Writing: For Joy or Because We Have To?
There has been a lot of thought lately about the need and importance of writing. Everyone has a story, expertise, or even a need to write as a way to cope. Though, it seems lately that if you are not writing, you are not truly growing and embodying your brand.
As people continue to search for new opportunities, many having been impacted by the pandemic, one message that came out is that you need to build and be your brand. Through this belief, a lot of people have started writing and sharing what they say through newsletters and blogs on their websites or using platforms such as Medium. Though are they simply writing to build their brand?
I Stopped Writing-Why?
Writing has been something that I have always loved, but I stopped writing. It made me consider why did I stop? What prevented me from doing something that has always brought me joy? Was it the absence of academia where I am no longer obligated to craft papers on topics ranging from media and military, child slavery, corporate social responsibility, to how cocktails influence guest experience?
I would say in some ways I stopped writing because I no longer had time, but that equally feels like an excuse, if I wanted to write I could make the time. What truly prevented me? I still do not know. I could try to analyze myself and see if I can find a core point, but the reality is I stopped. Sure, I passively wrote a blog that no one other than my family had access to about my travels, but even then, I was no longer interested in keeping it up.
Storyteller Mentality
It is crazy that I like to say I want to be a storyteller but I do not write. Instead, I love to listen and learn. I want to hear about what people are experiencing and share that experience with others, usually through verbal expression. Though written expression tells another story, shares a different perspective. I can reach more people through written work, my stories can go all over the world. Though the joy that my written word brings to someone else, I do not get to experience it.
So, maybe I stopped writing because I wanted to see the joy in person, maybe because no one was hounding me, or maybe because my own voice felt lost. Regardless, if I want to write, I should be able to do so for myself and if others along the way are encouraged to pursue something that truly brings them happiness and joy, I hope I can do that. If any of you do find that joyous pursuit, share it with others, pay it forward, since there is someone who is looking for the joy that they lost.
