Category Archives: Blogging

Blogging, Musings

Thoughts on #BlogHer14 and What’s Next for Me and Conferences

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Last week I went to the BlogHer conference in San Jose. It was a good conference and I am glad I went. That said, it was what it was. I will write about the fun and sessions later but while it is on my mind, I have to do a little conference analysis.

I enjoyed going but I have to be real about what it is. It is fun. I go to a few sessions and keynotes. I end up walking away with a couple of tidbits and feeling emotionally more secure in what I do. I hang out with some great people and make a couple of business connections. That’s it. 

Yup, that is about it. This year I think it was worth it because I drove. I loved the fact that it BlogHer was smaller this year so I could fully participate in all the conference and not be as rushed as previous years I have attended. And I love  seeing my friends! There is nothing that really beats that. But a good portion of my friends who I go to BlogHer to see didn’t come this year.  And that did make me sad.

But is it worth it? Well, when it is in California I think it is. Maybe. But this isn’t the only place I see my friends and it really isn’t the place I learn. And while I may go to BlogHer it isn’t my conference priority. If I have limited time and money (which is my plight right now) I need to focus on the most effective learning and connections conferences. BlogHerit isn’t a real active learning environment for me and in order to get the most out of my conference dollars I need it to be. 

I know, you are wondering what  are the conferences I love and learn at. 

The first one I am going to is Blogging Concentrated. They will be in San Francisco  on August 9th and LA on Sepptember 7th. I am attending the one in LA!

Why? To start with Dan Morris is the bomb! (Full disclosure, we are friends;) I have sat in on some of his sessions at conferences like Type A and Savvyblogging. He knows his stuff and how to teach it! He partners with Rachel Martin to teach a small group for 1 intensive day! Seriously, they limit it to around 35. 

I love that this isn’t aimed at the beginning blogger. It is aimed at that person who knows some of the basics and wants to kick it up to the next level. You can also ask just about any question and get an actionable answer.

The second one I am going to is TypeA Parent  in September. 

It is less than 500 people and frankly, I like that size better. It is also a learning conference. You take your laptop in because you will be given tools you can use then!  This conferences is really about equipping so we end up not just learning in the sessions but also in the conversations with people you both do and do not know. I recommend bloggers of all levels attend Type A for all of that learning.

And my peeps are here! I admit that I  find the Type A to be a bit more of my tribe. What tribe? Geeks and nerds but not just them, also people who are serious about blogging and learning how to do it better.  We all have very productive times of learning and a ton of fun at all the parties too! And getting to know other bloggers is important! I have to be real and say, I have gotten more paid work out of knowing other bloggers than out of pure company contacts. I love Type A so much, I am literally spending my birthday there this year;). 

These conferences are where I am going next. I am not saying that I am never going to BlogHer again. It has a value but I (and I think everyone else) needs to be really conscious of what each event brings to them. And is it the conference that gives you the most of what you need?

So what are you attending next? What did you think of BlogHer?

 

Blogging, Educational

Journaling Paradise: A Guest Post

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What does journaling have to do with paradise?

 

It’s common to think of keeping a journal as a place where we can reflect on our experiences. Very often, it’s the place where we do a lot of sighing and moaning about hard times or difficult situations. We can freely complain about other people or rail against society and our fate. The journal is beloved for providing an outlet and a way for us to cope.

 

But besides reflecting on your past or present, a journal can be useful for creating your future.

 

Surely you’ve heard the advice to have a plan before you act. We’re taught to make specific plans when we take a trip or begin a project of any sort. It’s best if your planning includes writing out the steps one by one in as much detail as possible. Enumerate all the steps necessary to arrive at your destination or achieve your goal.

 

Here’s a really curious fact about planning, though. You have to know what you’re going for in order to make a plan. You have to be able to articulate your goal.

 

So why not use your journal as a planning tool, now and then? Spell out your dream, and identify the steps you can take to realize it.

 

First, spend as much time as you wish making a clear image of where you want to end up. 30 pounds lighter? Busy at work as a professional? In love? Write the comprehensive description of what that goal looks like. Push to eek out every detail of the picture.

 

Second, write about where you are now. Do not take so long with this. Let it be a brief post summarizing your current state of mind and body.

 

Third, list the steps that will be required in order to get from where you are now to your goal. This will likely take the most time. Do not feel pressured. Describe each step carefully, and make note of your emotional reactions to each one as you work through them.

 

This is all just writing (plus collaging, or doodling, or whatever) so far. You haven’t actually done anything else. But by putting your goal out there so clearly, you automatically bring it far closer to you. If you persevere, suddenly you’ll realize you are already on the road to fulfillment. You’re taking the small steps that are the start of your journey.

 

Now here’s the real reason I’m writing this post: I would love to interest you in journaling your image of paradise.

 

Whatever other goals you may have, maybe you should spend at least some time on your ultimate goal. What constitutes your idea of perfection? Consider the question on various levels: what would be perfect for you when it comes to:

 

  • Your job
  • Your family
  • Your lover
  • Your vacation
  • Your highest achievement

 

And what about paradise itself? I mean the final paradise? What’s your idea of heaven? If you wish to go there, doesn’t it make sense to make a plan, just as you’ve always been taught?

 

What does paradise look and feel like? Your journal knows!

 

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Mari L. McCarthy, journaling therapy specialist and author, owns Create Write Now, a website dedicated to all things journaling. The site includes hundreds of journaling prompts, personal journaling stories, interviews, a blog, and many other resources. Mari publishes many ebooks and e-workbooks to help journalers accomplish amazing things. She also conducts online Challenges, and you won’t want to miss her upcoming Start Journaling and Change Your Life in 7 Days Challenge, June 4-10.