Identity is a weird thing. 

Over the years, I have often said I am the things that I do. I am a yogi, I am a runner, I am a PR/marketing professional, I am a cat mom (kidding on the last one, I have never actually said that out loud). And that’s fine- people do that all the time. I enjoy those things and do them regularly. But identity is a weird thing; the things we do can find their way into who we perceive ourselves to be and that isn’t always the case.

I have practiced yoga. My practice is not who I am at my core, I am who I am even if I am not on my mat regularly. I work in PR and marketing. I work very hard to be very good at it but if I didn’t do that, I would still be me. 

I was on a call last week when someone brought up my blog and asked if I might be interested in writing about something. I could feel my body language change. I sat up even straighter, my brain was flooded with ideas, my energy and excitement level piqued. When I got off the phone, it hit me- I am a writer. Writing for this blog and other projects feed me in a way few things do. I am a storyteller, I am word lover, I am a writer.

And you know what I haven’t been doing? Writing.

The only thing I can come up with is that I have been working so hard to be good at my new(ish) job that I have jumped ship on other things that make up my identity. In May I declared “I am going to be the best [insert job title here] ever ever ever” and have been spinning my wheels trying to be that ever since. I have been successful, I enjoy my job…and that is not who I am. It’s where I spend a lot of my time, it’s a big part of my life, it contributes to my big picture fulfillment and desire to achieve…and it’s not everything. The moment my blog was mentioned on that call and I thought about writing, I was immediately calmer, more confident, more comfortable, more rooted. 

Which was a welcome reaction considering I have been dipping my toe in the “Who am I, what am I doing?” pond for the last few weeks.

I am a writer, I am a storyteller, I am a maker. 

I am a writer. 

So expect more around these parts from here on. I believe the more we do the things that make us who we are, the better we are at everything else we do and will be doing more of that…starting now.