Why do I blog?

I’ve had a website for a number of years which showcased and promoted my design work. I now have been working for over three years at the same job and have some freelance clients on the side. Almost every job I’ve had, design or otherwise, I’ve gotten through a recommendation from other people. Same with most of my freelance work.

My website had been sitting rather stagnant, only being updated intermittently and not being fully utilized. I wanted to use my website for something more dynamic. When I started 2013 off with going vegan, I decided that I would blog about my readings and experiences, if only as a reference for my own use. I didn’t have a plan – I just figured I’d see where it would lead.

A few months later I took up running and began to train for a half marathon. Terrified that I was in over my head, I began reading various books on the subject. As much as I liked learning the science and strategy of the sport, I found that it was the personal stories really resonated with me.

It wasn’t even the “running saved my life” stories or those recounting weight losses of 100 lbs that motivated me. It was the every day people who despite having a demanding job, a family, and other time-consuming commitments still found time to train and reaped the benefits of increased self-confidence, decreased stress, and general happiness and well-being.

I realized that if they could do it, then I could too!

I began telling my own training stories along with my experiences with yoga and other forms of exercise in the hopes that it would motivate and inspire at least one other person to be more active. I have received a lot of very positive support from friends and family throughout the process and haven’t encountered any negative feedback (I assume anyone who doesn’t want to her my ramblings has already hidden me from their news feed).

Several people have told me that seeing my activity encouraged them to get outside and go for a run or have asked me about cutting back on meat and/or dairy, to which my response was “so people actually read my blog??” But seriously, knowing that my experiences help encourage people in even the slightest way motivates me to continue sharing them (and gives me the warm-fuzzies – sorry to get all sappy)!

It’s not only for the benefit of others though. Knowing that people may be reading my posts makes me feel accountable to achieve my goals, even when I am tempted to quit.

Through my blog and social media accounts, I have connected with old friends and new people who share a similar interest in running and healthy living. Their stories and experiences motivate me to continue on this journey and try new things, and their tips and race reviews help me plan what to do next!

My inspiration includes Courtney, Hailey, and Dayna through their Run Like a Girl website/community, Nikki through her Nicole’s Beachbody Challenge Facebook page, and Jessica Lawlor through her self-titled entrepreneurial blog and #GetGutsy campaign.