image from: une-deuxsenses.blogspot.com
This week marks The World According to Curly Girl's first birthday, and as I look back on the past 365 or so days, the only thing I can think to say is: thank you.
This web-log came to be in this world through a cocktail of influence. A good dose of bullying by friends and fans, some encouragement by colleagues, a jigger of natural curiosity garnished with a twist of desire to write something longer than 3 lines.
It also came with a chaser of that little voice in my head that says: “oh that's just one more thing you will start and never finish.”
It's that chaser that usually tips the scales. “What!? You think I can't do that?!….Oh, I can DO that. I'll show you…” Sometimes that's all it takes for me. A challenge. In this case though, I employed the other sure-fire way to get me to get something done: a deadline. Though, not any self-imposed deadline would do. This one had to be big. In fact, it had to be in another continent. I signed up for Holly Becker's Blogging retreat in Marrakech, Morocco. I had up to that point read all of 4 blogs in my life, Holly's was one of them any Maryam's was another. I had been reading them as totally separate experiences from one another, so when Holly said she was teaching in Marrakesh, and I clicked through and found that she was teaching at Maryam's guest house my brain almost exploded. It seemed like a sign. (Okay, Morocco had long been on the bucket list and it was in October, just about the only month I can do any 'me' travel) but it seemed cosmic in a way, so I signed up.
The minute I hit “submit” on my application for the trip, I started to sweat. I immediately called Coach to tell him I may have done something impulsive (read: I am a naturally impulsive person, so that may have made him sweat to hear me say that). The trip was expensive, and non-essential, and, in Africa. Oh, and by the way, you're not invited.
Coach calmly asked me how much I had spent, got some details of the trip, and then said: “Sounds amazing. You should go!” Good man.
There was one other major catch, to go to a blogging retreat, I needed a blog. So on October 6th, 2010 I wrote my first post and welcomed the world to my little corner of it. In the weeks and months since then I have found my voice as a blogger, a writer, a creative, a bosslady, a friend, a young wife, a business owner and have tried to represent my product in the most authentic way possible. I have been blown away by the support and enthusiasm of my readers, friends and sponsors and Curly Girls all over the world. I have to say that even a year later, when someone tells me they follow my blog, my first thought is “ohmygosh! …and you're not even my Mom!” (though to be fair, I think my Dad is a more loyal reader…thanks Pops!)
So my 'thank you” is to everyone who reads this and to all the people who bugged me for years to write a blog (YOU WERE RIGHT! I love it!) and to myself for rising to the challenge of being an active participant in my own life. Writing it down. Saying it out loud…well, kinda.
What would a birthday/anniversary be without presents!!!??
To celebrate my stick-to-it-iveness, I am starting a week of give-aways! Yep. A WEEK. Lucky ducks! The winner of today's give-away will get a Curly Girl Wall Canvas of her/his choice. Go big or go home right? This is a whole year of follow-through we are talking about here people! I mean business!!
All you have to do to enter is: leave a comment on this post and tell me how you found the blog, how long you've been reading and what your favorite thing has been. This give-away is for true-blues, so no tweeting or repeating necessary! Just let me know you're out there!
Winner will be chosen on Monday 10/10 at 10am.
xoxo
