Create Space

Little did I think waking up yesterday that this nomination was coming my way!

This is my very first nomination!

Everyday I am blown away by the thought that my blog is out there, being read by other bloggers but now that feeling is enhanced even more so, by the fact that somebody would consider Create Space worthy of a nomination when you consider the millions of other amazing & worthwhile blogs!

So to Roda, from Growing Self…Go raibh maith agat! (Pronounced Gho rev moh a-gut) Irish for thank you!), for nominating me for this award!

If you haven’t had the pleasure of engaging with Roda’s blog well now is your chance. You, just like almost 800 others won’t be disappointed!

https://growingself.blog/

Rules:

Announce your win with a post, and link the blogger who nominated you.

Include the featured image on your blog post.

Nominate 10 bloggers (or as many as you can think of) and link your awardees in the post.

List 7 things you love about yourself. (This can be about your appearance, your personality, your achievements, etc.)

Don’t use negative connotation (i.e. Don’t say things like – “I’m prettier than an average person.” or “People have told me I’m smart.” You are pretty. You are smart.)

7 Things I love about myself:

Well, first things first, being Irish, that question could pose a problem! You may wonder why?…well growing up in Ireland, a predominently Catholic country and in a home where practising your faith was highly valued,  it could have been frowned upon to love yourself, as pride was seen as a sin! But thankfully my maturity and common sense have stepped in, enabling me to accept a compliment, to acknowledge my strengths and to be proud of who I am, which many Irish people, to their detriment, still struggle with!

I realise that I am now a composite of the past me, of who I was, who I now am and who I know I am yet to become!

What I love best about myself is…

1. My self-love!
I have learned to love myself, with an unconditional love, which remains steady evenwhen I mess up and fall well short of the mark!  After many challenging years I’ve learned the importance of self-care and following through with that self-care has taught me how to love myself.

2. My love of people.

This includes my love of family and friends and all the people I interact with in any given day.  I was brought up in a loving home in rural Ireland, and this positive childhood set the tone for how important people are in my life. I’m happy to have time on my own but I would be lost without people around me!

3. My conviction to live and let live!

I have no interest in gossip; and small town or country living can revolve around what is happening in everybody else’s life. I like to do my own thing and leave others to their own lives. I’m there if you need me but I don’t need to live in your ear or vice versa or I have no compulsion to live up to the Jones! My wish for the world would be that all countries/races/cultures/religions/genders could practice tolerance for and acceptance of each other.

4. My positivity!

Living with fibromyalgia & chronic fatigue has been a tough but good teacher! I have moved from a life dominated by this chronic illness for 9 years to a life not free but changed and enhanced beyond belief for the past 10 years.  This process although slow and always a work in progress, is because of a determination to change my perspective or how I view the world; by searching for the positive and practising gratitude.

5. My appreciation of the simple things in life.

I love a cup of tea sitting on a simple bench at the back door, I don’t need fancy garden furniture to make me happy.  I love the sound of the river flowing under the bridge just a few minutes down the road from my home. I love smiling and saying hello to strangers I pass on the street, I get a buzz when they smile back. I think it’s possible sometimes that I might be the only person who acknowledged them that day.  I’m very hard to buy birthday or Christmas gifts for because possessions don’t interest me. I like time with the people in my life. I like experiences including meals with family & friends and mini-breaks, particularly to the beautiful County Kerry!

6. Seeing my students flourish!

When my students begin to trust me and let me into their lives, they open up to the group and to new learning.  I can’t describe the buzz I get when a student writes for the first time or realises that it’s ok to struggle with spellings because they see me struggle with spellings or when they realise that other people have the same literacy struggles as themselves.  In Ireland it’s still a taboo topic, (people will admit a mental health issue easier than admit they can’t read or write). My students often say they were convinced they were the only person on the planet with this struggle and boy what a burden that has been to carry all their lives!

7. My passion for writing.

Getting the opportunity to connect with so many amazing WordPress bloggers has been another turning point in my life! I am a big believer in the power of shared stories! These stories, which are so tentatively offered out there to the public are cathartic, declaring our joys and struggles, our poems and photos, our unique stories in our unique colloquial dialects. And when all you beautiful bloggers find something of interest in my post and come back with warm and encouraging feedback then I know for certain all we need is someone to believe in us!

Then as we begin to believe in ourselves, anything is possible…and what an amazing feeling that is!!

Marie’s (Create Space) Nominees:

*I understand that not everyone chooses to be a part of the award nomination process. If you choose to take part, that is fantastic! If not, no worries! The following are my nominees

1. https://windkisses.com/

2. https://heideblog.com/
3. muddlingthroughmymiddleage.com/
4.http://www.aliferetired.com/

5.https://fightmsdaily.com/

6.https://belatedbloomer.wordpress.com/page/3/

7.https://keepcalmjustblog.com/

8.https://kathyknull.wordpress.com/

To all the above and many more…keep sharing and happy blogging!

Much love,

Marie x