Honored And Inspired

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I was so surprised to get a note from Adina at Mrs. AOK saying she was nominating me for a Very Inspiring Blogger Award. My first thought was who, me? I haven’t even hit my one year blog anniversary yet! I feel like I am constantly learning so much…I’m a work in progress. But this totally made my day! Thank you, Adina, for including me in your group! I can’t even begin to tell you how honored I am!

I started blogging last fall after I was laid off from a job I really liked…a job that allowed me to work from home and one that I poured my heart and soul into. It was a change in direction that caused the layoffs. But I thought about my life, and my skills, and decided this was the direction I wanted to go. I’ve been an entrepreneur for most of my working life…and I don’t mind change. I was comfortable re-inventing my career path, because I’ve done it before. So here I am.  I love the community of bloggers I have met in my tiny little corner of the internet. I feel quite blessed!

As Adina explained it, there are rules with awards, and the first one is I need to tell you all 7 Things About Myself. These are in completely random order. I actually asked my kids for help too!

1. I have OCD. That stands for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. It drives me nuts. I’ve had it since I was a kid, and it’s the worst when I am stressed out. I used to drive my college roommates crazy, but we’re still close 20 + (+) years later, so that just goes to show you how great they are. It actually got quite a bit better after the birth of my children. I was on medication for it in college but that scared the crap out of me, so I just deal with it now.

2. I cannot step foot in an animal shelter without bringing home more furry family members. Our family has 4 cats and 3 dogs. Needless to say, this is why I have to stay away.

3. I wanted to be a journalist all through high school, but instead went to business school and got a marketing degree. I feel like I have come full circle now that I am blogging because I have the best of both worlds!

4. I seem to always have a hectic schedule. I wouldn’t know what to do with myself if I had free time planned into my day. I need to work on this.

5. When I am talking, my brain is often ahead of me. Sometimes if I am really excited about something, I’ll start explaining my idea to my husband but then I think of something new that I am excited about, and I switch topics on him mid sentence. I only do this when I have a great brainstorm, but it drives him nuts! I don’t even know I am doing it until he calls me on it. It’s the passion in me!

6. I’m caring. I asked my youngest son what was the first thing that came to mind when he thought about how to describe me and this is what he said. My heart just melted!

7. I worry too much. This was my oldest son’s contribution, and it is very true!

The other rules say to nominate 15 bloggers, but I’m giving you 9 instead. There are a ton of blogs that I love, but these 9 stood out in my mind as inspirational to me. And I am going to tell you why! I hope you enjoy their blogs as much as I do!

For those of you that I am nominating, feel free to stick to the rules and nominate 15. (Or not). And without further ado, here they are (in no particular order):

Ilene at Fierce Diva Guide to Life Ilene has a way of writing that is simply magical. She helps you through your inner struggles; she makes you feel like you’re not alone. It’s not often that you come across someone who can inspire you the way Ilene can. Reading her stories will give you perspective and strength to handle life’s challenges to the best of your ability!

Chris from The Mom Cafe When you read Chris’ blog posts, you feel so uplifted…her stories inspire you to want to become a better person! It’s hard for me to explain, but when you read her posts, you will understand…I promise!

Joi at RX Fitness Lady Joi’s blog is all about fitness and healthy living (with some great social media tips thrown in!). Certainly that’s inspiring, but the biggest thing that inspires me about Joi is how much she gives back to the community around her!

Nellie at Brooklyn Active Mama Nellie never ceases to amaze me at how she juggles family, career, fitness and manages to still be up on the latest and greatest. She truly is a supermom!

Kim from Co-Pilot Mom Kim inspires me to be a better parent. If you read her About Page, she believes that motherhood is a balance between staying close to your children, while at the same time letting them stretch their wings so that they can gain confidence for that day when they fly off on their own. You will love her beautiful storytelling!

Ashlee from MomChalant Ashlee was 19 when she found out she was pregnant. She has an adorable son, and she writes about young motherhood and the struggles she’s faced. Honestly, she is an inspiration to moms of any age anywhere! I’m very glad to know her!

Leah from Raising Flowers and Skids Let me just say I think Leah is amazing. She has a blended family, and she has such a wonderful perspective on parenting. Leah has worked to create her own white picket fence and garden (you have to read this post!), and she is an awesome mom and stepmom! I am in awe of her!

Jennifer from Another Jennifer One of the things I love about Jennifer’s blog is her Philanthropy Fridays. She encourages people to give back, and I feel strongly about that as well. I enjoy reading about all the programs she highlights. Plus she loves bacon…another thing I have in common with her!

Eli from Coach Daddy Not only will you laugh out loud when you read Eli’s blog posts, but his messages will also resonate with you. He often writes about soccer and his experiences as a coach, and this is a subject that is very much a part of our family’s life. Let’s just say Eli is the kind of coach you want your kids to have.

Now just because I nominated you, you don’t have to feel obligated to join in. (But if you do, and I hope you will, please share your post with me!) The most important thing here is I wanted to share with you why you are inspiring to me and how much I appreciate your friendship!