Day 30 of a 30 Day Blogging Challenge: Do I Have Advice for Anyone?

February 22, 2020 56 Comments

Oh, Sheesh!! I’m not sure who thought up this question, but it’s a huge can of worms, isn’t it? We all love giving advice and I’ve known my share of folks who take it a step further and spread unsolicited advice freely. I love advice when I have sought it out. I rarely appreciate someone placing their opinions on me (after all, most advice is usually just your opinion placed on others as a ‘should’), especially when I’m having a tough moment.

Technically, this piece is unsolicited advice, though if you are reading it, you’ve kind of let yourself in for it.

So..….. do I have any advice for anyone? No!!!!!

I share experiences.

I share knowledge.

I share feelings.

I share hopes and dreams.

I share friendship and support.

I work really hard to never say, “You should……” or “If I were you, I would…..” or “Why don’t you try to…… or even “You might regret it if you don’t….. ” You get the gist of it. I do catch myself trying to use these phrases, especially with my kids. So many times I dearly wish they would take some advice from me; I can so clearly see the hurt coming. But that is not what they, or anyone for that matter, need.

If there is one thing I’ve learned from parenting within the foster care system for almost 29 years, from single parenting, from parenting trauma kids, from parenting birth to 34-year-olds, from nursing for 30+ years, from working with social workers and other foster parents and from physicians and therapists and teachers…. is that each of us needs to learn our own journey.

Having said that, we don’t each need to re-create the wheel. It is our responsibility to learn from the teachings of our elders. It is our gift to learn from peers. It is our hope to pursue and listen to stories from others who have lived through what we are facing. And it is a way to build a community to enter into so that when we have a misstep, we have people who love us and support us through it all.

If I were to offer you a piece of advice, now that you’ve read this far…. build your community! Find and nurture those family relationships and those friendships with people who build you up. These are the people who want good for you and will continue to hold you and love you, no matter how many mistakes you make. And they will do it without giving a single piece of advice.

————————–

Wow!!!!! I finally finished my Thirty Day Blog Challenge!!!! What a fun journey it has been. If you would like to read any of the previous posts from this series, click on any link below….

Day 1 of a 30 Day Blog Challenge: “Explain My Blog Name”

Day 2 of a 30 Day Blog Challenge: “Share Twenty Things about Me”

Days 4-7 of a 30 Day Blog Challenge: Let’s Combine Some of It

Day 8 of a 30 Day Blogging Challenge: What are Five of My Current Goals?

Days 9-13 of a 30 Day Blogging Challenge: Five Writing Prompts

Day 14 of a 30 Day Blogging Challenge: Where Will I Be in Five Years?

Days 15 and 16 of a 30 Day Blogging Challenge: What Makes Me Happy? What Makes Me Sad?

Day 17 of a 30 Day Blogging Challenge: What are My Thoughts on Education?

Day 18 of a 30 Day Blogging Challenge: What Would Happen If I Won the Lottery?

Days 19-23 of a 30 Day Blogging Challenge: Five Seasons

Days 24 – 28 of a 30 Day Blogging Challenge: Pet Peeves, Bucket List, What Makes Me Feel Better, Hopes for My Blog, Favorite Person

Day 29 of a 30 Day Blogging Challenge: Piercings and Tattoos

—————————–

I’d really love to have you along for the journey! Sign up here to get email notes every time I post a new article. There are a lot more stories to come!!!

56 Comments

  1. Reply

    T.M. Brown

    March 2, 2020

    Look at you!! That’s awesome, Karla! This is a challenge I’ve wanted to do myself, but just haven’t been able to commit like this – you did a fantastic job. You are an amazing and beautiful person inside and out – love your heart, love reading your posts….so glad I get to read your stuff every week!

    • Reply

      Karla

      March 2, 2020

      Awww! Thank you! This made my day.

  2. Reply

    Melissa Jones

    March 1, 2020

    Fantastic ideas for topics!

    • Reply

      Karla

      March 2, 2020

      They really are fun, aren’t they? And a good way for your readers to get to know you!!!!

  3. Reply

    Brianna

    March 1, 2020

    I love that piece of advice about building your community. Communities are so important to have and sustain.

    • Reply

      Karla

      March 1, 2020

      Yes! I hope you have a good community!

  4. Reply

    Charlotte

    February 27, 2020

    What a strong person. I hope one day I am strong enough to foster and help children other than my own.

    • Reply

      Karla

      February 28, 2020

      If you are raising children, you are strong. It does take a brave heart!

  5. Reply

    heather J jandrue

    February 26, 2020

    Congrats on finishing your challenge. I could not agree more about building a community. Having a tribe is so important.

    • Reply

      Karla

      February 28, 2020

      Thank you, Heather! We, as humans, were built for community!!!!

  6. Reply

    Stacey Billingsley

    February 26, 2020

    It’s so cool that you finished the challenge! It looks like you had a lot of fun posts to do over the challenge.

    • Reply

      Karla

      February 28, 2020

      It was a lot of fun and it took more than 30 consecutive days, but I was determined!! 🙂

  7. Reply

    Noelle

    February 26, 2020

    Congratulations on finishing your 30 day blogging challenge. I do appreciate my community. I have found that it has changed over the years, and maybe that it is constantly changing as people come and go, and they themselves change.

    • Reply

      Karla

      February 28, 2020

      Thanks, Noelle! Of course our communities change, because we change. Our needs, our hopes, our circumstances. It’s important to find those who will always encourage you!

  8. Reply

    Christina Furnival

    February 25, 2020

    Well done on the 30 day blogging challenge! Great advice for those looking into going down a similar path with fostering.

    • Reply

      Karla

      February 28, 2020

      Thank you, Christina! I appreciated the encouragement.

  9. Reply

    Adrienne

    February 25, 2020

    Congrats on completing your challenge. It can be difficult to get through 30 days of anything. Especially writing!

    • Reply

      Karla

      February 28, 2020

      Thank you, Adrienne! It was a long stretch… took me longer than the actual 30 days, but I was determined to work on all the prompts.

  10. Reply

    Alice

    February 25, 2020

    I like the format of this challenge.

    • Reply

      Karla

      February 28, 2020

      I tweaked it a bit to suit my own style and wishes. 🙂

  11. Reply

    vanessa

    February 25, 2020

    Wow! You have been busy! Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us and thank you for serving as a Foster parent.

    • Reply

      Karla

      February 28, 2020

      Busy is one of the words for it. 🙂 I love what I am doing.

  12. Reply

    Jenny

    February 25, 2020

    Congratulations!! It’s always a lot of work to do a challenge, but you always learn so much and feel accomplished at the end.

    • Reply

      Karla

      February 28, 2020

      Thank you, Jenny! It was a challenge for me, but you are right! I learned a lot and I hope my readers did, too.

  13. Reply

    Sydney Delong

    February 25, 2020

    Community is so important! Congrats on finishing your challenge!

    • Reply

      Karla

      February 28, 2020

      Thank you, Sydney! It was fun and I learned a lot!

  14. Reply

    Sandi

    February 25, 2020

    Sticking to a 30 day challenge takes fortitute. Well done

    • Reply

      Karla

      February 28, 2020

      Yup! It stretched me to finish (and took much longer than 30 actual days), but it was such a good process for me.

  15. Reply

    Suzan | It's My Sustainable Life

    February 25, 2020

    Congrats on finishing the challenge! You are so right, a strong community can offer so much.

    • Reply

      Karla

      February 25, 2020

      Thanks, Suzan. Community is my superpower!!!

  16. Reply

    Jennifer

    February 25, 2020

    Congrats for getting through the 30 day challenge.

    • Reply

      Karla

      February 25, 2020

      Thank you, Jennifer. It only took me about 90 days. LOL

  17. Reply

    Angela Sedlak | Mean Green Chef

    February 25, 2020

    I always enjoy reading your blog and agree wholeheartedly that each of us needs to travel our own path. Being able to rely on those we love certainly helps! Congrats on the 30-day challenge 🙂

    • Reply

      Karla

      February 25, 2020

      Thanks, Angela. I have enjoyed this process a lot!

  18. Reply

    Lucy

    February 24, 2020

    Yay! congrats on your accomplishment! Keep it up!

    • Reply

      Karla

      February 25, 2020

      Thanks, Lucy. It was fun and prompts will now be part of process!

  19. Reply

    Lisa Manderino

    February 24, 2020

    Great Job! I love your blog!

    • Reply

      Karla

      February 25, 2020

      Thank you, Lisa. I love my fans!!!! 😀

  20. Reply

    Tiffany

    February 24, 2020

    sometimes a challenge like this is just what you need to start writing! great topics!

    • Reply

      Karla

      February 25, 2020

      I have enjoyed the process! I intend to develop my own challenges… for myself and for my readers.

  21. Reply

    Holly Bird

    February 24, 2020

    Congratulations on our challenge..I love this post and your thoughts and inspiring words that you share!!

    • Reply

      Karla

      February 25, 2020

      Thanks, Holly! It is nice to hear that I inspire. I hope you feel better soon!!!!

  22. Reply

    Tricia Snow

    February 24, 2020

    You are an inspiration! What a great journey!

    • Reply

      Karla

      February 25, 2020

      Thanks, Tricia! I am LOVING my journey!!!!

  23. Reply

    Melissa

    February 24, 2020

    Yep…everyone’s got advice. I think a great tool to develop is learning to sift through all of the advice we’re given to know when it’s valuable and when it’s not.

    • Reply

      Karla

      February 25, 2020

      I think you are right, Melissa. We do get advice whether we ask for it or not. Especially with social media these days. What resonates?

  24. Reply

    Ramae Hamrin

    February 24, 2020

    Yes. That is the single best piece of advice I’d offer anyone … build your community with those who build you up. I was just talking about this today with my cancer support group and wrote about it a little on my last blog post. It’s HUGE. I don’t like giving advice either. It’s why my blog is written from my own perspective. Rarely do I feel knowledgable enough on anything to offer advice, given that we are all different and following different paths. It is a challenge not to do this with my kids, but I try to ask questions instead of give advice. Great post. Enjoyed it very much.

    • Reply

      Karla

      February 25, 2020

      Thanks, Ramae. I appreciate this. I suspect we’d enjoy each other’s company… would you like to skip over to Seattle for a cup of tea?

  25. Reply

    Debbie

    February 24, 2020

    Congrats!! That was quite a challenge. Good job!

    • Reply

      Karla

      February 25, 2020

      Thank you, Debbie. It was quite a fun process!

  26. Reply

    Eva

    February 24, 2020

    What a challenging looking challenge! I like your point of not using language that sounds like advice and re-wording it so that you’re just sharing your point of view and experiences.

    • Reply

      Karla

      February 25, 2020

      It was quite a process… took me much longer than 30 days, but it was worth it. I enjoy it.

  27. Reply

    Cindy

    February 24, 2020

    I love the idea of the challenge. The problem is holding myself countable.

    • Reply

      Karla

      February 25, 2020

      I was DETERMINED to finish… I was happy that it wasn’t a 30 CONSECUTIVE day challenge. LOL

  28. Reply

    LIz

    February 24, 2020

    Beautiful!

    • Reply

      Karla

      February 25, 2020

      Thanks!

LEAVE A COMMENT

Yes, I would like to receive emails from More On My Plate. Sign me up!


By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: . You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact

RELATED POSTS