Writing Grit: Knowing When (and How) to Let Go

“If you want to make room for something new, you must let go of something old that no longer serves you.”
-- Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

I have reached a crossroad in my writing life, one where I recognize I no longer have the time or energy -- or desire -- to accomplish all of the tasks currently on my writing to-do list. I am normally an overly optimistic, big-picture kind of gal who tends to bite off more than she can chew, but stubbornly chews on anyway. So it has taken me a few weeks of serious self-assessment and reflection to accept that this life strategy isn't going to serve me well going forward; to admit that I simply cannot do all of the things that I would love to do.

I've said it before in this post about having it all. And I've said it more recently in this one about revising goals . Sometimes, despite our best intentions and our most intense efforts, we have to recognize that something has to give.

We have to let go.

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Knowing When to Let Go

In July 2016, I started my very first blog. I wanted a way to maintain my skills while taking a leave from my professional writing and editing career. I also wanted an outlet to practice and share some more creative writing, different from the business writing and editing I worked on day-to-day. I aimed to post two blog articles each month, on a too-wide variety of topics, like gardening, travel and self-improvement. Many of my posts received a great response from my small, but growing audience and I was happy with my tiny success.

Then, in April 2017, I joined Steemit and my blog writing fell to the wayside as I focused on learning about and creating content for this new platform. I tried to post a few new blog pieces here and there, but it started to feel like more of a chore than a fun expression of creativity. The response I received on Steemit was more immediate and faster growing than anything I had experienced through my blog. Within a few weeks, the platform had me hooked.

My blog simply wasn't getting the traction I'd hoped for. My readers seemed to enjoy what I was sharing, based on their comments, but my followers and page views were fairly static -- and relatively small. I learned that it takes a lot of time and energy to grow a blog and, quite frankly, I wanted to spend more of my time creating, not just promoting, my work.

On top of everything, I had a new idea for an even better project that I'm very excited to launch (stay tuned!). But with my current commitments to Steemit and the blog, plus an ongoing goal to write a novel, there just wasn't anywhere to fit this new project in.

I had to let go of something. I chose to let go of the blog.

After a lot of serious thought, I realized that Steemit was now fulfilling all of the needs that had led me to start the blog in the first place: the creative outlet, the sense of community, the freedom to write and share as I pleased. On top of that, Steemit offered something that would have taken me ages to achieve on my own -- financial rewards. It was clear that the blog was the thing to go.

But how do you let go of something you've pinned your heart and soul to?

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Knowing How to Let Go

I pulled the pin on the blog before I'd even fully committed to the idea. It just kind of happened that way. I called my hosting provider to discuss my options, one thing led to another, and the blog was gone. Like ripping off a band-aid.

(Fortunately, I'd reposted my blog posts to Steemit when I first joined, so they will live on in posterity. Plus, I have all of my original drafts.)

Had I taken the time to let go the right way, I probably would have followed these three step:

1. Re-evaluate your goals.

Before quitting anything, it's important to take time to re-evaluate your goals and your reasons for giving up. If those goals no longer suit you because you've decided to change direction, or if you've found other, better ways to achieve them, then you're probably ready to let go. In my case, I have been able to meet my goals for the blog through Steemit and, hopefully, will do so even more effectively through my new venture.

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2. Plan your transition.

Instead of quickly pulling the pin, I should have taken more time to plan my exit. I could have done more to archive my content, say good-bye to my followers (and transition them to Steemit -- big mistake!), and make sure I was emotionally ready to let go.

No matter what you're letting go of, make sure you take the time to plan it through so that you don't end up with unfinished business, loose ends or "I wish I would have …" thoughts. Don't rush yourself to move on.

3. Take stock of your lessons.

I learned a tremendous amount by launching my first blog, including a lot of what not to do. It was an incredible experience and I am thankful for the lessons this challenge taught me, so much so that I've taken the time to document those lessons so that I don't forget them over time.

Ultimately, every challenge we take on is a learning opportunity regardless of whether we succeed, fail or change direction along the way. I am happy to have had this experience, and I am comfortable with my decision to let go of it in order to make room in my life for bigger, better things.

Have you ever let go of something that you were personally invested in, like a job, project or relationship? What was your experience?

If you enjoyed this post, please resteem, upvote and follow @redhens. You may also like some of my other recent posts, including:

• I Failed Steemit: Three Mistakes You Should Avoid
• Is it Ever OK to Give Up on a Goal?
• News Stories to Make You Smile: August 14, 2017