1/1/09

Welcome

I’m tired of making New Year’s resolutions. I get all attached to these very specific goals that I spend weeks thinking about, phrasing just so. And then all they do is serve as fodder for self flagellation as the year goes on and life takes over and veers me from my previously carefully constructed course. So I’m trying a different approach this year. Instead of setting goals for myself, I’m setting a challenge for myself. Which is where you and this new blog come in. As I’m sure you can infer from the title, I’m going to write exactly 365 words everyday for exactly 365 days.

The easiest part of this challenge will be putting pen to paper or fingers to keys as the case may be. My daily life is hectic, unpredictable and crazy enough to provide more than enough material for 365 measly words a day. The real challenge for me is going to be have the courage to share it with you, even when it’s messy, even when I know my words don’t make sense and especially when I’d rather just go to bed than talk to one more person about my own personal daily grind.

The secondary challenge is going to be staying present enough in every day that I can learn from this courage and from the sharing of my life with the people I love and maybe even some strangers.

I’ve been trying to plan this for weeks. Figure out what tone I want to set. If I can just write stream of consciousness everyday or if I should be more professional about that. Is it ok to share the really hard days along with the everyday days? Or should I just focus on being eloquent and how the words fit together rather than what they’re actually saying.

I’ve decided that for now, I’m going to let my courage do the talking and let the rest fall as it may. I’ve made peace with the fact that my words won’t always be what I want them to be and they won’t always make sense. But they will always number 365. Go ahead, you can count them. See you tomorrow.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

A most excellent and noble plan for personal enrichment. I should challenge myself to be this clever and daring!

Lisa said...

Right on, Shanyn!!!! LOVE this idea and I LOVE your words, can't wait to see in develop!!! Hugs, Lisa