The View From Here: Four Years a Blogger

Why yes, the View is a day early this week, thanks for noticing.

The reason is, I figured I might as well commandeer my own series for my

Four Year Blogiversary!

Which is today. I set up this here blog on April 30, 2010.

There was my husband's health, the kids, we were in escrow on our house. Big changes were coming for us. .....why not set up a blog? I had no clue what was looming in my life, nor in my journey as a blogger.

Setting up my catchy but lamely named "Just Jennifer" was easy. Too easy, one might say. It's definitely been a work in progress.

So where am I at with blogging four years later? I'm glad you asked.

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Four Years a Blogger

I absolutely love, love, LOVE blogging. It has been the best thing I've ever done for myself.

I could stop right there. That's all I really need to say about it.

But I know there are still many people who don't quite get it. So I will elaborate.

I have learned so many things through blogging. Things I may never have been exposed to otherwise, including ME. I have found who I am, what my THING is, besides being a wife and mom.

I am a Blogger.

I share and connect, inform and learn, think and process and spill. I am authentic. I have a voice in this space. I influence. I write my heart out for all the world to see if they want to. I am vulnerable, yet empowered.

I now think becoming a Blogger was fate. I think it is something I needed, and will need in the future.

Getting to the place I'm at with blogging today -- finding the right name, roping in readers, amassing a following (ha!), the design -- has been a long process for me. I like that it's been slow, though, because it has grown organically, through me just being me and doing my thing.

I've been thinking about what I want from all of this. I don't have one simple answer. I want it all.

I want to share my perspectives on chronic health problems, disabilities, marriage, care giving and parenting, and chronicle my and my family's life, improve myself, connect with others and learn from them....and I want to hand out business cards, write for brands and causes and make money. The opportunities are out there, so why not?

It doesn't need to be all about me, me, me all the time. Sometimes I get sick of myself.

Can I have it all? I think I can. I see others doing it, and I look up to them.

Every once in awhile I wonder, "What am I doing this for? What's the point? Is anybody really listening? Does anyone care what I have to say? There are plenty of people who don't blog and are perfectly happy. Who am I to think what I have to say matters?"

I don't wonder for long, though. It's not hard for me to remind myself that you never know who you might touch with your words, with a tweet or a photo. And if I'm doing that in some way, as well as fulfilling something within myself? That's a win-win.

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And now, you lucky ducks, I have a blogiversary gift for YOU!

Because I love that you come here and read and share my words, and are on this journey with me.

It's not some big, expensive thing from some big brand.

It's just a piece of Dancing in the Rain for you to love and hug and call yours.

A notebook and pen - Yay!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

So, how do you think I'm doing at this blogging thing?

Any topic in particular you'd like to see me write about in my 5th year?

Hoping Shell won't mind if I link this up for Pour Your Heart Out.