People start writing for many different reasons. Some people write to relieve stress, some write because they want to fit that tumblr-esque persona they’ve been working on for so long (we all know the ones I’m talking about), others write just to fill the time. There are so many reasons to begin writing and I’m sure someone else writes for the same reasons I do. I don’t doubt that for a second. I don't write because I think it's edgy or because I think I can make a living off of it (to be quite honest that's the last thing on my mind). I don't write because I want people to know every detail of my life or the crazy wiring of my brain. I don’t write because I’m different; I write because I'm not.

So many people worry about standing out nowadays. People get so caught up trying not to blend in. They start worrying about being clumped together with everyone else or becoming just another voice in the crowd. I don't. Blending in is the least of my worries, and this is one of the reasons I write.

I also write because I believe people can relate to what I am going through or have gone through. I believe that maybe if someone is feeling alone or like no one understands them, they might read something I wrote and think, “Wow that's exactly how I feel." I would like to think I can help someone put their own thoughts into words, something they might not be able to do themselves. The probability that someone has the same perspective as me is pretty big. Mathematically, It's certain that the way I think is the same way someone else does (Bless that poor soul).

A little bit of background about myself is that ever since I was a kid, I have never said thank you or sorry enough One time I sat in time out for like an hour because I didn't want to apologize to my brother, but that's a whole story on it's own. I’ve never been as good at showing appreciation as much as I would like. I recently watched a TedTalk video about "Lollipop Moments" (It’s a pretty interesting video, I recommend watching it on YouTube here). This particular video discussed those moments in our lives where we don’t realize how much of an impact we make on people. It discusses how we turn leadership into something very few people can attain. I started thinking about different people who have influenced me through every day interactions and even sometimes small ones. I've seen those people as leaders, even if they didn't necessarily have the title of one.

We all have the power to bring about change. We all have the ability to help one another. Jamie Tworkowski, the founder of one of my favorite non-profits said, "We are only asked to love, to offer hope to the many hopeless. We don’t get to choose all the endings, but we are asked to play the rescuers. We won’t solve all mysteries and our hearts will certainly break in such a vulnerable life, but it is the best way. We were made to be lovers bold in broken places, pouring ourselves out again and again until we’re called home." We put so much pressure on our gods and other deities to save us. When our own salvation is in our neighbor's hand. We often find ourselves with too much pride to ask for help. Imagine if we stopped having to ask for help because as soon as we needed it our neighbor was already there.

So I write because I know that my words have power. I refuse to believe leadership is only granted by a title. We all hold the ability to be leaders. I write for those who can’t, maybe someone who does not have the privilege to write for a bigger audience than their friends. Writing and scribbling ideas are my way of dissecting ideas and thoughts into something within reach, something that makes sense. Something like progress. I choose to write because I believe it can lead to change. If I don’t think my experiences and words and rants have any sort of power, why would anyone else?