This post is part of a weekly feature called the Passion Series…enjoy!

Ladies and gentle folk, may I introduce to you Kaitlin Marie, Doctor Who evangelist, beer lover, and blogger from Northwest Indiana. She blogs about all things geeky and zombie-related, among other awesomeness,  which means you need to check her out.

Her blog is called Zombies 4 Breakfast, a fitting title with a cute freakin’ blog header. Like yours truly, her blog is an outlet for discussing any and all things related to her goals in life, fitness, career, or otherwise. When I met Kaitlin via Linkedin about 6 months ago, she was writing about her struggle to find a job in her field (Marketing/PR). Awesomely enough, her current posts are about her having found a job in her field, and how at times, it’s a bit more than she bargained for.

I feel connected to her through the goals she’s set for herself, and through, I’m not ashamed to say, our shared love of beer (I’m pretty sure a large portion of the US population can relate to that one though). She also has this really cool list on her sidebar of all the things she wants to do at 25, and she links to the goals she’s actually accomplished. You’re giving me awesome ideas, Kaitlin…I think I want to do the very same thing! Maybe when I turn 30…

At any rate, here’s what Kaitlin had to say

Has blogging helped you in any emotional or creative way?    

Oh yes. Blogging is a wonderful creative outlet, in general. In addition to that, I’ve found that when I’m feeling really frustrated or bummed out, writing it out is a great way to work through whatever I’m feeling. One topic that makes recurrent appearances on my blog is the economic/job crisis. I write a lot about my frustrations in my on-going job hunt for a career in my field.

Has blogging daily/weekly helped you achieve any personal goals?    

I think my personal goal WAS to blog on a weekly basis, and I’ve definitely met that goal. I’ve also been writing quite a bit lately about my quest to get in shape and lose some weight, and the accountability that comes with posting those goals publicly has certainly been motivating.

Does the ritual of daily/weekly blogging give you motivation to pursue things you are passionate about?   

Since I’m passionate about writing in general, blogging itself is a joy. Having a blog has given me a (quirky, random) voice, and a place to shout about silly stuff like zombies.

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This post is part of a series on bloggers who have found direction or passion through blogging. If you would like to be featured in the Passion Series, please contact me through this form with responses to the above questions, and share your passions. Thanks! See all Passion Series posts >>

This post is part of a weekly feature called the Passion Series…enjoy!

I’ve gone through therapy before, but if blogs like Cindy Ricardo’s were around back then, let’s just say I would have sought hers out and skipped the hour-long one-on-one sessions.

Cindy Ricardo is a writer, blogger, and couples/individual therapist. She blogs at A Caring Counselor, and uses it as an outlet to reach out to people who are struggling to heal themselves and their relationships. What I particularly like about her healing methods is that she speaks to her clients from a point of love, self-acceptance, and awareness. Her passion lies in helping her clients restore emotional wellness through guided visualization, meditation, and even yoga, all therapeutic techniques that in my opinion, beat sitting across from someone for an hour, pouring out every problem in the book.

Blogging allows Cindy to become more in tune with her passion for helping people through emotional hurdles. Not only is she able to use the space as a place for potential clients to get to know her and her techniques, but writing about what she preaches allows her to grow as a counselor, and as a person.

Here’s what she had to say.

Has blogging helped you in any emotional or creative way?    

Yes it definitely has helps in both areas. As a couples/individual therapist l write about healing ways to approach the challenges all of us face in life.Ways that help us stay connected to life and to those who are important to us (children, spouse, family, etc).  In my posts I sometimes share personal experiences as I feel that we all encounter challenges and learn from them. I love to write and find it to be therapeutic and freeing!

Has blogging daily/weekly helped you achieve any personal goals?    

I try to write on a bi weekly basis when it comes to my blogs. I also keep a journal and post status updates on my two facebook pages. I practice mindfulness meditation and yoga so writing about these topics whether it is on the blogs or in a journal help me stay aligned with living in the present moment. It also helps me be more present and attuned to the people I connect with on a day to day basis.

Does the ritual of daily/weekly blogging give you motivation to pursue things you are passionate about?   

Yes, writing about the things that I really enjoy and have a passion for makes me want to learn more about those topics. For instance, I practice mindfulness and yoga as a way of feeling connected to life and those around me. This helps me to feel more awake, present and energized. Both of these practices help me stay grounded, and meet whatever arises with acceptance and compassion instead of getting defensive or reactive. Witnessing first hand how these approaches can help us deepen love and our relationships with ourselves and others keeps me motivated to practice on a daily basis.

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This post is part of a series on bloggers who have found direction or passion through blogging. If you would like to be featured in the Passion Series, please contact me through this form with responses to the above questions, and share your passions. Thanks! See all Passion Series posts >>

This post is part of a weekly feature called the Passion Series…enjoy!

I’m so excited to feature Shavonne Pounders here on the blog today because she is a regular reader here, and the code she lives her life by is the same one I live by: love.

Her blog Exotic Roots, is about a journey of self-love. Like most of us, Shavonne struggled for years to be a certain person–the type of person she thought people wanted her to be. What she found was that it was too hard to look and be a certain way, and much easier to be herself. She started to love and accept herself not only for her own self fulfillment, but for her daughter, who started going through similar problems with self love and acceptance as she got older. If she was going to teach her daughter how to love herself, Shavonne had to make sure she loved every inch of herself as well.

Like most of us, blogging for Shavonne has been extremely cathartic. It’s allowed her to get back into writing, and explore new business opportunities. Since discovering blogging, she has  quit her corporate job, allowing her to focus on building her talents as a writer and blogger, something I absolutely commend her for! It takes a crazy amount of courage to pursue the things you love.

Here’s what she had to say.

Has blogging helped you in any emotional or creative way?    

I have been through quite a bit in my life which has led to me bottling up a lot of my feelings. I also have been mentally, physically, and emotionally abused most of my life making it hard to open up to others. I have written since I was a young child, but blogging has allowed me to do several self-journeys. Sometimes all at one time, other times slowly. I can go back and forth between my passions and update all my work with my creativeness. I also love how I am able to bring my thoughts to life through my blog.

Has blogging daily/weekly helped you achieve any personal goals?    

I am just now getting into the habit of blogging regularly, which is one of my huge goals. This also motivates me and challenges me to actually attempt to see if this passion I have for writing can be taken even further than I ever could imagine. I recently invested in my blog and plan to continue to do so with all my blogs. As I bring these goals to life, I know my other goals will just fall into place as the universe and God sees fit to let them, as long as I am putting in the work.

Does the ritual of daily/weekly blogging give you motivation to pursue things you are passionate about?   

Most definitely! I am currently exploring expanding my web-based business and my branching out to do more freelance writing. I recently “quit” a corporate job so that I could pursue my passion for blogging and writing more, but I do still maintain a part-time job. I have also enrolled in a couple of courses for blogging and personal growth. I am excited to see what is next for me and all thanks to my passion for blogging. Blogging has also given me my self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-respect. It has helped to heal my wounds and has allowed me to slow down and finally focus more on me and what I personally desire from life. Blogging has renewed hope in me and brought my dreams back to life.

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This post is part of a series on bloggers who have found direction or passion through blogging. If you would like to be featured in the Passion Series, please contact me through this form with responses to the above questions, and share your passions. Thanks! See all Passion Series posts >>