Haven mentor blog hop and my best blogging advice!

Well hello there! Remember last week when I celebrated ten years of blogging and I mentioned a fun little event called the Haven Conference? 

Well, it's not so little -- we were terrified the first year that just the eight of us would be standing there...but SO MANY came! That first one was a total whirlwind. Every conference since has been a huge success and I'm proud to be a founder of this amazing event: 

A couple of us left the team a few years back just because of the sheer amount of work involved. But we're always happy to help, so I was honored to be asked to be a mentor again this year. Mentors are there to meet up with new attendees and make them feel at ease. We each have a small group of bloggers and will catch up here and there throughout the conference. If you don't know many people this is a great way to get to know a few right off the bat! 

You'll probably recognize many of these faces: 

If you are a blogger, and especially a new blogger, I'm writing this for you! This conference is geared towards those in DIY/home decor niche, but those who write lifestyle, crafts and food blogs will walk away with a TON of helpful information. More importantly, you'll walk away with lifelong friends. 

If you're on the fence about attending, check out the info below and I think it will help you decide! And be sure to check out the posts from all of the mentors (I link them all at the end of the post). 

What is your best advice for a blogger? 

A few things:

1. Stay consistent with content and publishing posts. I mean stick with the topic(s) you're good at and try to have a consistent publishing schedule. Your readers want to know when to watch for your content! 
2. Speak in your OWN voice and just be yourself! It's so easy to compare. I know...I did it a lot early on! Anything other than being you will be exhausting and therefore no fun at all. 
3. Respect your readers -- don't lie, don't make stuff up. Don't pretend you, your family or your home is something it isn't. Real life wins every time. 
4. It's OK to keep some stuff private. I don't share pics of my family here much because they're "mine" -- I share enough with the world and I want them to myself. :) I also don't want to share anything my son may not appreciate as he gets older. AND...there are just weirdos out there. Simple as that! 
5. Don't get obsessed. Man, I'm so glad I started this gig ten years ago. I cannot tell you how many times us blogging grandmas say that. It's much harder now breaking in, I know. But it can easily take over your life quick. Take a breath and step back consistently to keep some balance. 

See more of our master bedroom here

What is your best advice for a new Haven attendee? 

I highly recommend chatting with attendees online before hand. See if there's anyone going from your area and meet up before you head to the conference. 

If you don't know anyone there, I'm not gonna lie -- at first it will be nerve-racking. But if you can open up a little and approach new people I can absolutely promise you these will be some of the best days of your entire year. Meeting other people that do what we do is so awesome. It's such a weird job we have and it's hard for most to identify with it. You will find "your people" at Haven.

And if you go and want someone to talk to, come up to ME! I'd love to meet you. 

Check out all of the family room posts here

Who are you most excited to meet or see at Haven this year? 

I always look forward to meeting new bloggers every year. It's funny because you feel like you know the person so it's hard to tell if you've already met. ;) You see each face so many times on their blogs and social media, and sometimes I could swear we already know each other! 

I look forward to this weekend every year because of the new people I meet and the ones I get to reconnect with. A bunch of us have been at this for a very long time and we only see each other once or twice a year. It's like a high school reunion and we always have the best time. 

Two of my best friends, Beth and Chris, are people I talk to every day but only see a few days a year. We cherish that time together so much!! 

You can see more of our kitchen here

So there you go! If you didn't figure it out by now -- you should come! ;) Whether you've been at this for a few weeks or a few years -- if you want to get more serious at it, this is the event for you. I'd love to meet you! 

Check out the other lovely ladies joining me as Haven mentors this year:

Monday

 Rhoda of Southern Hospitality | Sheila of Maison de Cinq | Liz of Liz Marie Blog | 

Aniko of A Place of My Taste

Tuesday

Chris of Just a Girl | Haneen of Haneen's Haven | Ashley of The Handmade Home

Wednesday

Traci of Beneath My Heart | Erin of Erin Spain

Thursday

Laura of Duke Manor Farm | Stacy of Stacy Risenmay | Debbie of Refresh Restyle 

Friday

Brittany of Pretty Handy Girl | Diane of In My Own Style | Beth of Home Stories A to Z | 

Lauren at Bless'er House | Katie at Bower Power

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