I’ve got to say, this is not where I expected to be a year ago. It was one year ago today that I came up with the name and concept for Family, Love and Other Stuff. It was the day I started moving in the right direction. It was a decision that has really changed my life. It has changed the way I see the world around me, the way I feel about the world around me.
I didn’t start out knowing anything about blogging. I knew that I wanted to write about life and wanted to share my stories, but beyond my desk I had no idea how far this blog would go (and is still going).
There are thousands of bloggers in the web-universe, why would you want to do that?
Easy answer. I needed an outlet for things I was feeling, doing, wanting to do and this was the outlet I chose. Basically, I was writing for myself and I honestly didn’t realize how big this blog would get.
After writing some blog posts, I joined a few group giveaways. Those went well, so I added my own giveaways. Then, companies wanted me to review their products, so I did. After reviewing the items, I hosted some giveaways to go along with the reviews. I did this for a few months and built a small following, but then I found some awesome bloggers and I joined Mission Giveaway.
Mission Giveaway fulfilled two needs for me, the need to help others and the need to work with influential people. Check and Check. Mission Giveaway hosts weekly giveaways in which the sponsor provides two prizes, one for the winner and one that the winner can share or pay it forward. This is a great concept. Through this group I connected with some amazing bloggers, especially the one who has become my mentor. A huge thank you to Dawn of Blogging Mom of 4! She taught me the ins and outs of blogging and what I need to be doing as well as how to focus on reaching my goals.
It has been an amazing year of learning, growing and stretching myself.
What are my blogging plans over the next year? I’ve got lots of ideas. I’m going to work on being more organized, both my home and my blog. I’m going to continue working behind the scenes managing other blogs, as well as my own. I will continue to be honest with my readers about my life, my plans and how I’m feeling.
What do I expect from my readers? Let me know how you feel, let me know if there is something you want to see on the blog. I’m flexible, honest and someone with a positive outlook. I don’t expect all of you to feel the same, but you are more than welcome to come join me on my chaos-filled ride. Thanks for making it a great year!
