It was an exceptional summer. A time of many firsts. This whole blogging thing has set me on a new path and new paths tend to do that…send you on a lot of new adventures.
It all started back last Fall when I felt God calling me to blog here at Hunt & Host. He provided thoughts, ideas, cheerleaders, prayer partners and funds.
Yes funds.
The Home Depot DIY Hall of Famers!
Funds to start up this blog and to pay for not one, but TWO blogging conferences. Haven Conference and She Speaks rounded out my summer this year.
If you don’t blog and are reading this you might feel like checking out, but please don’t. These bloggy lessons are life lessons.
So here are a few things I learned through my new adventures….
ONE:
You have to put yourself out there.
Miss Mustard Seed’s Marian Parsons and The Inspired Room’s Melissa Michaels.
As conferences approached I found myself feeling like an anxious middle scholar scared of the playground bully, or even worse, a raging pack of mean girls. What if no one liked me? What if no one talked to me? What if I had to sit at the lunch table by myself? These were real thoughts people!
So I reached out in the Facebook groups that had formed online. And I said how I felt. And I wasn’t alone. And I had friends before I even stepped foot in the hotels. And we are still friends.
Truth…combined attendance of about 1200 woman and I didn’t have a single negative encounter.
So if this fear is holding you back from attending something, conference or otherwise, please trust me…if you put yourself out there it will be ok. Better than ok. It will be amazing.
Two:
Loose the schedule now and then.
Both conferences had tight schedules, jam packed with interesting session topics to choose from. I had my schedule printed and ready. I pre-planned when and where to meet my new friends. I was organized, out of total fear.
You know what some of the best moments were? The unscripted ones. The time I got separated from my pack and sat with a new group of ladies at breakfast, or the time when a small group adopted me in paint class. Then there were the sessions I went to for fun instead of business like I had planned. Living off the grid for a bit can be such a blessing. I need to try it more often, you miss the good stuff when you’re overscheduled.
I highly recommend this tip.
Three:
Be Authentic. Be You.
Sounds simple enough right?
It’s not!
This world is filled with comparison and as nice as every single person was I still found the weight of what other’s were doing breathing down my neck at times. “She posts to Facebook 15 times a day and has 1 million followers. So and so only posts twice, doesn’t follow anyone and has 2 million followers.” “Her outfit is so hip and mine is so grandma” “She tells funny jokes and I am so boring” Looking around at what other’s have going on can be good in moderation for inspiration, but what works for them might not work for you.
Guess what?
Your blog readers, friends or colleagues can sniff out a fake a mile away. Not to mention the enormous task of trying to keep up a rouse that isn’t true to you. All the classes emphasized this important point. You are who God made you to be…take it an run.
Four:
There is no magic pill.
Confession time. I really expected to come home with a raging to do list that would need to be complete yesterday. You know what really happened?
Misti and I. Awestruck by the fabulous Lysa Terkurst of Proverbs 31 Ministry
I relaxed.
Calmed down and took a breath.
Rheem water goddesses
After peeking behind the big green curtain in Oz I learned there is no magic pill. While I learned some incredible tips, made important business connections and lifelong friendships this might be the biggest light bulb moment. There is nothing that will make a million people follow this blog tomorrow, there is nothing that will make people like me better (except following tip number three above), there is nothing I can do in my own strength more than I’m already doing. We are all just chugging along, doing our best and the rest is up to God. He will bring the rain when he determines and blessings in His time.
And that makes me chill out and enjoy the ride.
Crazy I had to travel halfway cross country to learn this, but I did. I had to see for myself what everyone else was doing to know that they aren’t doing magic tricks behind closed doors.
I hope my lessons encourage you to step out in faith onto whatever path you’re called. You will likely find the lessons waiting for you aren’t what you thought they’d be.
Check out some of my friends blog here. The list is incomplete, but I tried to cover the friends in the pictures you see here!
Lanissa – Becoming
Moen fun
I’m in love with Amy Howard, her book, her paints, her.
Yvonne of Stone Gable Blog and Laura Jo of Wildwood Vale
Lazy Boy…Suits made from color swatches
Kim, it was such a treat to meet you at Haven! I completely agree with everything you wrote. I came home all fired up, then felt overwhelmed, and then got real with myself. Success doesn’t come overnight, and my life is already significantly richer than it was before I started blogging. I’ve met so many wonderful people and have made lots of progress in decorating our family home. Not too shabby, even if I don’t have millions of people watching me do it. Looking forward to connecting again soon, either virtually or in person!
I feel the same Sharon – hope we get to hang out again soon!!! This whole thing has been such a wonderful experience for me as well. It’s an exciting way to make new friends!
You summarized Haven perfectly! I love your insight, honesty, and encouragement. You are amazing!
How much fun! I seriously had no clue you had only been blogging since last fall. I have felt a lot of stress at times during the past year of blogging but it’s the times when I have chilled out and stopped worrying about things that a post will develop and it truly bleeds from my heart and I know that is what I really want to be sharing anyway. I personally love your blog and feel you definitely portray your “real” self.
Thanks Shelly, I am so glad you think that! It can get stressful, but is meant to be a cathartic way to share. I think you do a beautiful job and love reading your heart on paper 🙂
You said it perfectly my friend! It doesn’t happen over night and we just need to relax and enjoy the ride! So thankful to have met you and to share this similar journey together! I can’t wait to see what God has in store for us 🙂
So fun! I so want to do one of these soon – trying to make the budget let it happen….but I totally would have been nervous too – thanks for the encouragement and for showing me how much fun I can have!
I understand the budget…People are so willing to room together, share cabs and things like that so just know that!!! You can make it work…and you should. It is an incredible time.
Thanks for this! I’ve been contemplating attending a blogging conference for years. Even had tickets last fall but had to cancel due to my daughter’s school play. Thanks for the wonderful pictures and honest emotions you shared!
I hope you will go! You won’t be disappointed. It really is a chance to meet others, learn and grow. Let me know if you go in case I am going to…we can meet!
Sounds like it was a great conference. I would love to go to one sometime!!! I have been looking for blogging groups on Facebook, but I can’t seem to find any. Could you please lead me to a few? Thanks! Linking up with the Friday Link up posts.
I will email you some ideas! Glad you stopped by!
God is my running mate and has been for a long time. SO happy you had a good time. I need some ideas as to the blogging as well. I know how you felt when you said you were scared cause I am. But its due to my age. I think blogging is ageless though. I just need something to tie me over for a while. so this could be it. I have tried this in past but could not find any sites worth while so maybe it was faith that I happened upon this site! I do not believe everything that happens just happens I think God put there…
So glad you stumbled across the blog, blogging has been a lot of fun for me, I have really enjoyed getting my creative juices flowing and having an accountability source of sorts. Best of luck to you and your adventure! Let me know if you start a blog!
this is great! makes me want to go to a blogging conference!!glad you had so much fun
It was fun! Such nice people and good to be among people who do what you do!
Kim, I LOVE your summary blog. So thrilled we have connected through SheSpeaks-and Lisa Ann’s fabulous FaceBook group! How fabulous to know folks before we even arrived. Seriously brilliant! Thanks for sharing here. Hugs. Susan
The connections made were really my favorite! It is so nice to know people who get you and do what yo do!
Looks like you had a great time! I wish we had blogging conferences near where I am but no luck – for now… I would be like you though – feeling like a school girl on the first day and comparing myself to others, so good on you for meeting those challenges (and lies) head on. Visiting from Shine Blog Hop
Isn’t it silly how we do that? And so un-necessary! So glad you came by
Kim- I want to tell you how much your Facebook message to me before the conference reaching out to sit by me during the conference. I was SO nervous attending She Speaks and you were the first person to show me that God wanted me there. You are the sweetest! I wish we had more time to hang out. I loved this post and I love following your blog! Blessing to you, friend!!
Thanks Becki…I know the conference was so busy, wish we had more time to chat. You are insanely talented and I love your precious shop and blog. Glad to be on this journey together friend!