Hello,
It's hard to believe it's been nearly a decade since I published my first blog post, "I Already Have High Standards," back in February 2017. With this post, I've reached a significant milestone: 200 Lyon’s Letters posts. This journey has been an unexpected and incredibly rewarding experience, and I'm eager to share some reflections on how it all began and where I hope to go from here.
From Staff Email to Public Platform
Lyon's Letters actually started as an email to my staff. While writing has always been a passion of mine, the idea of sharing my thoughts more broadly was sparked by a powerful presentation at an ACSD Conference in 2008. Though I can't recall the exact words of the speaker, Robyn R. Jackson, her message left a lasting impression, inspiring me to share my ideas and insights with a wider audience.
My initial "Inspiration" letter eventually evolved into the second post on this website. It's also the Lyon’s Letter I annually emailed to my staff at the beginning of each school year, a tradition that became a meaningful touchstone for my colleagues and me.
The Evolving Journey of Lyon's Letters
For nearly nine years, Lyon's Letters were weekly emails to my staff. Even when I transitioned to new roles, I continued to send Lyon’s Letters–just the audience changed. Occasionally, I received messages from former colleagues expressing their appreciation for the insights and inspiration they found in these letters, even though they no longer received them since we no longer worked together. The positive feedback from my current and former colleagues provided invaluable motivation to continue writing.
Around 2017, as I shared my thoughts and ideas on engagement with others, the encouragement to write a book became a recurring theme. This, coupled with my lifelong dream of becoming an author, led me to transition Lyon's Letters from emails to a publicly accessible website (www.lyonsletters.com). I figured I would be able to share resources from my book and publish Lyon’s Letters all in one place. As well, this shift opened up the possibility of sharing my writing with a broader audience, including former colleagues and anyone else interested in my thoughts and experiences.
The Unexpected Rewards of Blogging
Looking back on nearly a decade of blogging and almost 17 years of writing Lyon's Letters, I'm continually surprised by the unexpected twists and turns along the way. I'm often surprised by which posts resonate most with readers, by my consistent ability to sit down and write each week, and by the sheer volume of ideas that continue to flow. But perhaps the most surprising aspect has been the impact my writing has had on others. It's incredibly humbling to know that people take the time to read my words and that some are even moved enough to reach out and share their experiences.
Looking Forward: A Continued Journey of Sharing and Learning
Writing Lyon's Letters is more than just a creative outlet. It's a valuable tool for me to process my thoughts, articulate my ideas, and document my professional journey. Often, I find myself searching for a specific post because I know I captured a thought or concept better in writing than I ever could verbally. The writing process itself has also been instrumental in refining and shaping my thinking, forcing me to clarify my ideas and explore different perspectives.
Here's to 200 blog posts and all that they represent! Thank you for reading this post, and thank you to everyone who has engaged with any of my previous writings. I'm incredibly grateful for your continued support and interest. I'm excited to continue sharing this journey with you as I explore new ideas, delve deeper into existing ones, and continue to learn and grow as a writer and a thinker.
~Heather
P.S. As someone who has done a lot of reading, writing, speaking, listening, and thinking about engagement, what I know for sure is that I am engaged in writing. It’s a passion that, while time-consuming and challenging, is deeply fulfilling and important to me. Your passion is likely not writing, but something else. Whatever it is, I hope you do it with gusto! I hope you create the time and space in your busy schedule to feed your passion. Cheryl Richardson, author of several books on the importance of prioritizing self-care, said, “Time is a gift that most of us take for granted. We get so caught up in the busyness of our daily lives that we rarely stop and take a serious look at how we’re spending the gift.” In honor of this sentiment, my Catch of the Week is taking the time to do something (anything) in life that gives you joy, that speaks to your soul, and makes time speed up. Your life is short and I wish for you the ability to carve out time to be deeply engaged in something that brings a smile to your heart.
P.P.S. Please remember to...
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