Sunshine Blogger Award (Part 1)

I’ve been nominated for the Sunshine Blogger Award by Rose Hunter! She’s a lifestyle blogger who shares posts of her travels, cooking, and beauty tips. Thank you so much for the recognition, Rose! I’ve been blogging for years and I’ve never been nominated for an award before.

For this first part, I’ll answer Rose’s questions. Stay tuned for a second part where I nominate 11 blogs and write 11 new questions.

Rules

1. Thank blogger(s) who nominated you in a blog post and link back to their blog.
2. Answer the 11 questions the blogger asked you.
3. Nominate 11 new blogs to receive the award and write them 11 new questions.
4. List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post and/or on your blog.

My answers to Rose’s questions:

1. What is your biggest regret in life?

Not taking ANY study abroad opportunity in college.

2. Which book has been the most influential on you?

This may sound typical, but I love Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In — I read the book years ago. There’s some valuable advice I still take with me to this day and apply it to ANYTHING I do.

3. If there was one person, alive or dead you could meet to spend a couple hours with to chat, who would it be and why?

I had a childhood friend I was close to and lost her after finishing high school. She’s someone I’d love to spend a few hours to chat with. Share with her all the things that have happened and let her know all of us miss her.

4. Are you a cat or a dog person?

Dog!!!!

5. If you could talk to your younger self, what would you say?

“Yes, you can be anything and everything!”

As an adult, I never thought I’d have so many hobbies and interests. As a kid, I thought one was defined by their occupation from 8 to 5 and all the other times you provide, pay bills, pay taxes, sleep for the rest of your adult life. I was so wrong. Sadly, there are people who still have this mindset that you are your job and you need hobbies to help groom you in your job.

Having a blog through high school and college certainly propelled this idea that there’s more to life than by my job.

6. If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

Super strength

7. What inspires you when blogging?

The world around me — I love food, travel, photography, DIY, books, trying new things. However my husband, friends, and people who’ve interacted with my [previous] blogs would say the “magic” in my blogs were when I reflect. My blog is a brain dump of things I like and a chronicle of my thoughts and feelings. I was surprised people really liked it and it was something I steered away from. My last blog was mostly void of my reflections, after a year of that blog, I was willing to let it go and start all over again.

8. If you could take 5 items on a desert island with you, what would they be?

Baking soda, inflatable kayak with rows, sunscreen,  spear, fishing net

9. At what moment in your life have you felt the happiest?

Marrying my husband :-).

10. What genre of music do you enjoy listening to?

All kinds!

11. What is your biggest secret? ( Don’t worry about sharing anything too personal!)

My biggest not-so-secret secret is I applied to graduate school. I haven’t told a lot of people because I applied to one program and I did not want to build myself up in the event I did not get in to the program. We shall see.