As I approach my 3 year blogging anniversary (!!), I’ve been thinking a bit about how I got started. Today, I’d like to introduce you to one of my favorite online spaces. After all, if you like reading my posts, you’ll most likely enjoy reading the posts that I like to read too. Plus, I think we should celebrate the work of others and support one another whenever we can.

I decided to finally share one of my favorites after reading a post by Elise on San Diego.  Even though I’m not planning a trip to San Diego just yet, this post opened my eyes to why I love this blog so much. The post was full of details, yet short, sweet, and to the point. (Go to these places because I think they’re cool. Eat the mashed potatoes.) Music to my ears! Much like Elise, I can write for days on things that I’m passionate about. However, I generally prefer things to be to the point. And funny. This is the foundation of why I read her blog.

Want more details on why I love this blog? Here are a few reasons, if you insist.

1. She tells it like it is. I’ve never felt like any of Elise’s posts were sugarcoated or fictitiously positive. If she screwed something up, she tells you. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of reading something real.
2. It’s funny. I like funny people, and I like to be funny. At the sake of sounding like a total fan girl, I think Elise and I could be BFF. We have such a similar sense of humor, and reading her witty posts makes my day. Tongue-in-cheek and slightly cheesy humor, it’s what my dreams are made of. Plus, Parks and Rec mentions. What more do you need??
3. We have a similar writing style and interests. Lots of details sprinkled with one-liners and funny stories = A+.
4. It’s real life. Working, being a mom and a wife, and dreaming big. There are so many of her posts that I can relate to, and the insight into her daily life makes me feel like we’re real friends. This is a goal of mine for my own blog, and I thank Elise for being such a great model to follow. She shares real life stories, but not in that awkward, over-sharing type way. This is a goal that I have for my own space…to share real-life struggles while still maintaining a positive atmosphere.

This is one of the blogs that I never miss a post from. I look forward to reading each and every post and really relate to most. Her posts on goal setting, blogging, and business always leave me wanting more. I was even captivated by her letters to sweet Ellerie, even though I’m not a mom. I loved the real, and sometimes heart-wrenching, look into what it looks like to be a new mom. I hope to do something similar with my children someday. I even look forward to her weekend links,  as strange as that sounds. (Most of the link posts you see are full of useless fluff.) I tweeted once that these posts are my main source of current event info, and I’m not even joking about that.

In addition to being one of my favorite reads, I give full credit to Elise for giving me the boost I needed to start my own lifestyle blog. I had been following along with several blogs for a bit, and I knew that I wanted to write. I just couldn’t decide what type of blog I wanted. I didn’t want it to be all DIY projects. Even though I have a fashion background, I didn’t want to have a fashion-centered blog. I’m not a mom, so mommy blogging was out. I certainly didn’t want a food blog. I couldn’t commit to any of the typical blog focuses, so I kept putting off writing that first post. Then, I stumbled upon Elise’s blog.

Elise was my first introduction into the world of lifestyle blogging. Shortly after finding her site (and binge-reading years of posts in one sitting!), I knew that a lifestyle blog was the route for me. I wanted to tell stories, but not just any story. I wanted to tell my story. This means that my blog could be about all sorts of things! It could be about whatever was going on in my life, which felt so immensely right. Here I am, just shy of 3 years later, still learning about what I want this place to be like and still developing my style and skills as a blogger. I credit Elise for the encouragement and inspiration to take this leap into internet land. Thank you for that, Elise! I’d likely still be lurking the internet and dreaming of having my own forum if I hadn’t found Elise’s blog.

Go check out elisejoy.com. If you like my online space, I can guarantee that you’ll like hers! Do you have any suggestions for other blogs I should follow? Sipping a cup and coffee and reading well-written blog posts is one of my favorite activities. I’d love to hear your suggestions!

*Photo from “September: Currently.” by Elise.