Monday 9 April 2012

Kidspot Ford Territory Top 50 - Feel the Difference

 
If you haven't heard me excitedly babbling on about this by now, please let me fill you in - I was incredibly lucky to be listed along with 49 other most fabulous blogs as part of the Kidspot / Ford Territory Top 50 Bloggers. I am still seriously pinching myself and half expecting someone to tell me it was all a mistake.

As part of the Kidspot Top 50 Bloggers Competition, we have been asked to write about our journey into blogging and what sets you apart from other bloggers. This seems like a simple enough request and yet I have sat down at my computer no less than 10 times to write this post and I walk away in frustration at my inability to complete this task.


I have had serious words with my brain, my hands and I have even taken my frustrations out on my poor old computer as I blame it for my Sahara syndrome (complete lack of words).

The first part of the question - How did my journey begin?, is really quite simple. The second part about what sets me apart from other bloggers?....hmmmm not so much.

I would love to tell you some poetic story about the beginning of my blogging journey, but that would not be true. The truth is this - One night after a BBQ at our house with friends, I settled down in front of my computer with a Vodka and lime in hand, to read one of my favourite blogs, I Heart Organizing. Whilst I was nosing around clicking on this and that, I stumbled upon two words at the top of the page. Two simple words that would from that day forward would change my life..... "Create Blog".

"Hell yeah" I said with Vodka enhanced enthusiasm and before I knew it I was clicking and tapping and excitedly creating myself my own little Blog. I had no idea what I was doing or how my actions that night would totally lead me down a path that I was not even aware existed in my life's road map.

And so I sat for the next week on my little blog secret. I wrote no words on my nameless blog, I just pondered.... What do I have to say?

A few days later I found myself in a completely mortifying situation when I was sprung pretending to talk into my mobile phone to avoid talking to an old teacher. I was in my favourite homewares shop, with people around me and my phone rang in my ear ..... as I was *ahem* 'Talking' to someone on the said phone. You can read about the debacle here it is my very first blog post.

I went home humiliated and so devastated at the thought I could never go back into my favourite shop and face everyone again. I was angry at myself for yet another embarrassing situation I had single hand-idly created.

However that night I sat with my husband and I relayed my day's humiliating story and we laughed. We spilt tears upon tears of hysterical laughter and in a single moment of clarity just like that, I found my angle, my story, my voice. There was no angels singing or Hallelujah chorus playing, but if my life was a movie I would totally have that. Nope, it was more a quiet realisation that it would be the hiccups and the funny moments in life that we all have, that would fill the pages of my little piece of the interweb. At that moment I realised that life is too short to be anonymous and it is here on my blog where I want to cry with you, laugh with you and embrace those hiccups in life.

And so my journey began and that one night of one too many Vodkas and one too many clicks on my computer, turned into one of the most wonderful journeys life has led me on yet.

And so what makes me different to other bloggers?

Honestly my answer to that is I am NOT uniquely different in the big picture. We are all different, but somehow the same - if that makes sense. We are all putting ourselves out there to the world, we are opening up our lives, our adventures, our heartaches and our triumphs.

My story, my life, my blog, it is different in the way that everyone knows how to make Spaghetti Bolognese, but everyone's Spaghetti tastes just a little bit different to the next. Yes I just likened myself to a bowl full of Spaghetti *head smack*.

My point is though, we all have a voice that in reality just wants to be heard. Some speak quietly, with soft words and small voices, others are louder and more confident with volume. Some of us want our voice to blend with the voices around us, whilst others of us want our voice to lead the way. All these voices are worthy and what unites us and makes us the same rather than different is at the end of the day, we all have a story and that story deserves to be told.

I am totally comfortable with not being different. For years as a child, the scars on my legs made me feel uncomfortably different, so being different is not really something I actively chase these days. I am comfortable with the volume of my voice. I'm completely OK with being the clumsy goof that I am and I know I am way too excitable to be considered cool. I'll shout when I need to as much as I will sit back and listen to others speak as well. I am who I am and blogging has helped me to accept it, embrace it and love who I wake up as every day.

I liken my blog to my own little back deck, a place where I welcome you into my life. I'll walk you past the photos on my walls, distract you from the laundry piled up on the floor and I'll proudly open my pantry door to show you I have managed to still keep it neat and organised. I'll share with you a Vodka or a cuppa or whatever floats your boat whilst we enjoy a bit of time together in each others company. And like the most comfortable of friendships we can just sit and relax and share in each others lives. You can hand me the tissues when I am blubbering and I'll fill your glass to celebrate your success. This little back deck is always open for visitors, it is not dictated to by time or distance. It may be small, but every voice that visits can be assured they will be heard.

I never started blogging to win competitions, but through blogging I have had the most amazing experiences. I have been welcomed into the most awesome community I never knew existed. I have been places and met the most wonderful people and if my story encourages just one more person to click on that Create Blog button and join our community, then I am one happy gal.

I am going to hit publish on this post now and turn my journey over to the universe to lead me where it desires. If I do not end up on a plane to New York that is quite OK because I have all the validation I need in my blogging journey from you...my readers. Every time you comment on a post, or you send me an email sharing a minute of your own life with me, I am a winner and every moment of time you give me and my little place in the interweb by reading and interacting with me, is the biggest prize I could ever hope to win.

There are 50 Fabulous blogs listed on the Kidspot Top 50 List and YOU can win $5000 Bucks by supporting and voting for your favourites. This totally excites me as NO blog can exist without you the readers, and no one deserves to win a prize for the part you play in our journey more than you. 

So vote away my friends and Good Luck, and if you do happen to give me a vote, I sincerely thank you and if you don't that's OK too, just promise me you will come back and spend some more time with me on my little back deck.