1. Writing is a beautiful outlet

Sitting down to write a post is always an amazing feeling. Letting my hands fly away on the keys feels and later reading what I wrote is a one-of-a-kind experience. Sometimes, I even like to handwrite first and type it up later. There's truly something about seeing your thoughts and feelings in front of you that feels like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders. So do it. Take out a notebook, open your laptop, and write to your heart's content. Your feelings, your day, your hopes and goals, your passions, your family...the world is yours! Write about it!

2. Content doesn't always come easy

I can't stress this enough! I would often take large breaks of weeks or even a few months simply because I didn't know what to write about. Mental health is a touchy enough subject, but writing about my terrible lows felt repetitive and I didn't want to bore my readers. One thing I like to do, is if I come up with an idea in the middle of the day, I quick jot it down somewhere to remind me later. I also encourage myself to try new things or put myself in uncomfortable situations so that way I can grow as a person and potentially have something to write about. Content "dry spells" don't last forever, and when you get something to write about, it's going to be amazing.

3. Editing can be painful

After writing for a long period of time, the last thing I want to do is sit down and re-read everything I just wrote. Sometimes I like having my mom or a friend proofread just to make sure everything makes sense. It can also be hard to properly format your thoughts/ideas in order so that everything flows nicely. Don't feel pressured to fix it all at once!

4. Never apologize for who you are

Being a blogger has made me so vulnerable and open with my readers as well as with myself. After I finish writing I often contemplate whether or not I'm ready to share my writing with all of my Facebook friends, family...etc. I always wonder if my writing makes people view me differently, but at the end of the day, I know I never have to apologize for being myself. I'm free to write whatever I please, and that's not something to be ashamed of. I am not defined by my illness and writing about it helps defeat stigma.

5. Not everyone is going to read what you write

This one can really bother me sometimes. After hitting "Publish" I wonder if anyone gets excited to see what I have to say. I wonder if my blog is anything people talk about. I know there are plenty of devoted readers who follow my media and tell me that they do, however I'm positive there are even more who read my writing and I just don't know about it. Either way, blogging is still my outlet and if a lot of people read it, cool. If they don't, that's cool too.

6. Feedback is good, but it isn't necessary

This one continues to hit me like a truck. As human beings, it's normal to want to get a little pat on the back every once in awhile. Unfortunately, the blogging world isn't always like that. I wrote well over a hundred posts in the past three and a half years (most of which have been deleted since making my new website), and very rarely did I get positive feedback. Occasionally I would receive a Facebook message or an email from an interested viewer or a family member, and I found myself thriving on it. Reality check, you're a good writer whether people tell you or not. Especially as a mental health blogger, I was writing about taboo topics and just because very few people said anything, doesn't mean there wasn't a ton of people reading it.

7. Sometimes it's hard to write what you think

Many of us are familiar with the term "writer's block", when our heads feel empty and you simply have nothing to say. I experience the contrary, I often have so many ideas that my hands and my head can't keep up with one another. I start writing a few sentences, decide it's not exactly what was running through my head, and the next thing you know it's Control+A+Delete. Don't get me wrong, it's nice always feeling like I have at least something to say, but it's also frustrating to have your brain running a million miles a minute and not knowing exactly how to process it all. My biggest tip is take a deep breath, write it all down, and edit later. You can always delete what you don't like, but you can't add what you don't remember.

8. Publishing can be scary

I cannot stress this enough. As someone who has written about a suicide attempt and a sexual assault, pressing "Publish" was the hardest part of the whole process. Once it's out, it's out. Readers from all over finally know another piece about you. Even with subjects and content that is less bold, publishing brings all sorts of questions about.

"Will they like it?"

"Will this post be inspirational to anyone?"

"Did I put enough voice into my post?"

And so many more. My best advice for you is don't be scared. You are your worst critic.

9. You'll almost never finish it in one sitting

This can be hard to accept. It's easy to get carried away and want to finish the entire post in one sitting. My biggest encouragement is this: take your time! Don't feel like you need to rush. Your best writing will come once you give yourself the opportunity to reflect on it. So write it out, take a break (get some coffee, go for a walk, take a nap...etc.) and come back! Give it a few days if you have to!

10. Success isn't defined by viewers

The hardest pill to swallow for me was understanding that my success isn't defined by the number of views I get. It was so easy for me to become obsessed with the amount of views that flew in after I published. If it wasn't a number I was proud of I was quick to question the quality of my writing or even myself as a writer. But that's not the point. I don't write so that hundreds of people can read my stuff. I write because it makes me happy, it's what I'm good at, and hopefully my words get through to someone. Even if it's just one person, that's something to be proud of. I rest happily in knowing that I am using my gift of writing to the best of my ability, given to me by the Lord, to further His purpose.