Blissdom is a social media/blogging conference that I just returned home from. It was honestly 3 days and nights of bliss meeting other bloggers in real life, learning tips and tricks to blogging , networking with brands and so much more….it was so much fun and I learned so much but for me it was so much more.
Almost 3 years ago I went through 2 emotionally traumatic events within 31 days that erased the “me” that I was. Since that time I pulled through a period of severe depression, loosing your father and then watching the father of your child, a man that you loved dwindle and succumb to cancer within 31 days can do that, or it did to me. I wasn’t suicidal I was just flat out depressed, sleeping a lot, I have no idea how I cooked meals or paid my bills because the mail was in a tall stack unopened on the hallway desk. Somehow I got past that stage of grief, depression whatever you want to call it but I never got back to “me” I was stuck in a rut. I work weekends and always worked and did my job with a happy friendly face but through the week I rarely left my house unless I had to for necessities. That is not “me”.
Buying that ticket to Blissdom was a big step. Going to a conference with 750 women that you have never met was a HUGE step. But I did it. I bought that ticket, as the days got closer I went shopping and bought a few new outfits to wear (there are formal parties there for heaven’s sake) met some of the Blissdom Newbies online via the Facebook Group. Everyone was so welcoming, the brands, the bloggers, everyone.
But I found “me” later after a couple of Blissdom photography sessions with Me Ra Koh. She is an amazing woman that works to educate and empower women in photography. She just glows, you can see the love for her husband, her children and her love of life and photography and she too has survived some traumatic events in her life, date rape and the loss of a child and somehow she glows, she picked up a camera at age 30 and within a short amount of time became a very successful wedding photographer, blogger, a spokeswoman for Sony Cameras, a book author and so much more. Me Ra was my inspiration to find “me” again to get out of this house with my camera again to be a better photographer, to be a great blogger, to set goals that I want to reach and to find “me” again and not only smile on the outside but to smile on the inside again.
Thanks Me Ra and Blissdom,
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I have been so excited about the Blissdom Conference coming up next week! Shopping for just the right thing (bargains) to wear and feeling like a kid about to start the first day at a new high school (seriously), nervous and excited at the same time. This is my first blogging conference and I am not so sure what to expect but I know what I plan of doing is listening and taking notes and hoping to bring back some knowledge and information that will help me be a better blogger for myself and for you, my readers.
My goal in attending Blissdom is to learn all I can and I was truly excited about the classes, (Photography, Business, Life Development, and Writing) learning all I can and meeting bloggers I haven’t met but everyday the information pouring in about the conference just gets me more excited. Wednesday the email came that announced the entertainment and I am overwhelmed that Rascal Flatts will be there performing for us….Rascal Flatts performing for a group of 700 women! Do you realize how intimate that is compared to the arenas that hold approximately 20,000 people? I am a huge country music fan and I’m Movin’ On was my dad’s favorite song of all time, if they sing that I will bust out in tears but it will be good tears. The new movie The Lorax will be there! Joe Jonas and a screening for an OWN Oprah’s Next Chapter and many great sponsors, Hershey’s, Conagra, California Raisins, Ebates, BirdsEye, Hallmark and many, many more!
Thursday through Saturday I have a jam packed schedule of learning sessions and a lot of opportunities to meet some wonderful brands that have sponsored this event as well as many bloggers that I admire so much. I will be busy, busy but I am hoping to have recipes posted for you and I will be tweeting as well from the conference…follow me on Twitter and you can get the lowdown of what’s going on in Nashville at Blissdom.
Next week is going to be busy, fun and exciting. I am going to be just plain old tuckered out when I get home but I know I will be inspired!
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Blissdom 12
I am so excited! This is going to be my first blogging conference and hopefully not my last. I am a little nervous about it, what to pack, what to wear, I am in essence a newbie and going in there with well minimal knowledge hoping to leave Blissdom with a lot of knowledge and confidence and new blogging friends. I read a lot of blogs but haven’t really met… in person, other bloggers. I am excited, can I say that again?
I need the wisdom from Blissdom to be a better blogger and make this blog a success and much better for you, my readers, because that is what it’s all about! I hope to blogging and twittering while I am there. You can click on over and follow me on twitter if you like.
I had a blog a few years ago and wanted to go to Blissdom but didn’t ~if I had gone maybe that blog would still be around??
I took over a year off after that blog so it’s like I am starting new all over again.
I can’t wait to soak in all the information!
I can’t believe I am going to Blissdom. I am so excited!
Tagged as:
Blissdom,
Blissdom12
