I started this blog two years ago on January 10, 2008 with a post titled, Genesis. I didn’t know at the time just how fitting a word it was. It truly marked the beginning of my re-creation.
Since then I’ve published 447 posts (including this one), received 1,491 comments, and had 159,031 unique visitors.
The stats alone take my breath away, but what it has all meant to me is even more astonishing. I never could have expected what a fulfilling outlet this would be for me, to share both my professional accomplishments and personal challenges, my insights and inspirations.
If 2008 was the Genesis, then 2009 was certainly the Exodus. After quitting my full-time job the prior August, I was faced with a journey through the wilderness of independent life. I have followed many role models, and described the process in detail here. I even managed to gain some followers of my own, people inspired by my stories to take their own leaps into self-employment.
When I started writing two years ago, I never imagined what effect this blog might have on others, and I’m deeply moved every time I receive an email or comment from a reader who has found something meaningful here. It’s what drives me forward on the most difficult of days, and what has given me the confidence to keep striving for what is just slightly out of reach.
Perhaps I am entering into the year of Leviticus — the establishment of rituals and the greater understanding of consequence. In the last year I have greatly overextended myself, and in many ways let myself and others down by not being able to fulfill on commitments, but not being able to adhere to a routine, and by not clearly articulating my limits. I suspect that this will be the year in which I develop a more mature approach to running my business and choosing my commitments wisely. I am hopeful that many wonderful opportunities will continue to come my way, and that I will have the prudence to make good decisions about what to pursue (instead of my previous tendency to just take on everything).
There is one thing that I will be sure to make an even deeper commitment to: sharing myself on this blog, and finding ways to more profoundly connect with you (whomever you are).
So let’s start today. Tell me who you are, how you got here, and what you were hoping to find. I’ll keep coming back to put my soul on the page as long as you do the same.
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About Whitney Hess
Whitney Hess is a coach and writer helping product teams and senior leaders make better decisions through the principles of user experience. She believes empathy builds empires.