"Have you ever felt like a voice quacking in the void?"
Well. That is how I feel regarding my blog. It can be quite isolating. The absence of readers makes it weak; updating it weekly makes it circuitous; and it's torturous when you have to sit down to create content that fails to create a sensory reality for the reader. Perhaps, participating in a competition could ignite a fresh trajectory!
You know what; lamentation has a scruffy charm of pacification.
It takes courage to acknowledge and deal with personal experiences, whether they are within your control or render you vulnerable. While you might be frustrated by unaccomplished aspects of your life, the ultimate truth is that writing provides the purest form of distillation. It has fulfillment. Whether your expression is tentative and tepid or colorful and cogent with an epic flow, it carries an intimate feeling—a kind of sexy, skin-to-skin vibe.
Ever felt like you wanted to come out of the closet but fear or timidity were holding you at ransom? You want to leap forward but suffer from the poison ivy of "What if I mess up?" Worse is, you start, get disillusioned, or derailed along the way, then forego to take action on what inspired you.
Regardless of whether fear stems from the external world or the people around us, it's crucial to recognize that you possess the power to make a choice. The decision to remain beholden to the damning situation or take action and change the circumstances remains yours. It is your responsibility to determine whether you wish to actively pursue your goals or let them fade away toward oblivion.
When you write as I do, the temptation to surrender is ever-present. You check the blog statistics, and the once-ascending curve now resembles a volatile cryptocurrency graph. The numbers game can feel disheartening, and engagement feels elusive. It seems like my content may click better with a specific audience I haven't reached yet. Or maybe I am preaching to the converted. Who approaches my articles with disdain, as if to say, "Make it quick, we have no time to waste?"
Nonetheless, there are moments when you revisit your blog, glance at it, and find yourself both breathless and deliriously happy; way past Cloud Nine. You can see the incredible progress you're making! It is commendable. Yet, there are those instances that tease and taunt. In those moments, it feels like the best course of action is to uphold your nobility.
The dancer in you yearns to enroll in a dance school to refine those seemingly awkward moves, rectifying the missteps that leave you feeling like you have two left feet. The writer within has crafted a manuscript. The only hurdle left is to conquer the fear of rejection and submit it to publishers. The orator within resists practicing speeches in front of a mirror, and the thought of exploring how telekinesis can enhance your bespoke and expressive vigor. These are the requisite experiences needed before stepping into the coliseum, one that is often unreceptive and can be both nerve-racking and emotionally draining.
The crucial skill required to combat fear is the ability to unpack the slightest traces of guilt or inferiority. The way infants face life's challenges without prejudice. What you would consider impossible as an adult. A video online captivated me, it featured a child who placed a hen on the carrier of his bicycle and pushed it forward, evoking memories of Mr. Nice's song 'Kuku Kapanda Baiskeli'. It brings to mind this line in Stephen King's book On Writing: "It ain't how much you've got, honey, it's how you use it," as the whore told the bashful sailor.
Doubt and fear often quell the rebellious spirit within that yearns for exploration. Inaction, if prolonged, can lead to a perpetual state of ruin, and the sole path to redemption lies in countering the inertia provoked by these apprehensions.
Coming out of the closet can be tough, especially when you worry about people's perceptions. You might wonder if you should adopt a don't-care attitude and ignore people's opinions or be humble and seek advice. You might worry about rejection or being judged. But remember, as the Chinese proverb goes, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Although the first steps might be the hardest, over time, they become more straightforward with a hint of complexity. Along the way, you will face challenges and obstacles. Without resilience, failure is inevitable. But if you persevere, self-discovery awaits.
This year, my primary focus is on content creation, not the blog's metrics. Blogging poses numerous challenges, from marketing to idea selection and conceptualization, crafting engaging introductions and conclusions, allocating time for composition, conducting research to reinforce concepts, and the mental drudgery involved in copyediting. The countless hours devoted to perusal for the final prose to have segue. It is natural to hesitate and cogitate, and in the process, get mortified by your efforts. You have to grapple with the notion that what you're painstakingly trying to master might feel somewhat embarrassing.
It's often said that time's a healer and atones for past mistakes. Without intending to sound like a Protestant evangelist, "Perhaps you are out there struggling with the urge to reignite your passion, kickstart your job search, or pursue your ambition, chaka chaka." The key is to start by taking small steps. The challenges will be dealt with as they arise along the way.
As always, "Keep on keeping on, and keeping on will keep you keeping on."
Hasta La Vista, Baby.
