Two Reasons I Didn’t Have a Blog Sooner

Hi there!

This blog exists because I woke up this morning and I asked myself, “Olayinka, why don’t you have a blog?” So, now, I have a blog. 

Before I created this blog, I thought hard about why I didn’t have a blog sooner, despite all the ghostwriting works I’ve done for other people’s blogs and websites. After a few minutes of self-reflection, I found two reasons.

First, I have always enjoyed creating art for myself, not for the consumption of others.  In school, I wrote to get good grades because that improved my self-esteem. By the time I got to my second year in secondary school, I was writing songs and poems to entertain myself. I also drew – not doodled – to survive boring classes. Sometimes, you need a little bit of distraction to focus. 

Writing has always been my go-to tool for solving problems. When I had any problem as a teenager, I would write a short story, poem, song, or play about it, and I would feel better. By the time I got to my final year of secondary school, I was tired of being one of the few members of my class who didn’t have a smartphone. So, I wrote a long text to my dad, listing all the undeniable reasons why he should get me a smartphone. The following week, he came home with my new smartphone. Since then, when I need something from an entity, I open my Notes app. 

I read somewhere that writing can make even the stupidest person sound like the smartest in the room. So, I write.

The second reason I didn’t have a blog sooner is that I am a perfectionist. Once I create a picture in my head, I struggle to settle for less. Let me give you an example. I didn’t attend my sister’s college graduation ceremony just because the shirt I had pictured myself wearing to the ceremony was not ready on that day. I know that’s a terrible thing to do, but, in my defense, I was 14, and I have apologized to my sister.

Back to the topic, the picture I had in mind for this website did not include the “.wordpress.com” attached to the address. So, hallelujah to the growth!

Now, I know you’re thinking “Olayinka, isn’t it contradictory for you to say you write for yourself when your blog is public for my consumption?” But, you see, it’s not contradictory at all. The first reason I didn’t have a blog is the reason I now have one. I am doing this for myself. You reading my work makes my heart dance, and my heart dances so good that 1983’s Michael Jackson begs it for dancing lessons. So, sharing pieces of myself with you is a selfish thing. (That’s the second paradox in this post. Did you notice the first one?) 

I’ll be here, sharing pieces of myself with you. See you soon!