Today is a special Wednesday for me. This is the 500th blog entry I’ve written. It’s about growth and appreciating the journey.
This is my 10th year of blogging. My first blog was sent on September 26, 2022. Over the weekend, I realized that the 500th blog would be sent out today. I started walking down memory lane and reading through my old entries, and I couldn’t help but laugh at myself. If you’d go back and read my first few entries, you’d probably chuckle too. It just wasn’t as good as it is now. I started the blog when I worked in training as a way to explore customer experience and our selling model. It was so limited in scope compared to what it is now. The writing wasn’t crisp or clear. I was trying hard to be funny and clever and wasn’t always succeeding. The real raw authentic vulnerability wasn’t present for the first few years. People initially didn’t quite get what I was doing with the blog and was mainly wondering why I felt the need to do something so weird. If you look back through the original entries, it becomes really apparent that I had no idea what I was doing.
As I looked back, on one hand I saw so many mistakes and things that now drive me nuts. On the other, I saw so much growth and transformation. I can see how the writing is better, more focused, and more real. I can still remember how incredibly nervous I’d get before sharing anything remotely vulnerable, like being on the border of getting sick. Now, I’ve gained more strength and courage to make this a little easier. Now as I look at myself I can see a writer who still doesn’t know exactly what he’s doing but does have a better grasp on who he is.
As I look back through the years, I am also incredibly thankful for all of you who have ever read an entry or sent me a note telling me it made you smile, gave you inspiration, or felt like a warm hug. All I want to do in life is spread a little joy, love, and light. Thanks for giving me a chance to do that every week. (I’m not crying when I write this paragraph. You’re crying.)
What does this have to do with anything? Maybe you’re just starting a journey. If you are, just know it’s okay if the journey is a little ugly, bumpy, and weird for a bit. Experiencing all of those things, just means you are human. Maybe, you’ve been on the journey longer. If so, please take a second to look back. Look back and see the mistakes. Look back and smile when you see the growth. Look back and see all the people you’ve touched.
The challenge: Will you appreciate the ride? Will you appreciate your growth?
Bonus 1- Thank again for reading.
Bonus 2- I know this is totally selfish. If you have a favorite entry, series, or topic from the blog over the past 500 entries I’d love to hear what they are. It will fill my bucket.
Bonus 3- Here is a list of some of my favorite entries throughout the year linked to my blog site.
- Blog link- Andrew Embry – Striking Matches (home.blog)
- Any lessons from being a dad- Lessons Learned from being a Dad – Striking Matches (home.blog)
- I did a series on prioritization and dishwashers. Here is part 1. I loved it because this simple concept turned into a collaboration and bouncing ideas off of multiple people. Prioritization and Dishwashers Part 1 (5-25-16) – Striking Matches (home.blog)
- Surge Protectors and Being Overloaded- I think a lot about this concept and how to protect myself from burnout Surge Protectors and being Overloaded (1-12-22) – Striking Matches (home.blog)
- An Open Letter to 2019- This was my first open letter post and I now like wrapping up the year with this every time. An Open Letter to 2019 (12-11-19) – Striking Matches (home.blog)
- I Hope We All Grow Like the Grinch- One of my favorite messages and how I sign off from the blog every year- I Hope We All Grow like the Grinch (12-15-21) – Striking Matches (home.blog)
Have a jolly good day,
Andrew Embry
Striking Matches 