Passion Fueled, Choice Driven
Original Post Date: January 24, 2023
“Writing feels so natural. I don’t say this to sound cocky. I just want you to understand how much I love it. I feel like I belong as a writer. I let my words flow from my thoughts to my pen to paper. And most days it’s as easy as that 3-step process. ”
I’ve talked plenty about the steps I’ve taken to launch Letters From A Young Black Woman. It’s been very intentional. In the founding year of this platform, I wanted y’all to understand the process that brought me here That way you’d understand how much it means to me. Now I’m showing you a glimpse of my writing process and why I go about it the way that I do.
*Scroll*
*15 Seconds Pass*
*Scroll*
*15 minutes more*
The sparse light in my room comes from my phone and slivers of the moon peeking through the blinds.
In my head, I say, “Okay, Allie, it’s 12:30. If you want to preserve your sleep schedule, you should go to sleep now.”
I roll over, adjust my pillows to my distinct liking, and shuffle all three blankets over my body until only my face is exposed. Finally, the moment I’ve been waiting for all day.
*30 seconds later*
My eyes lit open, and so does the imaginary light bulb in my brain. I purse my lips and release a deep exhale.
I feel called to write, although I’m not necessarily in the mood.
The clock is inching closer to 1. I know because I’ve already ejected the charger from my phone and landed in my notes app.
My irritation disappears, and the sleep fairy must’ve only been stopping by. Once again, My glasses reflect my screen, and I’m locked in.
I could tell you I wrote a deep, insightful piece. Truth is I can’t remember what I wrote.
It’s lumped in with old grocery lists, random passwords, a few “this isn’t working for me” text drafts, and some other future blog posts.
I love writing. I just get frustrated when it conflicts with my plans of partaking in my love of sleep.
As I’m writing this now, my eyes feel like weighted blankets.
You could say, well why don’t you just wait till the morning?
In my time of being a writer, I’ve learned not to wait. The idea never forms as beautifully or authentically the second time around.
I let my passion lead me and choose to move past temptations. Temptations that would prevent me from reaching the best of my ability.
I let my passion lead me when I finally acknowledged that I wasn’t just a good writer but a gifted one.
I chose to design a brand after long hours in a stuffy office that offered no inspiration.
I let passion lead me when sentences filled my head and my spirit awakened and I wrote my first post to “Virgos Groove”.
I chose to combat fears of vulnerability knowing that a deep connection with my audience would require it.
I let passion lead me as I began expressing myself in shorter formats because I had more to say.
I chose to share these anecdotes, although I feared I’d become irrelevant.
Passion is inevitable. It brews inside you from a point you most likely don’t remember. The choice of what you do with it is under your control.
You can continue painting on canvases that’ll only hang in your apartment or your mother's walls. I’m sure it will give your space a unique and rare design.
You can keep those lyrics in that notebook. Starve the rest of us from a solution for needing good music.
You can keep containing your imagination and intelligence. It’s not like we need any more groundbreaking, solution-solving technologies.
Stay intimate and hold onto that special love. There is no shame in that.
I will give you a piece of advice. If you want to bring wonder into our world, inspire others, and bring fulfillment to yourself and others, share it. Introduce us to what incites you, and give us a glimpse of your artistry.
Show others that enjoyment and lust for our daily activities still exist.
I didn’t know you could be so aligned with an activity that everything else feels trivial.
Previously, I believed marketing might be my passion. I don’t deny that I will stick with my role as a marketer. On the other hand, no press release or social media strategy has brought me the gratification that writing has.
At one point, I was on a track that suggested I might be a pastry chef. The inability to envision myself in a kitchen all day negated that pursuit.
Then it became so clear that a hidden practice answered one of life’s biggest questions.
Writing feels so natural. I don’t say this to sound cocky. I just want you to understand how much I love it. I feel like I belong as a writer. I let my words flow from my thoughts to my pen to paper. And most days it’s as easy as that 3-step process.
Mostly because it’s enjoyable, but also because I realize I meant to do it.
I was meant to be a writer.
I didn’t understand how this personalized gift could impact others until I chose to share it.
With Love,
Allie
