For years, people told me to start a Smile Project blog. For months, I would write “blog post!” in my planner only to cross it off and add it to the next week when it, inevitably, didn’t get done.
I knew if I started writing blog posts for The Smile Project, I would have to be committed to it. I couldn’t write one in March and then the next one again in October. If I was going to do it, I was going to do it. Even if nobody was watching.
Finally, I made myself a promise. Wednesday Blog Day. No matter what, I would share a Smile Project blog on Wednesday. It worked. After a year, I added Sunday posts as well. Before I knew it, I had an active twice weekly blog that I really enjoyed managing.
Even when things became hectic and it would have been totally understandable to put resources in other places, I knew I was responsible for Sunday and Wednesday posts.
I was traveling the week of January 27th 2020 and hadn’t scheduled the Wednesday, January 29th post before I left. No harm, no foul, I figured. I would “back post” a piece to January 27th when I got home so as to keep my promise to myself, even if a few days delayed.
But then the weekend got busy. And before I knew it, I was sharing the February 5th Wednesday post, completely missing a Wednesday post.
Not a big deal, I thought only for a moment. It’s completely fine to skip one Wednesday. By now, nobody has even noticed and I can focus on other things.
But the truth was, I couldn’t. It didn’t matter if nobody realized I had gotten off schedule. Because I did. It didn’t matter if I thought I would just move on and free up time for something else, because every part of me knew I owed myself a blog post.
Do it because you promised yourself you would.
Hold yourself to the highest of standards.
Stay true to your word.
Even if you think nobody is watching. Even if you think it doesn’t make a difference. Even if nobody reads this blog posted one week later, or not. You wrote it and you shared it because many years ago you made a promise to yourself. And that means something.
Love always,
Liz
