Summary

The article discusses the author's personal journey with Dr. Mehmet Yildiz's 30-day writing challenge, reflecting on the balance between personal limitations and the desire to participate actively within the ILLUMINATION community.

Abstract

The author reflects on the personal impact of Dr. Mehmet Yildiz's 30-day writing challenge, introduced through the ILLUMINATION publication on Medium. Despite initial hesitations due to personal and family commitments, the author found a way to engage with the challenge by creating "Life Library," a collection of personal stories and moments that have significantly influenced them. The author acknowledges the transformative power of reading and writing within the community, expressing gratitude for the flexibility to adapt the challenge to their life. They emphasize the value of sharing experiences and the mutual exchange of wisdom through responses and interactions on the platform.

Opinions

The author views Dr. Mehmet Yildiz as an inspiring leader whose challenges have been thought-provoking and motivational.
There is an appreciation for the balance between quantity and quality of writing, as highlighted in one of Dr. Yildiz's articles.
The author has a realistic understanding of their personal limits and the importance of not overextending themselves at the cost of family responsibilities.
Reading other people's work and responding to it is seen as a meaningful way to contribute to the community and expand personal awareness.
The author values the inclusive nature of the ILLUMINATION community, which accommodates diverse lifestyles and writing paces.
By adapting the 30-day challenge to their capacity, the author feels they are giving back to the community and honoring the spirit of the challenge.
The author expresses humility and humor regarding their grammar, inviting constructive feedback while embracing the journey of writing and self-expression.

A Library of Life’s Burning Moments

A personal take on the 30-day challenge from Dr Mehmet Yildiz

Dr Mehmet Yildiz. Energetic, motivated, driven and wise leader of the ILLUMINATION community, has proposed several challenges since the inception of his publication.

One of them — the 30-day challenge to write something every day.

Quantity Matters Too!

How to be a prolific writer without compromising quality

medium.com

The challenge has been swimming in my head since I read it.

BUT — I had a BUT. Treading water alongside the desire to participate was my list of excuses.

I have come to accept my limitations in how I currently show up in my ordinary day. I can push them a little, but not a lot. Some of it is the fear of crumbling again and some accepting who I am at this point in my life.

I knew on some level of understanding who I am that committing to a daily article would poke at my energy and anxiety. If I was to commit to the challenge, it would come at the cost of not being able to show up as the person I want to be for my family right now.

As a sign of a true leader who consistently shows up to motivate us all to do our best, the challenges kept coming.

My desire to participate growing as I read each one.

Transform Adversity to Serendipity

How to raise adversity quotient for personal and professional success

medium.com

Then came Transforming Adversity to Serendipity. This was one challenge I knew I could keep up with in some capacity. A reading habit already installed in my life my saving grace.

It made me feel like I was contributing in my own way.

It quietened the little nagging voice that said I wasn’t trying hard enough to be a team player.

At 2 am this morning I found myself laying next to my 3-year-old. A loud bang from the wind had woken her up. Her little head resting on my arm. Pins and needles kept me from falling asleep myself. She wasn’t “asleep” enough for me to risk moving when a name came to me.

Life Library — A collection of my burning moments in life.

The stories that sit on repeat in my head.

The stories that have taught me something.

The stories that have the potential to shine a light on someone’s next step — or at the very least for my daughters’ eyes. If and when they want to understand their mother a little more.

The stories that come up as I read other people’s work.

Each article I have read on Medium has shone a light of wisdom on me. Given me a space to reflect. Expanded my level of awareness. A seed of thought or a dot of connection all gifted to me in words. A smile or a laugh. I try to respond as much as a can to let the author know what I received by them shining their light.

862 responses to be exact since I joined late November 2019. It makes me feel hopeful that by leaking little bits of myself all over the place I have planted the potential that I have given back a little of what was gifted to me.

Please bear with me — I’m pretty sure its the right bear but please feel free to correct me if I have bared my grammar inadequacies. I don't know where this idea will take me and I have no doubt it has the potential to be more than 30 articles worth. Shared on an inconsistent timeline and delivered on nonconsecutive days.

I have bent the challenge in a way that could fit with who I am now. By sharing my intention sending the invitation to others to bend the challenge to suit themselves too.

Very grateful this community is as it is.

A true blessing for those of us that don’t fit a standard mould.

Thanks, as always, to you all for shining your light.