THE DAZZLING BLOGGER AWARD GOES TO ME!

I’m not going to lie. I wouldn’t say that humility is one of my strong traits. However, I do think there is a huge difference between having confidence in yourself, and being obnoxious and conceited. And I don’t believe I ever venture into the obnoxious realm of self-confidence. I like to celebrate when things go well for me, and I think that’s a good thing. To me, it’s much more honest to say, “Yes, I kick ass, thank you!” Rather than saying, “Oh no, please, not me, no thank you.” When really, everyone wants recognition and love. So, without any humility or apologies, I’m happy to share that The Dazzling Blogger Award goes to me!

THANK YOU

I have to say, this is going to be tough for me, because part of receiving this award is nominating others. And one of my all-time, top, favorite bloggers ever, is the goddess who nominated me! Thank you to Moksha of The Happy Panda for nominating me. Not only is she beyond worthy of this award, but she is also such a badass goddess in her own right. In addition to being a Dazzling Blogger, she just recently launched her own lifestyle brand, Moksha, and her products are so beautiful and meaningful.

She is also going through a terrible time in India right now, with a frightening Covid-19 resurgence, and further lockdowns. And through all of her struggles, I still feel so happy when I read her blog posts. Literally, even if she’s talking about how she’s struggling with her anxiety, or other real-life things, I feel happy when I read her blog. She truly is The Happy Panda, even when she’s sad. Please all, send Moksha your good vibes and prayers, and check out her beautiful blog when you have a moment.

RULES OF THE DAZZLING BLOGGER AWARD

Okay, so this is my first time receiving this award, and I’m just following suit.

1. Thank the person who nominated you for The Dazzling Blogger award.
2. Link back to the original post.
3. Answer the seven questions that they asked in their blog post.
4. Make up seven new questions.
5. Nominate seven more people for The Dazzling Blogger award who you think exemplify excellent blogging skills.

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THE HAPPY PANDA’S QUESTIONS

QUESTION 1

If you had a choice between – living forever OR living till the age of 60 but being able to see snippets of the future – which would you choose and why?

ANSWER

Oh gosh, this questions is CRAZY, and I love it! So, neither option is ideal, but I think the thought of living forever is honestly terrifying. I’ve worked so hard in this life to build so many beautiful relationships. And the thought of outliving all of my beloved humans just makes me sad. I know of course I would form new relationships, but I would outlive those folks as well. I would LOVE to live longer than age 60, but if I must choose, I think that options seems more preferable.

QUESTION 2

What would your strategy be to escape a zombie apocalypse?

ANSWER

I’d be fucked. I’d be 100% fucked. Zombie’s terrify me to no end. I can’t even watch a clip of a zombie without getting nightmares. I mean, I kind of love Shaun of the Dead because it’s amazing. But the zombie scenes, even though they are “funny” just freak me the F out. I mean, I have no strategy. I would probably try to follow someone who looks like they know what they’re doing. What would I even pack? My mind goes blank in terror. Maybe I’d find like a weapon or something? But I hate violence. Just fucked, I’d be fucked.

QUESTION 3

If you could collaborate with anyone to write a book together who would you collaborate with?

ANSWER

Oh wow, sooooo many ideas. I love collaborations, although I’ve never really done one. I am so inspired by so many people. The first person that comes to mind is my twin sister. She’s actually a brilliant poet and writer. And she also makes amazing doodles and collages. Which is so crazy. Because I went to art school and have been making art for my entire life. And she went to school for writing. Now, I write (as a blogger) more than I make art, and she makes art just as much as I do (or did). It’s like we merged as we aged, and now we are two badass Renaissance Goddesses who rock at both mediums. I just wonder if our personalities would conflict with the actual collaboration part. But I think if we set clear parameters from the get go, we could come up with something amazeballs. Wow, I think I need to ask her about this now.

QUESTION 4

What is the pettiest thing you’ve done?

ANSWER

Ok, so, when I first read this question, I honestly thought I read the word “PRETTIEST”! And only now in my proofreading, do I see that the word is “PETTIEST”! However, I constructed two whole paragraphs about my art-making and even included an image! And it would be such a bummer to remove my shameless plug, so I think I’ll keep it (below). Now, to answer the ACTUAL question:

Hmm, at the start of quarantine back in March of 2020, I was in a super dark place, like many of us. And I was following this young supermodel on Instagram at the time. One day, I came across one of her posts and it rubbed me the wrong way. It was a pic of her in her gorgeous designer bathroom, standing in front of her closet filled with expensive beauty products. It must have been thousands of dollars worth of stuff. And during that time, people were losing their jobs and couldn’t find toilet paper. So, I wrote some sort of self-righteous comment on her post. She didn’t respond and immediately deleted the comment.

I don’t know if this act of mine was as petty as it was just kind of mean. Although, they sort of go hand in hand, in my opinion. I never write negative things on people’s pages, or anywhere really, for that matter. And this was very out of character for me. But, I just snapped I guess, and felt justified in that moment. I still regret doing it and it was a good lesson in, ahem, humility.

ANSWER TO THE QUESTION, “WHAT IS THE PRETTIEST THING YOU’VE EVER DONE?”

This is kind of an impossible question for an artist to answer. And for an artist with a vague sense of humility like me, the struggle is real. Also, I do believe that many artists do fall in love with their own pieces. They are like our babies and we birth them from our soul. Even if they are hideous, we can still be blinded by the fact that this thing came from inside of us and did not exist before we allowed it. So, all that being said, I think I just have to pick one of my favorite works of art that I have ever created.

I went to school for photography and do a lot of mixed media work, incorporating my photos into collages on paper. So, since I have to pick only one, I’m going to go with my Collage 11, mixed media on paper, 2013, 11″ x 15.” Since many artists are blindly in love with their creations at first, I do believe it takes time for the love to fade. And the works that we still love, even after much time has passed (months or years), are the ones that are probably pretty great. For me, this is an example of one of those stand-the-test-of-time works of art.

QUESTION 5

If you had to change one thing about yourself – what would you change?

ANSWER

Sorry to sound like a broken record, but this one’s also difficult for a non-humble person! Tinkering with Mother Nature is something I try to avoid, so I don’t think I would choose anything about my body or appearance, because whatever MN creates can’t be wrong, right?

I think I would like to change how frightened I get. I can get really nervous and anxious and terrified if things are out of place and when I feel out of control. It can be debilitating for me and not fun for those around me. So, I wish I could be a bit more go-with-the-flow, and a little less afraid of things I can’t control. #workingonit

QUESTION 6

What did you believe as a kid that turned out to be totally wrong/untrue/silly?

ANSWER

Hmm, good question. I definitely believed in Santa Clause for like a really long time. Like maybe until 5th grade (age 11). It’s so embarrassing to think about. But, at the same time, I think it’s sweet to reflect on how important magic can be to a child. And there is a part of me that still enjoys indulging in the thought of Santa Clause, fairies, unicorns, angels, and the like. Just because we can’t see things, doesn’t always mean they aren’t there. Okay, I mean, I’m like 100% certain SC is not for real. But the other entities? Maybe!

I think it’s important, especially as we age, to keep believing in magic. Does it make us look dumb and naive and ignorant? Maybe! But does it keep our hearts pumping and our souls reaching for higher heights? Definitely! So, I’m fine with looking and feeling a little dumb if it keeps me believing that this world is a magical place. Even and especially when it doesn’t always feel that way.

Sorry (not sorry) for the multiple shameless plugs, but I truly love Christmas. And even if you don’t celebrate Christmas, I still think you will find this article endearing. It’s actually one of my favorites (like out of 100+ articles, this is one of my top 3). It has much less to do with Christmas, and much more to do with magic and silliness. If you feel so inclined, check out my holiday article: REINDEER MAGIC, PART I: CLAIRE.

QUESTION 7

If you were offered a considerable amount of money to sell your blog and your blog identity – would you accept?

ANSWER

Gosh, these are toughies but goodies! I don’t think I could do it. You know why? Because for me, like with all of my other creations, my blog is about healing and expression. I discover who I am through my blog and have found my power as a woman via The Goddess Attainable. I really need this blog in my life and find such joy from it. It’s not about money or followers or popularity, even though I truly crave all of that, often. But, the thought of letting this go just seems unacceptable to me. It’s latched to my soul. Therefore, whither thou goest, I must go.

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Thank you again, Happy Panda, for the nomination, and for these fab questions. They really got me thinking! And, I love answering questions about myself, sooooo, yeah.

MY DAZZLING BLOGGER NOMINATIONS

1. The Hot Goddess
2. How to Hygge The British Way
3. The Haute Mommy Handbook
4. Jenny in Neverland
5. Bonjour From Brittany
6. rosie abigail
7. Amy Louise

QUESTIONS FOR THE NOMINEES

1. Who is your most inspiring icon (living or dead) and why?
2. What part of your body do you love the most and why?
3. Of all kinds of settings in nature (mountains, ocean, lake, forest, desert, etc), what is your favorite and why?
4. What is the last thing you had to eat (please describe in detail, I LOVE knowing about what people eat)?
5. Describe a dream you hold in your heart that has not yet manifested.
6. What is something about your personality that you could stand to work on or improve?
7. If you had just met yourself on the street, how would you describe this “person you just met”?

This Dazzling Blogger Award situation is such a lovely way for bloggers to appreciate other bloggers. We’re all on here trying our best, so it’s super nice when we can all celebrate each other. And even more importantly, when we can come to learn about other kick ass bloggers along the way. However, if you aren’t feeling this thing, don’t feel obligated to participate, and no hard feelings.

THANK YOU TO WHOEVER STARTED THIS THING!

If you enjoy my blog, you will love my podcast! The Goddess Attainable Podcast discusses everything from vaginas, beauty, misogyny and sexism, food, pop culture, health and body stuff, and so much more. Join me, Libby Saylor (aka The Goddess Attainable), and my cohort of goddesses and gods on a journey to ultimate self-worth, self-love, and goddess-esque living!

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PHOTO CREDITS

Featured photo by Jack Van Hel on Unsplash