New Challenges

So, I just completed the month long Slice of Life Challenge from Two Writing Teachers. I made a commitment to a month of blogging and commenting on the blogs of others. What a great commitment it turned out to be. Here are some things that I learned/gained from participating in this experience. 

1. I do kind of like to write on the computer. At the same time I was completing this challenge, I filled up my first ever journal with writing. It took me a long time, and I'm so glad to have that butterfly notebook. It is a historical documentation of a very difficult time in my life. I will use it as a source of reflection as well as a sense of pride and remembrance of a time of growth. I did not think I would like "blogging." I like putting my pen to paper and "feeling" the writing process. I truly didn't think I would like to blog; however, I think I like the speed with which I can get my thoughts down when I type. It's also easy to go back and edit/revise as well. 

2. I do have something to say. Knowing I'm have to write each day forced me to look at the world just a little differently and to mentally file different ideas as possible writing topics for the day. 

3. What started out as a "have to" turned into a "get to." At the beginning of the month, I was not in the writing habit and so I truly had to force myself to sit down and do it. Somewhere in the middle, it became something I  got to do. I looked forward to the time at the keyboard. I felt a sense of accomplishment after I posted my link each day. 

4. I've felt what it feels like to build a positive habit now. I have lots of bad habits. Well, maybe not lots, but bad habits just fall in your lap. Good habits take effort and determination. Writing feels like a habit to me now...after only 30 days. I thought about taking tonight of a a reward for sticking with it through the entire month of March, but I didn't want to. My fingers were itching to get to the keyboard and start putting my thoughts down. I can build positive habits in a relatively short period of time. 

5. There are many people out there who like to write and want to be read by others. I was surprised at the commitment of the people who joined me on the challenge. Even the people who didn't do all 30 days, still did a lot of writing this month. I'm impressed with that. 


So now that I've spent 30 days building this positive habit of writing each day, my mind has begun to wonder and wander about other habits I could try to build. Here are some ideas I've been kicking around. 

1. Work on one piece of writing for a longer period of time. (Week, month???)
2. Try out a different type of writing than I normally do....like research writing or maybe writing some fiction. That might be a good idea because my students will be writing fiction. 
3. Write a poem a day for 30 days. 
4. 30 days of physical activity. 
5. 30 days of yoga.
6. 30 days of bible study.

Who knows where this could take me. I like the idea of trying something for 30 days. It seems long enough to establish a habit without feeling unattainable.