I gave birth to my blog in November 2014. In this brief time Lowcountry.Felicity.Life has gone through many changes and iterations. And I expect that it will continue to evolve as I learn more about what makes an exceptional blog.

I suspect that many who find themselves a part of the blogosphere encountered several coincident events or experiences that led them to the idea of a blog. I am one of these accidental bloggers. With unexpected time on my hands (my tenure as the General Manager of a notable boutique historic inn ended abruptly – I was described as having too much style and not enough operations substance) I was interested in finding something meaningful and new to do to occupy the hours between resume writing and job searches.

This new, albeit uncomfortable, jobless and transitional status afforded me an opportunity to explore my thinking about relocating to the South, my career choices, lifestyle and the potential to be retired in a working world. What sat most on my mind was a concern about what I would do with all the knowledge and skills I had acquired during many decades of my work experience as a corporate trainer, organization development consultant, executive and board member in the non-profit, hospitality and education sectors. I was feeling a bit like a salmon swimming upstream – against the tide to certain doom! More than anything I knew I needed something that would challenge me to learn and get me out of the house!

The AH-HA! Moment

During this time I was ignoring the pleas of my well-meaning BFF’s to do something with what they think are my creative talents – a more than passing interest in color; a love of fabric, furniture and furnishings; an amateur ability to create and plate pleasing and tasteful meals; a good intention to plant and grow bouquet gardens; an ability to speak and write about topics that matter most to me.

While I waited for the right job to come along and trying to quiet my BFF’s I decided that I would paint furniture and went in search of websites for information. In my search I found many, many interesting blogs. Like an onion, I just kept peeling back layers and layers of various topics. I had an “ah-ha” moment. I found myself quite literally day dreaming of what I could do with a blog, what difference I would make for others and what I know that I could share. Note: I haven’t yet painted the furniture!

For me a blog seemed (and I have found is) the perfect answer to my situation. It has become a mechanism to thread together, in a creative and purposeful way, my interests and passions. I decided to write about my life in the South Carolina Lowcountry. Originally, I was focused on being a resource for those who are retired or plan to retire. After researching the statistics, I’ve decided that the focus needs to have broader appeal. This has challenged me to think about what matters to readers, caused me to learn (still struggling) to use the software and technology, ignited my desire to find the most successful approaches and brought forward my marketing and business background.

An Awakening and A New Community

Mostly, the decision to invest time in a blog has re-opened my eyes to the world around me and made me more aware of all there is to experience and share.  Being potentially retired in a working world can be a very solitary experience.  Being part of the blogging community is interesting, as well I find that the act of blogging has expanded my interests in photography (how to get great pictures with smartphone), has caused me to be more interested in others (left to my own devices I would spend time alone) and it has introduced me to a world of amazing and talented people (connecting with other bloggers, people I may never meet, seemed at first a bit odd; however, I find it somewhat comforting now as I get to know them through their writing).

The Storyteller

As I write this post I am reminded of the “Storyteller”.  My “Storyteller” is a gift from my father (it is significant to me because my great paternal grandmother was from the Apache tribe).  In the Native American culture the Storyteller is the keeper of language and cultural conservation.  I like the idea of a blog being the place where I share the stories of my experiences – the piques and the pinnacles; the joyful and the lessons – with others. I dream of being skilled enough and humble enough to create a blog that many, many, many people find of value – valuable enough even to make it a business, although this is not my primary intent. I wouldn’t mind being in the company of The Pioneer Woman, The Barefoot Contessa or others that are making their way using their creative talents.  Ultimately, I would like my blog to impact the world in some small way. Time will tell.