Tag: more about me

helens journey blog wins sunshine blogger award. Award logo & invite to read interview answers
Posted in ALL BLOGS, AWARDS

Helen’s Journey blog wins ‘Sunshine Blogger Award’ #1 Read the interview to get to know me more

Posted on by Helen's Journey

So Helen’s Journey Blog has only gone and won another blogger award! *cue happy dance*

I had the pleasure of getting my first Sunshine blogger Award nomination from fellow blogger “LtalksLife” – yes her first name begins with L and she blogs about all things life! “THANKS FOR THE NOMINATION!” (Click on her name above and it will take you to her blog post about her winning the award and my nomination.)

I’ve previously won “THE MYSTERY BLOGGERS AWARD” and wrote 3 things about myself and answered 10 set questions – this really gave readers the opportunity to get to know me more and learn more about the lady behind the keypad. (click on award name to open this in another tab)

The Sunshine Blogger Award

 

The Sunshine Blogger Award RULES:

1. Thank blogger(s) who nominated you for the award and link back to their blog.

2. Answer the 11 questions the blogger asked you.

3. Nominate 11 new blogs to receive the award and write them 11 new questions.

4. List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post and/or on your blog.

 

helens journey blog wins the sunshine blogger award. Picture of award logo and invitation to read helens journey interview answers

Questions L asked me & my answers:

 

1. Why did you start your blog and how long have you been blogging?

I started blogging the 7th October 2017 – I know right I can’t believe its only been 4 months, my fingers are numb from typing like its 18 months 😉 *Disclaimer: Joking, no fingers were hurt making this blog*

It all began when I started to share on my personal social media about changing things in my everyday life to be more natural; such as changing to organic food, getting rid of plastic tubs and bottles, getting rid of all chemical products, etc. My friends showed lots of interest and many asked me to keep them posted on my steps going forward, for going down the more natural lifestyle route.

From there I thought what better way to keep everyone informed than writing a blog to share my journey… and so ‘Helen’s Journey’ was dreamt into being and here it is! Click to read more about this is my blog: “WELCOME TO HELEN’S JOURNEY – HERE IS WHERE IT ALL BEGAN…”  and more about my writing journey in this second blog: “MY ‘WHY’ FOR BLOGGING!”

 

2. What inspired your blog name?

Life has been one crazy rollercoaster journey for me. I’ve had health issues since I was diagnosed with IBS at 17, which later at 21 turned more serious in the form of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome & at 23 Fibromyalgia. 11 years have passed & I’ve collected an extra list of other conditions & life events along the way too.

HOWEVER, my mental journey & spiritual journey esp this past 2 years following a more natural route has been enlightening! I just wanted to share it with the world & encourage others to change things for themselves, try new things, learn new things and enjoy the ride of life’s journey!

 

3. Who is your blog aimed at?

Anyone who is into wellness & positivity – I even throw in a few poems along the way! 😉 Along with wanting to know more about my discoveries of a “more natural route in life for MIND, BODY, SOUL and SPIRIT!” and replacing things in my everyday life in search of a more natural approach to my lifestyle, diet, beauty regime, health and mental health.

I also write openly about my health struggles with chronic illnesses, but you don’t have to be a fellow sufferer to read about that! That’s the whole point of awareness, that it is reaching people who don’t know for themselves the struggles and hardships of chronic pain and can get an understanding from your openness.

I don’t have a specific audience age group, it really is open aged – I have comments from a 16 year old and from the other end of the scale, a retired ‘elder’. It isn’t gender specific either, even though I seem to get more female readers commenting on posts, I still have male followers.

 

4. What do you most enjoy about blogging?

Getting feedback off people and knowing my words have inspired, challenged, touched, encouraged and comforted people – is just AMAZING! It makes all the hard work and time put into it all worth it! To hear people say they changed from a chemical product because of my blog and now their eczema has cleared up is heart warming and so encouraging!

The comments on my latest blog have been lovely – click HERE to go read them.

 

5. What would you like to change about blogging?

I need a class for bloggers to go to in a classroom full of laptops and have interactive teaching on SEO, affiliate marketing, legal disclaimers and all those buzz words I’m not educated on. YET… 😉

 

6. Do you blog full-time or balance it alongside another career?

I’m still classing myself as a newbie as I only posted my 1st blog on 7th Oct 2017. So four months in to balancing blogging with everything else in life – it’s been hard work, you have to put a lot into it; time, effort, tiredness, pushing through the pain, etc. Yet its been worth it! Who knows if my blog goes viral, if this will turn into a career… ooooooo wouldn’t that be something!

 

7. What tips would you give to your fellow bloggers?

To embrace the arms of the blogging world, which to be honest I had no idea even existed. I started blogging and doing social media for my blog and i suddenly found myself sucked in full force into a big fraternity of bloggers supporting bloggers & it’s been FAB! I’ve chatted, congratulated, been congratulated and really been encouraged by the support from a collective of fellow friendly bloggers.

HOWEVERRRRRRRRR I was also sucked in to the crazy game of follow/unfollow. What kind of foolishness that people have got time out of their day for that! Life is about your amount of followers so badly you put your energy into playing cat and mouse getting the follow then pounce with the unfollow when they get your follow. SEE even my explanation of it is confusing because it is so twisted and backwards. Sorry i think its clear I ain’t into that AT ALL!! The ‘unfollower’ app I downloaded became my best friend in regaining control & power over my accounts.  haha  *and breathe*

 

8. Do you actually put pen to paper to write your blogs or work on a computer/laptop etc?

I work on a laptop or tablet to write my blogs. However I do have a notebook that i write down ideas in when they come to mind so i don’t forget them. I’m old school in i love grabbing a pen and just letting my hand flow away writing without having to think about it. But after 3 years at university you are well-practiced at typing also, so I can flow the new school way on a keyboard too.

 

9. What inspires your blogs/how do you come up with new content?

I don’t plan blogs ahead of time and I don’t use a blog planner. Will I get thrown out the blogging cool gang now? 😉

I literally sit down and start writing and it all just flows out of me. Other times I see something that inspires me to write about it (such as washing my hands in the bathroom using my natural hand wash – i looked at it & thought I need to blog about you! and so i did: “HAND CARE THE NATURAL WAY! LOOKING AFTER YOUR HANDS BY WASHING THEM THE NON-CHEMICAL WAY!”(click to read it in a new tab)

Yet my blog “MAKING FRIENDS WITH GRIEF” was written on the anniversary of my Grandad’s death and I ended up writing a poem for him – so even though the poem was spontaneous the blog itself was structured round a specific date.

 

10. What is your dream job?

If money and health were not an obstacle I’d love to design, open and run my own “wellness centre”. Here, as the big boss lady, I’d house all the different natural treatments that have helped me become healthier, run workshops on coping techniques for chronic illness, have professionals to teach knowledge on nutrition, mindfulness, stretching & exercise, supplements, holistic treatments etc. It really takes a multidisciplinary approach to ‘manage’ the condition Fibromyalgia and other chronic illness under the same umbrella medically.

 

11. What do you aim to achieve by the end of the year?

By the end of the year I’d of liked to not only built my blog up to receive more traffic and interaction. I also want to feature lots of friends businesses on my blog as there really are some great initiatives out there and creative souls I think deserve to be highlighted.

I’d also like to get more people in my Fibromyalgia & Chronic Illness awareness and support group on Facebook & have everyone interacting and helping each other through even more than my 517 members already do! Check out the group here: Helens FIBROMYALGIA AWARENESS GROUP (also relevant 4 other chronic illness)

 

MY NOMINATIONS & QUESTIONS FOR THEM: 

I’m not only nominating people for their support in my last 4 months blogging but also some bloggers whom I’ve only just connected with, but whom I’d like to know more about through asking them my 11 questions:

MY 11 QUESTIONS:

  1. Where in the world are you based and have you ever met up in person with any fellow bloggers in your local area?
  2. If blogs had to have a theme tune that played every time people came onto your website – which song would you choose?
  3. Why did you choose the specific niche you write about for your blog?
  4. Tell us about the best photograph you have taken, that is featured in one of your blogs (include copy of the photo in your answer).
  5. I turn 35 in September and I’m planning on a getaway holiday with a group of friends to celebrate, somewhere with no more than a few hours flight from England, some September sun & cool places/buildings etc to see – where would you recommend and why?
  6. Which social media app do you get most blog traffic through and what makes it work so well for you?
  7. How long have you been blogging and have you ever taken time out away from blogging during that time?
  8. If you had to choose a smoothie recipe to represent your blog what would it be?
  9. Have you ever heard of Fibromyalgia other than from me/my blog/my social media?
  10. What piece of advice would you give bloggers for creating images and for taking photos / flatlays / blog feature images etc?
  11. Do you make money off blogging? If so how?

 

I NOMINATE:

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