This year marks 7 years of writing almost every single day. 7 years! I wrote at least a thousand words a day every day since 2013. That's crazy to think about. It's become a habit at this point, so I forget just how much effort I put into this.
What started first out of curiosity eventually turned into something that I had to do out of necessity. Within a few months, it was a habit so deeply ingrained into my life that it was like brushing my teeth. And that's when things started to get interesting.
To this day, only a small amount of what I write daily is usable. But all good writing begins with terrible first efforts.
"If I waited to be inspired I would be screwed."
I've also started journaling only from this new year. Every day I spend around one hour to write the memories that I consciously decide to preserve for old me. I write not just the events but also my reflection of them. It's been only a few days. I already feel the positive impact it has on my mental health. Somedays, I fear that I am just in an enthusiasm phase. Soon, before I know, this activity of mine will be deserted — like every other activity I started in the past. However, I believe that it will not be the case this time, which I can tell from two realizations. One, experiencing the fear of quitting — every day — is itself a reassurance that I am taking this seriously. Two, the motivation to write journal comes not from others' feedback — which was the case in my past activities.
Through writing, I've learned quite a bit about myself. It helped me process my thoughts, form my own opinions, and communicate them better. I love writing and don't have any plan on stopping this any time soon.