Wow. I can’t even begin to describe how it feels right now to be writing my very first blog post EVER. Exciting, scary… D.) all of the above. To be honest, it’s kind of surreal. I’ve wanted to do this for so, soooo long, and the day’s finally here! A lot of you have experienced this exact same moment. For many of you, it was probably a significant turning point in your life – both personally and professionally. It’s kind of like free-falling after jumping off a cliff. You don’t know whether or not it’s going to be one of the most exhilarating, life-changing experiences of your life or you’re going to completely crash and burn.

And I’m sure that many of you were just like me up until today. As a PR/ad/marketing gal, I’ve always read a wide variety of blogs and use them as a primary source to get great insight and follow trends in the industry. I’ve expanded my network and built meaningful relationships with other marketing pros, mentors and 20-somethings on other social networks like Twitter. The part that I’m most excited about is that blogging provides another way to connect with other passionate, fascinating people LIKE YOU. It’s an opportunity to find my voice, grow as a woman and professional, and to create something worthwhile. But I’ve always sat on the sidelines in this arena. Why, you ask?

Blogging can be frightening. Hell, even commenting on other blogs can be absolutely terrifying. What if the community thinks my opinions are stupid? What if other people judge me? What if no one finds what I have to say interesting? All these things and the fear of being vulnerable kept me sitting on the bench and out of the game. Well, screw it. Not any longer. I’m finally ready to put myself out there and explore the infinite abyss of possibilities that can come from it. And I hope you’re coming with me!

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” ~ Mark Twain

How did you feel when you first started your blog or another new adventure? Has the journey and experiences been worth it? How has taking a risk affected your life and changed you as a person?