During 2022 I wrote 42 blog posts and 250+ LinkedIn posts. On the surface, the goal might seem to be to earn business, grow the business, build my personal brand and ultimately, make more money. That isn’t the case, I’m writing for myself.

From childhood, I had formulated so many stories about the world and how it relates to me. I wrote most of them down, from the death of a pet to my first date. Over the years, this writing stopped but the stories and my experiences accumulated mentally instead. I was always seen as a different thinker, people started finding my life stories both inspirational and educational when I did share them with others. I was commended on how I regularly question the dogma and don’t take things just for what they are.

At the end of 2021, I got to a point of deep reflection. I realised how fortunate I’d been to have so many experiences and journeys in my life so far, with so many lessons learnt. I left a small town to go to a big city, I rose to the top of the corporate ladder then left for unemployment and started many businesses. I turned my life around in many areas including drastically improving my health, to escaping unhappiness. I’ve lived in most extremes of life and with such an intense curiosity have in-depth knowledge of many topics from fine art to digital disruption.

I’ve met some incredible and inspirational people along the way whom I’ve learnt intensely from, including people from some of the most respected educational institutions. Having such a depth of experiences and the privilege to be exposed to so many ways of thinking and points of view, I wanted to be able to document and share them.

The biggest changes in my life came as a mindset shift and beginning to write out these experiences at the start of 2022 was a form of healing for me. Being able to revisit past experiences and have a voice online in which to share everything I’ve been carrying in my head for years has been extremely cathartic. Through sharing my own experiences, I hope that others can feel heard or learn from my own life mistakes and find a community or be inspired to find their own voice and a reason to share their story.

My experiences aren’t completely unique, many have also had similar life experiences. It’s a wonderful thing to be able to share what you are thinking and feeling, how things have impacted you and to be able to reach others without having to feel guilt and be free of judgement.

Writing has long been an outlet for many to be able to express themselves and make sense of the world around them. When we write, we need to take the jumble of thoughts and worries that might seem all-consuming in our minds and put them into coherent sentences. Reading it back and reflecting can help make sense of what we’re experiencing. Formatting it for others to learn from or enjoy reading our work helps us see it from an external perspective. Andrea Gibson, a well-known poet, says “writing is the one place where the world makes more sense to me. It’s where I feel the most turmoil, but also the most peace. It’s the one place I look my life straight in the eye.”

David Baldacci, the writer behind Absolute Power, claims, “If writing were illegal, I’d be in prison. I can’t not write. It’s a compulsion.”

It’s well documented the positive impact that even simple journaling can have on our mental health. Journaling has long been recognised as an effective way to reduce stress, help with depression and anxiety, focus your mind, and organise your thoughts and feelings. Writing can start with 2–5 minutes in the morning or a few sentences before bed. Before you know it, a few words string together to form a paragraph, and a few paragraphs fill up a page.

Your story is always going to be powerful, no matter how un-extraordinary it may feel to you sometimes. Your voice is enough, and there is always someone who will find value in your experiences.

Change is possible and you can overcome self-sabotage, and nothing is more freeing than finding your happiness in doing things for yourself. Everything I do with my writing and through sharing it, is for me. Whilst that may sound selfish, it’s indirectly allowing me to be a better person and is completely selfless in sharing my vulnerabilities for others to see themselves in and learn from. I’m living completely for the plot and the writing of my own story, not for the ending.

I hope I can inspire you also to begin to share your story in whatever way that feels authentic to you.