Archive for May 2013

Why Should I be a Blogger?

blog

I really wanted to become a blogger, but I often asked myself why?  So many people out there already have blogs, what would make mine stand out?  I consider myself a decent writer but “What should I talk about?”; “Will I have time to do it?” and “How do I even start?”

The inspiration came to me a while ago.  I have always been a bit of a technology guy and I had become more involved in social media, specifically its benefits for networking and building relationships.  My friend Tim Mushey and I were chatting.  Tim had some great ideas and lots of notes and he was preparing to launch his blog which became http://sellleadsucceed.com and has been going strong now for over a year!  (Congratulations Tim! You continue to inspire me.)

During our chats then and over the past year, I understood that creating a blog was all about sharing what you know.  That could encompass things like the experience I have both in the corporate and personal worlds, what I have learned over the years and observations that I still make along the way.  This could really encompass a lot.

At the time, I knew I wasn’t ready but I have learned lots over the past year.  I met some great people who have blogs and I realized that they were not all that different from me.  They all have family lives and day jobs and interests and hobbies too, yet they were able to put some thoughts together and build a following.  I could do that!

The real revelation came to me as I read some of the most interesting blogs.  People who are passionate about something, and truly embrace that passion, always have the best blogs.  Even though it is only words, you can really “feel” when someone is passionate about a topic.  So that is when I started to narrow my focus and really start putting together notes of my own.

I know that this blog post is not likely going to inspire lots of people to start blogging, and truthfully that is not my intention, but I feel it is important for me to outline a bit of my ongoing journey as I start this blog for myself. I want to embrace MY passions and I hope you join me.

I plan on blogging about things that I am passionate about, specifically about topics like:

  • Networking
  • Being Social on social media
  • Music
  • Life

You may see other topics pop up from time to time, like cars, technology, business, marketing and more.  I won’t promise that I won’t change things as I go but I will promise this:

“I love to laugh, I love to have fun and I will only post things that I feel passionate about.”

That is my promise to you – you won’t see a post from me if it is just to fill up space. I truly hope that you like what I post and I look forward to building more great relationships along the way.

So let’s get back to my original question, “Why Should I be a Blogger?” For me the answer is simple, because I can.

Things I Learned from my Mom – A Mother’s Day Tribute

happy-mothers-day

On this very special day, most of us find a way to extend good wishes to our Mothers, Grandmothers, Wives, as well as Friends and Siblings who are Mothers too.  None of us would be here without our Moms so in honour of this day I am doing a special tribute to my Mom and all the things she has taught me so far.

It all started many years ago in the same small town where I grew up.  My father met my mother, they dated, they got married, things happened and 8 months later I was born (yes I decided to arrive early).  A couple years later my sister was born and our family was complete.

Fast forward to now and I am happy to outline some of the great lessons I learned from my Mom. Only 5 are listed here but there are so many more.

  1. Always be Kind – My Mom has always shown me that being kind and showing compassion is the best way to receive kindness in return.
  2. Be Generous – not just with money but also with our other valuable assets which include our time and effort.  My Mom taught me that helping others whenever you can is a great way to build long lasting and meaningful relationships.
  3. Smile – Even though there may be times that we don’t feel it, it is important to smile and focus on the positives that are all around us.  Besides smiles are infectious and they spread.
  4. Set your goals and you will achieve them – My Mom showed me that you can achieve success by working hard towards your goals and believing in yourself.  She rose to some impressive positions throughout her career by having that confidence. And she beat cancer with that same perseverance.
  5. Tell people how you feel – Saying “I Love You” to those you care about is not only important to them but it so basic in our human needs that it makes us feel good to say it. 

My Mom has always been there to help and she continues to be amazing today.  I watched my Mom be a favorite to my cousins and my friends and I was lucky enough to call her my Mom.  She gave me freedom when I needed to learn and grow, and supported me so I could learn from my mistakes. She taught me to drive and even let my friends come along so we could “cruise” around town.  She has been and continues to be a great Grandmother to my children and all her grandchildren. And she most definitely has been the rock that held our family together when we needed it most.  I don’t always follow these teachings as well as I should but I know I can always count on my Mom.

We all love you so much Mom, we appreciate everything you do and we need you to keep doing it for many more years to come.  Happy Mother’s Day! I Love You.

And Happy Mother’s Day to all the other Mothers and Grandmothers out there that I know or that I have yet to meet.