I am a writer. It’s what I do. But the truth is I didn’t learn this truth about myself and then go do it. Confidence came slowly and awkwardly. The epiphany didn’t precede action; it followed it. And I learned a lot of this from blogging.

I love writing, not just because it’s my job, but because it’s a tool to help you better understand yourself. Sharing my thoughts on this blog helped me understand that writing isn’t just something I do; it’s who I am.

This, it seems, is true for others, as well. Flannery O’Connor said that she never knew what she thought until she read what she wrote. Writing and journaling, even blogging, can be a means of self-discovery.

Why writing?

Here's why writing is a powerful self-discovery tool:

• Writing is honest. It’s something you do in solitude, which means that in that privacy you can be a little more truthful than you might normally be.
• Writing vulnerable. When you put words to paper (or on screen), you share a part of yourself that the world doesn’t normally get to be. You stop hiding behind your shadow self and reveal who you really are.
• Writing is a process. It takes time, and with that time comes revelation. You understand yourself in ways that you wouldn’t normally consider, because you’re forced to work through your ideas and thoughts in a slow, methodical process.

When I began blogging, I realized that I wrote first for myself and second for an audience. As big as I am on helping others and serving your readers, there’s something cathartic about writing just for the sake of writing.

If you’ve ever wondered what your place is in the world, if you’ve considered the possibility that you might have a calling – some purpose that’s bigger than you — then maybe it’s time you started a blog.

A free challenge: Intentional Blogging

If you join this free challenge, you'll get exclusive access to me, a 12-part blogging course, and opportunities to connect and share your work with other bloggers through a private community. You can jump in at any point, but it's best to get started sooner than later.

So what do you need?

You don’t have to be a great writer to start a blog.

You don't need a plan or a big budget.

You don't even need to have any aspirations of making a ton of money.

You just need to want to grow. Whether you don't have a blog, are just getting started, or want to take your blog to the next level, this challenge will help you.

I promise you: blogging will push you and challenge you in ways that you’ve never before experienced. It certainly has for me. And you just might learn something about yourself that surprises you.

What to do next

The “rules” for this are pretty simple: do one thing every day for the rest of the month to grow your blog. If you want to jump in, here’s what you need to do:

1. Join the challenge (be sure to enter your email address for some free resources including a free, 12-day email course).
2. Make sure you’re set up with a blog (watch the video on that page for step-by-step instructions).
3. Leave a comment on this post, saying you're in.

By the way, you don’t have to blog every day to be part of this challenge. These will be very small steps to start a blog and then take it to the next level. You'll get one email per day for 12 days and I'll occasionally pop into the community to share some bonus lessons and resources.

We start immediately, but you're welcome to jump in at any point this month.

Get started now.

What do you hope to learn about yourself from this blogging journey? Share in the comments.