How Vocal Has Changed My Life
Some Effects Vocal Has Had On Me
Introduction
Yesterday it was raining hard and I was working from home. By about four o'clock I was feeling like I had been beaten with iron bars, every bone was aching. Unusually, I never left the house until I went out for a takeaway pizza after work.
I don't know if wit was the fact that I had not been for a walk or the state of the weather, but I walked less than two miles yesterday.
While I was walking I started to feel better. I got home and could only eat two slices of pizza, and when I went to bed the aches came back, I was actually hurting and unable to sleep so did not have a good night, finally drifting off around four in the morning, but then had to drag myself up at 5:45 AM. I had taken aspirin so that may have helped.
The aching was better and a shower made me feel even better.
This morning summer is back and I decided to take a decent walk and as I left the house it struck me how Vocal has changed a lot of aspects of my life. So here goes.
The Vocal Effect On Me
I started on my walk, planning to go down Fenham Hall Drive and loop around through the Church Garden in St James and St Basil's and maybe capture a few cats on my phone. I then realized that before Vocal I used to walk a lot further over Nunsmoor and to Cow Hill and pre Covid walking into work.
However, since joining Vocal and discovering the Facebook Vocal Groups some of my morning time is now taken chatting with Vocal friends and administering Vocal Social Society, and writing Vocal stories.
Since joining Vocal my Facebook friends have increased by about 200 although I only talk consistently with about ten but have sporadic interactions with a lot of them.
I spend time on Vocal now that I used to use to walk along longer routes, although I still walk as far as I used to so although the geographical walking area has changed, the distance I walk has not dropped. Although I walked less than two miles yesterday, I have already walked three miles today which means I could have a nap this afternoon if I were so inclined but I need to go out to take a walk and pick a few more provisions and maybe see a few cats. Below are the ones I have met so far today.
The other things that have happened on Vocal are, thanks to the support and encouragement of my Vocal friends I have found my voice as a writer and gained the confidence to actually share my work, and have been rewarded with a good following of supportive Vocal creators.
I receive some great constructive criticism, and have in my time, to self-publish a few anthologies of my poetry. I wrote on my blog Seven Days In to try and get the inspiration to write a book. I had a few false starts, but I never became a published author until I joined Vocal. So that is one more change to my life that Vocal is directly responsible for. My Amazon page is here.
Conclusion
Although these changes are not earth-shattering, Vocal has definitely changed my life, in my opinion, for the better. I now consider myself a good writer and I know that I can create things that others enjoy reading.
My daily routines have changed but I do feel my life is fuller than it was, in a good way.
Vocal has made my life better.
I included Bowie's "Changes" because it sort of illustrates the subject.
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Comments (37)
It is such a positive aspect of one's life when they can truly say their life is more full because of something. Too many people in our world are stuck in an empty type of life and do not know how to fulfill it or where to reach out to in times of need. Thanks for your story.
A very relatable story. I tell my version but yours is so much better. I too have to start walking more, i gained a pound or too since being here, but it has been worth it. We have to learn to prioritize is all. My imagination and universal awareness is soaring to higher planes since Vocal. This was really eye opening.
Thank you! I appreciate your kind words. ^_^
Congratulations on 1st place ๐ฅ on the Leaderboard this weekโผ๏ธ
Lovely and inspiring read and full of natural expression and warmth. xxx
Thank you Mike. As promised a read of my choice! And what a pick? Such a gentle inspiration and Iโve recovered by Amazon my Amazon password and am saving to buy Pauline ๐๐ธ
This is a great story! Very motivating for new people. Congrats on top story!
Great to hear how much you feel part of our community! Thanks for saying.
So nice story :) ๐ I also need to improve my writing skill
I so glad you never stop walking , I am glad to met you on Vocal Facebook group. You are a treasured friend indeed . ๐๐ฝ๐๐ค, glad you are feeling better. You are an inspiration to me
Congrats :)
Vocal has changed my life too by finally giving me a way to share my stories with my friends, and, even better, making reading them much more convenient. Before my time here, whenever I wanted to share something, I would send an email or actually print them out, now it's as easy to manage as touching a link.
I am an here to to improve my writing skills as well
Good on you Mike. I can definitely relate to the confidence boost in getting your writing out there. I also love the gentle humility in this post, not an easy thing to convey.
Wonderful ๐ฉต
Awesome!
Awesome โจ ๐๐Congratulations,mikeโ
I like that you walk. Iโm a walker too, usually walking 4-6 miles a day, weather permitting. Sometimes as much as 10 miles on a free day, though. I have always been very passionate about walking, and when I donโt, I get depressed. All my best ideas come to me when I walk, and Iโve never had writers block. I donโt know what itโs like. I wonder if youโre a prolific writer because you walk so much? Vocal has changed my life too, in the very short amount of time Iโve been here. Just the experience of entering the challenges and hitting publish by a deadline has changed the way I think about writing.
I love that I got to know you brother you are the best!๐ฅฐ
Mike, you've made the Vocal experience really wonderful for so many of your fellow creators as well!
Great story. I really loved it, I just joined recentlyโบ๏ธ and I am very happy I got to read this post. I am very much open to any advice and guidance ๐๐
Wonderful!!!
Such a heartwarming piece to read!
This is really heartwarming Mike, I joined Vocal a few years ago and posted a bit here and there but never kept at it. I recently rejoined to find it had a whole new community feel to it that has made such a massive difference. It was definitely what Vocal needed. Connecting with othwr writers has been great and helped me stay consistent. Really enjoyed reading how it's benefitted you ๐
I lovebthis post. Vocal has changed my life too. I am blogging once again and the Challenges are wonderful ways to get me thinking about new topics.