Journaling on steroids
In December 2023, I started writing a lot.
If you’re subscribed to this newsletter, you’ve probably noticed an increase in emails from me in your inbox.
34 posts in the past 53 days.
It’s been a weird experience that I don’t fully understand yet, but I’m trusting it and leaning into it.
I’ve been writing pretty consistently for the past 10 years.
But there’s something different about the past two months.
It’s to the point that I think I might have a condition (kinda joking, but not really).
But none of the symptoms are bad enough to stop.
And some of the side effects are beneficial.
Why have I been writing more lately?
Maybe it’s because I’m giving myself permission to write about things that I was previously holding back. Very few topics are off-limits.
I also have a very itchy finger on the creating trigger. If the idea pops into my head and I have a sense that it’s good, I write it down right then and there.
And I’ve been using tools that make it easier to go from idea to writing. I’ve been using speech-to-text transcription software to write with my voice for over a year now. I’m testing out this new software called AudioPen, but I still prefer Otter because AudioPen limits me to only three minutes of recording on the free plan.
And I have a lot of free time since I’ve been on my second sabbatical since March 2023.
Getting into alignment with my authentic self
I feel like I’m getting into alignment with what’s actually going on inside of me.
It’s like I’m having a conversation with myself, getting to know myself.
Pulling things from the shadows of my subconscious and the depths of my heart to filter them through my consciousness and express them to the world.
Coming up with business ideas
I’m coming up with ideas for things I want to work on.
This gets me excited because ever since internships in college I’ve felt misaligned with working a 9-to-5 job.
Maybe because I’m not good at focusing on only one thing for extended periods of time. I’m a creative person. I like to switch focus, follow my passions, return to things when the passion returns.
Or I just wasn’t able to work on things that I thought were important.
Trading equities and international debt was cool. I’m interested in how markets work. I tried to convince myself it was important because the world operates efficiently because of financial markets. But I don’t think I was really buying it, deep down.
Then I transitioned to tech. Startups are cool. Businesses are important because they solve problems. But a lot of businesses seem to be working on problems that aren’t as important, e.g., making rich people richer, making large corporations efficient to generate more revenue, keeping people addicted to social media.
As I’ve been writing a lot during the past two months, I’ve been more vocal about things that are important to me. My own experiences. Problems that need solving. Opportunities to make life better for myself and others.
Journaling on steroids
What I’m talking about isn’t anything new.
It’s basically just journaling.
But it’s like journaling on steroids because of:
Giving myself permission to write about anything
Itchy finger on the write-it-down trigger
Software tools that make it easier to do #2
A lot of free time while I’m on sabbatical
Give yourself a space to get it all out
For some reason, I write. I’ve explored those reasons here.
Not everyone is a writer.
You might express yourself via music, dance, or any other art form. Maybe even via a form that isn’t commonly called “art.”
But I do think there’s something special about writing.
So much of human life is based on words. We speak to each other, read books, send text messages.
Our experiences get coded in words.
When you speak in that code, you can tap deeply into human experience.
But whatever your form of self-expression is, give yourself space to express it. Protect your time and set up a physical space when/where you can get it all out.