The Right to Write

Welcome to my Blog!

This my first Blog – ever – and it feels rather intimidating. Mind you, I love to write . . . it is good for the soul, it is therapeutic, it is human nature. We are born into the world with the gift of language; words give us power from a very early age. We probably don’t remember – though our parents would – the day we learned the word “no”. What power that gave us as toddlers!

I have been fortunate in my career to have been in roles where I put my writing skills to use, but my passion has been chronicling my travel adventures. Over the years, I have felt incredible pleasure in telling the stories of the awesome places I’ve seen, the extraordinary people I’ve met, and the meaningful experiences I’ve had. I’ve shared the stories with friends, family and colleagues and who were exceedingly complimentary, and encouraged me to publish my work. I guess here, in effect, I am doing just that :o)

As an introduction to my Blog (and to bloom), in this space I plan to reflect and comment on a wide variety of subjects, things that inspire me and things that irritate me. But mostly I will write on what I am most passionate about: travel, fashion, food, theatre, art, spirituality, health, running . . . and more. A common thread that will run through my writing is personal growth and development and how we can become the absolute best that we can be. And that is why I created bloom. By bringing awareness to the “difficulty” and “opportunity” currently present in our lives, and by responding with positivity, we can work towards achieving our potential.

Difficulties, well those are easy, as we usually know when we’ve been dealt one – it’s when we say “why me, why now”. However, if we recognize those situations where learning and growth occur, and that there is usually a bigger picture not apparent at the time, we can respond with acceptance and gratitude.

At the other extreme are the opportunities. Those are gifts presented to us, but we are not always present to accept them. Because we are multitasking and firefighting, we miss a chance for learning and growth. Being more aware, more present, and more reflective can help, and writing is a fantastic tool! Taking a few moments to capture notes on the events, thoughts, feelings, of the day can start to provide a basis from which to move forward. Writing connects us to our own insights and our inner guidance, bringing clarity to the confusion and turmoil in our lives. It maps our inner world and helps lay the path for future direction.

We all have a right to write, whether to tune in, tune out, get grounded, or escape. As Maya Angelou very nicely put it, “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside of you”. And there is never a better time to start than right now. As I embark on this journey of self-reflection and discovery, won’t you join me?

Write on, friends.