise, the negativity. Surround yourself around positive people.

Support others because beneath our differences, we’re all the same in the end.

You are good enough.

Common Fears Writers Face

The fear of no one reading your story. You spent 3,682 hours, 41 minutes, and 9 seconds on one story. But not a single soul will see it. At least your eyes will look upon a masterpiece.

The fear of no one liking your stories. Or worse, everyone hating it.

The fear of failure. Rejection after rejection after rejection.

The fear of success. Some people have a scary definition of what it means to be successful.

The fear of fear. Of course, it’s both a verb and a noun.

The fear of no fear. Imagine not being afraid of anything. Isn’t that terrifying?

The fear of letting others down. Sorry mom.

The fear of letting yourself down. You’re probably your biggest critic.

The fear of losing everything. Especially your dignity.

The fear of losing nothing. Because you don’t have anything to lose.

The fear of losing friends. Then again, you can’t lose what you don’t have in the first place.

The fear of making enemies. It’s like going through high school all over again.

The fear of wasting your time. It’s precious.

The fear of wasting your life. You only get one after all.

Always write out of love. Never write out of fear.

22 Reminders For 2018

1. You only have one life.
2. Work hard but play harder.
3. You can’t do everything.
4. It’s okay to say no.
5. Better to fail than never try.
6. Less is more.
7. There’s always room for improvement.
8. Write for yourself, not someone else.
9. Find your voice.
10. Read what you want.
11. Hone your art, your craft.
12. Your health matters.
13. Finish the projects you start.
14. Your body and mind need exercise.
15. You learn more from failure than from success.
16. Research before you jump to conclusions.
17. You’re allowed to have fun.
18. Never feel guilty for pursuing your passions.
19. You don’t need permission.
20. Everyone has 24 hours in a day.
21. You’re closer to the end than you realize.
22. You are worth it.

Doing Better Than Others Versus Doing Better Than Yourself

Although I was obsessed with doing better than others for one year too many, I'm more focused on myself now. I'd like to stay this way moving forward.

I remember a time when I looked at a blogger's stats (followers, views, etc.) and felt discouraged. Defeated even. I wanted to do better than others instead of trying to improve myself.

Even before I made this blog, I strived to beat out the students in my class. For a while, I stopped being concerned with my personal goals because I concentrated so much on the success of other people. Strangers, friends, acquaintances alike.

At some point, I realized doing better than others didn't make me happy. I shouldn't have cared how everyone else did in relation to myself.

So nearly twenty years after I came into this world, I've come to a few conclusions.

I have to define success on my own terms. I won't steal someone's definition and settle with it.

I want to do better than me, myself, and I. Which is why I need to strive to beat my personal best, not the best of another blogger or student.

After all, I'm on my own unique journey. And everyone else around me is on a different one of their own. It's unfair to compare.  

We're all human beings, but we aren't exactly the same. Like comparing apples to oranges. Both are fruits but apples aren't oranges. I'm not you. You are not me.

Besides, I'm happier when I focus on what I'm doing and how well I'm doing. Also, the time I spend asking a peer what they got on a test or peeking at a creator's numbers is better spent practicing my skills. I could be studying harder or blogging more to improve my abilities.

Interestingly enough, I constantly write in my journal that I can do better. One because it's true. And two because I want to. More than anything. I would love nothing more than to become a better writer and blogger. To grow as an artist.

Every day I should do something to ensure I'm moving forward rather than fall behind or stay stagnant.

Going forward, I hope I'll make a conscious effort to be better than I was yesterday.

My goal is to beat my own goals, best my personal records, not those of others.