I’m in a sunshine state of mind today even though we’re having a blizzard here in Colorado! Why? Because my beautiful friend, Patricia Rubel of The Patrish Pages (@patrishpages on IG) nominated me for the Sunshine Blogger Award!

What’s that, you ask? The Sunshine Blogger Award is given from bloggers to other bloggers who are creative, positive, and inspiring, while spreading sunshine to the blogging community. How awesome is that!? As a new blogger, I was honored and humbled that she saw those qualities in me because that’s exactly what I see in her!

 

 

Friends like Patricia are good for my well-being! While we generally focus on diet and exercise when when thinking about our health, the people we spend time with (both online and in person) also affect our wellness. Patricia radiates positivity with her outlook on life, her fun nature, and her beautiful smile! Can’t you see it?

 

 

We first met on Instagram after following each other for a while, and then we met in real life at a special Galentine’s Day brunch hosted by our mutual friend, Lisa King of the Fulfilled Pharmacist (@thefulfilledpharmacist). I was drawn like a magnet to Patricia because of her warmth, enthusiasm, honesty, and humor. She’s the kind of person who instantly makes you feel comfortable, both on Instagram and in person.

 

 

Patricia writes about fashion, travel, hiking, and lifestyle, and is all about saying yes to adventure! She has a big hiking trip coming up in May where she’ll be doing five day-hikes in Zion National Park for a total of 30-40 miles, including Angel’s Landing known for its 1/2-mile narrow ridge, all on her own! She’s a self-described “regular woman who is definitely not a size 0” and is passionate about living life with love, humor, and gratitude. Believe me, it shows!

Patricia asked me the following questions for the Sunshine Blogger Award:

 

What’s your blog about and how did you become interested in blogging?

Midlife in Bloom is a style, travel, and healthy living blog for midlife women and beyond who want to embrace and celebrate this season of life, enjoy the journey, and feel confident with who and where they are.

I had wanted to blog for several years, but I didn’t have a clear direction. Then after retiring from teaching ESL (English as a Second Language) and becoming an empty nester in the same year (late 2016), I struggled with finding purpose – something that was creative, interesting, and challenging – which parenting and teaching had previously provided. In the fall of 2018, I had a lightbulb moment when the vision for my blog became crystal clear! After that, I was compelled to go full throttle into this new world of blogging, and I haven’t looked back.

 

What is the most important thing you’d like your readers to take away from reading your posts?

Most of all, I want to be a valuable resource and a positive role model for my readers. I hope to inspire them with new or fresh style and travel ideas, tips, and resources. With wellness, I also want to provide resources for issues women face in this stage of life and have conversations about our overall well-being, including mental, physical, and relational health.

Who do you look to for inspiration in your life?

I get inspiration from so many places. My husband, kids, and grandson inspire me to be a better person. My communities of friends inspire me to be a better friend. My Instagram friends inspire me with fashion, with thoughtful quotes, through their own personal journeys or difficulties, and they make me laugh with random funny stuff.

When not working on your blog, what do you love to do?

First and foremost, I love being with my family. I’m blessed to have a solid marriage (wasn’t always easy) and to be friends with my young adult kids (wasn’t always easy, either!). They’re my favorite people. Besides that, I play on a women’s tennis team from spring to fall. We call ourselves the BTE (Best Team Ever) because we have so much fun playing tennis and hanging out. In the winter months, we get together for parties, happy hours, and ping pong battles!

 

What is the one place you’ve never been that you’d like to go to?

Oh wow…just one!? Even though I’ve traveled around the world, there are still so many places I’d love to see. One place I keep thinking about is Croatia. With its castles, cathedrals, history, and the Adriatic Sea, I’d love to explore that part of the world. Since my husband and I enjoy cruising, I’m hoping we’ll be able to go there before too long.

And now for my nominees

These girls are all positive, energetic, inspiring, and well deserving! Be sure to visit their websites and follow them on Instagram.

Jodie Filogomo from Jtouchofstyle.com (@Jtouchofstyle) has a smile that lights up the room and every photo she’s in, and she’s a dynamic presence…all 5’2″ of her! I had the privilege of meeting Jodie last weekend as we live about an hour apart. I absolutely love what Jodie does on her blog. She and her 80+ mother and 70+ step mother (yes, you read that right) are the models showing how style is ageless for real women in different decades with different body types. Credit to Jodie’s husband, Rob, for the cover photo.

Lisa King from thefulfilledpharmacist.blog (@thefulfilledpharmacist) was one of my first friends on Instagram and my first Insta-meetup. Not only is she a pharmacist, but she and her sister are also the best-selling authors of Tiny Life Changes. Lisa is passionate about teaching women about a painful bladder syndrome called Interstitial Cystitis, and on Instagram, she gives daily prescriptions showing women how to make healthier life choices.

Karen Serino from aboveandbeblonde.com (@aboveandbeblonde) was also in my first Insta-meetup along with Lisa King. I absolutely adore Karen. She’s a clever Brit who’s witty and has a true eye for style, and her dog, Rigsby, is pretty darn cute, too! He makes occasional visits on her IG and blog where she writes about fashion, fitness and fun for youthful women in their forties, fifties and beyond.

Daphna from thestaygorgeous.com (@staygorgeous.x) is an Israeli-based fashion stylist who blogs about staying gorgeous, beautiful and chic at any age and about her travels, and I have to admit that I kind of have a girl crush on her! First, she’s absolutely beautiful, and every photo she posts is stunning! Second, she’s smart. She’s a Psychology graduate who writes uplifting and thought-provoking IG captions, like this one, and is a wonderful role model.

 

Your Questions, Ladies

• What made you want to start your blog and how long have you been blogging?
• What is your favorite post you’ve written and why?
• What are your favorite and least favorite things about blogging?
• What is the most adventurous thing you have ever done?
• What would be your ideal meal?

 

The rules for this award, if you choose to accept, are to: 

• Thank the person who nominated you and include a link back to their IG/blog.
• Answer the questions given by the person who nominated you.
• Nominate other blogs and give questions for them to answer.
• Notify your nominees through social media or by commenting on their blog.
• List the rules and display a Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post.