Today I sat down to write, and I drew a blank. I felt the pressure of coming up with a good topic to post for this week’s article, but I simply couldn’t come up with something that I thought was strong enough that others would be intrigued. At this point I began to think to myself, why am I writing in the first place? This isn’t mandatory at all. You signed up for the Odyssey out of your own free will! After pondering that thought for a while, the answer I came up with is this:

• I write to try something new. By no means am I a professional author, but by stepping out of my comfort zone and joining a writing team, I am taking a chance and hoping that I will gain some important life lessons and meet some really cool people along the way. Life is meaningless without taking risks, big or small. This is my opportunity to do something I would consider crazy.
• I write to give my mind a break. With the overwhelming stresses of school, work and planning for the future, writing gives me that chance to stop thinking about everything else in life, and simply pick a topic and run with it. I won’t be judged or graded. I am free to express my own opinions and write about something that interests me. Forget the day to day chaos that makes up my life. In this moment, I can think about absolutely anything, and that is a pretty great feeling.
• I write as a challenge. Each week I strive to come up with a topic, and give my best argument or share my most memorable stories with readers. I am challenging myself to think bigger and deeper, rather than staying on the surface level. I approach writing from different angles, and try to see all perspectives rather than forming my thoughts and refusing to change them.
• I write because it gives me a voice. For those that know me well, you are aware that sometimes I struggle expressing myself with words. I don’t like to talk about feelings, drama, or anything negative at all. The only way I get to truly show what I am thinking is through writing. I write in journals, online, or sometimes even write mini essays on my phone when I feel inspired (yes I can be a nerd, and I’m proud of it!). Writing is my way of expressing what is on my mind in a way I find much more difficult to put into words during conversations I have with friends.
• I write to inspire. Maybe your passion is writing, maybe it’s playing sports or traveling the world. Whatever it is, I hope that you follow your dreams and do what you want in life. Through my writing, I have told people all about my adventures and how I live life to the fullest, and if I can inspire even just one person to give their life meaning, my happiness will be fulfilled.

So next time you’re doing something hard, like exercising or a sport or learning a new skill, take a moment to think about why you chose to do that particular thing in the first place. Then, maybe it won’t seem so bad after all.