Refocusing On The Way To Greatness
February 8, 2008 | In About |
Over the past week, I have been struggling to write. I’ve thought about the way the focus of Ripples of Improvement has changed since I started it in September. I’ve also contemplated everything from writing on several different topics and seeing if any of them stick to abandoning this site completely and starting over with a very different topic.
Photo by *L*u*z*a*
As much as it would solve my problem to give up this website, it also feels like a cop out. Telling myself that the topic isn’t working can be seen as either an acknowledgement of the truth or an excuse designed to avoid the hard work of settling into a writing groove. There is no easy answer.
I have a vision of this blog being great. I don’t believe I’ve been working on that vision, however. I’ve been muddling through, and as a result, my topic has been muddled as well. A few months ago, I drew up some guidelines for myself when writing content. The first guideline was: No self help articles! Yet so many of my posts have been about personal change.
Personal Insight and Ripples of Improvement
While I believe my story is interesting, it is very one sided. Talking about myself is fairly simple, but it doesn’t leave room for others to express themselves. I also wonder if my stories are teaching anything? Are you just learning more about me, or are you learning more about being a human in the 21st century? I hope the latter is true, but I suspect it is the former that is more often the case. Since I want this blog to be great, I must change this.
I am one voice among many, but I am willing to be an example for others. I firmly believe that the only way the world can be changed is if each individual takes responsibility for themselves first; in a sense modeling the way society should function on our individual efforts. A significant portion of my own change has been from admitting that I am responsible for so much more than I previously acknowledged.
I was speaking with a friend yesterday about my difficulties with writing for the blog. He was surprised because he said I don’t have any problems talking; I can keep a conversation going without difficulty. This helped me to see that observations about myself and those close to me can serve as not just good stories, but lessons by example. I do have a lot to talk about, what I need is a consistent approach that applies any personal story in a larger context.
Environmental Activism and Ripples of Improvement
I’ve mentioned environmental activism before and even talked about my plans for the future with regards to the environment. However, the future isn’t soon enough. Helping the environment is not something I can put off until the conditions are right in my life; I must do something now. Therefore, I need a new definition of activism. As the HGTV motto has been recently, I have to “start at home.” Before I can dedicate myself to helping others, I have to be sure that I am able to help myself. Any way that I can improve my life to use less resources, whether that is fuel, health care, water, or something else, is a bit of environmental activism.
Consequently, my version of environmental activism doesn’t look like the traditional. Yes, it includes reducing, recycling, and reusing. But it also includes a huge dose of personal change and personal responsibility. Some day, I hope to volunteer full time. But, until that day, I can’t put aside my responsibility to change - both myself and my dealings with the world.
Clarifying What Ripples of Improvement Is About
Ripples of Improvement is a little bit of self development and it’s a little bit of environmental activism. But, it is all about waking up and taking responsibility for our own actions and how they affect the rest of the world - other people, other life, and the environment as a whole. I choose to write about this from a personal perspective, providing myself as a model for others. However, I want this site to be about more than just me. As I’ve mentioned before, while only I can change myself, I will need help to change the world, and I will also need help in convincing others to change themselves and their lives in ways that honor their personalities and their unique place in the world.
As part of reaching this goal, I will continue to tell you about my life, but I will also encourage and invite everyone reading this to become contributors as well. Please, leave me comments. Or, pitch post ideas - either topics you would like to see me cover, or if you have a great idea for a guest post, I would love to hear it.
I’ve been stumbling through the last 5 months and this site has been stumbling as well. However, the future is an open book and I’m writing it for myself and Ripples of Improvement. I hope you will join me!
Want to make sure you don't miss future posts? Subscribe via RSS  Subscribe via e-mail |
Print This Post
Links to related topics: About, Connecting With Others, Conservation, Downshifting, Making a Diff. Lifestyle, Mindset, Self Expression, Vision
Or go directly to a related post:
Comments (RSS) | Trackback URL | Comments Policy
Hi Cathy,
I’ve very much enjoyed your stumbling of the last five months. I think it can be much more human than those who are convinced that they have the ‘answer(s)’.
I struggle too with how to write. It helped me to realise that if I want to write about something there is some kind of personal hook for me that is a source for the personal dimension I want in my writing (hope this makes sense, it is quite abstract).
I really like your ideas for where you are heading with your blog. Looking forward to following your journey.
Evan,
I’m very glad that someone has stuck with me for the past several months. That does mean a lot to me, and I hope you stick around through any more stumbling that I do.
Maybe my meanderings are more meaningful than I initially thought, as well. I like the reality show “Flip This House” on Cable TV. I’ve realized that while I like the before and after aspect of fixing the house up, I also like getting to know the people behind the work. They are interesting and intense in their own personal ways.
I hope that I bring the same kind of feel to my work here. Unfortunately, I won’t make thousands of dollars in one swoop, but that’s OK.