Life Lessons From Blogging Part 1

Reading time: 5 minutes

Effort and courage are not enough without purpose and direction. John F. Kennedy

From 2017

Since I published my first blog post in September 2017, I’ve experienced the highs and lows of writing and living. However, I discovered intersecting points that produced life lessons in the ebbs and flows. After six years of blogging, I can attest writing has shaped how I live. My kickoff blog, The Adventure of Treasure, launched my six-year writing journey. In reflection, I have published over 250 blog posts, a number that still surprises me today. I kept writing because I kept my ikigai in view, especially on the days I didn’t feel like writing.

What is Your Ikigai?

In the Netflix documentary, Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones, author and explorer Matt Buettner travels to different regions of the world where large concentrations of centenarians live to discover the secrets of living a long and high-quality life. In Okinawa, Japan, Buettner learns that those who live long maintain ikigai, a sense of purpose, and a continuous contribution to society that keeps their minds and bodies engaged. Ikigai reminds them of their value in life. Age is not a reason to check out of life but rather to stay involved. 

Life and Value

Everyone needs a sense of purpose to know that their lives matter; otherwise, we start to die as we lose our sense of purpose. Writing reminds me that life and value intersect, and without value, our lives waste away regardless of age. In Okinawa, the word retirement does not exist. Those who move on from their careers continue to participate in life with their skills and God-given talent to remain cognitively sharp. This contributes to longevity. My hope is after my working career in project management ends, I will continue writing as my ikigai. 

Everyone needs a sense of purpose to know that their lives matter; otherwise, we start to die as we lose our sense of purpose.

A more relevant term for ikigai would be “your why.” Your why is the reason for waking up and what gets you revved up and wanting to live. I believe that a why should be connected to adding value to others. Each time I sit down to write I remind myself that my goal is to raise the quality of life through encouraging and edifying content. My reason for writing is to encourage others to see the possibilities and have the courage to chase those possibilities and experience a higher quality of life. This reminder keeps me writing on days I don’t feel inspired. Keeping my why front and center lights me up and fuels me each week I sit in front of my computer to type my next post. Your why is also in the small moments of life. Connect small tasks you do to your why, and you’ll discover what seems menial is valuable. This mental shift is crucial in making the connection between life and value.

This Month

In addition to today’s post, the following topics will guide us through the life lessons I have learned this year from blogging:

Be an encourager (September 14)

Don’t stop digging (September 21)

Maintain the Routine (September 28)

Final Thought: Do you know your “why?” Each day you wake up, apply your purpose to life, and you will never run out of value. Find a way to serve others and meet a need and your value will always increase as you add value to others. Find your “ikigai” and let it fuel you daily and give you the passion to live your best life. Grow, be productive, and serve others. Don’t just exist. Choose to live!

Keep on keeping on!