Road Trippin’ to Blissdom

Dear Friends,
         I’m Blissdom- bound later this week and I thought I’d share a thought or two on going to a blog conference.  I know some of you may be interested in attending one, some of you may have already, and some of you could care less about the subject.   Those that could care less have my permission to bail out of this post!

The first and most important thing is that you don’t have to have a big, established blog to go.  Last year, my blog was less than a year old and I had less than 100 followers.  I was concerned that I wouldn’t belong with all of the mega -bloggers but I quickly realized that I fit in just fine.  In fact, I couldn’t stop feeling that I had found my niche.  The energy buzzing from all of the creative minds there was like an electromagnetic field and it was so much fun to soak it up.

Going to a blog conference, was WAY out of my comfort zone so I made sure to establish relationships with a few fellow home bloggers before going.  That ensured that I had people who would know who I was and could guide me in the right direction.

You don’t have to do it all.  Blissdom is a really big event with a lot of amazing activities.  It is a jam-packed few days.  I had specific goals in mind last year and only went to sessions that applied to me.  I wasn’t ready for monetizing or tax information when I was nowhere near advertising.  I took that time to relax in the room with a book because this was a vacation for me for the first time ever and I wanted to enjoy a little quiet time which is a rare occurrence at home.  I also used some of that time to work on my blog and set goals, outline what I wanted to do, and form a better plan.  I was making the most of the conference in my own way.

Meeting people in real life really makes a lasting impression.  I had probably commented on the sites of “famous” bloggers hundreds of times but once you meet in person they have a face to go with a name and you become a part of a network that is so integral in blogland.   Sometimes, I felt like the conference was a three -day cocktail party because of all the talking and hobnobbing.  Whenever I started to feel overwhelmed I took a little break or a step back.

Be yourself.  Not everyone wears homemade, vintage ensembles to a blog conference.  Stick with your style and don’t try to emulate everyone else.  Last year, I was really nervous about clothes because after two babies I hadn’t done a lot of wardrobe updating.  I put a lot of effort into my outfits beforehand.  This year I’m going to stick with what is in my closet.  I love to accessorize but I don’t plan on doing any desperate shopping.

The surprise element for me after the conference was the relationships that I cultivated in only two days time!  I talk with blogging friends regularly now and we all have a special little bond.  In fact, Brittany (Pretty Handy Girl) and I are stopping at Sandra’s (Sawdust & Paperscraps) on the way to Nashville.  I would have never dreamed I’d be doing that last year!

I honestly didn’t think I’d be going to Blissdom this year but the stars aligned and it ended up working out.  I bought one of the very last tickets and the way that things have fallen into places makes me feel like I was meant to go.  I do get really nervous about leaving the little ones. Last year I struggled with being away from them which is part of the reason I was reluctant to go this time around. I know in my heart that it will be good for all of us.  They can’t wait to spend special time with both sets of grandparents & Mr. C too.

Wish me luck!  I’m getting a little overwhelmed with all of the stuff I have to do before leaving. The big, stinky stomach bug wreaking havoc on our family certainly put a wrench in all my plans last week. I’m really thankful that it wasn’t this week though!

Are any of you guys going?  I sure hope so!

Oh, and if you want to read about last year’s conference, I wrote about it here and here.