Be Inspired

I saw this Instagram post the other day and I had to stop and look at it for a moment.  I didn't realize until that moment that jealousy had been creeping in.

You see, the blogging/ small business world is on fire lately. (Or at least my section of it is.)  So many people that I respect and admire are really really making a go of this- providing for their family with their blog, getting paid to write, pursuing their passions.  On Thursday night I caught up on my blog reading and was blown away by how successful so many of my peers are.  I read about thriving businesses and about bloggers who have doubled and tripled the size of their blogs (and their earning potential!) in a manner of months.  Wow!

I think it is probably natural to see the success of others and want a slice of it for yourself.  For me at least, it can be tough to watch women be extremely successful in something that I am trying to do... especially when not long ago I felt like I was in the same place as these women, and now they have just blown me out of the water.  The goal for me is to be uplifted by others' successes and not brought down by them.  I mean, my friends worked their tails off, they've done things the right way, and now they are seeing the reward for their work.  They deserve it.  They really do.  I have to remember that cheering for others' success doesn't mean there is less out there for me.  There's enough.  Enough for me, enough for you, enough for anyone who is willing to work for it.

So I'm spending the weekend recharging and relaxing, and am excited to hit the ground running on Monday.  Big things are around the corner!  I've got a feeling 2016 is going to blow my socks off.

And if you want to cheer on some amazing women who constantly inspire me, here are several:

Taylor (sold over 9,500 t-shirts in a year and just began her first start up, nebrowse)
Helene (quadrupled her instagram account since February (+8000 followers)  and  made over $3000 blogging in August)
Elisabeth (one of the best at sponsored posts I've ever seen and a self taught photographer.  I knew her when!)
Amy (the jewelry master- my roommate and best friend from college who was able to quit her teaching job and now makes more at home making beautiful gold jewelry)
Kalista and Akasha (sisters who launched their beautiful baby girl shoe collection, hand made in the Phillipines. A portion of their profits goes to charities and projects that assist Filipinos in need. I knew these girls in high school and they continue to be my good friends... there are not sweeter or more sincere people in the world.)
Alexa  (photographer of everything gorgeous and amazing graphic designer.  Everything she touches turns to beauty instantly.)