Oh wow, I’m totally jazzed about hosting a bloggy link up, ‘The Weekend Rewind’. It’s a place where bloggers add their links to a favourite post they wrote and you get to kick back (I suggest you pop the kettle on), get comfy and get lost in the world of words.
There’s loads of talented writers all sharing their lives, tips and wearing their hearts on their sleeves. Bloggers please add your links below and everyone else dive in and enjoy. Thanks to Bron from Maxabella Loves, Kelly from ‘A life Less Frantic’, and Sonia from Life Live and Hiccups for inviting me to host…it’s like a warm welcome into the blogging community.
Speaking of community I was invited to speak as part of a panel of women this week at a Biggest Morning Tea fundraiser. I enjoy public speaking but I still feel like I might pee my pants at any moment. It’s nerve wracking doing public speaking, it’s not like blogging where I sit alone with my thoughts silently tapping out my message and there’s no delete button.
What I do love though is sharing my experiences and empowering others, making people think and the joy I get from turning my cancer experience into a gift that keeps giving. Uhuh…suck on that cancer!
What does ‘community ‘mean to you?
For me, community is about connection, support and recognition. It’s binding and nurturing and always greater than one single individual. Community shapes me, makes me dig deeper and allows me to feel connected to ‘the bigger picture’.
There’s my ‘friendship/family’ community who support us and nurture our hearts and souls. Then there’s my ‘local’ community where I volunteer, attend local events, laugh with my barista, nod and say ‘hi’ to the locals and feel welcome.
Finally there’s my ‘online’ community (that’s all of you),where on all my social media platforms I’ve made friends and connections. You guys allow me to share, challenge me, make me laugh, lift me, accept me and play nice. I love being able to share and I especially love reading about you and how your lives tick along…connection, that’s what community is.
Last night I found myself in the emergency department being poked ‘n prodded…scanned and more. It was draining and at times overwhelming, no matter how strong I think I am there’s some things that just take me back to my cancer treatment and have me questioning my mortality. You guys know I share, it’s what I do. It’s not for ‘attention’ or ‘likes’ it’s about ‘connection’. I don’t filter my life. Part of the reason I started writing was to leave a footprint for my kids, words for them to get lost in and get answers from if my life was cut short. I also have many who read and watch and message or email me and they want the ‘whole picture’, the reality of it all.
Last night was a moment… a moment in my life that was made more bearable by having my love by my side, amazing medical staff, calls from friends and messages from all of YOU…my online community. Your support and messages were a welcome distraction that kept my mind busy, they made me laugh, touched my heart and supported me. Thankyou.
Til next time,
Jen x
It’s easy peasy to join in the bloggy linkup, follow the link and add your post.
Sammie @ The Annoyed Thyroid says
May 29, 2015 at 7:52 pmSo awesome to see you guest host – how your life can change in 24 hours! Hope you have a weekend of wellness and that you feel the warm embrace of community from near and far xx
Jenni says
May 29, 2015 at 8:20 pmThankyou Sammie, looking forward to sleep and relaxation. Enjoy your weekend x
Raychael aka Mystery Case says
May 29, 2015 at 8:20 pmI’m very much like you when it comes to blogging. It’s all about connecting. Was super pleased to see you guest hosting this week. Glad you are home and healthy. Have been thinking about you all day.
Jenni says
May 29, 2015 at 8:26 pmThankyou gorgeous, was super buzzed to be asked! I still haven’t slept but will hit the pillow soon. Thanks for caring x
Karin @ Calm to Coniption says
May 29, 2015 at 8:37 pmCongratulations on hosting the rewind and I am so happy to see you are out of hospital. Wishing you a wonderful, restful weekend. x
Jenni says
May 29, 2015 at 8:50 pmThankyou Karin I’m pleased to be home too. Heading to bed soon and planning a weekend of ‘not much at all’ x
Ellen @ Potential psychology bLog says
May 29, 2015 at 8:59 pmCommunity is so important isn’t it Jenni? We need ALL the relationships ALL the time 🙂 Hope all is okay and yay for your hosting gig!
Jenni says
May 29, 2015 at 9:00 pmIt’s everything really. Thanks doing much better x
Sandra Kelly says
May 29, 2015 at 9:11 pmFor me life is all about connection. Lovely post and I’m so pleased to have found you through weekend rewind. Glad to hear you are feeling better. Take care Xx
Jenni says
May 29, 2015 at 9:25 pmThanks for popping in, I’m new to link ups but it’s a fab way to discover new reading xx
Rebecca says
May 29, 2015 at 9:14 pmThis link up is such a wonderful idea! I am new to blogging and haven’t seen it before, but what a great way to find other fabulous bloggers! So glad that you are home from hospital and hope you are feeling better X
Jenni says
May 29, 2015 at 9:26 pmThanks Rebecca, a quiet weekend planned. I’m fairly new to blogging too (7 months) and link ups are a fab way to discover new blogs. Enjoy x
Kelly Exeter says
May 29, 2015 at 9:20 pmLove your definition of community Jen. We humans have such a visceral need to feel connected – but there are so many levels on which we want/need to feel connected. I love how the online world gives me access to all the different levels of connection I need
Jenni says
May 29, 2015 at 9:38 pmThanks Kelly and thanks for having me host this week. I’m an extroverted introvert so need to pull away from ‘people’ to recharge but writing and blogging feeds and nurtures me…love it x
Jane @ Almost Jane says
May 29, 2015 at 9:25 pmHi Jen, nice to ‘meet’ you! I’ve popped over from the Weekend Rewind. I am now going to have a sticky beak around your site 🙂 I love the community that blogging creates, my absolute fave thing about having a blog x
Jenni says
May 29, 2015 at 9:40 pmHi Jane, thanks for popping by I’m making my way round all the other posts…enjoy your look around xx
Min@WriteoftheMiddle says
May 29, 2015 at 9:42 pmHi Jenni!! Yippee Doo!! How excellent that you are guest host at Weekend Rewind this week!! I do love your definition of community and I must say I agree entirely! I’m looking forward to getting to know you better now I have discovered you. I’m sorry to hear you have had a cancer battle and that you had a hospital visit last night that reminded you of it! I hope you are feeling much better today **fingers and toes and everything crossed**. xo
Jenni says
May 29, 2015 at 9:57 pmHi Min thanks for popping in a slight hiccup last night but back on track now. Xx
Jane magor says
May 29, 2015 at 10:12 pmWell what a week it was Jen. Last night was just a bit of a bump in the road. You are amazing with your attitude and your gift to the community. I love reading your blogs and love reading all the others too.
Xo
Jenni says
May 30, 2015 at 4:29 pmAwww, thanks lovely Jane. I’m feeling more like me and next week will be awesome x
Zoe from A Quirky Bird says
May 29, 2015 at 10:54 pmCongrats gorgeous. xx
Jenni says
May 30, 2015 at 4:24 pmthanks Zoe x
Dannielle@Zamamabakes says
May 29, 2015 at 11:14 pmPleased to meet you and you blog Jenni.
Hope you feel better soon. xx
Jenni says
May 30, 2015 at 4:25 pmWhy thankyou Dannielle, thanks for popping over x
Maxabella says
May 30, 2015 at 12:07 pmI’m so glad your procedure went so well, Jenni. Hope you got lots of sleep last night and feel back to normal today. It’s lovely to have you co-host the Rewind. I hope you meet lots of gorgeous new bloggy mates this weekend. x
Jenni says
May 30, 2015 at 4:26 pmthanks for having me Bron. Feeling much better thanks x
merilyn says
May 30, 2015 at 12:53 pmglad you are ok jen and no clot!
weekend rewind or not, I would be commenting on your blog, because we connect!
as I need that connection too!
I definitely need women’s energy that I find to be very caring, supporting and loving!
we mainly get each other all “being different but the same!”
take special care of yourself hun!
all good and healing! … love m:)X
“women circling the earth.” beverly engel
is a great book about women fostering community, healing and empowerment!
written before social media … it is easier and quicker now!
Jenni says
May 30, 2015 at 4:27 pmI love reading your comments Merilyn and thanks for the tip on the book…I’ll hunt it down x
Gael - The Vinyl Edition says
May 30, 2015 at 2:18 pmHi Jenni. I really hope everything’s OK now on the health front?
Community, to me, means a sense of belonging. One of my mates I shared a house with at Uni (a very long time ago) was visiting Melbourne last week and came to our house for dinner. I hadn’t seen her in the flesh to sit down and gasbag with for more than ten years, but it was like we’d only seen each other yesterday. It was actually quite uplifting to be so comfortable.
Jenni says
May 30, 2015 at 4:28 pmI freakin love friends like that! That’s when you know it’s unconditional friendship…treasure that
Malinda @mybrownpaperpackages says
May 30, 2015 at 7:14 pmYay to being a co-host and having something to occupy you while you rest up this weekend.
Jenni says
May 30, 2015 at 7:29 pmThanks Malinda writing and social media has been a great distraction x
Vicki @ Knocked Up and Abroad says
May 31, 2015 at 6:32 amCommunity is definitely nurturing and I think we all crave it. Yay! For hosting the link up! Nice to pop over and meet your site x
Jenni says
May 31, 2015 at 8:01 amThanks for visiting Vicki
Michelle @ An Organised Life says
May 31, 2015 at 9:42 amGetting to know some of the other bloggers out there has been one of my favourite parts of blogging. I’m so looking forward to the Melbourne kidspot event and then Problogger on the Gold Coast to put some faces to names!
Jenni says
May 31, 2015 at 10:46 amSee you at pro blogger Michelle
Jenni says
May 31, 2015 at 11:58 amThanks Michelle, I feel the same. I find it hard to read all the posts I want to but the link ups are a great bloggy feast x
Lisa@RandomActsOfZen says
May 31, 2015 at 12:26 pmWell what an up and down week. Yay for hosting the WR, but BOO for the hospital visit!
Community is my number one love about blogging too, Jen. So much goodness to embrace x
Jenni says
May 31, 2015 at 4:11 pmTotal craaaazy week! Here’s to a better week Lisa
Rachael says
May 31, 2015 at 6:48 pmHi Jenni, family and community is wonderful – your post was such a poignant reminder of that! Congrats on hosting this weeks rewind – am really enjoying discovering so many new blogs. Lovely to meet you and I hope your week gets much, much better!
Jenni says
May 31, 2015 at 9:22 pmThanks for visiting Rachael, it’s been wonderful to ‘meet’ so many new bloggers x
Lucy @ Bake Play Smile says
May 31, 2015 at 7:27 pmI totally agree with you! My favourite part of blogging is the amazing community – everybody is just so darn helpful and lovely! I’ve made some of my best friends through blogging! Cant wait for my very first problogger this year to meet all you amazing people in person!!
Jenni says
May 31, 2015 at 9:24 pmI can’t wait for my first pro bloggers too
Barbe says
May 31, 2015 at 9:00 pmGlad all is ok Jen, was worried about you.
This post is so great, good for you for being the hostess with the mostest this weekend! Clever cookie. xoxoxo
Jenni says
May 31, 2015 at 9:26 pmThanks Barbe it was a week to forget, but I felt very supported from many corners of my life x
tash says
June 1, 2015 at 6:14 pmOh I love the connections I make with blogging! congrats on being the weekend rewind guest this week!
Jenni says
June 2, 2015 at 4:22 pmthanks, bloggers are good eggs x
Sarah Poppy says
June 1, 2015 at 7:58 pmHey Jen – I totally missed this link up – loved this post and loved chatting to you for this morning tea. Community is so important and I am so glad you had your community by your side! xx
Jenni says
June 2, 2015 at 4:17 pmThanks Sarah and thanks for inviting me to the fundraiser…was fun x
Sonia Life Love Hiccups says
June 2, 2015 at 7:49 pmOh Jen – you are so many kinds of awesome. Thank you for playing along with us hun xx
Jenni says
June 12, 2015 at 8:13 amThanks for having me, was loads of fun x