500th post

This is it folks, my 500th post! Nine years of weekly posts. I’m patting myself on the back for sticking with it and showing up every Friday. The website supports my coaching, book sales and online courses, but mostly the writing has been my expressive outlet, my small contribution to the world and my connection to many beautiful, interesting people.

Over the years, I have made many nourishing connections with those who took the time to comment or contribute. Thank you all!

Through writing the weekly posts, I have learned so much. Stephen King says in order to write you have to read. The blog gives me a reason to read. It is research for upcoming posts.

As I compose this milestone post, I realize there are some similarities between when I wrote my first post in 2011 and now. Back then I was a stay at home mom with three young children and a husband in finance. It was difficult to find time to write without interruptions. Kids were in and out. They needed me. My writing was a low priority for everyone but me.

Today, my children have important endeavors of their own. They have grit and curiosity and follow through on their unique interests. The kids and I are home again together due to the pandemic. My new husband is in process management. He is also working from home. There is no time when I am alone in the house. My writing still is a low priority for everyone, but I continue. I need to write, to connect, to have something uniquely me.

Writing for brendaknowles.com has changed me. It has shown me I can do what is important to me and it matters. I’ve helped people and as I’ve helped people I’ve helped myself.

Writing for this blog, led to writing a book. Mango Publishing found me through my website. Just yesterday, while on a department Zoom call, one of my co-workers thanked me for writing my book. It is helping her understand her introverted husband as they struggle through the quarantine. She said, “Now I know he’s not just an asshole.” It made me laugh but also feel tremendously proud.

I wish for my children and all of you that you find something that fuels you like writing fuels my life. It has not been a huge money maker ( although it has made a few dollars), but it has been a life-maker.

What are you willing to push for? What difficult endeavor bears fruit for you again and again? 

 

 

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Photo by Felicia Buitenwerf on Unsplash