I made a commitment back on 31st January 2022 that I was going to blog every day for 12 months. This blogging was to be done on this website and was entirely separate from blog posts that I might write for my law based websites such as BusinessAndLegal.ie or EmploymentRightsIreland.com.
It was to be entirely personal and for me, and me alone. A gift and commitment to myself.
I derive a good deal of satisfaction that I have fulfilled this commitment to date, today being 19th June 2022.
I would say it has been relatively easy but there have been a few specific occasions when it was tempting to put it aside due to external circumstances. These circumstances range from an incredibly busy period in the office and perhaps an early WRC hearing leaving little time to set aside the 10 to 25 minutes to write the blog post.
Another time was when we were away for the weekend in a 5 star hotel in Cork and I forgot all about writing the blog post which I do first thing in the morning. I remembered at 2 or 3 o’clock in the morning when I went to bed and got up to write the blog post in the bathroom of the hotel in the early hours of the morning.
But I have resisted the temptation to fail to show up and make excuses. I am thrilled that I did.
I have learned quite a bit from the exercise, and it is one I hope to continue long past the 12-month initial goal. But for now, I will settle for 1 year of blogging.
I think my writing has improved in this respect: I find it easier to write something about anything with less chance of writer’s block. In other words, the ease and flow with which I can write has increased with less angst or navel gazing.
The quality of my writing, however, may not have improved much. And the reason for that, if it is the case, is that I am writing in a similar style each day, and probably covering the same topics using the same words and vocabulary.
I think for my own benefit I need to experiment a little bit and try different types of writing styles, and different pieces of writing-for example descriptions of persons.
None of my writing contains descriptions of people and I read wonderfully evocative descriptions of individuals in novels I read. So, this, and some other areas, may be worth my time exploring for my own benefit.
And if the truth be told, the primary benefit of doing this 12 month project is for myself. I hope you will understand, and perhaps recognise the benefit of you making a commitment to yourself to carry out a similar project.
Is there some skill or activity that you would like to do every day for 12 months and which might give you a new, improved skill for a lifetime?