This Crazy Life of Mine | Tag Archives: blog

Happy 3 years! It’s my blogaversary!

Posted on February 12, 2014 by Nanci

My blog is 3 years old today! How did this happen? How has so much time passed? How?

Three years ago today, I started my blog as an outlet for my thoughts and feelings, just 2 short months after losing my dad. I didn’t know what I was doing or where it would go. I just knew I needed to write. I needed a place to put words and sort my thoughts. It may have seemed random and light-hearted at the time, but to me, it was therapeutic.

My whole life and world changed – and evolved – after losing my dad. So much of my life was centered around my dad, even as an adult. The day we said goodbye to him, all of our lives changed drastically. My heart was broken into a million pieces and I needed a place to express that. I would go back to that time in a heartbeat and have it end differently if I could. But, if anything good came from saying goodbye to my dad, it was my blog.

Maybe I didn’t address it specifically, but just putting words in this little space of mine was a big help. Over time, I realized that I needed to take better care of myself, and I began blogging about that, and that has lead me to this point today. Three years later, where I have lost 30+ pounds and have run 7 half marathons and in two days, will sign up for my first full marathon. I blog about working out, losing weight, running, life, and more.

Creating this little space here on the interwebs is probably one of the best things I have ever done. It has allowed me to meet people I never would have met before, it has allowed me to experience things I never would have experienced, and it has given me confidence that I never had before. I am so thankful for my blog and what it has brought me.

I don’t know where it will go or what is next. I will keep doing what I have been doing, documenting my journey and scrapbooking my life. I hope that you will continue to follow along…

Thank you for sharing this with me!

Favorite posts of 2013

Posted on December 29, 2013 by Nanci

Another year is coming to an end… As I look through posts from this past year, it’s amazing how much has happened, how much was accomplished. Running, weight loss, personal growth, and more…. My blog has turned out to be the best form of a scrapbook I have ever done. And now it’s time for me to share my favorite posts of 2013. Since I just shared all my race recaps for 2013 yesterday, I did not include those in this list…

I have so much to look forward to in 2014 and continuing my blog is one of them. I hope you’ll stay with me and follow along!

Have a safe and Happy New Year! I hope you have a wonderful 2014!

Goalgetter2013 – October

Posted on September 30, 2013 by Nanci

I love October. It’s fall, the weather will hopefully get cooler, and hubby and I celebrate our anniversary on the 6th (12 years this month!). I was already contemplating what to do for my #goalgetter2013 challenge this month back in early September when I saw a post from fellow blogger Katy Widrick and my contemplating was over.

Katy is hosting another blogging challenge this month, after a very successful challenge back in February that I took part in as well. It was a great time and I was able to do some tweaking on my blog. Just coming off FLBlogCon, my brain has been in overdrive and Katy’s timing is perfect. So, I am taking a step back from my health/fitness goals and I’m going to focus on making my blog better.

I have a good idea of things I want to work on for my blog, in no particular order….

Create a media kit
Work on an editorial calendar
Decide on a new look for my blog
Work on SEO
Create a vlog series
Check links on older blogs to make sure they still work

This will be a good start for updating my almost 3 year old blog. My blog has grown so much this past year, I hope that it will continue to grow as I do. This tiny little space I’ve created on the internet is my baby and is an extension of me. There is so much I want to do with it.

Are you interested in joining in? There are a couple places you can find info on this challenge and I would LOVE for you to join in!

Are you new to my Goalgetter2013 posts? Here is my progress for the year so far….

Goalgetter2013 – January
Goalgetter2013 – How did I do in January?
Goalgetter2013 – February
Goalgetter2013 – How did I do in February?
Goalgetter2013 – March
Goalgetter2013 – How did I do in March?
Goalgetter2013 – April
Goalgetter2013 – How did I do in April?
Goalgetter2013 – May
Goalgetter2013 – How did I do in May?
Goalgetter2013 – June
Goalgetter2013 – How did I do in June?
Goalgetter2013 – July
Goalgetter2013 – How did I do in July?
Goalgetter2013 – August
Goalgetter2013 – How did I do in August?
Goalgetter2013 – September
Goalgetter2013 – How did I do in September?

Goals are most successful when broken up into smaller goals! Post a picture on Instagram on the last day of each month to show how you are working toward achieving your goals! Use the hashtag #goalgetter2013.

If you’d like to take part in this challenge and have another way to keep yourself accountable this year, you should definitely join in! Visit the #goalgetter2013 Facebook page today!

For more inspiration, visit these blogs… These are the gals who put this challenge together:

What are your goals for October? If you have a blog and will be joining the #Octoblog challenge, be sure to let me know!

An awesome day at FLBlogCon13!

Posted on September 22, 2013 by Nanci

Where do I even start?! Much like last year, I will have several posts about my day at FLBlogCon because there was just SO much information and I want to be able to share my experience as it should be shared. This first post will be my day in general.

Hubby joined me this year too! He has been blogging this past year (Paintballer4Life) and wanted to be a part of what I insisted would be a great time. We hit the road about 5:45am with a mandatory stop at Starbucks. The drive from Clearwater to Orlando was not bad at all.

We arrived at Full Sail University right at 8am and saw three of my blogging / running friends Kat, Xi, and Jessica walking in. Perfect timing! Yay Tampa Bay Bloggers! We met up with them and took the mandatory pictures that bloggers must take when they get-together. These ladies are so great – I look up to all of them.

Kat, Xiomara, me, and Jessica

I also finally got to meet the fabulous Katy Widrick. I first saw her at last year’s FLBlogCon when she was very pregnant with her adorable baby girl. Over the last year, I have followed her blog and participated in her February blogging challenge. (By the way, she’s having another challenge next month. OctoBlog. It’s a great chance to update and fine tune your blog…) I was excited to finally get to meet her. She is one of the nicest people and always willing to help. She is very passionate about everything she does.

Katy

I already had my schedule set ahead of time and knew what sessions I wanted to go. Some of these sessions I chose specifically because of the speakers that I saw last year and loved, and the other for the content.

I’ll do a separate post on the different sessions, and the opening keynote likely calls for it’s own post as it was so motivating and a great start to the day. Pat Williams, senior vice president of the Orlando Magic, is a great motivational speaker and his excitement filled the room.

The venue for this years FLBlogCon was Full Sail University in Winter Park. I feel that this location was much better suited for this conference. It’s a very hi-tech facility, outlets galore for charging your electronics, very easy to navigate, and the parking lot was right on campus.

Lunch was held out in the Back Lot area and although it was very warm in our wonderful Florida sun, it was a great setting. Bahama Breeze served lunch and it was so good! Shrimp and grits, green beans, salad, chips and salsa, and a fun drink called the Curly Tail.

In addition to the great blogging topics, the day was also very much about meeting other bloggers and networking. I saw a few I met last year and have since kept in touch with via the wonderful world of social media. I made new friends who I was already following, and met new bloggers to follow.

Melinda Nathan

Sarah

After all the sessions were over, there was a Ford After Party where there was more fabulous food to sample, thanks to Sysco and Gigi’s Cupcakes. By the way, the pumpkin cupcake was to die for. No shocker that I went for the pumpkin one!

The host of FLBlogCon, Bess Auer, is very passionate about blogging and she put on such a great event. Everyone involved was excited to share their knowledge with those who attended. Now that I am another year into blogging and my blog has grown so much this year, I feel like I took away much more information than I did last year. I can’t wait to put it to good use. Ever since I got home Saturday night, my brain has been in overdrive with everything I want to do.

If you are a blogger, or thinking about blogging, and have never been to a blogging conference, I strongly urge you to go. The information you will take away from the speakers and other bloggers is invaluable. I look forward to attending FLBlogCon next year!

Did you attend FLBlogCon this year? Or have you been to another blogging conference?

Inspiring YOU inspires ME…

Posted on September 12, 2013 by Nanci

When I started my blog over two years ago and even now, the main reason I sit here and spill my thoughts a few times a week is to keep myself accountable. A really public note-to-self, if you will. And it’s a wonderful way to document important things that I want to remember.

The first time I did WW in 2006 was before Facebook so unless I actually told someone I lost weight (or gained or maintained) in person, on the phone, via text, or in an email, then it wasn’t shared and broadcasted for the world to know. This time around, with the help of social media, I have made my weight loss journey very public. I am open about my weight and share my weigh-ins every single week, whether it’s good or bad. And again, it’s much more for me than for you.

The same goes for sharing my activity – my running times, how far I run, my core work, and more. It’s not proof to everyone that I’m doing it, it’s proof to ME that I’m doing it. I’m holding myself accountable. And when I share my training plan and share how I’m going to work out, it’s so I stick to it.

The wonderful part of all of this is when I hear feedback about how I’m doing or that I am inspiring someone. That is a huge bonus and it just inspires me to keep doing what I’m doing. A comment on my blog, or conversation on Facebook or Twitter, or an email all make my day.

A friend posted this picture on Facebook the other day when I shared how I had just run my fastest 3 miles. She took the time to comment, to tell me that I inspire her, and tagged me in this picture… It made me feel great all day long knowing that little ol’ me can inspire someone else.

Yesterday, I had a great comment on Twitter in regards to my blog post. Another moment of happiness knowing that this little blog and my thoughts inspired someone enough to tell me so.

I also received a sweet comment on yesterday’s blog post, from a friend. Even more motivation to keep doing what I’m doing.

That’s awesome! So proud of you. I know how hard it is and how hard you’ve been working at it. But like they say, you reap what you sow. Congrats!

At last Saturday’s WW meeting, our fearless leader Beverly asked me if I would speak at the next meeting (tomorrow) for their Believe It Will Work topic. They were selecting 3 people from each meeting and I am one of them. I am not a success story this time around – yet – but I am working hard to get there and she wants me to share my drive and desire to do so. One of my favorite things about the WW meetings – what I feel makes the meetings so important – is the camaraderie you find in other members. When you are trying to lose weight, struggling with it, and not sure what to do, you forget that there might be others out there in your shoes. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard someone express a thought or feeling at the meeting and I swear it’s something I could have said. Knowing that you are not alone in this battle and that you are human helps so much. I need that meeting every week to reset my train of thought, for validation that I am doing something right, and as motivation to keep going.