Note: I am a member of the Blogalicious Social Squad, which means that I will be volunteering at the conference in exchange for my conference pass. All thoughts are my own.
I’ve struggled over the last year+ with maintaining a balance – in my personal and family life, in my work, in my health. I took on too much, which meant that I wasn’t doing anything really well. I also wasn’t sleeping much, which naturally made everything else I was trying to manage harder to keep up with.
In the spring, I decided that I needed to make some changes. Change is not something that comes easily, but my 27-day road trip, sandwiched in between 2 trips with members of my extended family not only kept me away from my desk for the majority of the summer, made it just a little easier to break free from a few habits and commitments that were tying me down.
The kids just started back to school this week, and I am easing back in to a more normal work routine….a work routine that leaves room for lunches with girl friends and a mid-day bath every now and then. My new schedule is focused more on living life instead of working my way through it.
One of the keys to making sure I have time and energy to LIVE my life the way I want while still managing my blogging business is to spend my time and resources wisely. This past year has taught me a lot, but it has also made me more aware than ever of the things that I could be doing better. I decided that it was time to take a break from my blogging conference hiatus and head to a conference to up my game.
While I was preparing to leave on my road trip back at the beginning of the summer, I decided to apply to be a member of the Blogalicious Social Squad…which means that I will be joining an amazingly talented, energetic, focused, driven, and fun group of volunteers at Blogalicious in Baltimore next weekend. Basically, I’ll be one of the people helping the Blogalicious conference weekend run smoothly. I’ll be making sure that conference attendees get through registration without a hitch and walk away with a badge, a swag bag, and a smile on their face.
And I promise that when I drive home after the conference, I will be wearing a bigger smile on my own face. This year’s conference theme is Build Your Own Empire, and it will be taking place September 11 and 12 in Baltimore, Maryland, with a special add-on VIP day on the 10th.
Here are a few more reasons that I’m excited about Blogalicious this weekend:
The Learning – With sessions like these, I know I’ll be filling my brain with ideas on how I can do what I’m doing even better. There are so many things I need to learn. Yes, after 8 years of blogging (count them…EIGHT years!) there are still days that I feel lost. In addition to the classes, I am also excited about the networking and sharing of ideas between bloggers (that’s where I get some of my best ideas!).
The Friendships – I am so excited to see some of my long-time blogging friends at Blogalicious, and I’m excited for the chance to not only meet but work closely with a whole new group of friends. Because I know we WILL be friends. I also have one of the most inspiring, amazing roommates at the conference hotel EVER.
The Connections – I value the brand connections that I make at conferences. Some of the connections that I’ve made at past conferences are still going strong after several years. Why? I believe it’s the value of the face-to-face relationship. Next week, I’m particularly excited to participate in an intimate “board meeting” with Toyota and a handful of other bloggers.
The Focus – Blogalicious is focused on building up. Whether it’s building individuals up or helping individuals build their businesses, I love the focus of this group!
The Renewal – And I need it. I can’t wait to soak in the enthusiasm that I have already noticed on social media from my fellow Blogalicious attendees. Hopefully I have a few things that I can give back to them. We’re a community, as diverse as we are as people, and as diverse as our websites and businesses may be. We are connected.
Another bonus reason I’m excited about Blogalicious – it’s in my own backyard this year! I love finding conferences that are within driving distance, and since Blogalicious is in Maryland this year, I know I’ll be seeing some of my favorite local blogging friends.
Will I be seeing YOU at Blogalicious next week?
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