Make Things Happen

MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.

It’s a new year filled with possibilities and beginnings. My motto for two thousand seventeen is make things happen. Better yet, it is my mantra. I will be saying make things happen several times a day to remind me to achieve my dreams. If you have an unrealized dream, I hope that this post will help inspire you. I speak from experience, because this blog is the perfect example of how something started small and grew into a passion and part-time career.

Begin anywhere. I know it is a cliché, but it is so true. Before my blog went live, I took hundreds of tiny steps. Most of them were mental ones. Sometimes, the entire battle to start achieving your dreams is fought and won in your mind, anything is possible if you want it badly enough.

In five days, Connecticut in Style will be two years old. What started as a Pinterest pinning addiction (read my first blog post here) turned into a much-needed creative outlet that has been the most personally rewarding thing that I have ever done for myself. Being a blogger will never eclipse my joy in being a mother and a wife, however, it does a really great job of satisfying my need to create and share.

I frequently get asked about why I wanted to start a blog, which then leads to questions about how I got started. And so, if there is one message I can share about 2017, it is make things happen. Continuous small steps in the right direction are all you need to get started. If fear is keeping you back from building your dreams, I urge you to push through it. I’m not a very spiritual person, but I do feel very strongly about putting things out there in the universe. I want to share some pretty spectacular things that have happened as a result of achieving my dreams as evidence of what can come back to you once you put yourself out there.

Before you begin anything you must be passionate about it. Everyone that comes into contact with you, in person or through a web site, blog site or social media – will see your passion. It will be obvious by the quality of whatever it is you produce. A stunning photograph, a well choreographed yoga class, or a delicious meal – it really doesn’t matter what gift you have. People will take notice of what you do when you put your heart into it. And they will find you, trust me on this.

Even though my blog started as a hobby, within six months of putting myself out there, I was approached by a company who paid me $500 to write a single blog post. That money paid for all my blog site start-up costs and then some. Since that first sponsor, I’ve been approached countless times. In addition to dedicated blog post compensation, I have been amazed at all the free products that people want to send me and the number of professional writers that want to use my blog platform to publish their content. Every day brings a new opportunity, some I pass on, and others I pinch myself over.

Reflecting over the past year of blogging, I have to say that the highlight for me in 2016 was getting an email from Lucy. Lucy is a writer for the Wall Street Journal. She came across my Academy Awards Party themed week and asked me if she could cover it for … The Journal. I thought I was getting pranked, but it was real. Unfortunately, her editor killed the story, but it didn’t diminish the excitement of getting asked! In other news, I’ve also been so fortunate and honored to have made several appearances on News 8 that has given even more exposure to my blog, and my brand. I’m finally getting comfortable with being on live TV thanks mostly to the anchors who make it fun and conversational. Here’s a link to a recent segment I did for a Holiday Beverage Bar. I’m still laughing about the feedback, which was mostly on where I got my pink sweater with the ruffled sleeves and less on the beverages! The sweater is from alice + olivia, and I’m so sorry to say that it was last season and I can’t find it anywhere. Waaaaaa!

Looking ahead, I’m entering my third year feeling like an experienced blogger. I have more to learn, but the trepidation I once felt has been replaced with the confidence that comes from seeing the results of my effort. Thank you for your continued support, it means so much to me and Connecticut in Style. I want to make sure that I’m focusing on what you are interested in, so later this month, I will be emailing subscribers a brief survey asking you what topics you’d like me to blog about. I hope that you’ll take a few minutes and complete the survey!

In the meantime, I have set my sails for 2017 and I am really excited about the posts I have planned. It’s the beginning of a new year and a time that many people pause to reflect on where they have been, and more importantly, where they are headed. Whatever it is that sets your soul on fire, I hope you make things happen.