Beautiful Venice

Work life is keeping me busy right now, and it looks like it might be another couple days until I find time to write in detail. It’s a struggle each writer faces when it comes to the delicate balance of reading, writing, paying proper homage to all the other wonderful blogs, and to commenting. Each has a special place that sometimes falls to the wayside when held hostage next to a full time job. “Haste makes waste” I once heard someone say and it’s true. You could rush a good thing by putting less substantial content out for the sake of posting, but it will lack depths and magic. Life is fast enough and today I take a moment to sprinkle some fairy-dust your way to help you slow down. To steal an hour here and there, and to do something magical to nourish your soul. You’ll be amazed how good it feels.

I leave you with a picture that I took in Venice. Venice is such a place, it oozes magic and is amongst one of my favorite places on earth. It gets busy, but it’s magical if you get past the crowds. I’m lucky to have visited three times so far, and the off season away from the heavily dominated tourist schedule, was definitely the best time to explore this gem. The old world, romantic charm stole a piece of my heart and I can’t wait to return and once again indulge in the European lifestyle that slows everything down, speaks to my soul and catches my wanderlust.

Have a great weekend everybody, see you soon.

Xoxoxoxo ❤️

The European in me…

As I get ready for work, my mind is drifting and I find myself traveling down the road that leads to my passion for travel. Maybe it is my sense of adventure and exploring new places that leaves me feeling like Columbus must have felt while discovering a new oasis for my heart, maybe I’m homesick and maybe it is my sense of beauty for this world, my bohemian roots, my gypsy, wandering spirit that is yearning to be free.  

One particular picture comes to mind and I have a soft spot for this country that lies far far away from me right now but remains always close to my heart. I took this picture in Verona Italy, the birthplace of Romeo and Juliet (do I need to say more?), and besides it’s visual beauty it speaks to the hopeless romantic that lives within me. It was a warm summer night and we slept in the car before taking the train into Venice the next morning. Ah Venice, I do miss you and Europe all together. ❤️

Have a great day everybody, I hope you enjoy this picture which remains years after, still a favorite. 

3 Day quote challenge – The final one

And here it was, the last day and the final quote about to be revealed. The suspense couldn’t be more intense and all day at work I was contemplating what my final words would be, what final insight I would give and what final reference I would leave you with. Nothing seemed to fit and while there were many quotes that speak to me, none seemed to be the one that filled that certain spot of “The one”. There were good ones but that was all they were, “good”, the runner up from great, and while good is good, I wanted it to be great and found them to fall a bit short of the message I was searching to convey. Whatever message that was since I hadn’t even decided on the quote. Lol…ok this one got out of hand a little and I hope I didn’t lose you.

While pondering the final quote for the challenge of which I was nominated for by radhikagaur.wordpress.com, it became obvious that this was so much more than just a challenge to share a few quotes. Make sure you check out her amazing talent and blog for more insight as she is the one who started this all for me and allowed me to walk away feeling more enriched as a person, having learned a few insights myself.

Going through all the wonderful comments and the feedback I had received while at work, I still had no clue about the fitting quote. It was a comment my friend at scottishlegendwordpress.com left for my second quote that made me pause. He was looking forward to the grand finale, my final quote and he seemed to think that it would be a belter. I feel very honored by all the trust put into me, but man, talking about putting the pressure on and having to live up to it, or at least die trying. 😉

Thank you for your kindness and your always supporting words. Please everybody, stop by and check out this talented writer and show your support as you have shown it to me. You will fall in love and won’t regret it. Thank you, you are the best….

While reading the quotes of my nominees, something became apparent and I realized a profound meaning in all of this. It is safe to say that when we pick a quote to share, it’s somethings that lies close to our hearts. Something we can relate to, something we perhaps have experienced and something we want to share. Maybe it is something that made us feel good, perhaps something that has brought great suffering and pain. In either case, picking a quote is a very personal experience that allows you a glimpse into a persons soul. It can be a cry for help, something you can finally put out there to get some words off of your chest, but most likely it is something that allows your vulnerable side to emerge. And how often do we protect this vulnerable side and tuck it away for safe keeping due to being hurt too many times! It may even cause us to harden as a person and in the worst case become bitter.

It is a quote that allows us a form of expression, something to take solace in, a safe haven if you will. And so I realized that this 3 Day challenge was not just about ourselves and the quotes we picked, but also a big part of the readers who we aspire to touch with our chosen words. It allowed us to share something with great meaning while spreading love and understanding. All while bringing human kind closer together.

The quote I have chosen for my grand finale speaks for itself. I don’t know if it is the most profound quote there is, but this one is for all of you. The big hearted that are taken advantage of for their kindness and the ones that continue to fight the good fight and choose love. You matter more than you know and I’m here to remind you that you make a difference each day and every day. This quote is a reminder to not harden your heart, to believe in the silver lining and to just do your thing. To give love when the world judges you, to remain pure even in moments of deceit and to remember the words so you can shine on…you beautiful unique YOU ❤️

“Love is my gift to the world. I fill myself with love and I send that love out into the world. How others treat me is their path; how I react is mine.” – Dr. Wayne Dryer
The rules are simply and short:

Thank your nominator and link back to their blog

Write three quotes total, one for each day out of the three

Nominate three fellow bloggers each day, nine total
And my last nominees are

oftalesanddreams.wordpress.com
lynnthaler.com
tarnishedsoul.wordpress.com
Xoxoxoxo ❤️

My missed adventure

I can’t help but sit here and think that I missed out on a great adventure today. Somehow it weighs heavy on my heart and I turn to writing to get it off my chest. Perhaps it is because I am not happy with how I am spending my two days off, even though I love to be at home, (a cancers castle) which also allows me to write and connect with you. Yesterday morning, my first day off, I woke up to a violently shaking and spinning room. It happened as soon as I opened my eyes and immediately it made me sick while I was frantically trying to focus on something in the room to make it stop. I succeeded eventually which seemed like it lasted forever and I was left scared and exhausted of what had just happened. I just laid there for a few minutes before I found the courage in attempting to move. I had never felt anything like this, nothing with such intensity and after some research I found that it could be an ear infection I’m dealing with that threw my sense of balance off by leaving me feeling vertigo. I didn’t feel good for the rest of the day and hardly ate anything. The constant headache, breaking out in hot and cold sweats while feeling that my brain was in a fog definitely signaled that something was a bit off. I slept off and on throughout the day and I think it was probably the best I could do while not feeling well. Just sleep it off if you will and if you can.

Nighttime came and I was afraid to go to bed. Still dizzy at times, I feared to wake up in the same fashion and tried to make myself as comfortable as possible by putting my worries to rest. Not an easy thing to do as I would have no control over the spinning. Finally tired and worn out, I fell asleep. I woke up this morning feeling better but not a 100% and so I decided to stay at home vs. going for a hike. The mind won but the heart felt sad.

As I sit here, staring out the window I am transfixed on the wind playing with the last green foliage. A few survivors from a summer already past, making room for another season to bring a new colorful blanket to our world. A fall blanket I was hoping to find today in what seems to be the last day in the 80’s. My last day off anyways. Perhaps for awhile, perhaps until next season. While watching the leaves glisten and shine in the sun I can’t help but yearn to feel that very sunlight on my face. It was a battle between the heart and the mind and I find myself torn between the logical and what my heart desires. I know it was the right decision to stay at home, to get better and yet I can’t ignore the call of nature and the feeling of that I missed out. 

Maybe a little retail therapy will help and I order a little something from the catalog hahahaha. Spending time on a work related project I had to bring home is not doing the trick for me on this one, even though I will have to complete that before tomorrow and before getting back to work. 

Catalog therapy takes me back home to my childhood and my Mom. She never got her drivers license and after my Father’s death, it left us pretty restricted, not only with shopping, but really with anything as far as escaping the house. And so we ordered from the catalog that would offer pretty much anything from fashion to housewares and domestic items. Oh yeah and jewelry, definitely my Mom’s passion.

Growing up in Germany with so many fashion capitals such as Paris, London and Milan close by, I always loved clothing. My closet still suffers from my passion for it today but I’m the kind of girl who doesn’t mind to go camping, lie down in what others may consider dirt and breaking a nail is definitely not the end of the world. I can adjust to the mood and the vibe, the occasion and the moment and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I can be the girl next door, your buddy in crime or clean up nicely if the occasion calls for it. But no matter who I will be for that day, you will always find me in every situation.

I remember studying the catalog with my Mom, folding page corners to mark precious finds or wishful dreams of owning such treasures, and eventually narrowing it down leaving some folded pages for another time, another order to be filled after saving more money. And then the order was sent off and with it came the wait, the anticipation for the package to arrive, to open it, reveal the bounty and to finally try it on and model the amazing finds. It makes me smile to think back to those times as I realize that I still do this today, but it also makes me sad that it is not my Mom who is in the audience to watch the spectacle unfold these days as we live in different countries now. I miss her and perhaps a little catalog therapy will bring me a little closer to her today and help me distract myself from my missed adventure. Better yet, I think I will call her to hear her voice and to tell her that I love her. 

And perhaps afterwards I will marvel in a few pictures from my last hiking adventure in nature to share with you a few special moments from my end of the world….until next time.

I hope you enjoy….

Pictures from last Friday and one of the many favorite hiking places I have. This one is only an hour from my house and there must definitely be a feel good kind of vibe Vortex that resides within that place. ❤️

3 Day quote challenge – Day 2

I have been asked to partake in a 3 Day quote challenge by radhikagaur.wordpress.com so please be sure to circle back to my nominators blog for more insight. Thank you again for kindly including me and for allowing me to feel empowered to know that my message matters. 
The rules are simply and short:
Thank your nominator and link back to their blog

Write three quotes total, one for each day out of the three  

Nominate three fellow bloggers each day, nine total
I am moving on to day 2 of this challenge and again I contemplate what words I want to leave you with. I selected a quote that ones again hits home for me and is learned through personal experience. 
And here it is….. 

“Care about what other people think and you will always be their prisoner” Lao Tzu

Chances are that we will never see eye to eye with every individual that crosses our path and some incidents will leave us with painful memories and hurtful experiences. I think it matters what others think of us and deep down we want to please our fellow humans. I find a common ground with you wanting to be acknowledged, to contribute to society, perhaps even know that your input brings some value to the table. And while we should never stop this pursuit, I also know that there will be criticism and deaf ears at some point. What are you going to do when that happens? When your vulnerable heart is left disappointed, shattered and hurt during that moments of rejection!!!
Unfortunately I have witnessed many people change, (including myself, initially and to a point) to become something or somebody according to the image of what they thought society wanted them to be. With different opinions they were rejected, didn’t fit the norm, while others found it hard to relate, nor were they interested in taking the time to get to know those who were different. 

It left two choices. Either become an outsider, perhaps an introvert at some point, or lose their own beliefs and side with the popular opinion in an attempt to fit in.

It is human nature to look for acceptance, but witnessing such rejection left me feeling sad. I saw more and more of their true nature disappearing in an effort to please others and my decision and choice was born in those moments. A painful process that leaves so much more to be said and evokes the question of which path is the right one for us to travel. 

You may stand for the minority by standing on your own, but there are those that need the “True you”. It may be 

painful at times, but I wonder what is left if it requires you to lose your uniqueness in order to fit in. A prize I am not willing to pay. We become enslaved in the prison of our own creation and you decide if this is your life’s purpose….
My three nominees are…

utkarsh7668.wordpress.com
sherrybirdi.wordpress.com
sanjaymbhaskar.wordpress.com

Symbolic circle

I got this little necklace as a gift and perhaps nobody could have forecasted the meaning that it would hold. For sure not me as I first saw it and I couldn’t have understood the impact it would have, despite that I was taking an immediate liking to it. Nor the giver of this precious gift and instead the focus might have been if I would like it, let alone creating this profound moment in time. Or was the reaction anticipated, was it an intentional message, was it filled with reassurance, perhaps a promise?
The circle, symbol for some important values and meanings. It is ongoing, there is no beginning and no end, there is only eternity. It is said that the circle is a universal symbol with extensive meaning. It represents the notions of totality, wholeness, original perfection, the Self, the infinity, timelessness, all cyclic movement and God. Further it is sacred and divine, representing the infinite nature of energy and the inclusivity of the universe. 

I loved circles long before I became aware of their meaning and I never expressed my feelings about them. It was never a subject that came up and still, here all of a sudden it was, this little necklace of three circles. Nothing really too unusual or too strange you might think. Lucky guess perhaps, anybody can pick a great present, right? 

Well the story didn’t ended with me liking the gift, of course I did like it, a lot on top of it, but that wasn’t all. The necklace had a meaning all of its own and what followed next left me in awe. Three circles, each made of a different medium, each one a different size. The circles were to represent….
The Past…….The Now…….and…..The Future
It was unknown which circle of the varying sizes would stand for which era and apparently it was up to me to decide which part of my life I was going to give the biggest or the smallest meaning to. This immediately sent me pondering my life and how it fall into place in relation to the little circles. Which one had the biggest meaning, was I truthful with myself and more importantly was the order the way I wanted them to fall into. And if not what was in need of change, what had to happen! 
The Past: If you follow my blog in any form you most likely know what I think about the past. An era filled with lessons painful and good that brought good memories as well as things I don’t care to dwell on. In the end it resembles a time gone, a time that can’t be changed and a time that will never return. I believe that staying too long in the past hinders us from moving forward and if we don’t move forward, we become stagnant with nothing to strive for. Time stands still for us, we don’t evolve and instead we are left behind….forgotten. 
The Future: How much control do we have over the future? Can we predict what is to come? Maybe to some point but even if so, aren’t things going to happen exactly as they are? I believe so and yet we spend so much time speculating on the “What if”, trying to play put out every scenario. For what…to be prepared, to stay in control over our lives? I’m not sure of how much control we have over what is to come but I do believe that we have control of how we react to the things that life has in store for us. For myself I found that staying flexible to rolling with the punches it’s essential and it’s not a matter of how many times we get knocked down, but a matter of how many times we get back up. Keep that in mind and you will have little need to worry about the future. 
And finally The Now: The only thing we will ever have. The past is gone, the future holds the uncertainty of the unknown, but the current moment….the now, is all we will ever have control over. It is up to us how we want to impact the current moment, if we let it pass us by or if we turn it into a lasting memory to forever be imbedded into our hearts. The choice is ours.

A few years ago I came across the New York Times bestseller “The power of now” by Eckhart Tolle. A guide for all seekers to spiritual enlightenment. And even if that is not what you are after, you are still about to take something away from this book to help you defeat the enemy within…the ego. The mind that keeps you hostage in the past, makes you worry about the future and has you contemplating every possible scenario. I highly recommend it to anybody that has questions and it remains a favorite that has helped me transform my thinking. The results? More joy and more freedom to be myself and find my purpose in this world and that’s a good thing. 

Which circle would you give the biggest meaning to? 

3 Day quote challenge / Day 1

I have been asked to partake in a 3 Day quote challenge by radhikagaur.wordpress.com and like always I’m grateful for the request of my opinion. To be heard and being able to contribute, as well as receiving the opportunity to perhaps make a difference for somebody that can find hope in the words. Thank you very much and please be sure to circle back to my nominators blog to find more quotes.
The rules are simply and short:

Thank your nominator and link back to their blog

Write three quotes total, one for each day

Nominate three fellow blogger each day, nine total
I have to admit that I am a sucker for quotes and they hold great wisdom and advice for me. I find myself cradled and motivated by their insight as well as inspired by the values and the pursuit of what I hold dear to my heart. They become my mantra and a reminder whenever I feel the need to correct my path.
And while there are many and it was hard to choose just one, here is my first quote for this challenge.
“She wore her scars as her best attire. A stunning dress made out of hellfire.” -Daniel Saint
This quote speaks to me because it is inevitable that life will leave us with lessons of which some will eventually turn into scars. The impact can be empowering or devastating and no matter how hard, the choice of how we wear those scars is ours. We can let them define us and give into the fight, or we can get up and rise again until we learn to wear them proudly, becoming stronger in the process. To wear them like a dress of hellfire and to let them be the birth of our inner warrior.

Which one will you chose?
My three nominees are…

talkaholicme.wordpress.com
scottishlegendwordpress.com
grandtrines.wordpress.com
Have fun with it, I can’t wait to hear about your mantra and what speaks to your heart.

Calgon…Take me away…

Today belonged to me and I knew it would easily become my most favorite day out of the past ten. Initially I felt tired from my nine day working stretch, but I was able to ease into my morning and after all there was no work today. No deadlines and no chores, except laundry of which I dedicated myself to. I’m not sure if it’s even possible, but it seemed that today, I found an even greater appreciation for my time off and every minute was a gift.

The day started off with coffee while checking into WordPress and after some reading I was off to creating a new post. The morning seemed complete but it got even better. I got to chat with a dear friend and hear a familiar voice on the other end. It warmed my heart and even we don’t nearly take enough time to do it more often as life pulls constantly on the strings of time, (nothing but an excuse and I just need to make it happen instead of using it as a crutch), she knows that she’s my girl and I carry her in my heart.

It rained today and for the first time the temperatures plummeted into the 50’s. Nothing drastically, but still a sudden change that came overnight. The perfect day for bubbles and suds and I quickly turned to fill the tub for what I envisioned would end in a long relaxing bubble bath. And indeed it was….

Tuning to “Nazareth” the ballads (perfect for relaxing, I did it once before), I slipped into my bubbly cave, facing the window. I watched the clouds glide effortlessly across the blue sky, while drifting apart and giving way to the sun rays fighting to peak through the thick cloud cover. Moments later you could see them merge again and the world would fall darker. It was a constant push and pull, much like life itself. I watched the dance in the sky while letting my mind drift to think about nothing. Just observing the struggle between light and dark. Other moments were filled with the music taking over and with my eyes closed I felt the words of the song. For 1 hour 4 minutes and 36 seconds I had my own push and pull, my own dance between watching the universe and letting the music take me away. Music has always been such a vital part of my life and while not being tied to one specific genre, I believe that it is music that begins to speak when words end and can no longer convey what we we are trying to express.

 

Finally I had to get out of the bath if I wouldn’t want to end up completely shriveled up. Invigorated, relaxed and now standing in the tub, “Moondance” was the last song that played and had me dancing in place in that slippery tub. No, don’t worry, nothing happened and I’m perfectly fine, but I had a few slips and surprise, surprise, always something pointing me back to the moon as it grabs this moon child that resides deep within me.

I look forward to tomorrow and to another day off. And while enjoying a day relaxing in my castle (a cancer’s home), I’m ready for a hike and making some new memories. Due to a dry summer we already have fall colors appearing and I hope to capture some cool pictures. But either way I know for sure that I will capture some trail magic and any wildlife sighting will be a bonus. Fingers crossed….

Nothing wrong with a little Moon dance…check it out, just stay away from dancing in the slippery tub please. 😉

http://youtu.be/hFgPDvpqdkc

Lost and found on the trail…❤️

“Thousands of tired, nerve shaken, over civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wilderness is a necessity”. -John Muir

Still one of my all time favorite quotes and I never knew how much it would ring true for me. I never read it and I was well into my hiking days as I first came across it. It was the lightbulb coming on kind of moment that made me pause and planted a smile on my face, you know the one you get when all of a sudden things start to make sense and you finally learn as to why you feel a certain way.

My adventure started over ten years ago and my life revolved around a busy retail career, additional chores outside of it and trying to balance responsibilities which left little to no free time for anything else. I once heard somebody say that the higher you climb on the success ladder, the lonelier it gets. There was definitely truth in that statement and the growing demands of retail management left me nerve shaken and tired. I was so tired of being stuck in a rut with the same routine day in and day out that I knew nothing else to my life. Chasing my tail to accomplish my chores, the same fiasco each week with very little time to play. Eventually it was due to medical reasons that forced me to step back as my body went into protest telling me that enough was enough. And then it happened and my miracle unfolded right within my heart.

God saw my struggle and sent an angel my way who introduced me to the trail. Forcing myself through the pain something miraculous happened and I don’t remember if it happened immediately or if it took some time. It’s been over ten years and so many adventures happened since those initial hikes, but I remember the moment in such vivid detail as if it was just yesterday. It was one of the first hikes and as I sat there, feeling accomplished that I made it, (the trails where challenging for me at the time, not because of difficulty, but because I was out of shape and running around in a busy retail environment didn’t necessarily meant that I was physically fit) I was marveling in the beauty of the serene landscape that was lying at my feet. My eyes finally saw and then I felt it for the first time as with a deep sigh a feeling of tranquility took hold of my soul. My busy surroundings became very quiet, my mind was still to a point where there was only the sound of nature. Most people will struggle not to carry a single thought and may say that we always think about something. That the mind keeps us busy and prevents us from truly relaxing. There was nothing for me and my mind was at ease, only taking in that current, special moment. No thoughts of the past, no deadlines that had to be met in the future, nothing that kept me hostage in any kind of way. I had arrived and I was here to stay for awhile and ride the wave of this amazing feeling as long as daylight would permit me to do so.

The wind was swaying through the trees, the birds were chirping and communicating in a secret language understood only by those who could learn to listen. By the ones that could find peace and not take such simple pleasures for granted. The sun was kissing my skin with a warmth and love that made me feel fuzzy and content on the inside as I raised my face, eyes closed towards the ball of love high in the sky.

I was waking up (my first experience with spiritual awakening) to my life’s purpose and “My God” I thought, “How long have I been sleeping and wasting away years of the true meaning for my life”? Life as I knew it would never be the same and it is one of the best things that ever happened to me. Returning to the real world and running a busy retail store, I found myself left with craving that moment in nature. To feel it again and being alive instead of merely existing in this world. It was something so profound, a shift so immense, a calming effect of the highest magnitude, that it has become a priority in my life. Today, I no longer differentiate between my work life and my trail life as Mother Nature has become my real world. It’s a way of life balance for me and reconnecting with nature is an essential part to juggle the stresses life throws my way. I prioritize and simply find a way to set time aside, it is a must and a means to recharge my batteries to meet the demands of my work life. No excuses, just an essential as I fulfill that call with a sense of urgency and with the attitude of “If there is a will, there is a way” kind of mentality.

With millions of moments and memories to be grateful for, I continue to thank my angel for giving me my life back and helping me realize how lost I was. To help me get lost all over again but into the right direction this time and for helping me understand that getting lost never felt so right.

Xoxoxo ❤️
http://youtu.be/PyA22h9Ib8U

Praise, recognition and an award ….oh my

Isn’t it that all good stories start with once upon a time, but actually it has been just a little over a week, that I was nominated for the blogger recognition award. I have to admit that I am still a bit speechless and that does not happen a lot since I always thought life has prepared me for most scenarios. But there is always something new to learn and being nominated definitely caught me by surprise. I can’t even put it into words to describe how much this has meant to me.

I consider myself still one of the new kids on the blog (block) with much to learn but it has been an amazing experience to connect with you. I love the moments of meeting wonderful like minded people that restore and confirm that I am not the only one out there, as well as the ones who help enrich and widen my own perspective to help me grow further as a person. People I was beginning to think of as if they had become an extinct species in today’s reality.

The last nine days were filled with work for me but were also surreal at times as the thought of the award kept finding its way back into my mind. By now I feel guilty that so much time has past since the nomination and by no means was this because I don’t appreciate the kind thoughts. I kept pondering the profound message I wanted to write. I felt as if I had  won the Grammies and because it meant so much to me, it had to be special in return. But what was happening was that I was overthinking it and I found myself straying away from what it probably was that got me recognized the begin with. It’s not a long, perfectly prepared message that is free of grammatical errors (English is my second language), it’s not the most educated post claiming to have the best insights and answers and it might not be a lot of things. But what it is, remains to be a message that comes from my heart, including my humble take and my perspective of whatever subject comes to my mind that I write about. I believe that you can’t go wrong if you write from the heart. It remains your unique outlook that can’t be duplicated, kind of like your own fingerprint on your life.

My blog was started by my own fingerprint and the cause and effect that came along with it. My biggest challenge in a busy world lies in being misunderstood…all too often. Not because I can’t communicate or express myself, but I believe it to be because life has sped up so much that it does not have the time or patience for me. Everything is fast forward and precious moments are missed. Perceptions deceit the truth and become reality which could be perceived as a negative thing. I look for the silver lining and approach from an angle as if my adversities became the catalysts to spiritual awakening. To shake me from my restraints by putting into perspective what truly matters. Allowing me to re-evaluate the true meaning of the freedom and the life I seek and work towards.

I knew many others felt this way but remained silent. Went with the flow, bringing little to no attention to them while being unhappy and unfulfilled. There was so much to be said, so much inspiration to give and to show other struggling souls that there is always a way. I wanted to be that voice for somebody, anybody and if it was only one person I would reach, I would have made a difference in their life. And hopefully I will fulfill that dream and goal.

It was the lovely  Oftalesanddreams.wordpress.com  who nominated me for this award and once again I find myself struggling to find words worthy enough for this amazing writer. One quick look at her blog will have you hooked and begging for more. I look forward to the posts and your comments and you always leave me in a better place than I was before. You are truly gifted in many ways and you inspire me beyond words. Thank you form the bottom of my heart, I am grateful our paths have crossed.
The rules:

• Write a post to show your award
  
• Thank the blogger who nominated you and provide a link to their blog
  
• Attach the award to the post
  
• Give a brief story of how your blog got started
  
• Give a piece of advice or two to new bloggers
  
• Select 5 other blogs you want to give the award to
  

And the nominees areeeeeeee in no particular order…..drumroll (I plan on writing another post about my nominees as I would like to go more into detail as to how these amazing writers touch my heart, but for today I believe I’ve already violated the length requirements of this post 😉)

Themayorhikes.wordpress.com
Diaryofafailedmarriage.com
Lucapovoleri.wordpress.com
Pattyspathtohealing.wordpress.com
Cezaneconnects.com

 

Advice for new bloggers:

Be yourself and speak from the heart. Don’t be afraid to be unique even if it means to stand by yourself. You may not realize it but there is a hunger in the world for the “real” the authentic, the sincere. Soon or later it will be you who inspires somebody and together we can all make a difference. The power of one, inspire one person at a time. 
I am sorry that I can only nominate 5 blogs and bloggers as there are many more of you who deserve to be recognized. You know that I am a fan of your work and there will always be another time.