Relationships

Jun 30, 2011

#Typeacon is the Feels Like Family Conference

June 30, 2011 By Chele 22 Comments

I attended the Type-A Parent Conference last week. I had some thoughts of how I feel about this conference that I would like to share. I know some of you are thinking I am bias because Kelby Carr (founder of the conference) is one of my bestest friends but I promise you. I live by my title Bona Fide.

I left this conference thinking that #Typeacon is the Feels Like Family Conference!

This is my second time at this conference. My first experience of any conference was Type-A last year. I have been to a few others within the last year and this year’s Type-A Conference showed me that this is indeed the best conference for many reasons. However I have to share, you know I spoke at this conference. Well look what I found in a pile just a few weeks ago that I put on a post it note after returning home from last years conference! Ha-Ha!

These next few thoughts are reasons why you should attend this particular conference!

Learning –

You learn a TON of information. As a matter of fact, all the other conferences were mainly about networking and partying. Although there are still the networking and partying at Type-A, the learning is in abundance. They do an amazing job at lining up speakers and sessions. You will not leave this conference without some excellent knowledge to use!

Networking –

You would be amazed for any conference what networking does for your online life. The friends you make who will think of you when an opportunity comes and they need more bloggers. The companies that you get to know are amazing. If they didn’t want to work with you in some way, they wouldn’t be there in the first place! Just like you will see in the next thought, there is a lot of time at this conference to get to know those you would like to know better!

Personal –

There are so many that say that #typeacon is the place to make those amazing relationships. I agree! You have the time to embrace time with others while eating, going out on the town or sitting on the patio. There is time in between sessions to chat or even to relax the mind (which you may need at any conference, ha!). You have quality time to meet other bloggers and those who work for the sponsors. As well as, you get to know them on a personal level. That’s probably why I feel like I’m #consick right now. I miss my friends new and old! By the way, my definition for #consick is depressed or melancholy at being away from a conference or longing to go back.

All of these things combined are why #Typeacon is the Feels Like Family Conference! Like some of these sisters I never had who are in my Social Media Moms Group that I had the privilege to meet face to face or see again! Love them all like family!

Photo credit courtesy of Christine at From Dates to Diapers.

To see some of the LiveBlogging Posts from the conference go here.

If you want to read more or link up your recap of the Type-A Parent Conference please go to the Type-A Parent post from Kelby.

Question: Am I the only one that feels this conference feels like family? Am I the only one that is #consick?

Your turn!

Chele

Filed Under: Family, Relationships, Social Networking, Technology, The Carolina's Tagged With: Blogging, Bona Fide, Conferences, North Carolina, relationships, Type-A

Apr 6, 2011

Celebrating Life

April 6, 2011 By Chele 19 Comments

• If you are here from the Ultimate Blog Party, go here and Let’s Party!

My husband and I are celebrating nine years of marriage today. I am so thankful for him. He is my rock. He makes me laugh when I don’t want to.

He is my best friend. I don’t deserve him but God obviously thinks I do. Thank you Baby for being you and loving me unconditionally. It doesn’t seem like nine years. It feels more like FOREVER! The amazing thing is every day I fall back in love again. God is good! I am celebrating my life today because without him I would not be whole. He completes me.

As for the past eight months it has felt like an ETERNITY. From being told most likely cancer in my Thyroid, to insurance issues to cover the surgery and doctor appointments. As well as, being diagnosed with definite Thyroid Cancer. Ending with a treatment that left me feeling very alone for a whole week. However, today I am celebrating the life that God gave me more time in. To spend with my husband, my children, my friends, and my family.

God gave me another year to not worry. I was contacted less than 8 hours after my whole body scan on Friday by my doctor. The verdict, a clear scan! Praise God!!! Yes I have to have five years of clear whole body scans to be considered cancer free. But I’ll take a year at a time to enjoy my life. So if I slack here on Bona Fide Life for a few days at a time, it’s not because I don’t want to write but because I will be making the most of my life. So please stick around while I share my life with you even if it’s not every. single. day.

I hope everyone realizes how fast life can stop in it’s tracks. I sure did. However, I will be making the most of the time I have. I will be celebrating life.

Thank you to all of my friends and family for keeping me inspired and uplifted. Please don’t stop, I still have a long journey! And Chasin… thank you for being my strength and comfort… Happy Anniversary!

Chele

P.S. Don’t forget about my Challenge Link Up this Friday. Tips or struggles with taking your children out to dinner.

Filed Under: Faith, Family, Life, Marriage, Relationships Tagged With: blessings, Cancer, husband, life, marriage, relationships, Update

Feb 9, 2011

Integrating Online and Offline Living

February 9, 2011 By Chele 6 Comments

After this post, you will no longer read the words “my online life” or “my in real life (offline)” here or any of my social media outlets. I feel more complete by using the term life as one. I am beginning a process of integrating my online and offline living because they are BOTH part of my life. My friends and my stories!

“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” ~Anais Nin

Friends

I have learned the past few months that not only do I have my in real life friends that I care about, engage with in conversation and I love. I also have online friends. Guess what? I feel the same way about them too! Some have become my in real life friends thanks to conferences and events. Others I have never met face to face but they are still considered friends in my mind. I talk with online friends more than I do my in real life friends (sad but true). I have always been so in tune with my relationships, they mean the world to me… every single one!

I know those that don’t blog are saying to themselves “why in the world would she combine the two?” or maybe even “she has lost her mind.” I promise you I am just fine! You probably work right? Well this is my work. You probably have co-workers that become your friends (or acquaintances). I do too. This is part of my life. Being online, my blog, and my social media outlets are part of my life, every single day.

Sharing Stories

The funny thing about the Blissdom keynote speakers is that I have already thought about a lot of the things they spoke about. I shared my thoughts with a few people including my husband but never acted out… because of FEAR! What was I thinking?! They both confirmed for me that it is time to share my stories, be vulnerable, be courageous and just be me. Maybe I will find someone that has been there or I can help someone else!

I have SO much to give by being authentic and sharing my real, raw stories on here and my social media outlets. It is so healing to share good and bad times. The main reason I have not is because of being “branded” a Christian blogger. Stay tuned because I will be sharing very soon my thoughts on this very thing.

Why shouldn’t I be the same online and offline? I am ready to combine these two things into one. From now on you will see the authentic Chele. The whole reason I named my blog The Bona Fide Life in the beginning. I cannot grow spiritually, financially, mentally and I cannot give to others without being authentic.

Until next time lovelies,

Chele