Ch-ch-ch-Changes! My October blog challenge for 2020

You can listen to the audio version of this post below.

I was speaking with some fellow writers last night, as part of the See Jane Write Collective (and if you are a writer - keep your eyes open - membership will be open this month and I cannot recommend it enough! You’ll want to get over to the website to find out about it!!) We were discussing my October blog challenge which I have done for the past few years. I should say - it is a self-imposed blog challenge, where I attempt to publish a blog post every day in October. I love a writing challenge, and it always stretches me in unexpected ways. This time, I felt challenged even before the month began, as I struggled with figuring out what to write about. 

Anyone who reads my blog knows that I don’t have any particular topic that I write about. While I often focus on life lessons, I have been known to write about all other sorts of topics, so normally it is pretty easy to find something to write about. However, I have hardly written anything for the past few months, and I felt as if I had lost my writing mojo. I still wanted to write my October challenge, but I felt totally uninspired.

I am sure that it is a combination of many things - a global pandemic, suddenly leaving my full time position after being there for 10 years, and transitioning to new offices, my car dying to name a few. I even had to change my laptop! And of course - not writing. The truth is - the best way for me to stay inspired in my writing is to write. I definitely find it harder to start again after a long pause. 

I decided to think about what was really causing me to feel so uninspired and unsettled, and I came to the conclusion that it can be summed up in one word - Change. And lets face it - we all know that the only thing in life that is constant is change, but I feel like the last few months I have been in some larger and unexpected transitions, as have so many of us around the world.

So I have decided that during my October challenge, my theme for the month will be Change.

I am going to write about some of the books that changed my life, some podcasts that changed my mind, and tell the stories of times that I changed my beliefs - to name a few. I am going to talk about what helps me to navigate change, and also about something that often accompanies change - first times and new beginnings. 

I have to say - I am excited, and a little bit scared of this challenge. The truth is - I’ve never been very good with change. I think that is a part of the reason why 2020 has been so difficult for me, especially when I feel like some of these changes have been for the worse. I am sure that in a few years, I’ll look back and have a different opinion of these times. After all, I have realized over the years that I can never know whether a thing is good or bad in the moment, only when I look back on it. But I am not there yet. Right now, I’m still in the change stew a bit, and I’m not gonna lie - it sucks.

However, I am looking forward to reflecting on the changes that I have gone through, and finding a way to write through this set of changes, since for me, writing often makes me feel better. I can’t wait to share some of what has shaped me over the years, and I hope that this encourages you to think about the changes that have shaped you.

I would love for you to read along, share if you like, and comment on the posts, and tell me about what books, podcasts, relationships and events have brought change into your life. 

I can’t wait to spend the next 30 days with you! 

And as always, I send you big love from a small island.

PS Above is a photo that I took several years ago of my FAVOURITE type of change - autumn colors. Even though I no longer see scenes like this here in Barbados, I always feel the magic of autumn at this time. The photo was taken in Westonbirt Arboretum.