100 blogs, 100 weeks, 100 ideas, and an average of 95,000 words written; I'm here. What's started as a thought of "I always wanted to write, so let's see how it goes" became an almost two-year journey of never missing a week. A journey that taught me a few things along the way, and today's milestone reminded me to pause and think about them. And as I was doing it, I decided I'd share my lessons with you.

1. Idea generator and content gold-mine

My commitment to writing a weekly blog generated a need for me to have a topic idea every week. This need improved my "observation" skills. I learned social listening - picking up ideas from posts and conversations I read through each week. These observations also allowed me to tune more into my ideal client's challenges, goals, wants, and needs.

Now, I have a section in my journal with a running list of ideas that indeed became a content gold-mine. Because even though not every idea I wrote down was perfect for a blog topic, but it could find its way home through a newsletter, LIVE training in my FB group, or a social media post.

Moreover, the blogs themselves became my foundation for social media posts and inspiration for other content. They became a wealth of ideas that never runs out.

2. Copywriting skills

Even though I always wanted to write, not being an English native speaker delayed me from picking up that dream after moving to Canada. But when I finally did, weekly blogs became an excellent training and practice ground for me honing my copywriting skills.

I believe that every online business owner needs to learn how to write marketing copy for their business. It's one of those essential skills that even if you outsource entirely one day, you need to know the basics yourself first.

Why? Because that's the way, you communicate with your ideal client online. This is how they get to know you, like you, and trust you. And how can you show them who you are if someone else builds your style and persona from the beginning? Authenticity means you're the one writing about who you're and your business. You are the one talking to your audience. The more you show you understand them, the more they'll trust you are teh one who can help them, the stronger the connection you'll build.

3. Discipline

Writing a weekly blog doesn't always come easy. To stick with this commitment, I developed a whole routine of writing. Each week one day, I pick a topic, do the research, outline the blog, and create 5-15 different titles for it. Another day I write the first draft no matter how shitty it is (who read Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird? …). And then, on the third day, I edit and post my blog. I've repeated this routine every week for 100 times now. I have no doubt that this routine has strengthened my ability to commit and self-discipline to do anything I chose.

4. Learn as much as you share

Research is one of my favorite parts of the process. Digging deeper into the topic I have chosen by going back to the books I read, searching more online, reading - I love all THIS. It's what keeps my eyes open at 5 in the morning when my body would instead go back to bed to sleep. Because my mind, on the other hand, is in exploration heaven saying: "Let's dig deeper, Maggie."

That brings another thought to my mind about discipline. Because I love learning, I could lose myself in research for hours on end. But who has time for that? Knowing when enough is enough, and it's time to move on to the next step and doing it is not as easy as it may seem. Having a weekly deadline on the blog motivates me not to go on reading and researching forever.

5. Boosts the creativity

The more you create, the more creative you become. The more ideas come to your mind. Creativity is like a muscle. You lose it if you don't use it, and you bloom it if you do.

Plus, learning how to put your thoughts on paper improves your overall critical thinking skills. You become faster, sharper in your thinking, and learn how to put something together logically so that your audience can follow and understand. These are some amazing skills that you can use anywhere in your life.

Over the past 100 weeks, I didn't just create 100 blogs, but also 2 weekly LIVE pieces of training on different topics, a weekly newsletter, and a few coaching courses. All this while growing my business and serving my clients, being a mom and a wife, doing an online executive MBA (that requires lots of writing as well), and having a demanding full-time corporate leadership job ... Yes, it's all possible, and that discipline from point 1 helps 😊

6. Decide if this is a lifetime commitment or a chapter in your life

After the two years of writing, I'm starting to think if I should continue and make it my life-long commitment or just a chapter in my entrepreneurial journey.

BTW do you know that Seth Godin writes a DAILY blog (yes, DAILY!) and has never missed a day for I don't know how many years now ….

Lately, I have been thinking about launching a podcast. Over the past couple of years doing LIVE video training, I came to love the idea of teaching and bringing value while talking, not just writing. But writing also has its magic that's still talking to me and not going away. So hey, maybe I can do both - work it out in a way that works for me.

What do you think?