Keep On Keeping On

Whether saving up for a down payment on a house, earning a PhD, or waiting for a Chinese bamboo tree to reach 90 feet in height, they all take about the same amount of time. Five years. While these are the outward results, hard work and much effort went into and were needed for them to become a reality. I am reminded of this at this time because I have something to be grateful for, a reason to celebrate, and an achievement to be proud of. However, it is not one I earned on my own. No, I have all of you dear readers to thank for helping me get here. And where exactly is here?  Here is my 5-year anniversary of writing and posting my ajournaljourney.com blog!

From my journal: October 10, 2025, Newbury Park, California

“…just looked at the date, coming up on 5 years, wow!”

Being able to quantify this accomplishment feels good, very good, actually super good! As it turns out, it amounts to precisely 177,858 words written, 5,220 hours worked, 6,238 revisions made, 23 themes explored, and 262 essays posted. Wow! Knowing that the average word count for an adult fiction novel is about 95,000 words, it seems amazing that I could’ve surpassed that number!

As I have written before, starting out I worried about my commitment to writing a blog. Was I capable of completing a piece each week? Would I have something to say time after time? Would anyone read it? These questions still come up once in awhile, especially when I’m pressed for time, am unmotivated, or not feeling my best. But, what this experience has taught me is if you love something, just do it!  Just start and the rest will take care of itself.

Feeling inspired, I want to share with you some of my favorite sayings, phrases, words of wisdom that keep me doing what brings me joy, what keeps me exploring my life, and keeps me connecting with you.

If you can’t fly, then run, if you can’t run, then walk, if you can’t walk, then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward. — Martin Luther King, Jr.

“It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan.” –Eleanor Roosevelt

“Stop being afraid of what can go wrong and start being positive about what can go right.” –Unknown

“Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” –Vincent van Gogh

“Just don’t give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don’t think you can go wrong.” –Ella Fitzgerald

“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” –Nelson Mandela

“One small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day.” – Dalai Lama

“Things aren’t always easy, but you just have to keep going and don’t let the small stuff bog you down.” – Stella Maeve

“Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going.” – Sam Levenson

“If you can dream it, you can do it.” – Walt Disney

“You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” ―Martin Luther King

“The question isn’t who is going to let me, it’s who is going to stop me.” ―Ayn Rand

“You can’t be that kid standing at the top of the waterslide, overthinking it. You have to go down the chute.” —Tina Fey

“The most difficult thing is the decision to act; the rest is merely tenacity.” —Amelia Earhart

And perhaps my favorite….

“Do not wait for the perfect time and place to enter, for you are already onstage.” —Unknown

On this milestone anniversary, my 5th year of writing and posting my blog, I am thankful I have the opportunity to share my life stories with you. Thank you for reading my posts, for your comments, and continuing on this journey with me. Thank you for helping me to keep on keeping on!