Tah-dah! Welcome to the new design for summer. I've been watching a great deal of those home design TV shows, so I was inspired to redecorate my blog house. As well, TypePad has added some nifty cool features like Pages and the 3-column Right layout which allows me to clean up the front page and make it much easier for you all to find information. And yes, I put back the Archives so you can catch up faster.
Along with the new look & feel, I am going to experiment over the summer with the content. If you like the new stuff, then I'll keep it. If y'all hate it, then I can always go back. It's all part of growing and expanding. I care very much about you my readers so I will be sensitive about not completely going off on another tangent from what you love about this blog. If I do, I know many of you will have no problem letting me know, and I appreciate that.
...I am raising the bar on myself as a blogger and fellow human being ...
I am going to play with some new story angles, add more video & podcasts, add more interviews with interesting people, and add more of my own photography. I am also going to focus more on the topics of weight loss, fitness, and wellnesswhich I've started to do already but my approach will be a bit different from what you typically see on sites that focus on similar topics. My intent is to bring more humor, style, sexiness, and a holistic view along with a little snark because I just have to sometimes pick on those shady marketers who are trying to con us into buying unrealistic beauty and weight loss products. So again, we're going to try new things. You may like it or not.
I will still have my commentary about body image and the pressures we women face in our culture to live up to"dream" images but it will be more related to how we can heal those parts of ourselves, help others, or find balance which I consider a part of overall wellness. I've realized that I will go on rants and complain about things which is fine but there has to be some kind of helpful value to you the reader. This is where I am raising the bar on myself as a blogger and fellow human being because I want to grow and learn more. It won't be perfect, but that's okay.
Lastly, not only am I going to provide content about weight loss, fitness, and wellness, I am going to share my own personal challenges with you all. I could be completely off on this, but I think it is far more interesting to see the author relate to the audience on a real-life level. That's what I admire about Oprah and her own struggles with her weight. She has shared the journey with her audience. Recently, I shared that I have gained 25 pounds in the last 2 years. I am working now on shedding that weight because frankly the added weight is taking a physical toll on me like I can't move as fast and I'm feeling more pain in my leg joints. On an emotional level, I don't need that extra poundage to protect me any more. Later on I'll explain what that means. And lastly, in the comments on the post about my weight gain, many of you commented that weight loss is also an expression of self love. Honestly, that thought never occurred to me, and what an eye opener.
Me sharing my own experiences with you all was the inspiration behind the quote in the new blog header "It’s one thing to read about health. It’s another thing to live a healthy life." Instead of me just talking about all this weight and health stuff, I wanted to share that I also know what it feels like to go through this process as I have been through it several times before in both healthy and unhealthy ways. My intent is to help you gain health in vibrant, positive ways.
And just to cover my buttay, I am not a medical professional nor certified in any kind of health related program. My education is primarily from the School of Life. Everything I share here is purely my own opinions, things I've learned from other people, and things I have tried myself. I won't share anything with you without having tried it myself. Please use common sense, and seek guidance from your doctor or a trained health professional.
So there! I'm looking forward to a fabulous summer and some new changes. And as usual, I highly value your opinions, insights, and suggestions. I am grateful for your time ;-)
