I’m going to start blogging. Writing is something I’ve always been interested in. It really started in 9th grade, when I had time on my hands. Combining my love for ice hockey and writing for fun, I started publishing hockey articles for Senshot and later Last Word On Hockey. At one point, I even heavily considered going into journalism, but IB (International Baccalaureate) English killed those dreams.
In the immediate future, I don’t plan on writing much about hockey and will write on other things that interest me. I’m mentioning this since the past 3 articles/blogs that I wrote on here were hockey-related (2022 Olympics, hockey in Japan and the declining interest in Canada). It’s funny how things turned out since I was so dead-set on going into the sports industry at one point. I was heavily considering applying to the Sports Management program at Brock University, which likely would’ve pigeon-hole me. Thank you, Mom, for making me reconsider my decision, which allowed me to keep my options open.
I’ve also realized that I’m not thinking as deeply anymore. Oftentimes, I don’t reflect and just go through the motions of life. I was talking to one of my friends about this a couple of months ago, and she mentioned how the overflow of information is taking up space for valuable thoughts. Companies constantly try to capture our attention, whether it be advertisements, social media or other forms of marketing. Nowadays, it’s so easy to go on Instagram or TikTok and doomscroll – it’s very much a real thing that many people struggle with. As a result, our generation might be in shambles. We’re not thinking as much, and our attention spans are cooked.
With all that said, it is scary to blog and post it on the internet for everyone to see, even though I don’t even know if anyone is going to read this. It’s so easy to get caught up in caring what others think, which makes sense from an evolutionary perspective – if we were shunned and left alone, we were likely going to die. As a result, community and having a sense of acceptance and belonging are important.
I feel like a lot more people need to pursue their passions and what they’re interested in. Ideally, it would be considered an Ikigai (shoutout Cansbridge Scholars). Even if that’s not the case, do things on the side that interest you. Don’t fall victim to societal pressure, as I feel like this deters people from what they truly want to do. Now, I’m not saying to go crazy and lose everything, but take risks that are worth it. Step out of your comfort zone. As cringeworthy as the saying is, you truly only live once.
Writing also increases serendipity as you’re essentially leaving breadcrumbs on the internet, which can create unexpected opportunities. Maybe it’s an introduction to Neil deGrasse Tyson, a job opportunity or a good idea that was generated. The word itself, serendipity, is a funny-sounding word (to me, at least), and wasn’t in my vocabulary until a couple of months ago. It’s extremely powerful and even more so because of the internet, as anyone can stumble upon your work.
Of course, writing isn’t the only way to maximize serendipity. However, given my experience, I thought it would be one of the best ways. Even more so as I’m introverted. Recently, I came across a LinkedIn post on my feed addressing networking as an introvert and expressed what I’ve been thinking, “content is your passive networking engine” and how “writing or creating once, reach thousands while you sleep”. In short, find ways to maximize serendipity that work for you and unlock unparalleled opportunities.
