Photo Credit: Kelly Ann Graham
View from San Bernardino County Government Center
Photo Credit: Kelly Ann Graham
Tag: motivation
Guest Post – Personal Reflections: A Journey Of Womanhood
Today I am a confident, outspoken woman but that wasn’t always the case. Like many women, I struggled with self- esteem and confidence. I was very insecure about just about everything concerning who I was.
I grew up with a single mother who was bipolar, though I don’t think it was well known back then. Women were told they suffered from anxiety. There was never really a peaceful time that I remember and I became a very reserved kid early on. The extreme highs and lows were constant a constant chaos I thought was normal. I became a people pleaser. I would stay that way for twenty or so years, anything anyone wanted me to be. I would be. Being quiet was never ok with anyone and I opened myself to bullying all the way into my adult life.
I went from one critical, controlling home to another. It was the norm to me so when I met my first husband I didn’t really grasp that it wasn’t right. I was starved for love, like many who grow up in a one-parent home. I didn’t grow up with my father and I knew nothing about how a man is supposed to be or even what a loving example looked like.
I wanted my children to grow up with two parents but that wasn’t what they had. They still had a broken home. It was then I found my voice and began evolving. I wanted them to have a mother they could be proud of. It was the beginning of figuring out who I truly was and what I was made of.
I learned the lessons no one taught me when I was young. I learned to value and take care of myself. I learned to be strong and proud of the true me. I learned to love myself. This was never an easy endeavor. Sometimes you’re the only one telling yourself how fabulous you are and you should each and every day. Even today I say out loud. “I’m going to awesome the world crazy today”.
Later when Facebook became big I connected with someone I went to school with. Actually, she was a childhood tormentor but of course, natural curiosity got the better of me so I friended her. One day, she looked at my pictures and stated that wasn’t me. I remember being angry as if she was accusing me of lying. Later, I smiled and wrote back that no that isn’t me you knew.
This doesn’t happen overnight. But you will never find peace until you embrace the authentic you. When you do that you will discover a whole new world that includes people who also embrace and accept you. People who love you for who you really are.
About the Author: Heidi Williams’ blog Woman Pulse is filled with posts about Lifestyle, Relationships, Health, Blogging & Beauty. She is a perfect combination of a lot of sparkle and a dash of crazy!
Supporting My Girl Tribe
I am lucky to be a part of a small group of supportive women who share the same interest in blogging and social media. Thats not to say we have the same general interests. We each have a unique vision, approach and online reach. That being said, I want to share their info with all of you. Please check them out, like and follow if you find a connection, and comment your details below if you want to share your links as well.
Heidi
Blog:womanpulse.com
Pinterest:pinterest.com/womanpulse
BlogLovin:bloglovin.com/womanpulse
Twitter:twitter.com/womanpulseblog
Instagram:instagram.com/blogsshe
Bidy
Blog: http://dearlittlerme.blogspot.com – http://www.dearlittlerme.com
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/bidyanny/
BlogLovin: https://www.bloglovin.com/people/dearlittlerme-17659401
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BidyBidyBop
FB: https://www.facebook.com/DearLittlerMe/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dearlittlerme/
Miranda
Blog: www.jklmnadventures.com
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MirandaAtJKLMN/
BlogLovin: https://www.bloglovin.com/people/jklmnadventures-17449901
FB: https://www.facebook.com/JKLMN-Homeschool-Adventures-1581203608792932/
Johanny
Blog: johannylizabeth.blogspot.com
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/dulcejoa/
BlogLovin: https://www.bloglovin.com/people/johannyp-17760845
Twitter: https://twitter.com/johannyp
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johannyp/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/joapoo
Regina
Blog: www.randomlyregina.com
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/curlsandkale/
Twitter: www.twitter.com/randomlyregina/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/randomly.regina/
FB: www.facebook.com/randomlyregina
Rosina
Pinterest:pinterest.com/rosinamotta
Twitter:twitter.com/mrsmotta
Instagram:instagram.com/mrs_motta
FB:facebook.com/cappuccinoconnected
Back To Work – Enjoy The Hustle
Its been nearly 9 months since Ive had a full time job & now that Im back in the workforce, I have to admit it feels awesome.
Hard work.
Responsibility.
Girl with a goal.
10 New Liebster Award Nominees
I was nominated for the Liebster Award by Rebecca Lemke from New Crunchy Mom. Many thanks to her for recognizing my efforts in sharing a bit of myself with all of you through Cappuccino Connected.
The Liebster Award is a new-comer award given by bloggers to other bloggers. It creates a great platform for new blogs to be discovered and build communication. The best thing about this award is that it creates a lot of encouragement and support within our blogging community.
The rules of the Liebster Award are as follows:
- Thank your nominator.
- Share the award on your blog.
- Answer 10 questions asked to you.
- Ask 10 questions to 10 new nominees
- Notify them via social media.
Questions asked of me:
- What is your favorite snack or drink? I am a coffee drinker so my favorite cold drink is the Starbucks Vanilla Latte that I buy at the market. Its pre-mixed and a great option when you dont want hot coffee.
- What is your favorite book? I am a fan of food, biographies and true crime so its hard to nail down a single one. If I had to pick one, I think my Rick Bayless cookbook is my fave.
- Who is your biggest fan? My husband. He is so supportive and positive. He is always cheering me on, telling me he is proud of me and encourages me to continue.
- How do you deal with writer’s block? I get inspiration from other blogs, their social media posts and all the new items on Pinterest.
- What is the craziest comment you’ve ever gotten on your blog? I think the first time someone reached out to me for a product review was crazy…I had just started and was excited but overwhelmed.
- Who is your favorite blogger that you follow and are inspired by? Gosh, how can I answer? This changes almost everyday simply because there are so many out there. I have to say the latest is Danielle from My Snippets Of Inspiration.
- What is the hardest article or post that you’ve ever written? My first one…I was so nervous but now 80+ posts later, those nerves are long gone!
- What is your goal for your blog in 2016? I would like to post 5 days a week, follow at least 10 new blogs per week, increase my blog’s visibility across social media, and learn more each day.
- What do your family and friends think about your blog? I hope they enjoy it! I have received loads of positive feedback and I could not be more grateful.
- What is your favorite thing to blog about? I like to list things…seems to be an easier and more engaging read.
My nominees:
- Annette’s Place
- Ask Jana Leigh
- Skinny And Single
- Chicken Scratch DIY
- Hit and Miss Cuisine
- Creativity In A Bottle
- Lazy Mom Cooking
- Thrifty Guardian
- Woman Pulse
- Crunchy Creamy Mama
Questions for my nominees:
- What inspired you to start a blog?
- If you could interview a celebrity to blog about, who would it be & why?
- What social media accounts do you use to drive blog traffic & what are their links?
- How often, if at all, do you change or modify the look & layout of your blog?
- Have you written posts to schedule them in advance?
- What goals do you have for your blog in 2016?
- Would you or have you already done a guest post for another person?
- What do you find encouraging when viewing other blogs?
- Will you follow and support your fellow nominees?
- If you could make blogging easier, what would you do?
Many thanks again to Rebecca Lemke from New Crunchy Mom for the nomination!
3 Ways To Stay Motivated
Its Motivation Monday and I am in need of some inspiration. I’m at the bottom of my coffee cup and need more than caffeine to get this day started. I know I am not alone in this…some of you are reading this nodding along or silently agreeing. So let’s share. What three things keep you motivated?
To make it interesting, let’s remove the one we all have in common…our family. That is a given. We are all motivated by our loved ones. Adding another level to this motivation, link back to a blog post that either motivated you or may help others get their kick start.
My three motivators are:
- Coffee…kind of a given considering the name of my blog
- Social media…odd choice but I get new ideas when I cruise around
- My home…we bought a house and now I want to make it a home
So…what gets or keeps you motivated? Share in the comments and link back to a post you care to share with all of us!
Cappuccino Connected 