Ever since I first established my blog back in 2015, I have had the honor of being nominated for three blogger awards by female writers like myself. Two of the awards fall under the Blogger Recognition category, and the third is called the Sunshine Blogger Award (how cute!). I would like to coagulate my responses for each reward in this one blogpost, but first I’d like to take a moment to thank my lovely nominators.
To Sabrina of Severn Wishes, thank you for nominating me for the Sunshine Blogger Award back in 2017! Your notice of my blog back in its earlier phases brightened up my day (😉) and encouraged me to keep writing. I enjoy reading about your interesting travels and recommended beauty products on your lifestyle blog.
To Rasha Akar of Simply Rasha, thank you for taking the time to read my blog and nominate me for Blogger Recognition! Your blog is a constant source of inspiration for me with all of the colorful and aesthetic pictures that you feature. I also love your simple yet chic website template. I’ve been to London a couple of times and enjoyed both visits, so it’s awesome to connect with a London blogger like yourself!
To Keeley Alexandra, thank you for kindly reaching out to compliment and to nominate my blog. Even though I’ve never met you, I can already tell through the warm positivity on your blog that you are a sweet and caring person. Also, I love your name, it is so unique and pretty!
For the Blogger Recognition Award, I have been asked to explain how my blog came about, and what helpful advice I can give to aspiring bloggers. To start, I remember it being one day back in high school that launching my own personal blog suddenly sounded like an amazing idea.
Like most reasonably young bloggers today, I was inspired by the likes of Zoella to try out my own website and see how it worked out. But before discovering her blog and channel, I remember coming across a random, girly-looking blog as a result of searching for an in-depth review of a lipstick product. Even though I could tell that the girl’s website was virtually undiscovered by most of the world, I saw how it was truly her own personal piece of the Internet. I decided I wanted my own piece, and so Madison Taylor was launched soon after.
To all of the new and potential bloggers reading this (welcome!), the best practical advice that I can give you is to research, research, research! You can find the necessary tips and tricks for fashioning your blog the way you desire with the least amount of expense through the easily accessible wonders of Google. If you search long and hard enough, I guarantee that you will come across the right websites that generously share all the hidden mysteries of successful blogging.
Practical advice aside, I personally recommend taking the time to clarify and solidify what truly inspires you as a creative. Fill your life and your thoughts with things that are lovely, praiseworthy, and admirable, (Philippians 4:8 is found in my bio if you’d like to read the verse I’m referring to). Doing so will make it easier for you to push past writer’s block since you will have so much inspiration around you to draw from.
For the Sunshine Blogger Award, Sabrina of Severn Wishes asked me eleven particular questions, so here are my responses!
What made you start blogging?
I started blogging because I liked the idea of maintaining my own personal corner of the Internet. In the beginning, I didn’t have a clear vision of what exactly I wanted to blog about, so I decided that I might as well write about a little bit of everything and find out what topics truly interested me later. The main things I like to write about nowadays include my travel adventures, deep life reflections, and healthy lifestyle tips.
Do you have any pets?
I have an adorable green-cheeked conure that can slightly articulate the word, “baby,” since my family loves to call him that. His official name is CeCe which my sisters decided on because CC stands for “cinammon conure.” It’s still hard to believe he is eight years old now (conures can surprisingly live up to 25 years)! He prefers to sit on my shoulder, loves to be fed blueberries, and fawns over gentle head massages.
What is your current favorite television show?
At the moment, I’d say "The Office" is my favorite. I love watching the funny episodes from time to time with my family. We always end up laughing out loud over Michael’s shenanigans, Dwight and Jim’s schemes, and the other characters’ weird but often relatable personalities.
Do you live by any amazing places?
My family lives in northern NJ which is only 35 miles away from NYC, the Big Apple! We like to go into the city a few times out of the year to see our favorite Broadway shows like "Wicked" and "Phantom of the Opera," so it’s awesome to live so conveniently close.
If you could visit any era for a day in a time machine, what era and why?
If it were possible, I would love to time-travel to the very beginning of time when God first created the heavens and the earth. I often wonder what the earth looked like when it was first proclaimed “good” and no corruption from the Fall had taken place yet!
What is your favorite color?
Green is my favorite color, not just because my birthstone is emerald, but because I believe green represents the vitality and beauty of nature. It symbolizes growth and peace.
Ever since I watched Fraulein Maria sing, “The Hills Are Alive,” in The Sound of Music, I often daydream about running across lush green hills and singing my heart out. That is why green also reminds me of laughter, music, and playful frolicking (which is not a bad combination if you ask me)!
Do you like dessert – if yes, what is your favorite?
Of course, I love dessert! Chocolate molten lava cake used to be my absolute favorite, but ever since I adjusted to a healthier diet, I love to indulge in vegan chocolate cake or Rocky Road vegan ice cream. Basically, I love any dessert that’s primarily made of chocolate!
Have you seen a film that has changed your life – what and why?
Although it is no longer at the top of my favorite movies list (because it’s too gory for my taste haha), "Braveheart" has definitely impacted me. When I first watched the movie, I was deeply moved by the unrelenting courage of the character, William Wallace, and his inspiring, yet tragic story as a Scottish patriot. The solemn conclusion of the movie was different from the usual movie endings I was used to watching, where everything usually works out well for the hero at the end. "Braveheart" dramatically emphasized to me the reality of how death comes to us all, so it’s important to wholeheartedly live for the things that count like freedom, justice, and ultimately peace.
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| I visited Edinburgh with my family in 2017 and got excited when I spotted a William Wallace figurine! |
If you could have an hour long conversation with anyone living or dead who would it be and why?
It would be intriguing to converse with King David from Old Testament times. His psalms reveal how emotionally stirred he was as a person, and I can relate to his zealous faith in God. It would be a privilege to better understand the man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22).
Is there a song that has ever been your anthem?
In elementary school, I adored Miley Cyrus’s song, “The Climb”, so much so that I sang it in front of my whole student body for the fifth grade talent show. It was a memorable experience, and the song naturally became my anthem for most of my childhood.
What piece of advice would you give to your younger self if you could?
Dear younger self, you’ll be traveling to lots of places with your family until all of the destinations and unique experiences will begin to blur together. Dedicate more time to writing short and sweet journal entries for each trip so you can preserve more precious memories! On a more serious note, keep trusting God. His plans are higher and way better than anything you could ever come up with.
That concludes all of the responses for my awards! I’d now like to nominate the following bloggers for the Blogger Recognition Award:
- Montana Beth Blog
- Ella's Book Corner
- Michyblogs
- Oceaneyes Blog
- Elysian Haze
- Fearfully and Wonderful Made
- Megan Elizabeth
- Bambi Elle
- Sarah June
- Just J Stylin Life
If you decide to accept the award, here’s what you’ll need to do:
- Write a post about your award
- Thank whoever nominated you and include a link to their blog
- Give a brief story of how your blog began
- Share some advice for new bloggers
- Nominate 10 other bloggers and let them know
Thank you for taking the time to read my responses! Being able to blog is a privilege to me and I'm thankful for every person that stops by to read and appreciate all that I have to offer. Blessings!
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