believing in yourself

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I recently signed up for Jess and Blair's Blogging for Keeps service (which, by the way, I love and if you're a blogger, definitely sign up). Every Friday, they send out a "coffee talk" email, discussing various subjects. Two weeks ago, it was on confidence in yourself and your blog, and y'all, did this hit close to home for me. I was reading it and thinking to myself "oh my gosh this is 100% me." I would say in general I'm a pretty confident person. But when it comes to my blog, that confidence just isn't there. I love this line of the email: "We hold ourselves back from accomplishing our own dreams because we tell ourselves we aren't good enough." Isn't that the sad truth?! If I am not my biggest cheerleader, how am I ever going to succeed in anything, especially this blog? 

I've had Love This Life for some odd 8 years and to be completely honest, I don't think I've ever really owned up to it. It's sad to say, but I have been almost embarrassed to say I have a blog. And why?! There are literally hundreds of thousands of bloggers out there who completely own what they do. I admire so many women in this space - successful, smart, talented women - many living off their blog, or in new careers because of it. It's a lot harder than it looks, honestly. Being a blogger requires so much - understanding SEO and coding, planning and keeping a content calendar and coming up with fresh, new ideas, writing, photography, etc. etc. That's so much, like literally four different careers rolled up into one! So if being a blogger is so bad-ass, why do I shy away from claiming to be one?

I think a lot of my hesitation comes from that evil comparison game - comparing my follower count and my content and my outfits and my posts to others. It's actually exhausting and does absolutely nothing for me and my confidence. The worst thing is, I'm comparing myself to women who have been blogging and running it as a business for years. I look at Julia from Gal Meets Glam and wow, has she established herself and her blog. But if you look at some of her earliest posts, they aren't anything special. They are actually a lot like my early posts. It's just that she has believed in herself and her blog and has taken that belief and created this beautiful, successful site, with a lot, a lot of hard work.

Bottom line: I need to be confident in what I'm doing with this blog. Sure, it is pretty weird explaining to others outside this space that I take photos of what I'm wearing, but ultimately I'm doing it because it's something I enjoy and love - along with sharing recipes and what I've found online shopping and my travel adventures. The only way this blog will ever succeed and grow to what I want it to be is for me to believe in myself, this creative space. Thank you to everyone who has stayed with me on this blogging journey. It's time for me to have complete confidence that I am good enough. :)

BACK TO BLOGGING

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Wow, it has been quite some time since I've even logged into my blogger account, let alone drafted and published a post. Why the silence? Well, two reasons. I couldn't find my computer charger despite thinking I knew where it was, so I finally ordered one from Amazon. Except when that arrived, there was a little twist in my family's life.

Almost 6 weeks ago now, I got a text from my mom while I was at work that my sister's NYC apartment was on fire. She was safe since she was at work, but immediately I started freaking out when I started watching videos online and checking Twitter. Of all the people and all the apartments in New York, it was my sister and her apartment building in the East Village explosion late March. She and her roommates, and two other buildings of people lost absolutely everything.

Needless to say, blogging wasn't exactly a priority from that point on. My focus was on Jane and making sure that she was going to get back on her feet as quickly and smoothly as possible. Writing posts about fun summer clothes or coffee table books just seemed so unimportant and insensitive when Jane had pretty much nothing and was starting from zero.

It's been a pretty emotional whirlwind for my family, and even more so for Jane, of course. I mean, what are the chances? And the feeling of losing everything... it's maddening and overwhelming and I can't imagine. It takes time - especially as a girl - to accumulate the perfect pair of jeans, a great LBD, jewelry, bags, home decor... oh my gosh it's never ending! But in the grand scheme of things, it's not the things that even matter. What matters far, far more are the people in your life, and this was so apparent after the blast. I am so incredibly thankful that blast took place when Jane was at work and not when she was at home in the evening or in the middle of the night. I'm so grateful for the generous love and support she has received from family, friends, and even strangers. It's an understatement to say how blessed and loved she is - and that's what counts at the end of the day.

It's so easy to get caught up in the materialistic world we live in, especially with blogging and social media. Moving forward, I'm still going to write and share plenty about clothing and shoes and jewelry, but I also want to focus on the lifestyle part of this blog as well. Material things are great, but it's also the day to day and people and events in between that make life so special and unique. I can't promise I won't take another blogging hiatus, or that I'll be on here every day, but I hope that what I post is worthwhile and makes you want to continue to read and follow along. Thanks for joining me on this lovely little journey of life.

- xoxo - 

LIEBSTER AWARD

One of my favorite things about blogging is connecting with other bloggers throughout the country. I feel very lucky to be nominated by both Megan of The Things She Sees and Andrew of Between the Highway and Home for the Liebster Award. The award is designed to recognize and promote up-and-coming blogs, and it's completely nominated by bloggers.  I went to college with both Megan and Andrew, and while their blogs could not be more different, they are both fellow Hoosiers and I love that! Check out their blogs - both are amazing and I foresee great things for them.

As part of the Liebster Award, I have a few questions to answer, and then bloggers of my own to nominate. Bear with me and the length of this post - I will try to make it short and sweet!

From Megan: 

1. Where does your blog name come from? Life is too short and too special to not be totally, utterly in love with it. Whether it's a fun new piece of clothing, a delicious recipe, or time spent with family and friends, there is always a little something that makes each day and this life wonderful.
2. What are you passionate outside of blogging? Since moving to Nashville, I have become a huge foodie. I'd like to think that it's not in snobbish way, but I genuinely love trying new restaurants that pop up. Nashville has just exploded, especially in the food scene, in the 2.5 years I've lived here. It's kind of incredible.
3. What do you do for a living?  I work for a local ad agency doing media planning.
4. What is your favorite blog? There are so many that I follow, so it's hard to say. I love Annie Reeves, Turquoise and Teale, Holy City Chic, Sequins and Stripes, and Lemon Stripes. Their content is so digestable and easy to read.
5. Who is your biggest celebrity crush? I'm in season 2 of Friday Night Lights, so naturally Tim Riggins. Dreamboat.
6. Name three dream places you want to visit someday. Italy, Wine Country, Spain
7. What has been your biggest accomplishment so far in the blogging world? Going to the Southern Blog Society conference last year was one of the biggest steps I've taken. I literally knew no one, but it was a great opportunity. I'm really looking forward to this year's in Charleston!!!!
8. Where do you see your blog in 5 years? I don't know if Love This Life will ever take off, but I hope that I continue to inspire the readers who follow me. I have a lot of short term goals that include investing in a nice camera, taking more original photography, etc. I just want to continue having fun.

From Andrew:
1. If you had the opportunity to live in any other time period other than our own, which would it be? I loved the show American Dreams and while the 60s/70s might be cheesy, I think it's so interesting. Or the 20s, but only if I was going to Gatsby's parties.
2. How many generations back can you trace your family? Do you know where your ancestors came from? Yikes, not good at this. My mom's family is from Germany. My dad's family is from Wales... I think.
3. How does where you grow up differ from where you currently live? Ha, well I grew up in Champaign, IL where the University of Illinois is. It's a total college town and I loved it, although now that I'm in Nashville, I can't imagine living in a smaller town. There's always something going on and so many opportunities.
4. If you could have a conversation with any person who is no longer alive (famous or otherwise) who would it be and why? My Grandpa Otto. He passed away in June and now that he's gone, there's so many things I would love to ask him... not even super deep questions, just things like how to invest my money and why he loved the Green Bay Packers so much. The little things, you know?
5. Name one item you own that you know you will still have and still use in ten years. I'm looking around my house... My couch? Maybe?
6. What do you believe to be your best virtue or virtues? I don't know a stranger.
7. If you knew at eighteen years old what you know now, in a single paragraph, what advice would you give? You will do everything exactly how you should, even if it doesn't seem like it. The year after graduating college is the hardest, and no one will tell you that. But you make it through, and it makes you appreciate the years and friends after.
8. Tell your readers the one place in the world that you believe they should visit before they die and why. Chicago. It's a big city, but so clean. And go in the summer.
9. What are you most sentimental about and why? My family. Now that I'm older and we all live a flight or long drive away, I think I appreciate the time we are all together so, so much more.
10. What is the most important thing your father or a relative father-figure taught you? It's not necessarily something that I was taught, but my dad indirectly taught me to be appreciative. I had a conversation with my sister the other day about how lucky and grateful we are that our parents have given us such great lives.
11. Ohio State or Oregon? I'm watching this now. I'm going to go with Ohio State.

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I'm nominating the following bloggers, and here are my questions!

Annie Reeves // Megan Stokes, Holy City Chic // Jen McLaughlin, Comfortably Chic

1. What made you decide to begin blogging?
2. Story behind the name of your blog?
3. 9-5 job if it isn't blogging?
4. Currently binge watching on Netflix?
5. One place you would like to travel in 2015 is (and why)....
6. Favorite season and why?
7. Last meal?
8. Favorite thing about the city where you currently live?'
9. Best gift you've ever given? Received?
10. Go to outfit?
11. Biggest goal for your blog in 2015?