A Quote and a Question For You
Do you prefer short posts or longer articles?
Does the length of an article influence how likely you are to read it? If so, would you rather read a short post or a longer, more substantive one? I ask this because I want to provide valuable content that readers appreciate. Some writers claim that most people don’t have much time to read, so shorter newsletters are better.
I’m eager to find out what “Changing Lives” readers prefer. Please take a moment to answer this quick poll:
Now, on to the quote: “Be there for others, but never leave yourself behind.”
That simple yet profound advice comes from In the Garden of Thoughts by Dodinsky. It’s one of many great Dodinsky quotes; you can read a few more by clicking the link above.
What does that quote mean to you? Have you ever felt like you left yourself behind in order to be there for others? If so, how did that experience affect you? Did it change the way you have responded to other people’s needs since then?
Many of us were taught to prioritize the needs of others above our own. We got the message that it was virtuous and admirable to take care of others, but wrong and selfish to focus on our own needs.
The truth is that we can’t effectively meet anyone else’s needs for long if we neglect ours. An empty vessel cannot provide water to someone who is thirsty. When we take care of ourselves, we are better equipped to care for others.
What is one thing you can do to care for yourself this week? I hope you’ll do it, and comment here about how it felt to make self-care your top priority.
Great poll, Wendi - I voted for the third option, but the way I see it is this:
If a writer is posting frequently - for example, daily, or several times a week - then I like the posts to be short. I subscribe to three daily posters whose work I like, and whose posts are very short.
Long reads can seem very daunting. If someone's posting three times a week and each post is a 15-or-more-minute read, well, that's perhaps a time commitment I might not manage, at least not immediately. But I love the words I subscribe to read, and heck, I still want to read them.
I post every Saturday and every other Wednesday, and I hope the volume of words I'm sending out into the world isn't too overwhelming. My own next two posts are both a little longer than what I feel is my 'ideal' length, so I'm fretting about those a little...!
But like everything, it's a balance, I guess! Difficult to call.
And: 'Be there for others, but never leave yourself behind.' I'm going to be thinking about this for a while! Thank you for the brain food. 😊