Every time we commit ourselves to something, whether it be going to dinner with friends or starting a business, there's a "why" attached. Some of the most valuable advice I've received about my entrepreneurial journey is to always remember why you started. Remember what made me choose to begin. And when things begin to get cloudy in my subconscious, I always land right back at remembering why I got started. Stuff happens and paths change but my "why" only grows larger every time.
I started blogging back in 2012 as a class assignment. We had to create and maintain a blog for a college English assignment. Overly Dedicated Detroit was birthed out of the obligation and a love for Detroit's Indie Music scene. I like writing. I loved sharing my ideas and opinions. Folks would always tell me they enjoyed my writing style. And since I'm an introvert, I figured this was a cool way to share. I loved it. And some how I ended up majoring in Public Relations instead of journalism lol. But that's a story for another day. Anywho, after the assignment was complete, I no longer had the desire to keep that blog going. So, soon I stopped posting on it and just faded away. But I continued to write. Why? Because I loved it. It made me happy. It was a much needed form of self-expression. It was my thing.
Shortly after that, I decided to just start adding my writings to my personal Tumblr blog. And if you know anything about Tumblr, you know its full of photos, videos and magical happenings lol. So every now and then you could catch a random poem or a random write up of thoughts. But that just felt incomplete. I mean I went from a blog specifically created and curated for my writing to just randomly dropping it between random reblogs. It didn't feel the same. My work was out of place. But I remembered my "why" and that led me right back to where I needed to be.
Come 2015, I had created a medium account and began to get back into the swing of writing consistently. I was posting pieces once a week. It was better than Tumblr but it still wasn't enough. I couldn't really add my own flair to the site. It seemed kind of bare. But y'all know what I did.... Remembering why I started has kept me from quitting time and time again. And every time life transitioned, my 'why' grew larger and larger. At that point I wasn't just writing because I loved it and it made me happy, but because folks valued my opinion. Because there are people out there that were just like me and they, at one point, felt like they didn't have a voice. I was that voice.
So in October 2016, Everyday Rae' was born. My official website and blog. The whole nine. It was (and is) my baby. I finally gained the discipline and learned the true importance of being consistent. I did my best to post 2-3 times a week. A lot of ups and downs. Some lack of support. But I was doing it. And I remember like it was yesterday how excited I was. People were reading. People were sharing with their friends and family. My writing was starting conversations, and that was GOALS!
Present Day I'm still going strong. Not quite as far ahead as I'd like to be but I'm here. Still writing and still remembering my why. Learning to always create content that's true to me. Not trying to keep up with societal standards. Creating my own lane and knowing that good content and consistency will always be the key. I've fought mentally with the fact that my blog isn't doing the numbers I'd like. Or the fact that nothing I've written has gone viral or garnered the brand attention that I desire. But I'm ALWAYS remembering my why and trusting the timing of my life. Soon enough I'll have everything I desire and more from my work. I'm not new to this, I'm true to this. And since God is still in the blessing business, I sent my resignation to the stressing business. As long as I always remember why I started, I'll be good.