As I was starting my blog back in July, DH2U asked me what would be my definition of success. My answer was almost instantaneous: Someone I didn’t know in real life reading it. Well, by that definition I was a success with my first post!
I really hadn’t thought about “success” in a while, when all of a sudden I woke up yesterday morning to find out that I’d been chosen for a blog award! The nomination (and thus the award) was from Barbara at The Empty Nest Mom, where I often spend time and appreciate her travels, the yummy recipes, her social consciousness, and her journey through the next phase in her life.
About the award:
Liebster is German for sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kindly, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing and welcome. The Liebster Blog Award is given to up and coming bloggers who have less than 200 daily followers. Basically it is paying forward the recognition by in turn recognizing five others… a chain letter only without any expectations of money and only praise (and link love!) instead of threats of misfortune. I’m in!
I hope you will all check out my fellow up and coming bloggers who I absolutely adore:
1. Charlie Hudson. I first discovered Charlie’s blog (Living Forward, Looking Back – What an awesome title!) when she had a post about her son’s decision to become a professional dancer. I had never thought of the career choice from the parent’s perspective. Her blog is like sitting down to chat with an old friend and covers all sorts of topics.
2. Leslie Pearl. I’ve known Leslie for years. As her son graduated from high school, she had an option to follow her dream, and she went for it. She is now living in New York City, and she blogs about rooftop gardens (Looking up with Leslie). I’m amazed at the opportunities she has created for herself, all the beautiful sites, and the interesting people she has met. I’ve gained a whole new admiration for her since starting to read her blog.
3. Michelle Garrett. Anyone that has known me for more than 10 minutes knows that I spent some time as an Ex-Pat in England. Michelle is living that life now and blogging about it on The American Resident. Recent posts include her family’s attempt to be self-sufficient (chickens and all!) – The Good Life in real life! My first exposure to her blog was her discussion of corn bread, which I introduced to my British friends while I was there as well.
4. Nancy Davis. Nancy writes “a blog about hope and the pursuit of happiness”. She had me at hello. Her recent posts include a discussion of attending her high school reunion, the definition of success, and the kindness of others. So often my comments to her blog start with “I was just thinking about this” or “I could have written this post”.
and 5. Pea. Simple Humble is the blog I go to when I need my zen moment. Pea definitely lives up to her blog’s tag line: Beautiful. Simple. Things… Notes on Modern Simplicity. The issues she discusses – Focusing on What Really Matters and Think Tank (numerous photos of serene rooms) – resonate with where I am in my life right now.
Grown Up, Now What? 
How very kind of you to include me here!!
And how exciting to have new recommended blogs to check out. Now I’m off to click on a few links…!
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Michelle,
Thank you for having such a fun blog to read! Enjoy discovering some new blogs! 🙂
Tammy
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Michelle is quite right, how kind and unbelievably thoughtful of you. Blogging is such a gift isn’t it? Both reading other blogs and writing one’s own is endless fun and lots of little nuggets of knowledge nourishment. We are such lucky people to be able to experience the power of the internet to connect with others.
And of course the ripple of joy continues with your selfless act as I now have a few more blogs to discover!
Thank you for my inclusion, it’s much appreciated and I rather like your definition of success too.
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Pea, I like causing positive ripples … and benefiting from those of others.
When I started my blog just six months ago, I had no idea what I was getting into. I am amazed at how wonderful and supportive the blogging community has been to me, giving hints and advice when needed.
Tammy
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My definition of success? Hmm it seemed so easy to answer but i find i’m struggling. Success is where i am doing something that makes me come alive everyday. And success is also having a good family life.
thanks for sharing these other blogs. i hadn’t heard of any of them but will check them out.
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Annie,
Thank you for stopping by! Success does sound like it should be easy to define, but you are right, it isn’t. I’d like to think it is like what Chief Justice Stewart said when creating his threshold test for pornography: “I’ll know it when I see it.” But so often we don’t get to basque in our success when we’re in it because we don’t know we had it until it is gone.
I do like the aspects of success you described. Doing something that is vitalizing is an essential element for me as well. Now if I could only figure out what that is! 🙂
Tammy
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Good for you, girl! I’m just getting into the whole blog thing and can’t believe that I like it this much. Thinking about starting one that is just me blogging, but I’m just not sure I have the time. Gonna chew on the idea for a while.
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Thank you! Blogging is definitely time consuming. If you want to start a “just you blogging” site, I’d recommend that you have a bunch of posts pre-written before you launch. It really helps your sanity if you are trying to maintain a regular posting schedule (which helps draw and keep readers). You have a wonderful writing style. If you build it, I will come. 🙂
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Thanks for the suggestions Tammy. New places and people to check out. A nice thing about the Liebster is the chance to pay if forward. And thank you for your kind words above. Congratulations!
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