Coming back from the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration has had my head spinning with creative ideas, inspiration and so much content. But one thing that resonated with me was gratitude for my story. We all have a story. Sure, not all of us choose to do what I do and write about it online, but you might share your story to just one person. And that in itself is special, unique and important. It’s what connects us all and makes us all understand each other better.
I recently had a meeting and was reminded that my contributions to my charity are of value, no matter the amount. Why am I telling you this? Because I was sitting on the amount raised for our local charity event for almost a year thinking it wasn’t a big enough amount. I wanted to raise more, I wanted to do more. And sometimes, when I look around and see other events raising double, event triple the money than mine, I was feeling inadequate.
But that is that voice inside that needs to go in a permanent time-out. There is a big difference between wanting to do more next time and feeling like I didn’t do enough. One feeling gives you power, the other gives you’re a lack of power. We all want to make a difference in this world, and it all starts small and grows.
Last year, Shopping From The Heart raised $5545 for the Lakeshore Hospital Foundation. To date, the event has raised over $20,000 for local hospitals. Each year, the event grows. Our community changes slightly with time, what remains is people coming together to help. This connection that began over eight years ago with my business has built a tribe that I value.
Real Talk
Sometimes, it may seem like I’ve gone dark when posts don’t come out. Especially when I come back from a major conference. There is so much to absorb, that I need to take a step back and plan things out. However, I need to know the fine line between planning things out and being too much of a perfectionist. Can I get an Amen?!
I have been networking, drafting, editing and creating behind the scenes since we returned from DisneySMMC. I’ve even been a guest speaker at a recent event! There is so much I want to tell you! I have amazing news to share for the blog and my charity event, but I have to wait! Trust me when I write these words: You do not want to miss out. Subscribing to my newsletter might be a great idea if you haven’t yet. Just sayin’.
I have also been focusing on YouTube a bit more since we returned. Making videos isn’t new to me, but I’m working harder at it. It’s a great outlet and a starting point for new blog posts. Go over and check out the news videos I posted recently. All my videos are family-friendly too.
I encourage you to check out Shopping From The Heart too. It’s the website dedicated to promoting the event and all the participants.