Reflections on being named the 2016 Top Vancouver Mom Blogger
What a ride the last few weeks have been! To find out I was selected as one of the Top 30 was a thrill and honour in and of itself. To actually be named Top Vancouver Mom Blogger seemed surreal. I had to pinch myself.
I fully acknowledge that Top Vancouver Mom Blogger does not necessarily equal Best Vancouver Mom Blogger. (Best is a very subjective term anyhow.) There are 29 other incredibly inspiring women on that list, many of whom have been writing for a lot longer than I. It sounds cliche, but I am truly humbled to be among them.Â
To call myself Top Vancouver Mom Blogger feels extravagant. How about Wackiest Vancouver Mom Blogger? Now that’s a title I can really own!Â
I am enthusiastically looking forward to the opportunities that may come my way as a result of winning this prized title. Greater exposure for my businesses, The Joy of Style and Fit 4 Two®, forging new friendships…oh and a weekend away at the Summerland Resort Hotel (and driving up in CLEAN car) are all things I know I will enjoy immensely.
I can’t wait to meet and connect with the other Top 30 Vancouver Mom Bloggers. These AMAZING women have plenty to teach me about blogging, parenting and life.
In the meantime, I would love to share what I have learned on my journey to becoming Top Vancouver Mom Blogger:
- Blogging requires pouring your heart and soul out on the web knowing there’s a good chance you are speaking into a vacuum.
- Blogging may be difficult at first, but the more you do it, the more you feel inspired to do it. Creativity can spark at any time and before you know it, you’ve got another topic to write about.
- When you write as if you are speaking to one person, it makes it easier to find your blogging voice. When you write from your heart about things you care about, it will flow right out of you. This was one of the most valuable tips I learned from writing coach Parrish Wilson.
- You will sometimes be surprised by the reactions/non-reactions you get to your blog posts. A post you spent all night composing might not get any engagement and then another one you wrote off-the-cuff in a moment of joy/rage/sadness gets tons of people telling you they have felt the same way. Then the next week, the opposite might be true.Â
- The more authentic you are in your blogging…and in life, the easier it is for you to connect with your tribe. This requires a leap of faith and a willingness to be vulnerable, but in my experience, the payoff is huge. What is greater than being loved and accepted for who you really are?
Thank you so much, Vancouver Mom, for creating this incredible opportunity for mom bloggers to showcase our work, join with like-minded women and create a conscious community. Thank you to all the generous sponsors Summerland Waterfront Resort, Ford, Place des Arts, Springfree Trampoline, Wesbrook Village, Roundhouse Radio, and Oliver Osoyoos Wine Country. Thank you to my fabulous partner, Mara, my patient husband, Chris, and everyone who encouraged me to give it everything I’ve got.  Surrounding myself with people who believe in me and see my potential makes me want to exceed their expectations. Don’t believe me? Just watch!
Love, Dee xx
Andrea @ Mama in the City
June 10, 2016 at 8:22 amYeah! Congrats! Happy to have another ‘Mama in the City’ blogging and being part of Vancouver Mom. I totally agree about #4. I’ve often found the posts that I’ve poured out in a moment of emotional frenzy often are the posts to get a lot of traffic. Then the ones I carefully spend time editing and re editing and picking out the perfect photo, don’t always get the engagement I was hoping for. Definitely a blogging journey!
Dee Clarke
June 10, 2016 at 10:03 amAndrea, Thanks for the warm welcome! It’s a little intimidating being around so many seasoned bloggers. I’ve got an apartment baby too, (ok he’s 12 years old now, but still my baby, right?) 🙂