Introducing My 2014 Wishes & Blog Of The Day

Well, it's here.
2014.
Big stuff.
I'm going to be 24 in a few short weeks.
Why does the thought of getting closer to 25 totally freak me out?
Totes MaGotes freaked out.
(that one was for you Jeff)

Now that it is officially 2014, I'm going to share with everyone something I've been planning since October. Yes, you read that correctly. I got this idea in October and I've been fine tuning it and holding onto it for 2014.

It all started with my #payitforward goal I always add to my monthly goal lists. I love it. It is always my favorite thing to put on my list because that way it's always on my mind. Not to get all lovey and rainbows and butterflies on you guys, but I think so many things could be solved or made better just by being nice. Genuinely nice and doing things without expecting something in return.

Which brings me to my big #payitforward idea for 2014.

A lot of blogs offer sponsorship opportunities. It's a great way for that blog to make a little bit of money (yes, it's usually only a little bit, sorry to burst many bubbles) and it's a great way for the other blog to get some exposure and drive more traffic to their blog.
Lately I've also noticed a lot of blogs who offer a "Saturday Takeover" option. Which basically means their blog is your blog for that day.
Some blogs are better at the sponsorship thing than others and lately I've noticed a lot of smaller (small-ish? medium sized?) bloggers who do a fantastic job of including a blog sponsoring them into a post or giving lots of shout outs and links on Twitter, etc. etc.

The biggest thing I've noticed though? I've noticed that YOU CAN TELL when a blogger really and truly likes the blog that sponsored them. It comes across the screen and it makes others reading want to actually click on that other blogger. I can absolutely tell when a blogger is faking it and when a blogger actually likes the blog they're promoting. If you can't, then you're not reading close enough.


So now let's combine those 2 things - #payitforward and blog promotion.
For 2014 I'm going to start a Blog Of The Day series!

Now, here's why this is different:
- You aren't buying this blog promotion or sponsorship. It's free, because I'm only going to be featuring a blog that I truly love. A blog that I'm promoting because I honestly think everyone should be reading them.
- It's not going to happen on a specific day of the week. It's going to happen when I make it happen. There might be a Blog Of The Day on a Thursday and then I won't have another one for 3 weeks and then that post might happen on a Monday. There is no schedule.


Blog Of The Day is about paying it forward to blogs that write great posts. Blogs that have great conversations with their readers. Blogs that offer helpful tips and hints. Blogs that earn it just by being them. It's about free advertisement for blogs and bloggers that I love just because I love them, not because I'm earning anything for promoting them.

2014, for me, is going to be about becoming the kind of person I want to be. I want to do nice things for people just to do nice things. I want to make the world better by being better. I want to change others by changing myself. I'm asking a lot out of 2014, but I think 2014 is up to the task.

So there you are, blog of the day will be starting sometime in the next few weeks. I already know the first blog I'm featuring!
Aside from that promotion, sometime in the next few weeks I will also start accepting sponsors! I've got to narrow all of that nonsense down first and decide exactly what I'm going to offer. Maybe swaps? I'll let you know when I know. Or if someone wants to help me with it all, I wouldn't be mad.

So, HAPPY 2014! It's going to be the BEST YET!