I slept in this morning. Two long days this week, back to back, and I was tired.
So I allowed myself to continue sleeping even when my mind said, “It’s time to get up!”
I feel refreshed. Rested. Excited about my day.
It’s all about giving myself medicine first — and for me, that begins with giving myself permission to not listen to my head when it is urging me to get going, get up, and instead, to go with what my body is telling me — to rest, refresh, restore.
Even in listening to my body, however, my thinking mind still wants to jump in and say, “C’mon. You shouldn’t be tired. So what if those were 12 hour days with lots of prep work and lots of personal interactions with strangers. You shouldn’t be tired.”
Actually, what it’s really saying is, “you don’t have the right to be tired.”
My mind thinks I should be super woman.
My body knows better.
It isn’t the length of the days that was tiring. It was the personal interaction. The talking to strangers. The ‘being on’ and while I am authentically interested in connecting to people, hearing what they have to say, learning their stories and listening to their perspectives, I find myself in need of a great deal of quiet time when I’m done, especially as I’m not done yet — with the personal interactions and connecting to people.
That work is never done — and this week, on Saturday, I am off to a Women’s conference to be the keynote speaker and to present an hour-long workshop on…. blogging!
So…. here’s where you can play a part in my presentation — Pretty please.
For those of you who blog, the question is.
What makes blogging? Why do you do it?
And for those of you who don’t blog but read them… the question is still “what makes blogging great?” and: What do you like/get/find worthwhile about reading blogs?
What I plan on doing in my presentation is to present some of your answers — with your first name or online name or whatever name you tell me you’d like to be recognized as — to provide my audience a big picture of bloggers and blog readers that speaks to our diversity and geographic location and in particular, our inspiration.
If you read here on WordPress, feel free to leave your response in the Comments section — pretty please. 🙂
If you read on Facebook — please just fill in the reply box and send away! Pretty please. 🙂
And, if you’d prefer to simply send me an email, please do — louise[at]louisegallagher.ca
Pretty please and thank you!
And to answer my own questions — I started reading blogs firsts. Sometime in 2006 a friend send me a link to Mark is Musing. I started following Mark’s blog and then, inspired by Mark’s commitment to the craft of writing, I started my first blog in March of 2007 — “Recover Your Joy“. My original intent was to keep myself writing daily. Now, with eight years under my belt of daily blogging, it’s about keeping myself balanced, centered. As my eldest daughter, Alexis, said when she was writing her daily blog, How I survived myself” for a year, it’s a form of meditation.”
And it is. A form of meditation. I write free-flow. I don’t generally pre-plan my blogs. I don’t have a pre-determined message. I simply trust in the process and allow the words and ideas to flow. I have about 45 minutes every morning that I allot to blog writing. And then, mostly in the evenings, I will visit blogs I follow — I’d like to do more of that but some days there simply isn’t time (like this week). I love to learn from others. To be a part of their life experiences. To read their stories and be inspired by how their lives are unfolding and the things they do to make a difference in the world.
Bloggers are another form of community — and I love community.
So… that’s it. If you’re willing to participate. Thank you.
Your presence here is wonderful participation, connection, everyday — I love our community of spirited living!
Blessings to all. May your day be filled with moments so tender your breath escapes your body with a sigh of delight as your heart softens into Love.
Namaste.
Dare Boldly 
I started reading blogs end of 2011 at one of the darkest times of my life. It has saved me from so many things. It gave me freedom, connections, friendship. It helped me feel understood and less lonely. It was and still is great!
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Nikky, I remember ‘meeting’ you back then. I am in awe of your healing journey. And while I don’t smoke, as they say in the Virginnia Slims ads, ‘you’ve come a long way’. Hugs.
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I had the idea to blog a few years ago. A friend of mine has a food blog and I was intrigued. I felt it would give me a forum to share my opinions and also some discipline in writing. It’s much more! A community around the world, meeting “friends” virtually and in person, and a fun way to share not only opinions but tidbits from family life, musings and passions. I began reading other blogs when I started blogging to find like-minded bloggers and now usually try to read the ones I follow and haven’t pursued growing my own community that much as it takes so much time. That it in a nutshell. I must add that helping my 84 year old mother blog has been rewarding for me and her– she seems to forget her daily aches and pains and has taken great pride in sharing her stories. She is so happy when she gets comments– I see writing as a great healer for all ages. Good luck with your talk! xo
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I have read your mother’s blog Lisa — and it is inspiring. While age should not make a difference, I think that the fact that at 84 she is so engaged, and engaging, is inspiring for all of us!
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geez louise …. thanks for the plug … but you used the wrong address for a link! … should be: http://markmusing.com
nice post .. keep up the good work
Cheers,
Mark
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Fixed it Mark! And thanks again for the inspiration.
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I started bloggin because I found myself repeating the smae things to all my clients, and I figured the same things could help many others who didn’t see me one on one. Stories help other people and that’s what I wanted to do. I read blogs to get support and ideas for my own blog. After three years of it, I created a community and I feel like I know the other bloggers well. Like tons of sisters out there.
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Yup. I agree Jodi — ‘tons of sisters out there.’ Which is one of the most amazing and rewarding parts of blogging. And stories do help people — and when we connect through our stories, profound shifts happen. Thank you Jodi for always inspiring me to dig deep and share from my heart.
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So … I notice you take your critter to bed. (love that post … 🙂
I too love the sense of community when you find like minded people who share their life experiences; their thoughts on a wide range of topics; inspiring words and amazing visuals; and humor!!
They inspire me to express myself in the same way.
In my yoga teacher training I came to see that my dharma or purpose in life is to learn, grow and share with others. Its is my way of serving. Blogging sits well in this space 🙂
Its a place for me to share what I have learned in the hope of serving others in some way, while I continue to learn and grow.
Thank you for asking the question Louise and sharing from your heart.
Val x
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Haha — yup. The critter is a pervasive kinda’ guy Val — 🙂
One of the many things I love about your blog Val is that you blend the yoga teachings into everyday, in everyway. Your words are not only beautiful, they are helpful and uplifting — a wonderful gift!
And thank you for always sharing from your heart Val — I think it’s one of the things I love about this space — we get to share and connect, heart to heart.
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I started blogging because you suggested it Louise! I keep blogging because 1. I love writing and 2. I love building community. It fits with my vision and mission as stated on my blog http://talktodiana.wordpress.com/ . And I have met the most awesome community here in the blogosphere! I learn so much from others’ blogs and the comments left on my posts. ❤
I love that your speaking about blogging – I wish you success and lots of fun!
Diana xo
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I remember that conversation Diana! And what I love is that you have not only started the one blog — you’ve started another one too — and you keep blogging because you love it! Yeah! Because I love reading your blog!
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❤
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Isn’t it great how we’re all here to be a part of a community…..but also, something greater. We share a love of the Truth….and we honor each individual expression of that Truth. I’m so thankful for all of my blogging buddies around the world. No boundaries, no expectations, no dogma, just LOVE.
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So true Willow Hill — it is something greater that we share — Truth. I also believe that along with the ‘no boundaries, no expectations, no dogma, just LOVE’ (great line) is the fact we share beauty. Our words. Our thoughts. Our feelings. Our beauty. Such a gift. Hugs
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Thank you everyone for responding. I am so excited to share your words tomorrow. I feel so blessed to be in community and communion with all of you! Blessings on your day.
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I started blogging to help others (and myself) to find inspiration in life. I wanted to reach out and touch others’ lives and to connect as I have always loved connecting with people. What I’ve gained from blogging far outweighs my grandest imagination as I’ve connected with so many inspiring people like you Louise ~ I’ve learned so much and I’ve been blessed with friendships from around the world. I love to watch how others shine and I hope I shine for them as well. My blog is https://www.misifusa.wordpress.com ~ blog named Misifusa’s Blog ~ The Presents of Presence and I am Yvonne.
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I love that we have connected in this space, and thus in our hearts, Yvonne. I love that your words and images are always so inspiring, uplifting and affirming of our shared human condition — and I truly appreciate that you share yourself so joyously and freely. And yes, you shine! You shine for all the world to see how brilliant we are when we let go of our fear of our own light and let it shine. Shine on my friend! Thank you for shining in!
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Big hugs to you Louise as always ~ I am grateful for our friendship xoxo Shine On yourself sweet star! ♥
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After a personal crisis I started a journal and then began to blog excerpts from my journal. My initial intention was to write only positive messages. However, as I wrote l found myself ‘letting go’ of some of my pain. Therefore my confidence grew and I started writing about some of the more difficult bits. It was then blogging became my true life-line. It has helped me transform my own trauma into something positive as it has enabled me to reach out to others for my own healing journey. Yet at the same time I have come to realise it also provides some comfort and support to others in their own pain and trauma.
The overall message of support I received and would also in turn hope to give is ‘You are not alone.”
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Thank you Elizabeth — I think for me that is one of the most valuable and important aspects of blogging, particularly when we share our stories — that we are not alone. There is hope.
I love how you develop one thought into a beautiful treatise on healing — very powerful. Thanks my friend.
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Haha! I suppose I answered your blogging question without even meaning to in my comment to your lates post! 🙂
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First my apologies for missing the Saturday timeframe! I hop the talk went great!
For me there were two original reasons to blog. The main one was highly self serving and that was to establish a personal presence on the web that would support my impending launch as an independent coach and consultant. While that has some pull still it has faded a lot.
The second reason when I started was that I learned that there is something cathartic about fully expressing oneself, and blogging provides that opportunity.
I’m a weekly blogger and 85 posts in I now know something more valuable to me about the craft. It gives me a space where I harden my thoughts into learnings, and I therefore help myself hone how I want to show up in the world.
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