Welcome to Rally Words

Written by Rory O'Driscoll

Alright, alright, alright. Welcome to the Rally Writing Challenge.

So here’s the thing — I don’t quite know what this space will look like over the next month. And you know what? That’s okay.

I woke up this morning to a thick fog that didn’t fade throughout the day. But we still have to step out into the fog and have the courage to embrace the unknown and move forward blindly.

This space will likely zig, it might zag, but at the heart of it, the goal stays the same— connection. If even a sliver of what I put down here sparks something in you, nudges you to think differently, or inspires you to write your own story— that’s a huge win in my book.

Man – I’ve grown to love journaling. I picked it up around this time five years ago. Back then, it was a simple idea: write down my days, capture the moments, and help my older self remember the magical and the mundane of that time in my life.

I started with every intention to write every day. And it worked – for a time. I was disciplined and well-committed to it. The daily entries were flying out. Clockwork. Slowly but surely, however, that faded. Weeks turned to months and the journal sat on my nightstand untouched.

But somewhere along the way, I found my way back to the page. And journaling evolved. Those basic, daily recaps turned into raw, emotional self-reflection. About where I am and who I want to be, about the girl that hurt me or the girl that I hurt. Now, journaling isn’t just scribbling down the past; it’s one of my go-to ways to exhale the chaos. On the hard days, it’s probably my number one relaxation tool. There’s something therapeutic about sitting down and just letting it all out, no filter, no idea where it’s headed — just spitting onto the page.

That said, I don’t want this to be just a journal. And I sure as hell don’t want it to turn into a preaching session. My goal here is to create something of value, something that sparks ideas and can be a place for us to build in the right direction toward our goals.

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I’ve never done a formal writing challenge like this, so who knows how it’ll go? I might stumble— I might outright fail — but that’s part of the process, right?

To keep this challenge grounded, I’m planning on sticking to a few key themes:

1. Rally – Insights from Rally and the words of Ralliers.

2. Fitness – Because moving your body moves your mind.

3. Real-Life Applications – Ideas that leap off the page and into your daily life.

4. Journal Prompts – For when you need a little nudge to get the words flowing.

I’m also curious: What do you want to hear? If there’s something specific you’d love me to dive into, don’t hesitate to let me know. This is as much your space as it is mine.

So here we are — day one, step one: pen to paper. Let’s see where this goes.

Happy New Year,

Rory

Rally on.