Finding My Bliss (right here) (right now)

Finding My Bliss (right here) (right now) 1A lot of my friends are in Nashville tonight.

They're laughing and hugging and talking and taking pictures and wearing really cute shoes.

The Blissdom Conference is all about "following your bliss, which means dreaming impossible dreams – and then making them possible through creativity, passion and direction." That's a pretty cool mission for a conference if you ask me.

Aside from attending the amazing sessions and the movie & games night (way better than a cocktail party, in my opinion), how awesome would it have been to just kick back with Steph, Jo-Lynne, Nicole, Darcie, Amy, Janice, Jennifer, and so many others?

Maybe I'll go next year.

And yet...

There's this tug-of-war inside of me every time a conference comes up. I want to go, but I also...don't.

Finding My Bliss (right here) (right now) 2You see. I'm in this certain season of my life. A season of pregnancy, nursing, and I-don't-want-you-to-go-mama. A season of sweet little cheeks and baby laughs and preschool questions. Am I crazy for wanting to stay right here with them?

On the one hand, I feel very left out. I know I'm missing out on potential business partnerships and blossoming friendships. And that stings just a bit.

On the other hand, I know that there will be time for all that. Eventually.

Everyone has their own comfort level for these kind of things. For now, my heart just can't stand being apart from my two girls (I know people often say that about their babies, but I'm not sure I can stand being away from my 3-year-old for four whole days either). For now, I'll just watch the fun through the window.

Because the truth is that I don't have to find my bliss. It's not lost. I know exactly where it is. My bliss is right here, right now.

With the two prettiest little girls on the planet:

Finding My Bliss (right here) (right now) 3 Finding My Bliss (right here) (right now) 4

My button for 2010 should actually say this:

Finding My Bliss (right here) (right now) 5

YOUR TURN: Are you at Blissdom? Why or why not? What conferences do you hope to attend in 2010/11, if any?

Leave a Reply to Sky Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

27 comments on “Finding My Bliss (right here) (right now)”

  1. A part of me would love to attend a blogging conference, to step out and take my blog to the next level, to learn from others, attend seminars, do some networking, put hugs and faces with names I've become familiar with online. The rest of me - knows that right here, right now, I need to just be Mommy, a mommy with a blogging hobby, but mostly Mommy.

    However... I really enjoy reading all the blog conference wrap-up posts!

  2. Well said and good for you!! Definately will reap the benefits of those choices. I saw that too..another one on the way?....

  3. You're not crazy at all. Honestly, you just couldn't pay me to go to a conference anytime in the near future. I'd miss Levi far too much. And, I don't think there's anything wrong with that. Sure, there are some gals who I'd love, love, love to hang out with, but until there's a conference that is totally family inclusive, I won't be there. Really, I think it would be awesome if there was a conference where bloggers and their families could just get together and hang out...like a mini vacation more than a business thing.

  4. Ok I have to ask: Are you pregnant? You said in your post a season of pregnancy so that is why I wonder. Also, you have been kind of quiet lately and if I remember correctly you get pretty sick in your pregnancies.

    Please don't take offense because I don't think you look a bit pregnant! :)

  5. We need a conference just to bring cute kids apparently. Wow.

    Would love to see all of you come out and be a part of Blog World Expo of course. Have a great time at Blissdom and if you are going to be at SXSW in Austin come and say hello!

  6. I think I would love going to a conference (even if I only have my little blog) and meeting all the faces to the lovely blogs I read. But I already am away from my family when I am at work ( which is hours ) and I hate it, I can't imagine being away for days.

  7. I am actually at Blissdom right now, and I am wishing I was at home with my family! I struggle and feel so insecure in such a group of bloggers, and I'd rather just be at home with my family that loves me! So, feel good about being home! Thanks for writing this post.

  8. Aww they are adorable!

    I'm not at Blissdom but I did just return from NAMS (Niche Affiliate Marketing conference) and it was absolutely awesome. So great that I am returning in Aug. There are a few other conferences I would like to attend like Blog World Expo, etc. but if I could only go to one, it would be NAMS. I had a major breakthrough that I know is going to really help my business. Great connections too.

  9. It's funny because I attended more when they were younger but now that they are older (school aged) I find it much harder to be away. They understand I am gone, communicate that message louder, and know how to pull at the heart strings.

  10. I am blissfully at home :-) Like yourself, I would have loved to attend Blissdom because some of my favorite people are there. However, the schedule conflicted with that of my MOST favorite people - my husband and 2 sons!

    I will be attending and speaking at BlogHer this year. Thankfully, it is in my neck of the woods (NYC). I might also attend Blogalicious (TBD) if they have similar timing as they did last year - it was an extended weekend, so I had time to spend with my teacher hubby and school student son.

    It's a never-ending juggle...and I'm good with that.

  11. I just said no to a big project this week for two very adorable reasons. Money will come and go, but their childhood is a one-time deal. You know in your heart that you are in the right place at the right time. I'm with the girls this weekend, but I will be attending conferences. It is all about balance.

  12. I feel the SAME way. Nashville's not even THAT far from me...same time zone at least. However, it's not the right time to leave my family...and my two-year-old isn't exactly at an age where I can bring him along. One day...one day, I'll go to Blissdom.

    Thing is, some of my blogger friends right here in Charlottesville are planning our own blogging conference for next spring. So, I won't have to leave home to get in some great learning and fun!

  13. Well, I am new to blogging so this conference thing is all new to me! But I can relate completely to what you wrote. I find that a part of me longs to spend time in my former capacity as a working woman, going for it, getting things done and being focused on my one and only personal goal in that business like, official way----but then the second I start to work towards that, I realize "what the heck am I doing?" because then it hits me, like a huge kick in the gut (and heart!)--that I REALLY want to be at home with my daughter, focusing on HER goals, playing, coloring, etc.....The way I look at it is this: conferences/work/etc will always be there, but a child's youth will not be. I cannot get this time back. So I am with you-I am HOME this weekend (and the next, and the next, and the next....)

  14. If it were me, I'd be right where you are too. I can't stand to be away from my kids. People think I'm nuts... I don't care. =) I love my kids and want to eat up every moment I can.
    LOVE your version of the button. Perfect.

  15. I'm not Blissin' it up this year. It's in my plan to attend next year though. I will be at BlogHer in August though. Soooo excited about that!

  16. I'm not at Blissdom. I wish I had the time and/or money but since the Disney Social Media Moms event is next week and I can take my family for about the same price as it would have cost for me to fly to Nashville and stay in a hotel during Blissdom, it's the one I chose. To be honest, it's going to be a financial strain anyway but I couldn't pass up the chance to take my kids to Disneyworld for such a good price.

  17. I agree 100% with you. Right now I don't have the means to attend any conferences but I do realize their worth. I am just starting out in this blogging world and it is tough to keep it all in perspective.
    I think your bliss being at home is a great thing and nothing to be ashamed of. You will get your time and for now your little ones are lucky!

  18. Love your button - it made me laugh!

    I agree with the posters who say that they don't want to be away overnight. I just realized I'm still nursing eight times a day (Is that normal for an eleven month old??? She's teething so the frequency is up a bit but not THAT much), so if I did go to any of these events Elizabeth would be coming with me. But then she'd have to stay with me or I'd have to bring my husband (or sister, or mom) to look after her because everyone else? Is a stranger. And strangers are BAD! It boggles my mind that relatives that we see for hours multiple times a week are strangers but that's the season we're in!

    It's probably just as well that I'm not a big fan of travelling in any case.

  19. Love your post--and your revised button. :-) At this point in my life--and for several more years--I do not plan on attending anything that would take me away from my family overnight. One-day workshops and/or classes that are local and that would be extremely beneficial for my work are really the only things like that I would consider for quite awhile.

  20. Oh I love your button! I'm not at BlissDom either and at this point have no concrete plans for a conference this year (although I'm trying to find sponsors for BlogHer and saving up as well). It's a big deal though for me to go away from home since my hubby doesn't get paid time off and his mom's health doesn't allow her to watch our kids anymore. Last year we paid our niece to come and stay for 4 days during BlogHer, which added significant expense onto the cost.

    I'm envious of everyone having fun and making connections down in Nashville right now, but also glad not to be missing things like my third grader's donut sale at school this morning. :)

  21. I am home too. I just couldn't leave my girls (6 and 4) overnight. unless they have one in Seattle (driving distance of my home) I won't be at any this year or even next year

MetropolitanMama - See The World, One City at a Time
©2024 Metropolitan Mama - All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy
linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram