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June 30, 2022

Express Yourself

Photo by Yan Krukov on Pexels.

Upon writing the journal entry below, it has come to my awareness that it is important that we all find a way to express ourselves in a healthy manner.  I am not sure that I have done a good job in articulating this self-discovery, (it’s only my first attempt).

Journal Entry:

The company I work for (as a software developer) is encouraging me to enhance my skills in ways that are not directly related to my job.  I have wanted to write a blog for a long time.  Blog ideas come frequently into my mind, and wash away just as frequently.  I even have a list of ‘blog ideas’ in a google doc that has been accumulating ideas for years.  So I’ve decided to take on writing in a space where other people can read my words (Thank you Elephant Journal for providing such a space!).  Writing in my own journal, which I do frequently, doesn’t quite cut it.

I don’t know how, and I don’t know why I have the desire to start such a venture.  I find it difficult to start something so vulnerable as to write in a public arena without knowing why I am doing so.  Without knowing where else to start but right where I am, I am beginning  this journey of self-expression, by simply contemplating the question of “Why do I want to write a blog?” in writing.  I hope it is valuable for at least one person other than myself.

“Why do I want to write?” The voice in my head asks in a condescending manner. “To express myself” I say. But why express myself?  What is the point of that?  So many doubts come to my mind when I consider putting my words out into the world for anyone to read.  Perhaps the doubts are keeping me safe, in the quiet corner that I normally spend much of my time, a place where I can watch others express themselves, and remain invisible.

Now that I mention it, I can answer my own question of “Why?” By asking myself, what I get out of the content that I read from others who freely express themselves?  I get quite a lot actually.  I get new ideas, new ways of thinking about the world.  I get humor and tips and tools on how to be a better human. I get inspiration from all kinds of expressions that remind me we are all human.  And of course, last but not least, I get information from a variety of perspectives. The variety helps me see the world from a much broader point of view than if I only lived inside my own head.

So the new question is, can I offer such a valuable voice to the world?  And the answer is invariably, Yes!  I have a perspective, why not share it?  And on that note.  You have one too.  It’s equally valuable.  A vision has just come into my mind that each individual person is like a satellite viewing the planet from a slightly different perspective.  The more viewpoints there are, that are shared with the world, the more data points, the more pixels, the more depth there is to have a clear and broad picture.  So ‘why not?’ seems the better question.

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