Turning One: A Year of Newsletter Lessons
Today is a significant day for me.
It marks the one-year anniversary of my newsletter, which I've consistently shared with you on a weekly basis. Although I missed a couple of weeks, I managed to publish 46 articles out of the 48 I had set up as a goal for the year (you can find most of them on my blog).
Here’s what this journey has taught me:
Mastery through practice: Initially, writing felt daunting. I spent more hours than I can count just staring at that blank piece of paper, struggling to find any topic that might interest an outside audience. Then, once I had come up with something that might work, crafting more than 200 words felt like a drag. When I started out, it took me close to eight hours to create something of decent quality. Now, I’m pleased to say, it takes about two. I also established an "ideas bank" to collect topics daily, which helps prevent last-minute struggles (although, unavoidably, these still do occur).
Maintaining discipline: Writing every week, no matter the circumstances—traveling, vacation, family illnesses—has taught me the true meaning of discipline. The idea of missing a week because "who would notice" no longer applies. Although perhaps no one else would notice if a letter didn’t arrive a particular week, I would, and holding myself accountable has become the most crucial aspect for me. Ultimately, my actions (or lack thereof) have the greatest impact on myself.
You can’t wait for inspiration: Waiting for inspiration and motivation to appear is not an option. They are too elusive and they rarely emerge when you’d want them to. Often, I just sit with a topic in mind, feeling that familiar sense of lack of inspiration and temptation to close down my laptop. Despite this, I force myself to type out those first words. While the initial drafts are far from perfect, and many do require significant re-drafting, they provide a starting point and something to refine, something a blank page doesn’t. Momentum is key.
Dealing with doubts: Initially, I was haunted by thoughts like “No one will read what I have to say,” “Who am I to share life wisdom and advice,” “I'm no different than anyone else sharing content,” or, the worst of them all, “I don’t even know how to write!” However, receiving feedback from readers who seemed to have found some level of inspiration to make changes in their lives based on what they had read has been incredibly rewarding. While it has been—and continue to be—a process, this has gradually taught me to let go of my fears.
Handling rejection: Losing subscribers initially felt very personal, but I've learned to view each loss as an opportunity to improve or to accept that not everyone will find my content relevant—and that's okay. Just as I don’t need to be universally liked, my content doesn’t need universal approval, either.
With all of this being said, despite the challenges, I've upheld my commitment to write and publish every single week. This discipline has not only made me a better and faster writer but, more importantly, it has allowed me to reach and connect with more people, influencing their lives in various ways, however small. And this, I can say has been the most rewarding experience.
To those who have been with me from the start and those who joined along the way—thank you. Here’s to another year of publishing. Now if I just could figure out what to write about next—any suggestions?
