Category: Blogging Awards

I awoke yesterday morning to a wonderful surprise. Teresa Costa from Sweetesthalves.com had nominated me for the Sunshine Blogger Award. I’m absolutely honored and grateful for this kind gesture.

Please check out https://thesweetesthalves.com. Teresa describes the site’s mission as:

The “the sweetest halves” is all about sharing experiences and making the outcomes as positive and sweet as they can get. Focus on the positive! We can make our dreams our reality.

The Sunshine Blogger Award is given to those who are creative, positive and inspiring while spreading sunshine to the blogging community.

Sunshine Blogger Award rules

The rules are:

Thank the blogger who nominated you for a blog post, and link
back to their blog.

Answer the 11 questions the blogger asked you.
Nominate up to 11 new blogs to receive the award and write them 11 new questions.
List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post and/or on your blog.

Here are my answers to Teresa’s questions

1. Where does your inspiration come from?
   Life. I nearly had mine taken from me at 25. As I worked through my own struggles, I realized everyone has some struggle they’re experiencing. I made a mission of mine to spread empowerment and positivity to help others thrive against the sometimes harsh realities of this world.
2. What was your biggest achievement so far?
   No question, it’s been the many notes I’ve received over the years from people all over the world saying that what I’m doing is touching them in some ways. My blog goes back to 2007 and I’ve had a couple of brushes with greatness. Those were fun for the 15 minutes they lasted too.
3. What was your biggest challenge so far?
   By biggest blogging challenge was staying consistent. I’ve always got other projects going like my website, my novels, etc. The blog has sometimes fallen into disrepair and not gotten the time it deserves. I resolved in 2019 that was going to change. That’s what prompted my 365 Days to a Better You series. I’m posting a new motivational blog each day all year – at least that’s the goal. I’m 134 for 134 so far.
4. What would you change about yourself to improve?
   One of the great lessons of my life is to never wish to be anyone else or any place else. I have many things that I’m constantly working to improve – being a better human, a better husband, step-dad, grandfather. Most of all, though, I enjoy being who I am right now in this moment.
5. What would you change in your life to become a happier person?
   I’d have been born in Hawaii or get to spend more time there. That’s really about it. I try to find my happiness wherever I am now. That’s not always easy, but that’s my goal. It wouldn’t necessarily make me happy, but I’d love to be a world-famous novelist.
6.  When do you plan to begin that change?
   Working on it every day.
7. Who is your favourite “person”?
   My wife. We’re a good team. She’s helped to change the trajectory of my life in so many ways over the past 20 years. I’m definitely better (and more organized) because of her.
8. Do you show your loved ones how much you love them frequently?
   Every day. Since we moved to Boston four years ago, our household has been my wife, our aging black lab Mia, and me. I try to show both of them every day how much I love them by doing for them. Now that we’re moving back to Kansas City, those efforts will be expanded to our entire family.
9. What is the person or thing that makes your day shine brighter?
   Learning something new every day and having a vision for my future and that of humanity. I think we’re an abused species, often at our own hands, with so much potential. I want to do all I can while I’m here to help us realize that potential.
10. What can you do for others to brighten their day?
    Look people in the eye. Say thank you. Really see the people you’re interacting with as you go through your day. Be the person you came to the planet to be and help others to do the same.
11. Are you aware of the amazing person that you are?
    Without being conceited, YES! I am a one-in-a-trillion miracle and so is everyone else I’ll meet today.

Thanks so much for nominating me!

Here are my 11 nominees.

1. Tuesdays With Laurie – https://tuesdayswithlaurie.com/
2. Fisher of Men – https://fisherofmen.blog/
3. Olivia B. Shepherd – https://olivia-b-shepherd.blog/
4. Lazuli Portals – https://lazuliportalswriting.wordpress.com/
5. Anything is Possible – https://joannaoftheforest.wordpress.com/
6. Affirmation of the Day – https://infinitismic.com/2019/04/19/affirmation-of-the-day/
7. Ally’s Notebook – https://allysnotebook.blog/
8. Welcome to Our Campfire – https://colecampfireblog.com/
9. Change Your Life – https://shikshak.online/
10. I Refuse to Give Up – https://irefusetogiveup.wordpress.com/
11. A Purpose-driven Achiever – https://apurposedrivenachiever.wordpress.com/

My 11 questions for you.

1. What’s your BIG goal at this moment?
2. Why does blogging matter to you?
3. What was your most successful post ever?
4. What’s your key message to your audience?
5. If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?
6. Are you a morning, afternoon, or evening writer?
7. What’s your pet project right now beyond your blog?
8. What would you like your readers to know about you?
9. What makes you feel like you’ve made a difference?
10. Do you believe your best days are behind you or ahead of you?
11. Does humanity succeed in the end?