stop along the path
celebrate what you have done
pause to take it in
There was a time when all I wanted to do was express my ideas in a space of my own. I used to feel resentful of things that took away my time and energy to write. I set out to create the space to write and publish, so I could share ideas with the world.
And I did it. I built a stack of rituals to create space for myself. I harvested ideas. I wrote pieces. And I published.
Today marks my 1,500 day blogging streak. 1,500 consecutive days of showing up, committing to an idea, and writing something.
1,500 consecutive days of publishing my work for the world to read.
1,500 days of going with “good enough,” published over perfect, progress over outcome.
1,500 days of exposing myself to judgment and criticism.
1,500 days of honoring that commitment I made to myself.
What’s in a number?
Not much. It’s just a number. But even in its arbitrariness, it means something. Along the path we create our own mile markers.
When pursuing a path without a clear destination, it’s important for us to create moments where we pause and reflect on what we’ve done.
I did it. I built the blog. I committed to showing up and publishing every day, no matter what. And I followed through. Sometimes — most of the time — I published under circumstances that were less-than-ideal. This four-year span has coincided with a period of intense letting go, grieving, and complete life upheaval.
I’ve written most of my blog posts on my iPhone, published the vast majority from an iPhone or iPad, and for the better part of a year did it all without WiFi or consistent wireless signal. Most of the time in which I’ve published daily I have had no home of my own and no private office. I’ve written blog posts on trains, planes, park benches,
From the urban jungle of NYC to the remote beaches of Panama, I’ve proven that I could publish a blog under any circumstances.
Lately I’ve been contemplating whether it’s time to end this particular streak, to close this chapter of my writing and focus in a different direction, or at least cut back on the frequency.
It’s my default to always be contemplating the next move, to consider where something is going, whether the effort is worth it. This is typical of many high achievers. We want to optimize our time, our efforts, our resources.
These are noble pursuits. And, if we don’t stop to acknowledge where we are and how far we’ve come, we risk losing the meaning in any endeavor.
Whatever happens next does not detract from the fact that there is much to celebrate, right where I am. In fact, if I don’t celebrate where I am, I have no hope of moving forward in any direction.
Setting number milestones is not about calculating how long is left until we reach the destination. Rather, it’s about creating moments to stop and celebrate the journey. Regardless of how much is left, it helps to pause to review how far you’ve come.
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