My perspective on writing has been very specific for a long time. I’m a decent writer, sometimes even a good one, but I hate writing. Hate it.
Writing has always been an excruciatingly exacting process for me – defining the problem, determining the approach, mounds and mounds of research, writing some stuff, doing more research, writing some more, editing, rewriting, taking a break and then doing the whole thing over again. I’ve always loved the end result – a simple, concise bit of writing that powerfully and effectively communicates a complex problem or difficult concept. But I’ve always hated the process.
When I started this blog after giving myself the challenge to write every day for thirty days, I knew I would either hate the next thirty days or have to find an entirely different approach to writing. I didn’t want to hate the next thirty days, or even thirty minutes of one day, so I did something very simple.
Instead of thinking I hate writing, I decided to think that I love it.
“I love writing.”
It was just a thought. Turns out a single thought is enough to create a completely new reality.
Every day for the past thirty days, as thoughts float through my mind, I’ve held onto to the positive thoughts about writing. I love writing. Writing is easy. I’ll think of something to write about when it’s time to write. I’ll know what to write as I’m writing. Whatever I write will be enough.
Are those things true? Well, truth isn’t really a thing when it comes to thoughts. Thoughts are just thoughts. But thoughts determine experience. When I chose to hang onto those particular thoughts, my experience transformed.
I used to hate writing. That changed in an instant.
Turns out I didn’t actually hate writing, I just thought I did.