Tag: focus

Through the eyes of pride.

This blog is turning into a kind of memoir. I sort of use it to record all the learning experiences I’ve had over the course of my life. I find that certain instances stick in my head. Something unexpected will happen, or someone will say something that captures an idea I hadn’t really thought about, and all of a sudden, that moment becomes embedded in my mind, slightly changing my perspective and decision making. I kind of love these memorable moments. I’m not sure reading them produces the same effect as living them, but maybe they are at least very interesting.

One ponderable moment occurred with a girl I was once seeing years ago, but I still sometimes think about it today. We had recently went to a festival together, and we both had a great time there, as I recall. She was actually a very fun person to be around. We did all the little things at the festival, like listening to the band, eating at one of the stands, walking around and seeing the booths, saying hello to friends who were there, etc. It was all quite wonderful and made me happy to be alive.

It was so fun being at the festival with you today. I think we make a really cute couple.

Though the festival was memorable in itself, the ponderable moment didn’t happen when we were at the festival. It happened a little later. I remember I was standing there behind her, and we were looking in the mirror at each other, and while we were just standing there, looking into each other’s eyes, and thinking about the events of the evening, she said something that really made me think. She said, it was so fun being at the festival with you today. I think we make a really cute couple.

The words struck a note with me for some reason. I hadn’t quite seen the whole event from outside myself. It didn’t really occur to me that others were observing us as we were walking around. We probably looked like two happy people having fun and enjoying the festival. Her choice of words also brought the focus on appearances. She was saying, we look good together, and people are thinking we are a good match for each other. It was at that point that I realized there was some kind of power in our appearance together.

When she said this, it also made me realize that she was already very aware of how we looked together. She had been thinking about this the whole time. It probably added to the whole experience and made her beam with happiness. We were being looked upon favorably and we completely blended in with the other festival goers. It made me realize how very pleasing it is to be attractive and socially accepted. Unfortunately, I also knew exactly what I was looking at, and I didn’t think it was exactly good. I knew I was staring directly into the eyes of my own pride.

During some of my business studies, I remember reading that advertisements very often focus on showing beautiful people in a really amazing scene, one where everyone is enjoying themselves and happy, and then insert whatever product they are selling into the scene. It is a method that works pretty well for selling products, because what many people actually want to buy is the lifestyle they see depicted. This is a pretty old secret, as evidenced from the advertisement I found below. We probably could have sold a lot of Royal Crown Cola that day at the festival.

Old advertisement for Royal Crown Cola showing a happy couple.

Years before all this happened, I remember having another experience that directly contrasted with this one. At that time, I was friends with this really cute blonde girl. I got to know her because I spent a lot of time with her older sister. One day, after I had parted ways with her sister, I was out with another girl, and the blonde girl happened to see us together. Upon seeing me with this other girl, which was not her sister, she gave me a really shocked look. She said no words, but her facial reaction was broadcasting a strong message to me. It was saying, I can’t believe you are with someone like this!

This interaction made me feel very uncomfortable, because the girl I was with was a very sweet person. She deserved to be treated very well. I knew the blonde girl was only thinking about appearances. She was seeing the world through the eyes of pride. At that moment, her look made me feel positively awful, because I believe everyone deserves to be treated the same, regardless of how it looks, regardless of how they look. Unfortunately, this will never be how the world sees it though. They want that perfect scene with two wonderfully matched beautiful people enjoying life together.

We all want to be that happy couple walking along at the festival, smiling at friends and showing off our new clothes. Unfortunately, there’s a price. Someone is being left out. Someone is being avoided. Someone is on the sideline looking in, while we are living our best life right in front of them. I can’t deny that it feels good to be living the dream, but I’m also sad that not everyone is experiencing it with me.

Once my eyes were opened to all of this, I really began to dislike myself for being prideful. It was a moment of cognitive dissonance. Judging people based on appearances went against all my principles, but I couldn’t deny that I loved the way we looked that day. It made me feel very whole and complete. I realized at that moment that it wasn’t just about how sweet the girl was, or about whether she was a good person, it was instead about how I felt around her, and how we looked together. I was completely ashamed of myself.

Over the years, I have come to forgive myself, though it hasn’t been easy. I have come to terms with the fact that we live in a highly materialistic world, and beauty is valued everywhere we turn. I also don’t blame anyone for their reactions or judge them for their decisions. I know life is confusing and difficult, and I wish everyone all the best, but I do dream of a better world.

It still troubles me though, because life is not fair, and it really should be. In the end, beauty is a very wonderful thing, perhaps one of the most wonderful things in life, and I’m not going to lie, I seek it out everywhere I can find it, in art, in life, and in people, just like everyone else, but I also recognize that beauty is unevenly distributed, and that is an unbearable cruelty.

Has anyone made you feel amazing when you are with them? Does the way people see you change the experience? Have you ever felt the effects of pride? Have you ever experienced cognitive dissonance? Do you think beauty is unfairly distributed? Are you aware of how advertising works? Would you like a Royal Crown Cola right now? Let me know in the comments, and please remember to like, share, and subscribe! Love you guys!

Spoiler alert!

When I was growing up, there was this good friend I had. I’ve written about him before. I don’t know why, but I always loved spending time with him. He made the world feel a lot less lonely. He said things that made you wonder. He made you feel like you were cool no matter who you were. When he went home, there was a little less light in the room. It was like the curtains hiding the gray world were once again opened up, and you were left standing there by yourself, calling out into the empty silence for someone to rescue you.

Unfortunately, this friend had a bad habit. He was what you might call a spoiler. Have you ever read one of those reviews, and at the top of the article it says something like spoiler alert? That phrase should probably have been tattooed on his body somewhere, just to let you know what’s coming.

I had a lot of adventures growing up, but they mostly took place at home, or in the yard, or quite often, in my imagination. He, on the other hand, was usually free to roam all over town, and his mom took him with her every weekend when she went shopping in one of the bigger nearby cities. This was a rare type of excursion for me, unfortunately.

I’m not sure of all the things he did with his mom in the big city over the years, but he did take me with him once. They went to this really huge shopping mall. I remember seeing things that left me in awe at the time. There were so many brightly lit stores filled with clothes, shoes, jewelry, and perfume, but also other stores that had books, novelties, and toys. My favorite was the toy store, of course. It also had a movie theater and a pizzeria, which my friend visited often on his trips with his mom. She probably had more time to shop while he and his brother were watching a movie.

All this movie watching gave him something of an advantage over most of the kids at school. He got to see almost all the exciting movies as soon as they were released to cinemas. It was often a very long time before I got to see a movie, because there were no local movie theaters in our small town. Of course, every kid loves a great movie, so this deficiency put him in a position to be a kind of intermediary. When he got your attention, which he was good at doing, he would tell you all about the movie, the general story, the coolest parts to watch, etc.

Unfortunately, after he was done, you would know the whole movie and the ending. I guess back then it didn’t matter to me. The excitement I saw in his eyes as he spoke and acted out every scene made the actual movie seem a little dull in comparison. It might also be that hearing it only from a storyteller forces you to conjure up all the images in your mind, much like reading a book. Basically, you couldn’t passively listen. His intensity forced you to be there with him, feeling every moment, and reliving every scene.

If there wasn’t anyone to talk to about movies, then all the movies in the world would be boring. They wouldn’t be any fun to watch.

One time, after listening to him tell me about a movie, I asked him, why do you like to tell everyone about all the movies you see? He thought about it for a moment, and then said, well, if there wasn’t anyone to talk to about movies, then all the movies in the world would be boring. They wouldn’t be any fun to watch. I remember this statement until this day because I found it ponderable even as a kid. All the energy and money we put into entertainment is only valuable because we can share the experience with our friends. The real source of happiness isn’t the movie. It’s each other.

Knowing this, it’s easy to see how social media took off like a rocket. It connects with one of our most fundamental needs, the need to connect with someone other than ourselves. It also shows why reaction buttons and comments are so critical (hint, hint). They allow us to gauge if someone even notices us. We constantly create, curate, and share information in the hopes that we will hold someone’s attention, even for a moment. It also makes social media very addictive, because most people are literally staving for attention.

In my own life, I often find myself sinking a lot of energy into certain people. I’ve noticed this a lot in some of my conversations. When I finally capture the attention of someone interesting, I try hard to hold on to it. My feelings will be more telegraphed on my face. I will make everything seem more positive than it is. I might act things out or move my hands. I will pull you into the scene with me, just like my friend taught me to do. In that moment, we will not be separated anymore. We will be together, living in the same story, and that is really why we are all here.

Did you have a friend who lit up the room? Do you ever feel lonely? Do you know anyone who spoils movies? What was your first experience in a shopping mall? What were your favorite stores growing up? Did you grow up in a small town or big city? Do you remember the first movie you ever saw in a cinema? Do you know someone who is a good storyteller? Do you enjoy having someone pay attention to your work? Are you addicted to social media? Are you a very expressive person? Do you find that certain people grab your attention and hold it? Let me know in the comments, and please remember to like, share, and subscribe!

Fun way to exercise

Today I am asked, what’s the most fun way to exercise? I suppose the best way to stick to anything is to make it fun. Here are a few ideas I have about making exercise fun.

  1. Nature walking. Seeing beautiful things brings happiness to people’s lives. I used to take long walks on the trails around a nearby lake. The view was very nice and I would occasionally catch site of wildlife. It was a pleasant way to get your steps in.
  2. Find a workout buddy. I used to lift weights pretty regularly, like three or four times a week. During that time, I had a workout buddy. We both had similar goals and helped to motivate each other. It was probably the healthiest thing I ever did.
  3. Listen to music or audiobooks. When I use a treadmill or bike I often have headphones in to keep my mind occupied. Music can be very motivational and books can keep your mind focused on something. This makes the time go by much faster.
  4. Track your progress. I used to set goals and track my progress. The goal was to gradually increase the amount of weight I could lift, or the amount of time I ran, etc. It’s fun to see the progress you make over time.
  5. Athletic activities. Sports and other athletic activities can be fun. You might try rock climbing or take up golf. There are all sorts of activities that are both fun and provide some degree of exercise.

How do you make exercise fun? What sort of athletic activities have you tried? Let me know your thoughts, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe!

Just say no

Today I am asked how often do I say “no” to things that would interfere with my goals? I remember this especially from when I was going to college. If I had homework or needed to study for an exam, I would very often say no to friends and family and just lock myself in my room until it was done. In the end, it paid off and I graduated Summa Cum Laude with a double major and went on to complete a Masters degree.

At this point, I don’t have to say no that much to anyone, but I do have a problem saying no to myself. I tend to procrastinate a lot more, preferring to do things that I want to do, even if it’s not leading me toward anything good. I guess in both cases I was doing want I really wanted to do. I just don’t have the same drive to better myself. Maybe I am still reaping the benefits of past ability to say no.

Do you have a hard time saying no? Do you procrastinate? What major goals have you accomplished? What goals do you have for the future? Let me know in the comments, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe!

I accept failure.

Today’s question is how has a failure, or apparent failure, set me up for later success. I felt like I should answer this prompt because I used to have a saying that I made up about it. I used to say that nothing can ensure your success better than a well placed failure.

Nothing can ensure your success better than a well placed failure.

There was a time when I tried to do all things for all people. I was pretty good at it actually, and early on it gave me the reputation of being very reliable. Unfortunately, the more I got done the more they threw at me. I eventually found myself drowning in work and unable to keep up. I began to experience incredible stress from this and was facing burnout. I started to realize that I would not be able to keep it up forever without suffering severe health problems.

This was the point in time when I decided that something had to change. It happened kind of naturally. I failed to accomplish a task, and I thought it would be the end of the world, but for some reason it went unnoticed. It turned out that it wasn’t really that important after all. After this happened, I decided to only focus my attention on the things that seemed mission critical, and let the rest fall to the floor. This was not an easy strategy to execute because I didn’t want to disappoint anyone, but it was definitely better than being hospitalized.

Surprisingly, things didn’t fall apart the way I expected. It became apparent that many of the tasks coming my way were more along the lines of a nice to have, but they could live without. I think in some cases they didn’t even feel confident in suggesting them. They were just throwing out ideas, which is easy to do, and seeing if any took wings. I suspect they also correctly assumed that I was simply swamped and couldn’t get to it.

I also found that the tasks that were really important tended to stick around and eventually rise to the top. Since they were truly important, it was hard to forget about them. The people requesting them would periodically nag me about them or try to escalate somehow. Eventually, I became much better at identifying which items were critical and which were more like suggestions. I began to realize that many requests are actually a waste of time to implement. I also got much better at telling them no.

This shift in how I worked was subtle, but it helped free me up enough to start working on things that eventually allowed me to rise above the minutia. I don’t think I would have been able to finish my degrees and graduate with honors if I had been up all night working on things that didn’t really matter that much. Basically, I got to where I am by realizing that failure is necessary for ultimate success.

Do you think failure is a component of success? Do you feel overworked? Have you ever faced burnout? Did you eventually come to a similar conclusion? Do you think some requests are not worth completing? Do you hate disappointing people? Are you good at telling people no? Let me know in the comments, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe!

How I manage screentime.

A few months back, I posted about how I unplug. I feel like it explains what I do to manage screen time. I haven’t really changed much since that time. I’m going to reblog it here for reference. I think it has some pretty good pointers if you find yourself too absorbed in your phone.

How do I unplug?

Do you have any additional pointers? Is phone distraction a big problem these days? Let me know in the comments, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe!

You killed my future self.

People really don’t live in the present. They are either dwelling on the past that they can never relive, or they are daydreaming about a future version of themselves. It’s funny when you first realize this.

There’s actually a whole meditative system based on focusing your attention on what you are actually doing at this moment. It’s called Mindfulness. It’s kind of odd that we have completely left out the now and need to meditate to find it. It seems like it would be right there in the forefront, but the truth is most people never really live. The now is spent reminiscing about stories from the past or planning a future that may never come.

I have mostly been a future oriented person. I tend to recognize that the past is dead, and I can’t go back there. I do greatly regret some of the people I have had to leave in the past. I wish they had made it to be with me in the now, but it’s clear to me they are not present. What I really want most is to somehow weave them back into my future, hence there is still a future orientation in all of my thinking.

That being said, what I really want is to be happy. Unfortunately, I’m rarely happy in the moment, and I think that’s true for a lot of people. Happiness is either something I remember, or something I am hoping to achieve once I acquire all I need and want. I think this is the real reason why people live in the past or future. They are really not satisfied with what they have right now. This misery causes them to look for happiness in a story that lives only in their head. Mindfulness is therefore kind of related to wanting what you have.

It also makes me realize why it’s so painful to lose someone I love very intensely. The future I envision with them is where I am actually living. If they exit my life, that future self has no potential to ever exist. They have literally killed me in the future. That version of myself has to die and be replaced by a totally different version of me, one that I may not want to experience at all. The heartbreak is really a kind of mourning, caused by me having to lay my precious future self to rest before he ever experienced the intense happiness that I know he would have found.

Today, like every day, I have to face some decision made by me or someone else, and then watch a part of myself die if the wrong decisions are made. If only I could stop caring about the future and realize that the pages ahead of me are blank and will be written by a hand other than my own, because the present me is really the only one that dies today.

Are you living in the past, present, or future? Do you practice mindfulness or another form of meditation? Ever long for someone to be in your future? Tell us all about it! Thanks for being in my present, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe!

The details of my life that deserve more attention.

There’s probably a few areas of my life where I don’t pay enough attention to detail. I will list a few below.

  1. Clothing. My life has went through significant changes in the past few years. I would like to pay more attention to my clothing choices and develop my own personal style. Right now, my clothing isn’t bad, but it’s pretty plain, and doesn’t represent where I am now. I’ve actually become a completely different person I believe.
  2. Décor. In the same vein, my home interior doesn’t convey much about me. I went through an extreme minimalism stage. I gained more space after moving downtown, but I’ve done very little with it. Paying more attention to the details of my living quarters might bring more motivation in other areas.
  3. Planning. I need to pay closer attention to what I do outside of work. I do enjoy a fair degree of spontaneity on my day’s off, but I might benefit from better planning of my free time. I would really like to accomplish more in the time I have. I need to set some life goals, and then plan out how to accomplish them.
  4. Dining. I should pay more attention to meal planning. I think having a nice dining experience, both at home and when out at restaurants, is important for well being. I also need to put more thought into exactly what I am eating, and especially the quantities. It’s not that I’m over indulgent. I just need a little more planning.
  5. Wellbeing. I believe I should pay more attention to my mental wellbeing. This might include more reading time, or maybe meditation and quiet contemplation. I should also focus on getting the right amount of sleep. There’s a lot going on in my life sometimes and I need to let my mind detangle.
  6. Culture. There are lots of things to see and do in my city, but I don’t get out and do much, except at night. I need to plan and schedule more things to do, rather than just sleeping in on the weekend. I might even consider going to bed earlier and setting an alarm on the weekends. We’ll see.
  7. Travel. I haven’t had a real vacation in years, scary thought I know. I generally just burn up my leave, a day here and there, but haven’t even done that lately. I think it’s because my job feels pretty demanding. I do need to find time to put something together though. Life is short and I’m missing out on the best parts. I should set a travel or vacation goal, then plan and execute.

Does this list trigger anything you need to focus on? Is there something you would add? Let us know in the comments, and please remember to like, share, and subscribe! Thanks for being here!

The ways that hard work makes you feel fulfilled.

I’m not sure that hard work makes me feel fulfilled unless the work has great meaning, provided you are talking about hard physical labor. I grew up in a small town and there was ample opportunity for hard physical labor, but the most it seemed to accomplish was putting a few bucks in your pocket. The pay was the fulfilling part.

When faced with hard work, I tend to be the type who suggests working smarter, not harder. As a programmer, that was also my goal. I would take a difficult task, break it down into steps, program it into a computer, and let the machine do all the hard work. It’s called automation. Automation releases us from boring monotonous jobs so we can work on things that are more meaningful and fulfilling. I think in a few years, we will close the loop on that and have a completely autonomous civilization.

I suppose hard work could be fulfilling in that it can be meditative, especially if it’s a boring task that doesn’t require you to think. Entering a state of mind where you zone out and focus on a task might help you forget your problems for a while. It might also be fulfilling if you get lots of exercise from the work, because your health and body composition would improve.

Does hard work make you feel fulfilled? What’s the hardest work you have done? Does a job need to be meaningful to feel fulfilling? Do you like or hate automation? Do you like zoning out on monotonous tasks? Do you meditate? What do you think will happen when AI and robots do everything for us? Discuss any of these questions if you like, or comment on something else. Thanks for reading, and please remember to like, share, and subscribe!

Blogger Interview Results.

Below are the result of the blogger interviews I conducted. I loved reading all the responses! I want to give a special thank you to all those who participated!

clarahridings.wordpress.com

Do you have a blog URL you can share?

http://clarahridings.wordpress.com

How long have you been blogging? Have you had multiple blogs?

Over two years, and this is my only blog.

Tell me a little about yourself and your blog.

I’m Clara! A Christian teenager from the U.S. who loves to read, write, draw, and drink tea! I used to share my art and favorite quotes on my blog, as well as occasional random things. Nowadays, I mostly just write from the daily prompts. However, the fun stuff is mainly for the purpose of drawing people to learn about the reason I ever took up blogging. This will always remain the ultimate purpose of my blog, because I firmly believe that it is one of the most important things in the world. See below what it is!

What made you decide to start blogging?

I learned from Reece’s Rainbow and The Archibald Project about the realities for orphaned children with special needs in orphanages around the world, and how many desperately need adoptive families. Following along with Reece’s Rainbow opened my eyes to the enormity, importance and urgency of this crisis, and practically showed me how small a fraction of these truly amazing kids find the families they need and deserve. I knew I had to do something, and learned to that many adoptive families decided to take the leap to grow their family through adoption, because someone shared about the need, and when they saw the actual faces of waiting children, everything changed. As a teenager, I can’t do much about this, but I CAN share, and try to make more people passionate about orphaned and vulnerable children.

What advice would you give a new blogger? What would you have done differently?

Don’t use more than 15 tags and categories COMBINED! Otherwise WP reader will categorize the post as spam. I didn’t catch this, and someone was kind enough to notice, and drop a comment to let me know, so I definitely want to pass this gold nugget along. Also, take advantage of the daily prompts. They skyrocketed my views and engagement. Not to mention that they are inspirational and fun!

Were you inspired by other bloggers, writers, or influencers? If so, who and why?

Yes! I got the whole vision of how advocacy blogs worked from http://covenantbuilders.blogspot.com/?m=1
Hearing that so many kids found families from her blogging lit a fire under me to start a blog. Sadly, most advocacy blogs have died out, but there are still children who need families, and blogging is still powerful!

Do you plan to continue blogging long term? If so, what is the ultimate goal of your blogging?

I’m not totally sure, but I do hope to keep blogging. This is what I can do about the orphan crisis, so I want to do it to the full. It’s kinda like gambling. Just a small chance it’ll work, but it’s addicting, because every post is a little more likely a child finds a family.
Thanks for the interview!

momoetry.wordpress.com

Do you have a blog URL you can share?

http://momoetry.wordpress.com

How long have you been blogging? Have you had multiple blogs?

This time? 1 year 4 months

Tell me a little about yourself and your blog.

I process emotions through writing. Mainly I write poetry and blog about life. I live in Pittsburgh, PA.

What made you decide to start blogging?

I am a mental health activist. By discussing my mental health, being open that I am on medicine, and have a therapist; I hoping to dull stigmas surrounding mental health.

What advice would you give a new blogger? What would you have done differently?

Be yourself. Also, sometimes reading out loud what I’ve written helps me make sure it makes sense. Get involved in the community of WordPress.

Were you inspired by other bloggers, writers, or influencers? If so, who and why?

Bridgette, David, Sadje, Jenn (Creative Chic), Maria, Michele, Pooja- (all on wordpress and I can link them if needed). All are in the WP poetry community. All are supportive, kind, and people whose writing speaks to me in different way.

Do you plan to continue blogging long term? If so, what is the ultimate goal of your blogging?

My ultimate goal is a 6 continent book tour. Screaming fans that just love how I talk about parenting and a Scrooge McDuck vault to swim in. J/k

Ultimate goal, to grow my audience, express myself authentically, and hopefully help people to feel less alone.

inspirationbyellie.com

Do you have a blog URL you can share?

https://inspirationbyellie.com

How long have you been blogging? Have you had multiple blogs?

6 years on 1 bloh

Tell me a little about yourself and your blog.

I grew up in a Christian family. My mom took the 7 of us back and forth to church each week. The Bible was often taught, so, I knew it and memorized portions. I liked what it said.

Thinking Jesus Christ and I were cool based on my upbringinging, I was totally surprised when He personally revealed Himself to me by His Spirit one day at church. He told me I needed Him in my heart. “What?” I thought. All the church, preaching/teaching, community Bible clubs, VBS, etc. “I know God!”

The Lord’s gentle presence and brief statement to me eas so compelling, I did givre Him my heart that day. I was a teenager, by the way. I came alive, life came alive, and the Bible’s message started becoming alive. The dots began connecting. I understood. I was captivated!! I felt inspired, wanted, helped, and guided reading it since then.

What made you decide to start blogging?

I got a degree in Biblical Studies and created my inspiration blog to share the Bible’s message with others so they too could experience the same exhilaration and change their heart as I did.

What advice would you give a new blogger? What would you have done differently?

Write what you’re passionate about; it’s easier.
Be yourself and don’t compare your writing voice to others.

Were you inspired by other bloggers, writers, or influencers? If so, who and why?

I wasn’t inspired by anyone in particular. read various blogs and thought this was a great way to share my passion.

Do you plan to continue blogging long term? If so, what is the ultimate goal of your blogging?

Yes, I hope to continue blogging–shortening them and keeping the message simple, kind, clear, and inspiring.

Thanks! 🙂

eternalshadowbooks.wordpress.com

Do you have a blog URL you can share?

http://eternalshadowbooks.wordpress.com

How long have you been blogging? Have you had multiple blogs?

I started this blog a couple of years ago, but only recently I’ve been posting regularly.

Tell me a little about yourself and your blog.

I’m a movie and TV lover. I consider myself to be socially awkward and find that I prefer hanging out at home with some friends over going out. My blog is full of random thoughts I have, as well as reviews to my favorite movies, and updates to the book I’m working on.

What made you decide to start blogging?

I started blogging as a way to gain interest in my stories. Over time it’s evolved beyond that to more insights to what I think and even more personal tales.

What advice would you give a new blogger? What would you have done differently?

The advice I would give is what was given to me. Just do it. What could happen? Most of us are so afraid of failure that we don’t even realize that not trying is in itself failing. I would have definitely put more effort in the early days of blogging and put myself out there more and just go for it.

Were you inspired by other bloggers, writers, or influencers? If so, who and why?

I never really looked at other blogs until more recently. I think one that gave me more inspiration than others was Seraphinitegames on Tumblr. I really enjoy her Wayhaven books on Hosted Games and she’s so open with her followers. It’s something I’ve been trying to strive for.

Do you plan to continue blogging long term? If so, what is the ultimate goal of your blogging?

I’m not someone who really thinks in the long term. I know I should, but I just enjoy taking things day by day. Do I want to keep doing this? Absolutely! As for a goal…. The only thing I can hope for is that anyone who takes the time to read my blog comes out a little entertained. Or at least find themselves looking at something in the way they haven’t before.

sophiakd4.wordpress.com

Do you have a blog URL you can share?

https://sophiakd4.wordpress.com/

How long have you been blogging? Have you had multiple blogs?

I just started blogging this year. I just have one blog.

Tell me a little about yourself and your blog.

Hi. My name is Sophia. My blog is about baseball. I really like baseball. If you want to see the full description you see the first post I posted and it will tell you more.

What made you decide to start blogging?

Multiple things made me want to start blogging. First I wanted to become a sportswriter. Second I got advice from multiple great people to start my own blog. Third, I wanted to practice my writing and get my writing seen by lots of people.

What advice would you give a new blogger? What would you have done differently?

If you’re a new blogger start slow and don’t rush into it. Start slow and use WordPress for your blog. Also reach out to other bloggers and people to come see and read your blog. I think the only thing I would have done differently is try not to apply for a job before trying writing on WordPress.

Were you inspired by other bloggers, writers, or influencers? If so, who and why?

I was inspired by many people. I was inspired by many different female sportswriters who write for the Philadelphia Phillies!

Do you plan to continue blogging long term? If so, what is the ultimate goal of your blogging?

I do plan on continuing to blog long term. My goal is to get my writing to be the best it can so then one day I can be a sportswriter!

Thanks again for participating! Does anyone have any comments or questions for these bloggers? Also, don’t forget to subscribe to their blog!