Tag: the person behind the blog

get to know me interview with helens journey as she wins the Liebster award 2018
Posted in ALL BLOGS, AWARDS

“WHO IS THE PERSON BEHIND THE KEYBOARD?” Interviewing Helen’s Journey as she is nominated for the ‘Liebster Award 2018’

Posted on by Helen's Journey

Within the blogging world are ‘Blogger Awards’ awarded by fellow bloggers as they wish to know more about you.

This is because with most of these awards the person nominating you gets to ask you any questions they would like you to answer to get a better insight into who you are.

“I enjoy receiving these awards as it gives me a chance to open up and let my readers see more of the person I am away from my keypad.”

– Helen’s Journey

I was recently nominated for the ‘Liebster Award 2018’ by Terez Erickson from her blog ‘Inspire Me’ – we connected via Facebook blogger groups. (Click on her name to go and read her post in which she nominated me)

The Liebster Award was created by The Global Aussie in 2011 and is given to a favored blogger by another blogger as an expression of endearment and appreciation. Liebster in German means:’ sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome’. I know right, what a lovely list of attributes to have someone nominate you for representing!

helens journey nominated for Liebster Award 2018. 11 question get to know me interview

11 Questions to get to know the person behind Helen’s Journey better!

 

Here are my answers to the 11 questions Terez asked me all about myself:

1. When you were a kid what did you want to be when you grew up?

When I was a kid I didn’t have a dream job in mind like most such as a teacher or a nurse etc. My natural yearning was to be a mother and have children to look after. At first it was my dolls but then when I was 6 my mom gave birth to my little brother. How chuffed was I to have my own live doll to look after! lol. I help my mom do everything with him – bath, bottles, nappies, the works. I literally carried him around with me EVERYWHERE!!! (fond memories)

 

2. What three adjectives best describe your personality?

Caring, Compassionate & creative! (It was a toss-up between compassionate and crazy to be honest!)

 

3. What was a fear you conquered?

When I was younger it was doing the hardest black runs when skiing. Being at the top and peering over the edge when it looks so steep and actually pushing yourself over the edge, setting off into the unknown… was a bit scary lol!

 

4. If you were a Looney Tunes character which would you be?

Tweedy Pie – fluttering my eyelashes but behind the blue eyes I have a cheeky side 😉

 

5. What is something that you never told anyone about you?

Erm… I don’t think I’ve told you all how much I love fancy dress? I’ve been to fancy dress parties as: Cher, Lady Gaga, Snow White, representing India in a sari at a Countries from around the world theme party, A school girl, fame… told you I love it! haha! But hey my drama degree runs in my veins, I can’t help enjoying playing different characters & being in role 😉

 

6. What makes you smile every time you think about it?

My late Grandad Mac ❤ Thinking of him just warms my heart & makes me smile! Did you read the poem I wrote about him? It captures his essence to a T! (Click HERE to read it)

 

7. What is your greatest strength and greatest weakness?

I think they are the same thing – my kindness! If you need help & I can help you I will. But certain people in my past have taken my kindness for weakness as I find it hard to not help you when you ask for it , even if you have done me a wrong or not treated me nicely.

I had to find the balance between Christian duty to help and the right not to be used and having the ability to say no without guilt. I mastered this in September 2017 & had a healthy cut of the unhealthy people in my life – Thank the Lord I finally did, as 1 month later in October 2017 I started blogging!!

 

8. If you could live one day of your life over which would it be and why?

Maybe the day I graduated. Not because it was the best day ever or anything so I’d love to experience it again, but to do my photographs again as I don’t like them. Sounds vain, but it’s because I was suffering from Post Viral Fatigue after the mumps which started my whole health demise saga.

I look so tired, drained and basically ill on the photos. After using all my energy on the long day of standing in ques and sitting for so long as all the names were called out – I was exhausted! So much so, I didn’t even smile properly on my photos let alone smile with the pride I feet for completing the 3 years it took to get it.

I’m so proud of my 2:1 Bachelor of the Arts Degree because of the hard work & commitment it took to get it – but I really don’t feel like that this isn’t captured in my graduation photos! Haha *cue us all singing the song “You’re so vain” like were on stage with Carly Simon & Taylor Swift ;-)*

 

9. What quality do you like most in other people?

A kind heart. You know when you speak nicely to waiting staff, you speak respectfully to people who are doing jobs to help like dustbin collectors, cleaners etc. A heart that, even if they say no when a homeless person asks for money that they say it with a warm smile and not a look of disgust. Those things I was taught growing up and I still hold as important things to do as an adult and for others who may be watching too.

I remember coming out a shop with my nephew and a homeless person was sitting on the floor. So I smiled at them and said hello, asked them if they would like a pack of some of the crisps we had just brought and handed them over. After they said thank you and I said “no problem, take care, bye” my nephew who was about 4 at the time joined in as we walked away and said “bye” to them too – it warmed my heart! ❤

 

10. Would you rather be breathtakingly beautiful, charmingly witty, or angelically good?

Charmingly witty! Looks fade, I wouldn’t be able to drink any cocktails if I was angelically good. But my humour that brings me smiles and laughs daily – even if I’m laughing at myself 😉

quote from helen's journey blog about receiving blogger awards as she is awarded the liebster award 2018 www.helensjourney.com

 

Here are my 11 Questions for my nominees: (I think they will make you realise why I was considering ‘crazy’ as an adjective to describe myself)

  1. One of my favourite UK Garage tunes has the lyrics “I’ll bring you flowers in the pouring rain” (click on the lyrics to open up the song in a new window to have a sing-song ;-)) Which type of flower that represents you, would you choose to bring me on a rainy day and why?
  2. Tell us about your most treasured item in life!
  3. If blogs had to have a theme tune that played every time people came onto your website – which song would you choose?
  4. If you were limited to only reading one genre of blogs, what would you choose? (ie: lifestyle blogs / beauty blogs / fashion blogs / food blogs, etc)
  5. If you had to choose a holiday destination that best summed up your blog, where would it be and why?
  6. Who or what inspired you to start a blog?
  7. If you had to only watch the same programme over and over again in life – what would you choose?
  8. Choose three words to describe yourself – one word for reflecting your mind, one reflecting your body and one reflecting your soul!
  9. If you had to make a personalised cocktail for your blog, what would you call it and what would be its ingredients?
  10. if in the end times, the big brother style government limited you to using only one social media app – which one would you choose to keep and why?
  11. I’m currently growing my hair for The Princess Trust charity that uses hair donations to make wigs for children with hair loss from cancer. What’s the best thing you’ve ever done for charity? Or would love to do for charity in the future?

 

The bloggers I am nominating for this award are some new or new’ish’ bloggers to get their blogs seen by a wider audience. Some others aren’t new bloggers but ones I wanted to know more about through them answering my questions:

Still want to know more about the lady behind the words?

Then why not read my other award nomination blogs where I’m asked more questions & have to list 3 things about myself to share with readers (click on each award to open blog post in a new tab):

Helen’s Journey wins The Mystery Blogger Award #1

Helen’s Journey wins The Sunshine Blogger Award #1

 

get to know me interview with helens journey as she wins the Liebster award 2018

To keep up to date on new posts by Helen’s Journey, here are ways you can follow my journey by blog & social media:

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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: