A Year and a Day

Last year, on June 27, 2013, I started this blog. I wasn't sure what I was going to write about, how long I could do it for, or even how to post a photo. But it has all worked out pretty well.

Except for two days early in the year when I found myself without internet access, I have posted a unique blog every single day. The commitment I have shown to this blog and to the random collection of family, friends, and strangers who read it, staggers me when I think about it.

On many occasions, I have stayed up after midnight, gotten up before 6am, searched for a topic when I had nothing to write about, and written in spite of wanting to do anything else but write.

I wonder about the amount of time I have spent on this blog, writing, editing, writing, learning how to post photos, videos, writing, thinking about blog topics, and writing, writing, writing. Certainly more than 365 hours.

And I have learned a tremendous amount from writing this daily blog over the year. How to put my butt in the chair and just write something. How to craft a short essay about a variety of topics. How to relax if it's not perfect, because eventually it will be. Or it won't be, and you still need to relax.

I've written about it before, but writing this blog every day has also given me much more confidence in myself and my writing. It has been a gift as much as a burden.

As proud as I am of completing an entire year of posts, I wonder if I could harness the dedication I have shown here into other areas of my life. I certainly have several areas that could use a large amount of daily determination.

Tomorrow: next steps . . .