Discovering Yourself through Blogging (free teleconference Aug 16, 6 PM PDT, 9 PM EDT, 9 AM Philippine time)

Posted on August 16th, 2011 by Sacha Chua

I used to hate writing. I thought it was just about term papers and book reports. It took blogging for me to discover that I could write for myself, not just for teachers, and that writing – my technical notes, my decisions, my “here’s how I’m trying to figure out life” confusions – could save me a lot of time. So now I want to help other people get over that hump, get out of that rut, get going. Get writing.

Holly Tse will be interviewing me at 9 PM EDT today (Aug 16) on how blogging can help you with your process of self-discovery. I don’t have sound-bites or snazzy “here, buy this e-book” self-promotions, I just want to help people figure out how to use blogging to learn more about life. It’s not just about personal branding, search engine optimization, or being cool. It’s useful for getting the hang of things, taking notes, and sharing them with others.

Want to pick up ideas or ask questions? You can listen for free on the web or on the phone – sign up at http://lotusblossoming.com/sacha and the access details will be e-mailed to you. If you use the web interface, you can ask your questions using the Q&A interface right there. Please post questions as soon as you think of them. I’ll work on following up with a more detailed as we figure things out together. Can’t make it? I’ll post notes on my blog (of course!). You can subscribe to make sure you get it, or if you leave a comment here, I can send it to you too. =)

You might also be interested in other things I’ve written about blogging, including this seven-part series packed with thoughts and tips on the value of blogging. Hope that helps!

More posts about: blogging, life, sketches, writing // 4 Comments »

Short URL: http://sachachua.com/blog/p/22420

http://baonkobento.wordpress.com Patricia

Congratulations on a great session! I’m glad to have made it just in time (a little late actually) to catch it. Can’t wait to see your notes for it.
http://sachachua.com Sacha Chua

Patricia: The recording is free for the next day or so, and I’ll work on getting a transcript up. Thanks for joining! =) I’m sure you have many blogging insights of your own. Please share!
terry

Sacha,

Just listened to your interview. Good stuff. Very informative and inspiring.

I have a question: you are a self confessed introvert. How do you keep a balance between your private self (the introvert part) and blogging where you are sharing with and relating to lots of people (some unknown as well)? Between your private notes and blogging, did you ever run into conflicts of this sort? And how do you remain genuine?
http://sachachua.com Sacha Chua

Blogging is surprisingly comfortable for me, because I don’t have to presume on anyone’s attention. It’s not like e-mail, which hovers about in people’s inboxes and risks rejection. ;) When I blog, I usually write about things so that I can understand them better and so that I can save my time later on. The ability to connect with other people is a bonus. You know how some people talk to other people in order to figure things out? I have a really hard time doing that. I’d rather write. It’s kinda like being passive-aggressive, but more like passive-positive-and-helpful. =)

I occasionally run into situations where someone I’ve just introduced myself to says to me, “I know you, I read your blog.” The asymmetry throws me a bit off balance, because people know more and remember more about me than I know or remember about them. I make up for the first part by asking lots of questions, and I make up for the second part by taking notes. I’m getting pretty good at smiling and shifting myself into the same kind of openness I feel on my blog. I’m still not keen on networking events, though, and I still need plenty of quiet time to recharge after presentations or get-togethers.

What does being genuine mean? Me, I write about whatever I can write about. Sometimes it means changing my mind about things. Sometimes it means confessing my limitations. Sometimes it means showing my enthusiasm even when doing so is passe. For example: I may have my frustrating moments at work, but I really do like building stuff to make people’s lives easier. I’d be missing out on opportunities to remember and learn if I tried to fake life. I’d miss out on the interesting ideas and thoughts you and other people might share with me, too. Better to keep it real. (Easier to keep the stories straight, too!)

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