Over the 62 episodes we’ve produced, I’ve been lucky to talk with enough bloggers on the Sharing the Heart of the Matter podcast that I do with Vicki Atkinson to know it’s a pretty universal experience that we felt that nervous feeling before pushing the “publish” button. Definitely for our first post – and for many subsequent posts as well.
It has me thinking about what the value of that “publish” button is for me. Would I get the same practice if I just wrote in journals every day? I don’t think so. Here’s why:
- When I write only for myself, I skip over details and assumptions. Publishing makes me consider a lot of additional angles and fill in what I assume I know.
- There’s an amount of risk that I get used to taking when I publish. I’m putting myself out there and that act is a little bit of bravery that adds up to more bravery muscles over time.
- I’m getting closer to figuring out what I’m good at. There are somethings that I know I’m good at – like memorizing license plates. I have no idea what that’s good for. I also know that I’m called to write and to encourage others. What is my real talent? I have no idea – but I’m getting closer by practicing.
Along these lines, I’ve been working on publishing one Instagram post a day. With two kids aged 4 years old and 8 years old, a 5 year old cat, and a 10 month old dog, I have plenty of material. So, I try to choose just one for a day and practice posting.
Why does it matter? It’s not like I have oodles of new followers or am building up a social media empire. But I am bearing witness to what life looks like for me. Every day. Not just on vacations or one-off outings. But every day.
You know what I’ve noticed? It gets easier. To recognize the sweet goodness in the ‘everydayness’ of my life. Here are three examples.
What about you? Do you find publishing is a beneficial practice for you? Why?
I’ve written a related post on my personal blog: Writing In the Dark
If you want to tune in to our podcast that features authors, bloggers, and artists, search for Sharing the Heart of the Matter on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music or Pocketcasts (and subscribe) or click here. My other projects include my personal blog and being part of a team that teaches/speaks about corporate creativity. My book about my journey to find what fueled my dad’s indelible spark and twinkle can be found on Amazon: Finding My Father’s Faith.
You can find me on Instagram and Twitter @wynneleon
(featured photo is from Pexels)