In the world of blogging, I’m considered an old dog. My first post was 9 years ago on November 8, 2006. Sounds and seems like forever ago. Why did I start? Umm, the question really should be why not? I’d somehow stumbled upon reading blogs and after reading one too many aloud to MrTDJ, he suggested I start one. Hmm, me thinks that was a “hushing” tactic but I took his advice anyway. 

I love to write and I love to tell stories. Blogging seemed like a great way to do both. It didn’t matter if anyone ever read a word of what I wrote, getting it “on paper” meant something to me.  I started a blog at blogspot because, duh, all blogs were on blogspot, right?  Not!  I didn’t install a stat counter for years, made a genuine effort to respond directly to every single comment and simple enjoyed getting to know new people.  Most bloggers thought I was a little nutso, and yeah, I was.  I only made the switch from blogspot to wordpress because blogspot seemed to crash too often. Finally, I bought my own domain and hosting because I wanted a “prettier” page.   **smh**   You could say that my blogging has evolved, but….it kinda hasn’t. My life has changed drastically since I began blogging, but not my approach. I believe that I remain, at the core, the same MrsTDJ that first entered cyberspace 9 years ago.

The title of my first post back on 11/8/06? It’s a Little Scary Here in the Blog World. My feelings then are the same as they are now. Every time that I finish writing something, there is a moment of hesitation before I hit the publish button. Unlike many, my hesitation is never in the saying of the stuff. The stuff rolls out as easy as the red carpet before the Oscars. It’s taken me years to understand the hesitation before pushing the button and I finally came up with a mantra that defined it. The pushing of the button is my release.  Allowing my words to float into the universe allows me to breathe deeply and make room for more.

Write. Release. Breathe. Repeat.

When the organizers of the inaugural Femworking Blogger and Small Business Conference asked potential speakers to answer two questions, I didn’t know where to begin. What is the biggest lesson you have learned about blogging since you began, and what would you like to share with other up and coming bloggers.  Wait, I’m up and coming.  Or maybe I’m not.  I’m a vet I suppose.  But…….

Anyway, initially my thoughts turned analytical and I started to make a list of bullet points before realizing that wasn’t me. I write because I have been blessed with the ability to do so. I blog because I can. I share because I am compelled by a higher authority to do so. And through it all, I remain steadfast in my commitment to be authentically ME.

I have family members who read and they’d be sure to call me out if the stuff I wrote wasn’t true. My friends know that the MrsTDJ they read on this page is 100% true to the actual woman. Those that I’ve “met” online and have since met IRL have all commented that they knew just what to expect upon meeting me.  Sounds a little ominous, but they all said I was fabulous and just the person they thought I’d be. Specific persons may or may not have used the word fabulous, but you know what I mean.

I never set my sights on becoming a “well-known” blogger. ‘Cause really, how many of you have been reading me for 9 years? Right!  Very, very few of you.  Clearly, notoriety was never my goal.  If I think back to the early conversations that I had with MrTDJ when I first started blogging, my goals are exactly as they were in the beginning. Write well, be honest, share your silly side, meet new people, read stories from their world and be yourself. Life has a funny way of maturing most of us, even while we kick and scream for it to slow down or pause for a moment.  Didn’t know that I would ever share that our son LittleTDJ has autism spectrum disorder.  How could I not?  Never thought I’d be able to form the words to write something the day after MrTDJ passed away.  My life was in a free fall but my fingers knew what needed to be done.  I was driven and I had to share.  My blogging goals from 2006 remain the same, but with the curves that life has thrown at me, I’ve adjusted a little in how I achieve them.

Write. Release. Breathe. Repeat.

The biggest lesson that I have learned is that words have more power than a word nerd like me ever thought. Writing is my passion, my calling, and undoubtedly my life vest since MrTDJ’s death.  My words are powerful and they make all dreams possible.  I’m proud of everything I’ve ever written here because it was written with honesty. I’ve connected with hundreds (dare I say thousands??) of people via blogging and built a solid community and network of which I am proud. Friendships have formed, perspectives have been shared, and support has been given and taken. The goal of the Femworking – Blogger and Small Business Conference organizers, to inspire, educate, and connect bloggers and small business owners to help them discover how to live their dreams, sounds a heck of lot like mine.  The organizers will be evaluating several bloggers for an opportunity to speak at their conference and I’d love the chance.

My advice to bloggers? Really, it’s quite a simple concept and can be advice to current bloggers, as well as those who have never considered the idea of starting a blog. It requires a bit of work, but I believe it’s quite easy to manage. It’s something that I am working on instilling into LittleTDJ. Dream big and just be yourself.