I was nominated for the Blogger Recognition Award; an award that is given to fellow bloggers in order to help them showcase their writing. Not just once, but twice.
The first person that nominated me for this award is a Mum and carer that speaks about her experiences raising a teenager that has Bipolar Disorder (BPD), anxiety and PTSD. She and I recently started following each other on twitter and face book, and from what I can see, she’s a pretty incredible woman.
She is kind, empathetic and compassionate and she has a great sense of humour. She has some health struggles, but she doesn’t let them get her down. She provides a safe and loving home for her family and faces life with positivity and determination.
Her name is Kat and you can find her @familyfurore, www.facebook.com/familyfurore and www.familyfurore.com.
The second nomination came from a couple that are very near, and dear to my heart. Together they write about their thoughts and reflections on the various places they visit; the things they see and hear, as well as live stories, and occurrences they can’t explain. They write under pseudonyms and of opposite gender at that... because they want to, and maybe also to maintain their anonymity.
Their names are Lana & John and you can find them @CarbonLilies, https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=carbon%20lilies and http://carbonlilies.tumblr.com.
THANK YOU so much Kat, Lana and John - not just for the nominations, but for being such a great support to me!
HERE ARE THE RULES:
1. Thank the blogger who nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
2. Write a post to show your award.
3. Give a brief story of how your blog started.
4. Give two pieces of advice to new bloggers.
5. Select 15 other bloggers you want to give this award to.
6. Comment on each blog and let them know you have nominated them and provide the link to the post you created.
THE STORY OF HOW MY BLOG GOT STARTED:
I’m a PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) survivor and decided about three years ago that I wanted to write a book about living with this injury. The sole reason was to help people like myself understand that is was possible to live with something as debilitating as PTSD, and that if we stick together we can build a great support group.
Shortly after I started writing my book, I met with an editor that made some really great suggestions about starting a platform that would get my story out there and one of them was to start a blog.
Up until that point, Davina Lytle didn’t exist on the internet. I had been hiding from my abusers and didn’t want them to know where I was or if I still existed. So all you could find anywhere on the internet when you googled my name was a picture of a couple of feet hanging out in a hot tub.
Anyway, it was hard to put myself out there and wear my heart on my sleeve, but I did it. Now I write a weekly blog that speaks about the challenges people like me face on a daily basis and how I deal with them, as well as sharing other survivor’s stories.
TWO PIECES OF ADVICE TO NEW BLOGGERS: (there are way more than two pieces of advice, but I’m going to stick to the rules)
1. Connect with fellow bloggers on social media; whether it’s twitter, face book, Instagram or snap chat. Make sure to reach out and read other peoples blogs; not all of them because there’s not enough time in a day, but make sure to reach out on a regular basis. It’s important to let fellow bloggers know that what they’re doing is helpful, as well as providing input that help them to feel supported in their journey. Plus I believe it’s easier to get people interested in you and your blog, if you’re showing interest in theirs.
2. The average person reads between 200 and 250 words per minute, and wants to give your blog their full attention; not just scan through it. If you post the amount of time it’s going to take to read your blog alongside the title, your reader can decide whether to read it straight away, or if they need to flag it for later when they have more time.
MY NOMINEES!!
Man oh man; I had a really hard time nominating only 15 of you because there are so many good writers out there. It’s incredible to read so many opinions that are like-minded, and to have finally found a family that gets me.
Please know you are all amazing and if I could nominate you all, I would. I’ve learnt so much from you, plus you’ve helped me to find a place where I feel like I fit in ...a place where I belong.
So, without further adieu...
1. Rebecca @BekaLombardo www.rebeccalombardo.com
Rebecca is an author, podcaster, blogger, mental health advocate and survivor of Bipolar Disorder (BPD). She was one of the first people that reached out to me when I first started talking about living with mental illness and I appreciate her kindness more than she will ever know. She speaks openly and honestly about her struggles, her life with BPD and her 15 year marriage with her husband (and ROCK) Joe.
2. Jody @onelastkick71 www.jodyb2016.wordpress.com
Jody is a survivor of Bipolar Disorder (BPD) and although she and I don’t have the same illness, we can totally relate to each other. She speaks openly and honestly about being abused and the self doubt that comes from it, as well as not getting the love she needed from her parents. You can almost feel the pain and the fear she lives with in just about every post she writes.
3. Matt @SurvivingMyPast www.survivingmypast.net
Matt is a father as well as being a survivor of Childhood Sexual Abuse, Narcissistic Abuse and bullying. He started blogging, vlogging and doing podcasts in February of 2016 and he speaks openly about how he is living with PTSD, anxiety and dissociation. I really connect with Matt because he struggles with a lot of the same issues as I do.
4. Judith @jcstaff_ www.judithstaff.co.uk
Judith is a Protective Behaviours representative and has dedicated her life to safeguarding children. Prior to being a Protective Behaviours Rep, she was an Early Years teacher, but shortly after her Protective Behaviour training, she felt the need to pursue a field that safeguards children and went out on her own. Judith has been blogging about two and a half years about the difficulties faced by the children of today.
5. Aidan @EndTheStigma_ie www.Endthestigma.ie
Aidan is a survivor, as well as being a mental health advocate. He started writing his blog in January of 2016 and he speaks openly about his life after recovering from an alcohol problem. As well as speaking about the suicide of a woman he loved dearly. Aidan started the #EndTheStigma campaign a year and a half ago to try and bring awareness to the stigma surrounding mental illness.
6. Erika @TheWeInMe www.theweinme.com
Erika is a wife, as well as being a survivor of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). She is a writer and photographer as well as being a huge advocate for mental health. She talks very openly about what it’s like to live with all of her different personalities, which she calls “parts,” and helps to explain what it’s like to live not knowing where she’s going to wake up.
7. Laura @ourbpfamily www.ourbpfamily.org
Laura is a mother of two and a survivor of Bipolar Disorder (BPD). She started writing her blog just over a year ago and talks about how hard it’s been for her since her diagnosis 6 years ago. She was one of the first people I connected with on twitter and has been a really good support to all of the family we’ve connected with on Twitter.
8. Sarah @TheSarahFader www.sarahfader.com
Sarah is a mother of two, as well as being a survivor, author, podcaster, and mental health advocate. She is also the founder and CEO of Stigma Fighters; a non-profit organization dedicated to helping people living with mental illness. Sarah started her blog in 2009 and discusses anything from tea to musicians with an open and honest point of view.
9. Don @mindbodythought www.mindbodythoughts.blogspot.com
Don is a survivor, author, composer and advocate for mental health. On his site you will find guest blogs as well as his own blogs talking about what it’s like to live with mental illness, as well as samples of some very relaxing piano music. He was also on the Oprah show in 2010 with 200 other male survivors of child sexual abuse (CSA) to let other survivors they aren’t alone.
10. Lana & John @carbonlilies www.carbonlilies.tumblr.com
Lana & John are two incredibly close friends of mine and like most people have had times in their lives when they’ve struggled with mental illness. Their blog is quite diverse and instead of just writing about their struggles, they write about haunted walks, historical sites/dates and well, just about anything that they think will interest their readers. Plus the fact that John is part of my team and does most of my editing.
11. John @zelandroid009 www.the3ofmeblog.wordpress.com
John is a father of one and a survivor of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). He has been blogging for about a year and a half and he says he does so because his blogs “are his expression of hope, his declaration of love and his celebration of a life reclaimed.” Wow - talk about profound! John epitomized the reason I write and I may just have to borrow this declaration of self-love!
12. Lauri @LauriDMeizler www.embracingmyself.com
Lauri is a mother of four; and although she grew up in a stable and loving home, she became a victim of domestic violence. Thirteen years later Lauri has become an incredible role model for her kids, and an advocate for mental well-being. She also owns a meditation practice and wants you to know that her goal is to share her life lessons with you. The first one being - to embrace yourself!
13. Avvers @avvers917 www.avvers917.wordpress.com
Avvers is a mother of two daughters; one of which is severely disabled. She suffers with depression but writes about her battle in an attempt to raise awareness about the seriousness of mental illness. She encourages others to follow her in hopes that they will find some comfort in her words and know they aren’t alone.
14. Patricia @PTSDWifey www.ptsdwifey.com
Patricia is a mother of two children and she’s not only an advocate for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) she’s also a survivor of Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD). She started her blog in January of 2017 in order to help herself, her husband who has PTSD, and to help others.
15. Venessa @venessabadour www.oneramblingmamablog.com
Venessa is near and dear to my heart because not only does she struggle with mental illness, she’s my oldest daughter. She started blogging a couple of years ago about the trials and tribulations of being the mother of two beautiful “Gingers,” but now she’s added the struggles of over-eating, training to be an exercise coach, and trying to stay healthy. Currently, she has a small cleaning business, but her passion is to be a life and wellness coach.
Congratulations to all of you!! Honestly, your blogs are full of love and support and you are such an inspiration; especially to those of us that are fighting to #endthestigma!!
Davina Lytle