There’s a group of bloggers who, every year, host a “31 Days” series, where each of them write about a specific topic for the 31 days of October.
This year, they opened it up to anyone who wanted to join. I’m just a really, really small voice in a sea of hundreds (literally), but since I can’t deny a good community project, I decided to jump in and just go for it.
I’ve always wanted to do something like this, but I’m not really creative & coming up with something to write about for 31 days straight almost made my brain melt just thinking about it.
And if I’m really honest, October is insane this year. We’re kicking off the month here at home with Erik going on his last 3 day river trip down the Rogue, then we’ll start packing, we’ll pick up a moving truck, load it with all of our stuff and we’ll move to to Utah, where our new house is waiting for us in Salt Lake City. Once we’re there, my parents are flying out to help us unpack and settle, then I fly to Pennsylvania to hang with my people at Relevant the last week of October.
All while parenting a wild, unruly, relentless toddler.
So, yes. Everything in my life is staring at me in the face, somewhat mockingly, making me believe that I have no business spending time doing this project. But this place, my craft, needs some love. I need to get my ever-expanding ass back in the proverbial saddle and just WRITE.
My biggest writing problem is that I’m a perfectionist. I have this bad habit of letting words pile up and if they don’t pour out onto the page just so, I choose not to say them at all. Long stretches go by without me saying anything here… where you see silence, I just sit in the chair, red-faced frustrated with itchy fingers aching to type it all out.
So, this 31 Days series is really for me.
31 Days of Just Blogging.
31 Days of Blogging Daily.
31 Days of No Excuses, Blog Like a Champion.
Nothing fancy, but it’s something that gets me writing. It allows for flexibility and it gives me space to be kind to myself. It embraces my messy, gypsy life.
I’m telling you this because saying it out loud forces me to hold up my end of the bargain. If I say it to myself or scratch it on a line in my journal, it’s too easy to just let it go and not stick to it.
I did myself a favor and downloaded an app that lets me blog from my phone on the go. I’ve got batteries charging on my camera, I’m going to make an effort to get up early and write. I’m reading books that I pray will inspire some content, in hopes that not every post I write is about my complete disdain for cardboard boxes.
Some posts might be fuller and heavier than others. Some posts might be a picture and a caption, if that’s all I can manage that day.
Once a day, every day.
I can do this, right?
blog like a champion. blog like a champion.
Looking forward to reading!
I dunno. I’d love to see a piece on your utter disdain for cardboard boxes.
Oh. It’ll come. Promise. I just don’t want to do a series on it.
you CAN do this. the best stretch of writing i ever did came out of my own personal 30 day challenge–who knows, maybe i’ll decide before midnight to jump on the bandwagon too =)
in any case–you can do it!
Yes, you can do it!
Hurray! You’re joining! I love your simple theme – just write. That’s a fantastic idea. We just found out we’re moving at the end of the month too, so we can share in our mutual dislike of moving boxes and chaos
I’m here!
I think your blog is pretty.
You can do it!!! If all else fails, put up a random picture and say “I like this.”
good for you & just going. I never realized how much of a perfectionist I was until the past couple years. Blogging & writing really bring it out in me as well. So many words piling up & never seeing the light of day.
I decided to take part in the crazy world of 31 days. I’m kind of nervous that I said I would. wishing us luck.
I’m excited to read your future content. I too joined the challenge in hopes that I would become and excellent blogger. I think the most posts I have done in my lifetime are about 4! Yikes!!!
We can do it!!!
I am looking forward to your challenge and you have challenge me to get back to blogging this month. It’s already 2 days into October but I can get started back tomorrow. I know i have enough content from the last few months to fill up this month.
you totally can(even if i decided that i can’t, after all). :/
You are gonna kick ass. For reals.
I have a stack of cardboard boxes under , but my bed from moving in July, and I’ll be moving again come December, and just thinking about it makes me want to cry. So. Disdain for cardboard boxes flies really well with this segment of your audience.
I’m glad you’ll be writing. It’s hard to shake off the perfectionist impulse, but I think it’ll be worth it. I can’t wait to see what happens here.
(Um, I do not know what happened to that comment. Strange-punctuation-and-extra-words gremlin, or something.)
So glad you’re joining in! Remember, it doesn’t have to be perfect! Trust me, mine NEVER are!!
I blog at “Only a Breath” and would love for you to stop by if you have time! I’m writing about “31 Days to Love Your Neighbor”. It has been a very interesting journey to say the least!
Have a great day!
Melanie
I found my way here through A Deeper Story. I just bookmarked your site. Looking forward to your 31 days series!
That picture cracks me up. So thankful that we all get to read your words every day now! Watch the inspiration hit!