Today, I want to spread some joy around. Make a few people smile. Say some kind words about other bloggers. I mean, so many nice people have done such thoughtful things for me lately. In the past few months I have received blogging awards from several people. Most Inspiring Blogger was the latest one going viral around here and I got it from five different people! That is quite a compliment. I put off doing award posts because of all of the linking. It takes me hours to get it done. Each award requires you to link and award 15 bloggers! When you multiply that by five you get a weeks worth of blog posts and 75 links. These are the ingredients for procrastination if I ever saw any. If you haven’t noticed yet I am a Master’s Level procrastinator. I am surprised I haven’t gotten an award for that yet. Maybe next year, right?
I decided to make two new awards. These awards don’t come with any rules or questions or link requirements. Instead, what I want you to do with them is copy them to your computer and give them out carefully to people who are truly amazing. Give them to the people who help you and answer your questions. Give them to the bloggers who teach you how to make a button, explain what SEO is or who share your blog with their audience. Give them to the people who don’t take sides in petty internet squabbles, who blog with integrity, who are kind to you. Give them to the people who go out on a limb and blog about controversial topics with authenticity and grace. Give them to the people who have a unique voice and stand up for things they believe in (even, no especially, when what they say might not be popular). Give them to the blogger that you never agree with, but who you like anyway because they always disagree with you respectfully and never delete your comments just because they don’t share your views. Give them to the quiet blogger that doesn’t get the attention he or she deserves. Give them to the quirky people who make you laugh because they are so honest and so real in their writing.
Award bloggers just to spread some joy around. Do it to show them that you appreciate them. To make them smile. Let them decide what to do with the award. They can post it on their blog, keep it in an email, print it out and put it in their scrapbook. Tattoo it on their forehead. This is supposed to be a personal experience. Just a small moment where you can tell someone they are talented and doing an amazing job. After today I won’t be giving these out in a blog post. From now on they will just be given mono a mono.
I am giving this award to the people who have nominated me for awards recently. Thank you for giving me a reason to smile! You made my day. That little bit of validation kept me moving forward. I appreciate your generosity of spirit!
I am also giving it to a few more people. These are people who have helped me numerous times. They have answered my questions. Walked me through things. Promoted my goofy blog posts. Left amazing comments. Liked me twice on Facebook just so I would reach a milestone. Sent me books and get well cards. Listened to me cry when I let someone hurt my feelings …they have big hearts.
This award is for all of those people who blog so transparently and with such authenticity that they are truly one of a kind.
Today I am giving it to these bloggers:
That is all I am going to do today. Please, feel free to swipe these. I have made them out of bits and pieces of my art work. Surprise someone with them. Tell them you adore them and their work. Tell them they are awesome. Help me spread some joy! Thank you for writing. Thank you for reading! I am really proud to be involved with this fabulous blogging community. You make me smile everyday. I have so much gratitude for that!
Love Always,
The blogger who loves to get awards, but hates to write award posts.
*You can steal the photos by right clicking and saving them.
Thank you! This is the best blog award ever. I never get around to writing the posts for the other type of awards. I appreciate them, but they feel like so much work to respond to them. This one is fabulous!
I know exactly what you are talking about! I got a few awards 6 months ago…I am terrible at addressing them. I am glad you like it.
Love it. Such a great idea! You are very generous, Lillian. I love that about you.
Thank you so much. I hope you will give the award to someone that you think is special.
Thanks so much!! You are so sweet! You made me smile!! 🙂
I hope you put it on your blog next to your coffee mug…or birdhouse. 🙂
Lily, you are the blogger I wish I could be, always kind, never say a mean thing and stand up for the ones who need it. I award you the kind and caring blogger award. Thank you SO much for including me. I’m beyond honored.
Thank you! I am putting it on my blog right now. 🙂
WHat a fantastic idea! Well done…
No linking! I am high-fiving myself. I seriously am. If you don’t know how to high five yourself http://Lateenough.com had an instructional video on YouTube. A tutorial.
You are, simply put, amazing. I’m lucky to have found you, luckier that we’re friends. xoxo
I’m not amazing. Just trying to stay focused on the good and shiny and the people who make my days a little brighter. I’m glad we are friends too. xoxox
Thank you. I want to be generous so it’s nice to know that I have been.
You have been VERY generous to me. I thank you!
What a fantastic idea! This is the kind of award I will love to pass around. You are so good at letting people know they are appreciated.
Yes! Awards shouldn’t make you miserable, right? You’ve already worked hard. They should be about acknowledgement and gratitude. I hope you will pass it around. I like to think of it like dominoes. People feeling happy one at a time, getting knocked over by thoughtfulness. That would be really cool.
I just got done reading my daughter the book “Have You Filled a Bucket Today” for bedtime. You just filled my bucket! Thank you! And lots of others I’m sure. I so appreciate the shout out and look forward to checking out the others on this list. Also I would never consider you a procrastinator – I aspire to get as much done as you do!
I concur! Thank you Lillian! I sure do appreciate all the support you’ve given me! So glad to “know” you! Even though I’m hardly on the internet these days, I’m always glad to see you here and on twitter.
Thank you!
Your blog is wonderful. It’s in my top 5 for sure. It’s not like any other blog I read.
One day I will take some pictures of my house before I clean it. Then you will see what I am talking about! I am sure you get as much done as I do if not more…they just might not be things you can measure easily. There are days where you can be busy all day long but at the the end you have nothing concrete to show for it. The laundry you did is back, the dishes were clean, but now you have another sink full, all of the food you prepared has been eaten, the bathroom that was clean in the morning is a disaster after bedtime….books read, games played…this stuff can’t really be measured easily!
I love this bucket metaphor. Have you filled your bucket today? I am going to remember that. I am glad I helped fill your bucket. That makes me happy!
I’m so touched!! This is special to me because you actually MADE the award button!! Thank you so much!! So very honored to receive this!!!
You are welcome! I appreciate your big heart and integrity.
This is the most perfect award I have ever rec’d! Thank you, Lillian, and I am definitely going to pass it along after a brief period of procrastination (we’re kind of one that way). I love being part of your merry band of bloggers – so many kind, funny & talented people. Thank you again from the bottom of my heart. xoxo Marianne
Yes! Put it in a drawer where you will find it five years later because you are looking for your husbands car keys that have mysteriously gone missing. I am pretty sure that is what will happen to me. Then you can dole them out like candy for a 24 hour period until you lose it in a pile of papers on your desk…good times!
Starting Sunday with a Generous Blogging Award woohoo you give me wings Lillian 😉 Thank You Lillian!! xxx
You were born with wings! Big, angel wings.
Thank you! I appreciate you mentioning me, that is very kind.
xxo
MOV
You are welcome and thank you for being awesome!
You are amazing Lily Connelly! Thank you for the mad love 🙂
Sending mad love back at you.
Also, I think this is a great idea…
Thanks! Share it with all the other people you love. 🙂
This is a very sweet thing to do and I love that you used your work to make the buttons!
¤´¨)
¸.•*´
(¸¤ Lanaya | xoxo
http://www.raising-reagan.com
Thank you, Lanaya! Please share it with any bloggers you love.
Oh wow! THis is so sweet! Thank you! 🙂 I love receiving awards-and it’s nice not to have to do a big complicated blog post for it. Thank you!!!
You are welcome!
Sweet!
Thank you SO much! You are a ray of sun every day. 😉 Your furniture post was the first one I ever read and it still cracks me up! http://itsadomelife.com/2012/09/10-things-about-my-home-that-are-cringe-worthy.html LOVE your awards. Graciously tattooing it on my forehead. Probably.
Oh man, that furniture post! I still have all of that horrible furniture….sigh. Tattoo on the forehead is a bold move. I can’t wait for the pictures…lol.
Ohh, first post I read was the labor day (or is it memorial day?) one! I knew I loved you when you admitted to that, haha!!
You guys have amazing memories. I can barely remember what I read yesterday!
Oh, I love this idea! Thank you for the award, it’s especially sweet coming from my dear friend who doesn’t love writing award posts. 🙂
You are welcome! Thank you for being such a sweetheart and for making me drool over cake…way more often than I care to admit!
P.S. I toyed with making an award that trumped ALL awards and had no obligations. I got distracted and, well…Now I don’t have to. Thanks for letting us share it! Everybody better give credit to you too. No art thievery allowed. <3
I know what you are talking about. I have thought about making this award for at least six months now. I am not too worried about the credit. I just want it to be a positive experience.
AWESOME! FANTASTIC! YOU ROCK!
and a HUGE THANK YOU!!!! it’s always so great to hear and feel like what you blog about hits a nerve with others. and to be awarded on authenticity, makes me smile and blush a little! thanks, lady! love the support!
You are welcome!