This year I attended my first Britmums Live blogging conference.

I made the last-minute decision to take the journey to London as some how I’d managed to find myself as a finalist for one of the BiB awards, the ceremony takes place straight after the conference. Being a finalist is a pretty big deal and unlikely to happen again, ever. I didn’t ever expect to win but still wanted to be there you know, just in case.

I struggle with blogging conferences.

Not in actually going, the social aspect is brilliant, being able to spend time with amazing, talented, inspiring, funny people, I always have a brilliant time. This year I had the very lovely Lisa from Hollybobbs to keep me company and we laughed, a lot.

I just struggle with some of the sessions.

You see I have this blog, that I love, but don’t really class myself as a blogger.

I have no interest in making money, I don’t want this to be a business, I’ve written reviews in the past and they do not come naturally to me. I have tried to understand and implement SEO, I have tried to understand google analytics and DA and backlinks, I have tried all the tips to try to grow, to no gain, no matter how hard I tried.

I made the decision to stop worrying about it, not put so much pressure on myself.

A lot of sessions are geared towards the aspect of blogging I don’t feel I will ever fit into.

I try to go to the ones I know will focus on creativity. BML was no different. I went to listen to Charly Dove from PODCast talk passionately about photography and I went to find out how the best way to approach YouTube collaborations, something which I find really interesting.

I then attended the ‘Finding the peace and power in blogging’ session with Cherry Menlove.

As Cherry started to speak I was instantly drawn in. Her enthusiasm, her passion for her family and for what she does, her story. The way she spoke I just couldn’t help be hooked.

I found myself drawing comparisons between her story and mine, ours, what we’re going through.

Her feelings echoed my own, her thoughts, what she was striving for; peace, abundance and joy.

I found myself getting emotional, trying my best not to cry, staring down at the floor and biting my lip to stop the tears. The feeling took be off guard and by surprise.

She spoke of positivity and finding peace.

She spoke of being able to let go of the things that hold you back.

‘What is the purpose of your blog?’ she asked.

‘To change the world’

Not the whole world but if you were able to write something that helped or resonated with just one other person then you have succeeded.

And just then as she spoke about having peace, abundance and joy at the forefront of what you do, in those words, she validated my little blog.

Validated what I share, what I write, what people come back to read.

Made me feel like my blog belonged, I belonged.

I wish I’d had the courage to talk to her, I wanted to know more, wanted to listen to her for longer. I couldn’t trust I wouldn’t just grip her and start bawling. I have a very ugly cry face.

I write because I love to write.

I write to get whatever is running round my brain trying to keep me awake at night out.

I write in the hope that it might help someone who reads, let them know that they’re not alone.

She made me realise that what I do is ok, more than ok, that there are other ways to blog where making money doesn’t have to be the end goal.

That I should strive to do the best I can do.

I’ll keep writing, keep going.

It helps me get through the dark days.

I’ll keep writing, now with a little more confidence.

In the hope that maybe one day, I’ll change someones world.