My Go Blog Social Two-Day Conference Takeaways

I have to confess, I have failed miserably about posting my recaps of Go Blog Social.  But, after our event last weekend I could not pass up the chance to reflect on an amazing conference.  As the GBS co-founder you might say I’m bias, but honestly Go Blog Social was just what I needed to refuel my own fire in the world of blogging.

As someone who also has a job outside of the home that has nothing to do with blogging, I can often get lost in the day to day duties of life and forget about my passion.  I am sure many of you can relate.  It can be hard to manage in the online world, but Go Blog Social was a reminder that you can and you will succeed if you work hard and believe in yourself.

All of our speakers were so inspiring this year.  A few of the key messages I took away from them were to be authentic, don’t be so hard on yourself and find out what you want and go for it.

Be Authentic: This one is something we can all relate to.  In a world of repeats it’s hard to find your niche and stand out. The thing is just being yourself will make you stand out because there is no one in this world who is the same as you are.  I think this is also really true in working with brands.  Make sure you are working with brands that you really like or you are interested in trying.  The fun thing about blogging is that is ever changing and so are you.  I know I’m not the same person I was a year ago, heck I’m not the same person I was 3 months ago.  Things in your life are going to change, but deep down you’ll keep true to yourself.  All of our speakers spoke from the heart and although they were all motivating it was in different ways.  So never get caught up in being like everyone else, stay authentic.

Don’t be so Hard on Yourself: When this one was brought up it really made me think.  So often we are so stinkin’ hard on ourselves.  After just getting through my quarter life crisis (haha, but really).  I realized that there is no one in this world who is as hard on yourself as you are.  It is easy to look at all the things you haven’t done or the goals you have yet to reach, but do you ever sit back and think about everything you have done?   Yes, there will always be someone who is doing more than you, but there are a whole lot more people doing a lot less.  This was a major wake up call for me.  You will get a lot farther in life when you stop being so hard on yourself and start enjoying where you are now.  Besides, if you’ve already done everything on your life list, what do you have to look forward to?

Find Out What You Want and Go For It: This is a very scary thing to do, but ultimately exactly what you have to do.  We’ve all heard it, if you’re in a job you hate quit it…if you’re in a relationship you’re not happy with it, end it…if you want to lose 10 lbs, cut the carbs…etc.  But, we get so comfortable and our daily lives just take over.  Don’t be that person 10 years from now who wishes they would have followed their dream career.  The Go Blog Social speakers were so inspiring in sending the message that sometimes taking a risk can make you happier than you ever realized.  It can be very difficult to find out what you want to do and then just go for it.  I know that I personally am still trying to put the pieces together, but what I do know is that there are things I am passion about and work related opportunities that truly make me excited.  So for now, I am following that path…the path of excitement.

I really want to encourage everyone to go outside of your comfort zone.  If you’re interested in blogging or social media come to a Go Blog Social conference, go to a networking event, reach out to someone on twitter.  I can 100% guarantee you I would not be in the place I am today if I wouldn’t have put myself into situations to meet people who share a similar passion.  It is so much easier to follow your dreams when you surround yourself with others who have similar aspirations and always, always be supportive of those around you.

These are just my main take-a-ways from the conference.  But, like I said earlier it was the fuel I needed to keep encouraged on my own personal blog journey.  If you attended Go Blog Social and wrote a post, please link it in the comments.  I’d love to read about your experience.

For more information on Go Blog Social check out the website.

Photos by: (Mary Verett)