I used to be obsessed with writing online.
I remember being so anxious and stressed about it, even if I missed a day or two.
It crept slowly in and, without noticing, it became an unhealthy obsession.
When you get so obsessed, nothing else matters. You forget to eat, to sleep, or to get out and get some sunlight. It takes you experiencing life at its fullest.
This obsession took me away from the present, away from those around me whom I care so much.
Before I noticed how damaging this obsession was, my life was torn apart.
I stopped writing. I tried to fix my life.
I realised that this obsession of mine was getting me nowhere and taking everything from me.
My writing became hollow with no substance. I was writing empty words with no emotion, no authenticity. I was writing what others have said hundreds of times.
Another parrot.
I had nothing to say
I was writing for the sake of writing.
To fill a quota, I was desperately trying to keep a streak even if that meant staying hours in front of a screen.
Looking at most of the published material, most of it was …not me. Replicating ideas that others have said, creating an echo chamber of the same thoughts.
It was when I was forced to break from the hustle mentality that I actually started to get a grasp on my life that was falling apart.
When life forced me to go through the suffering, loss, and grief, it was then that I finally realized something.
I began to notice that I might have something to say after all.
Something important. Something that could help others, see what I haven’t seen, and prevent their lives from turning upside down.
I see writing now as a vehicle to communicate my message
I free myself from filling a quota, from pleasing an algorithm, or trying to be the bigger rat.
I no longer care about being an active presence. I care about writing for those who are willing to read my words.
They might be only a few, but when they read, something in my words will resonate with them.
They will see themselves in my words. I create a bond with my words.
Besides, writing is one of the best ways I’ve found to express myself.
When I write from the heart.
Writing words to share with others is a form of self-empowerment
Whether it’s some scrawlings in my commonplace book or words I shared with others, writing has given me the freedom to express myself with no constraints.
It has shown me that an average person with a keyboard can make a small dent on the planet, not all in one go, but with a commitment to doing it frequently.
Writing with freedom means that I shape the ideas I’m passionate about, challenge the narrative, and get to express myself in an immensely satisfying way.
I know if I keep writing, it will open doors, creating new relationships, unexpected opportunities, and influence beyond the written page.
Thank you. See you at the next one!
Everything in moderation I guess. I had a period too where I became obsessed with it, that's actually probably around the time we first met! But now I'm more relaxed with it and exactly what you say, that's actually when the better writing comes out.