A Bit Of Gratitude

FBFF: April 15, 2011
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1.  When it comes to me personally – I owe a lot of who I am to:
My experiences in life both good and bad. Although, I find that the rough patches tend to help me reaffirm who I am more so then the good times. Why is it this way? No idea except that the negative tends to impact me more than the positive although I appreciate the positive a lot more.

I don't think anyone could be who they are with out the relationships they keep in their lives. I aim to keep only healthy relationships going though. I really know that the people who I have a close relationship with: my family, extended family, and my friends, would be there in an instant to support me. This is such a blessing to me and has shaped my ability to really get to know myself as well.

2. When it comes to me professionally – I owe a lot of who I am to:
My mother: She always told me that I was going to college from the time I was a tiny child. There wasn't another option. So when the time came, I went to college. This might not have been terrific for other people but for me I needed that push. I am not sure where I would be today if I didn't have that engrained into me.

My Dear Friend, Staci: She is an inspiration to me. She works her butt off at school and is always coming up with the most amazing new technology things to try with the kids. She is an inspiration to me in a lot of different ways in my life but she would be one of the main people who I look to for inspiration and who I owe a lot to for all of the support she gives.

3. When it comes to the art of blogging, I’m grateful to these people for helping me through some rough spots:
I would have to say Staci again. She was my motivator for starting my blog and helped me through a rough patch with blogging when I first started.

I would also have to say the bloggers I follow who inspire me when I get down on myself or can't figure out what to do with a content idea. It isn't that I neccesarily actually talk to them but I go to their blogs to look at what they have done and it helps me to see that life in the blogging world is just that...blogging. It doesn't have to be the end all be all of my life.

4. One blogging challenge I’m grateful happened because it made me stronger was…

Personal Challenge: I am not going to go into details but there was a slight "issue" with work and blogging. This helped me to see that I needed to be careful who I just let into my online life. Sometimes those you know or are acquaintance to can be crueler than strangers. Sad but true. Lesson learned.

Outfit Challenge: Maxi dress...oh how you were my styling nightmare! Thank you bloggers for your inspiration and your lovely comments of support. It was incredible to go straight to a blogger's site to get inspiration then trying to look through back copies of magazines for inspiration. I can defiantly see why the fashion industry is making sure to include the blogger perspective. If they don't they might just be out of a job.

5. To my readers, I’d like to say…
You give me such joy! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! I so appreciate you checking in with me and actually taking that time out of your busy day to do so. Thanks for the comments and the support letting me know that you are out there. Thanks for sticking with me even when it was a little bumpy at first as I was finding my path. Appreciation flows from me to you! With sincerity, Thanks you!

Julie's #6: How has blogging helped you?

I cannot even put into words how it feels to know that I am connecting with other people. I love the community that is evolving through blogging. I feel like I am making connections with people who I would otherwise never have had the honor of meeting. I love how the support I get can be something that can be given back to them. I have grown so much through blogging. I love how blogging tilts the camera to the left and makes the world see that beauty, style, and fashion can come in any size, age, or color. I look to bloggers for inspiration now as my number one go to instead of the fashion industry and that is a HUGE pendulum swing. Self value can be placed on self, instead of the industries version. LOVE IT!