My return to blogging and the 3 ways writing has helped me during quarantine

It’s been 2 years since the last time I wrote but I really don’t have an answer as to why it has taken me so long to get back to blogging. One thing I do know: if you are a writer then you must write. Between inspirational post-it notes to my family and my ongoing journaling I have satisfied my yearning for writing in different ways. I have missed the continuous blogging of thoughts and lessons learned. So that is what I am returning to. This post highlights how blogging and writing has had a therapeutic effect on my life; especially during these times.

#1 – Helping me sort through my thoughts and express my feelings

As I type these words the whole world is (still) very much at a stand still adjusting, fighting, and grieving from a pandemic. The hardest part of it is how it creates a need for protection through isolation. I believe a solitary life can be emotionally taxing as we were made for community. However, recognizing the negative impacts of living in exile from the world allows us to be more honest with our feelings. In many ways writing helps us to look at those feelings and truly see how our lives are being impacted by the current events.

Writing my thoughts on paper has been helpful to recognize the ups and downs during quarantine. I love the fact that I am able to see my family more often throughout what would be a normal work week. But I also can’t help but acknowledge that while daily commutes are painful they provide a buffer between the office and home, allowing me to get over some frustrations before it’s family time. Even though I haven’t always responded to these stresses in the best way, writing about this reality has allowed me to read situations and respond to them in a healthy way. On paper I can be raw about the reality of working and living in the same space.

#2 – Helping me live out my passion for encouraging others

The hardest part about being away from the office is not being able to more genuinely connect with my co-workers on a frequent basis. Yes, one can call and even video conference colleagues, friends and family, but it is not quite the same. This is especially true if somehow you gain energy from being around others. This describes me and my way of working. I love to collaborate and connect with people on a personal level. At heart I am an encourager and motivator. Being away from others makes it more challenging so I have had to come up with different ways to live out this passion.

One of my favorite ways to encourage others is by writing small post-it notes with messages that motivate people. I started this over 4 years ago when managing sales channels. The fast pace environment at times left me with little opportunity to connect with people at a deeper level so these post-it notes became a way for me to tell someone that “I see you”, “I value you”, and “Your actions are appreciated.” This simple gesture made an impact to the point I started an Instagram series titled #postittoencourage. During quarantine time I found myself looking for ways to encourage others and I expanded this series to LinkedIn. The response while simple has been extremely rewarding as I find myself living out this purpose to encourage others.

#3 – Helping me connect with God

If you know me personally or have read any of my past posts you know that I find strength in being vulnerable and recognizing opportunities to grow. This post is in fact a reflection of that. I don’t claim to be the smartest or the wisest, but if there is a reason why I am comfortable in the seemingly uncomfortable it is because of my faith. My walk with God has shown me my weaknesses don’t define me. I follow Jesus knowing that tomorrow will be a better day because He walks by my side.

These times have reminded me that when I write I have the most important person reading. This audience of one is enough. Maybe that is why I have felt less compelled to actually publish some of these writings into blog posts. Being connected with God through personal writings allows the conversation to flow in ways that are hard to explain. It also provides “mile markers” that serve as reference points for growth and humility. Through some of my previous writings I can look back and recognize the ways that God has blessed me. That is worth putting my heart out through each word I write.

What have you been writing lately?