This might be unconventional advice for us writers. Most of us say dance as if no one is watching and relate it to writing.
Write as if no one is reading; it is excellent advice. When I started writing, I wrote as if no one was reading.
Yet here is the secret: Someone is always reading at least one person. Yes, that person might be your mother or father, but that is one person, right?
I live and work at a Spanish school in Colombia that has a blog. I help with the writing and organization of this aspect of the business, mainly because I enjoy writing and working with the volunteers.
Today, we have a new student/volunteer, and we were chatting. She mentioned she read every blog post on the website, which made her decide to come to the school.
I was shocked since there are only about 2–3 posts, plus the About pages and all the ¨needed¨ pages on a site.
I said you read them?
She said yes, and that is why I decided to come here.
The posts are mainly about Jericó and the students’ experiences.
We enjoy writing and reading stories and experiences. I believe it is in our nature as humans to be inquisitive.
Also, we have a student here who saw my channel about Jericó, and I have met a few people who have traveled to Argentina and stayed with a family I recommended.
I know this because the hosts reached out and thanked me for writing and recommending their hotel/hostel or volunteer place.
I write my experiences and always want to help a small business. However, my one post is simply a drop in the bucket that vanishes into the abyss.
For one person, it is not.
Sometimes, getting one student or volunteer can help a small business keep the lights on or buy food. It can be something as simple as that.
It is true that words can change someone’s decision; what if we did not post those blogs because we thought they weren’t good enough or didn´t have the perfect grammar?
What if we were too scared to post because we thought ¨no one will read it anyway¨.
So it doesn’t matter if you think no one will read it, do it anyway.
You might think no one will read or see, but you never know. Maybe they won’t tell you, but someone is watching. There is a quote I read that said:
“every step you take, every breath you breathe, someone is watching.”
If you started singing, you are not alone 😜.
The quote is from the book Someone is Watching. The message can be taken two ways: it is a bit creepy and makes me wonder if someone is always watching.
It can also be a good reminder of how you decide to create and show up online. The book goes on to state:
It is a poignant reminder that our actions and choices are never truly isolated or private. We live in a world where surveillance and observation are pervasive, whether through technological advancements or the watchful eyes of others.
It is true, but also true that if you want to be a writer or content creator online, it seems as if there are crickets, but you never know who is reading your content and how it can change their course of action, which is one of the reasons I love creating content online.
It is not all roses and butterflies, and you will have negative comments, but those lives you change will never comment, and you may never know what impact your writing has had on someone else.
Why, they move in silence.
I am more interested in those people's lives. I always try to positively influence all forms of social media, especially my writing.
Lately, I have been more cautious about the words I use online and daily. Especially to those I vent my frustrations to.
As the Four Agreements states:
Be Impeccable With Your Word
Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.
You never know what type of person is reading, and if they are sad and depressed, I want to be that shimmer of hope or the influence that can help someone make a decision that will influence their life in a positive light.
For example, there are new students here at the school. She is so excited to learn Spanish and immerse herself in the culture of Jericó and the immersion school.
Had she not read other people’s experiences on the blog, would she have made a different choice?
We always have a choice of this or that, and when you read someone’s writing or watch someone’s videos, you can feel their authenticity, and I think that does influence people.
There is so much junk out there that sometimes the only filter is putting out content you think no one will read because I guarantee you that it is more authentic, and someone will read you.
You might not know about it because people, by nature, are secretive.
At least I am.
Even though I create content, it’s a delicate balance. It is one that I am learning to develop:
How to speak from the heart without giving away the heart.
It has caused me to pull back from writing a bit since I felt too exposed to writing everything. I am finding a balance while considering that my words can affect other people’s opinions and decisions, even if they are small.
I say this because I read a lot of blogs and posts, watch many videos, and never leave a comment. I don’t feel the need to interact with everything or everyone because sometimes I don’t want to be seen; I know it’s the opposite of what I want.
Yet it’s still a read and still a view, and it counts toward their bottom line of making money.
Yet starting a new thing is challenging, and you feel deflated constantly. Even as a creator for years, I feel deflated daily.
However, you should write for that one person you want to influence.
A lot of the time, I write to the one person who wants to visit Colombia and experience its true beauty.
I mainly write about living in the countryside and my life experiences.
This post is for that one person who thinks they can’t create online or inspire someone; you can. Write to them. I like to write as if I am having coffee with a friend.
And those I read are others who do the same, or at least I feel like they do. It really doesn´t matter if they are writing that way or not, it is how I perceive their writings.
They have grown their platforms based on authenticity and write because they want to, not because they must.
There is one person whose life you will influence; trust me. As the famous quote goes:
Helping one person might not change the whole world, but it could change the world for one person
XOXO
S
Cuteness alert below!