Award yourself and pay it forward

I have been on the receiving end of a lot of awards lately. I was trying to do a post for each one, but they started to happen so fast and close together, I couldn’t keep up.  So, I created a “parking lot” to hold onto them, until I could get around to properly accepting them and do my part to “pay it forward.”

While I genuinely love and appreciate the recognition and validation coming my way from my readers, I am requesting that anyone seeking to nominate me for an award, especially if it’s one already noted here, bypass me and find another who hasn’t received the recognition and validation they deserve.  After all, it’s supposed to be “pay it forward” and not “pay it back,” right?

There are a couple of other reasons for the delay in me doing my “acceptance” posts: First, there are other subjects clamoring for my attention. If I were to do a post for each award, it wouldn’t be possible to follow my muse and allow the words wanting to be read to be written. Secondly, I’m uncomfortable with praise and recognition.  I’ve done an o.k. job at accepting the first few awards.  Now I’m starting to feel overwhelmed and don’t want to be churlish by refusing to accept the validation, recognition, and appreciation others are showing. Besides, I really don’t think everyone wants to read about me getting one award after another.

Thankfully, my friend Athena Brady had a brilliant idea that inspired me on how best to “pay it forward.”

So far in my travels around the blogosphere, I have not found any blog that did not deserve recognition for one reason or another.  It isn’t just about writing well or putting up content that will gain readers and followers.  It’s about putting yourself out there, showing up and, ready or not, taking the risk.  Any of my readers who are also bloggers, whatever reason or niche you may have for your blog, you are doing something that inspires, illuminates, is lovely, shows a sign of strength and hardiness, promotes “sisterhood,” shows versatility, or shares beauty. Each and every one of you is fabulous in your own way.

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So, if any of these awards resonate with you and you feel it fits your blog, please take one or more for yourself, and pay it forward.  Below is a list of the brilliant, beautiful, caring, and sharing bloggers who have been so generous in their support and encouragement of me.  All links go to a post or website showing badges, rules, and other worthy blogs.  Follow the links, explore the awards, find the rules, award yourself, and discover new worlds.

Have fun and enjoy.

Blessings,

Kina

I will eventually do an acceptance post for each award received, but this will have to do for now.

• Daisy Award: For those who show hardiness, perseverance, and the ability to grow in the harshest of circumstances. Awarded by NZ Cate ~ Infinite Sadness or Hope.
• Liebster Award: For those bloggers who have fewer than 3,000 or 200 blog followers. Awarded by Ginger Ray ~ dailylifewithfibromyalgia.
• Sunshine Award: The Sunshine Award is awarded to bloggers whose positivity & creativity inspires others in the blogosphere. Awarded by Paloma Sharma ~ Going Bananas, Mental Mama ~ Mental in the Midwest, Danielle Cloakey ~ cloakeynotes, and Melissa from The Bright Side.
• Brother Jon from LDS Convert personally invited me to accept  four awards. Since he “bent” the rules, in a slightly different way than I am, I am providing links to other blogs that have received these awards with the rules posted.
  • Beautiful Blogger Award ~ LaRonda Zupp from Ear of My Heart
  • One Lovely Blog Award ~ M. G. Edwards from World Adventures (Good2begone notified me after this post published)
  • The Versatile Blogger Award ~ This is the official website where all things VBA exist. If you choose this award, you should visit this site.
  • The Illuminating Blogger Award ~ Like the VBA, there is an official website tracking this award.  There are a variety of badge options to choose from.  When I received a second nomination for this award from Dan at hurdlestohappiness and discovered the other badges, I loved the rainbow one, I decided to display it as well.
• The Fabulous Blog Ribbon was bestowed upon me by Athena Brady, Keith from Sleepless in Newcastle, and Sara from Recovery Corner.
• Sisterhood of the World Award was gifted to me by Emily from My Inspired life with Fibromyalgia, Jamie from Grandmother Musings, and Sara from Recovery Corner.