This is the 2,287th article I have written in a row since I started on January 8th, 2018. This is part 2 of my detail of how this has benefited me in miraculous ways. Yesterday, I talked about writing being a cheap form of therapy, a great way to quench my thirst for knowledge and a solid way to feel a sense of accomplishment earlier in the day. I had some time to ponder a few more considerations and here they are:
4 – Leaving Something Behind: I do not think I am alone in this regard. Many of us worry about leaving something behind for the next few generations as we get older. Every few months, I export my entire blog into a PDF file that I keep stored somewhere safe. This is growing to be quite a book by now. I have three journals in my possession from my ancestors. These are great treasures, but they are seriously lacking any content of significance. There was a lot going on in their lives, but in some cases, the most I get out of the journal is a catalog of what they ate that day and how much it cost to take the train to Chicago. I really wonder what was going on in their heads. What challenges did they have? My children subscribe to my blog today, and I think they will occasionally read the blog, but not that often. However, there will come a time in 50, 60, or 70 years from now when they will really be curious, and this daily writing process of mine will be fascinating indeed. Imagine if I had this level of archive to read through from my Grandfather who immigrated to the United States. So, at the very least, I will have left behind a documentary of my life, thoughts, and aspirations that will be there for the next generations. Maybe it will be just a fun realization of how crazy I was, but I can hope.
5 – Connections: Every once in a while, someone will reach out to me about what happened on my blog. As it turns out, Google really likes original content. So, periodically, one of my blog articles will end up at the top of a search string. I have never really spent much time on SEO, so this is a rare occurrence. So the random straggler will pop in and read my article and send me a note. I have had some interesting connections with people all throughout the world. What is inspiring to me is that there was someone in Bangladesh who was thinking about and struggling with the same thing that I was. That is a fascinating thought, and I really enjoy those conversations when they happen.
6 – Critical Thinking: I do not think there is a single greater thing you can do to improve your ability to think critically and evaluate an opinion or process language than writing. I have improved dramatically. In the past, I have leaned heavily on grammar tools and dabbled with AI for proofreading. However, I depend on that less overtime. My writing could be more succinct, but I have definitely seen dramatic improvement over the years. I am gaining clarity and structure and improving my vocabulary along the way. This has been a tremendous benefit, and my ability to process concepts stays sharp I believe that has helped me stay connected and focused on getting to the point in discussions and communications with other people.
This concludes my summary of why writing every day has helped me. I have always wanted to keep a journal but always failed to be consistent. For some reason, the idea that someone, somewhere, might actually read what I write down has been motivating enough for me to continue to write. I recommend learning to write more and to enjoy the process. I now read what others write and have a tremendous appreciation for good prose. I know how the skill comes; it comes by significant repetition and practice. Perhaps when I get to my 20,000 articles, I will actually be good at this!
