Just over one year ago, I wrote my first blog post. I was very nervous about it, and wasn’t even sure I’d stay committed to the endeavor. But starting a blog has been one of the most beneficial decisions for me–personally and professionally.

It all started when a few colleagues finally convinced me to join Twitter in Fall 2011. Twitter was an amazing gateway into the online ideas and information market. After learning so many new things through Twitter, I started to find my own voice and opinions about the issues I followed. This realization, coupled with my move to India, encouraged me to start a Tumblr to share interesting articles I was reading and videos I was watching.

 

My blogging has evolved since last year, away from only sharing articles and quotes; I’ve become more comfortable expressing my opinions and sharing my experiences. I’ve also published in various online publications (two of my blog posts were even published in an e-book!), interviewed amazing entrepreneurs about their work and their failures, and shared some of my own ideas as well as critiques about the space I work in. Because of blogging, people reach out to me more for advice, to write articles for their site, for employment opportunities, or to otherwise connect over shared interests. And I’ve improved my writing skills! Professionally–new doors have opened. Personally–I’ve learned to think more critically and express my opinions better.

It’s easy to look down upon blogging–there’s a lot of noise out there and it can be, at times, very self-indulgent. But we shouldn’t ignore the professional and personal growth opportunities blogging provides, and how it can connect readers globally over shared interests. And nothing is more gratifying as a blogger than hearing from someone who learned something new or appreciated something I wrote. What started out as an activity has evolved into an opportunity to connect with, teach, and learn from others.

If you are interested in getting more involved in the issues you care about–whether it’s social enterprise or women’s right or baking or music–I highly recommend giving blogging a chance.

—

Here is the first blog post I wrote on my Tumblr, April 14, 2012 at 1 am:

Starting

I have long been hesitant to start a blog. In an age of information and social media overload, the value of yet another blog is negligible. Anonymity—to the degree it exists in the internet-age—also remained a factor. But as someone who strongly believes in the power of collaboration, I’ve realized that I must also contribute to the conversation.

The goal of this blog is to highlight articles and discussions on the topics that I am passionate about, which include social enterprise, leadership, and collaboration.

We live in a time of complex, cross-cutting, global challenges. Many are leading noble efforts to create much-needed change, to improve the world we live in, and tackle the challenges we face. But I believe that the type of change we need—systemic change—requires honest collaboration among both our institutions and our leaders. This is a concept I will often repeat and hope to discuss more in-depth in future posts.

The world of today and tomorrow does not need everyone moving in the same direction and thinking the same way. We need many new ideas in many different directions. But we need to be thinking in new and different ways together, through cross-sector collaboration, shared value, strong personal relationships, and creative pairings of challenges, problem solvers, and solutions. Real systemic global change will come when we work together in new and innovative ways with a deep sense of shared purpose.

None of this is new, or easily accomplished, and many more knowledgeable and experienced than me have expressed these views for years. But this is also what I have come to believe and experience, and I hope that this blog can provide a forum for showing how that is possible.

—

I hope that in the past year I’ve been able to provide the type of forum I endeavored to start. Now there is much more learning and writing and thinking to do.