For This House
Every Season. Every Space. All for Him.
Every Season. Every Space. All for Him.
Working in various roles in the business and marketing world over the last ten years, I knew blogging was a great method for building up a brand with good storytelling and quality customer communication.
My perspective changed recently though when I challenged myself to start a habit of writing a blog or two every month for no other purpose than to work on my writing skills.
I was initially motivated to start working those “writing muscles” knowing I’d be going on maternity leave, because a year out of the marketing world is like an eternity with how fast things can change.
Now that I’ve been writing regularly for almost 10 months though, I see there are so many other benefits for myself personally than there are professionally.
The simple act of moving your thoughts to paper (or screen) is a cathartic experience.
catharsis : elimination of a complex by bringing it to consciousness and affording it expression
~Merriam Webster Dictionary
Working through a big topic that requires deeper thinking, like “A Grown Girl’s Guide to Insecurity,” or further research, like “Tech-Wise Living,” helps you to truly round out a full idea and come to a thoughtful conclusion on your own.
The bonus of running this project together with Ally is that we get to discuss some of these big ideas together before publishing which helps make the finished product so much better, and we both get that cathartic feeling from finding a happy ending to a big question together.
In a world where attention spans are only seconds long, blogging gives us a way to sit down and commit to expressing ourselves fully from start to finish.
Keeping a blog doesn’t have to be about interesting themes all the time, it could simply be about your story and what is going on in your life. Especially when life is too much to handle in times of high stress or anxiety, getting your thoughts and feelings out of your head can help you figure out how to communicate what you’re feeling so others can step into it with you.
The best part of making a habit of writing what you’re feeling or going through on a regular basis, is that you are able to go back and re-read your own thoughts. Whether you go back a week, month, or year, it’ll help give you perspective on where you started, and how far you’ve come. How beautiful and fulfilling to have a tangible record of the effort you have put in over time.
Probably the scariest part of blogging in and of itself, is putting your raw and real thoughts out for the world to read. It can feel intimate. But, just like on social media, never write and publish something that you wouldn’t say out loud or discuss with others. People will read your thoughts and they will bring them up to you.
I love how, since starting For This House, people in my community have brought up the topics we write on to me. It creates a really great discussion on these things and helps me to understand others’ perspectives where they differ or support my own.
By putting my own raw thoughts out there, it has deepened my connection with people already in my life, and opened doors to new people to engage with me and For This House in ways I could only have hoped for.
Interested in connecting with us too? We’d love to hear your thoughts on our topics, what you’d like to read about, or even if you’d like to write with us!
And the benefit of blogging that started them all for me anyway, it’s a great way to learn new skills! Whether you have a professional or personal desire to learn how to write better, practice makes perfect. Or better at least.
According to Malcolm Gladwell, it takes about 10,000 hours to become a master at something, so best to get started. Blogging could help you to learn many things:
Just to touch on the AI software note—yes, I do use AI software when I write. It’s an amazing resource for getting past writer’s block. I also like to see what AI can come up with on a topic I’ve already started writing on to see if I’ve completely missed any key talking points. Having a conversation with Ally is usually more thought-provoking, but I love that AI software like ChatGPT is there for a quick brainstorming session on demand.
The moral of the story here is that we have thoroughly enjoyed starting For This House as an outlet for our own creative energy and personal development, and we’re overjoyed when we hear and see that you’re following along and enjoying it too.
If after reading this you’re fired up on writing a blog on a specific topic that would fit with For This House, we’d love to hear from you and support you in working through that idea. And if you decide to start a private blog for your own personal enjoyment instead, that’s just as beneficial for your own personal development—good for you!
Lauren is a founder of For This House. She is passionate about living authentically for Christ both personally and professionally. Lauren lives in British Columbia with her family of boys—big and small.