Abby’s Normal
September 16th, 2010
Thank you all for your feed back on my last post! You all make it easy for me to be honest and open on here. Love you guys!
Did you know that today is Abby Normally’s first birthday?! Yup! Happy birthday, blog!
So in honor of this achievement, I’ll let you know who won the $55 CSN gift card (thanks to random.org):
Heather from Running Leaner and Greener!
Congrats, Heather! I will be sending you an email from CSN so you can redeem the gift card!
Now, enough about you…back to me! (just kidding…kind of). 
Being that it is the one year anniversary of my blog, I’m going to get a little bit reflective.
Recently a friend asked me for some tips about blogging. I am by no means a great blogger, but seeing that most of the world does not blog, they figured I could offer some insight. I found myself giving some really basic tips, but I ended it with something that made even me ponder the content of my blog.
You see, I know that this blog isn’t anything fantastic. I know that you can click on anyone of the links on the left side of this blog and read about better runners, healthier athletes and tastier recipes. However, there is one thing that you will not ever find on one of those links, and that is MY PERSPECTIVE.
That’s all that I offer here. I offer my experiences, my insights, my opinions, my thoughts and no more. I am an expert on nothing except myself.
I want to encourage all you, bloggers and non-bloggers alike, to live life in that same fashion. There are so many blogs out there that are carbon copies of each other. And there are so many people living their lives trying to be someone else.
STOP IT.
You are so unique and have so much to offer. I know that I am guilty of the same thing, and I appreciate all of you for sticking with me as I came to find my own voice and love it for what it is—not hate it for what it lacks.
I’m comforted to know that my attitude hasn’t changed in this year of blogging. On September 16, 2009, I wrote this:
So, for those of you who don’t know me, I do a lot of time running, thinking, and studying. And that’s great…for me. But how can I use my strengths and interests to help others? (…) It is with great humility that I have decided to make this blog more public than it has been in hopes that God will use it to benefit even one person who reads it. (…) I’m not saying that I’m good at giving advice, because I’m not. I’m just trusting that God will use me to further His purposes, even if it is on the cyber-world. 
Besides the scene from Young Frankenstein, the title of my blog was an attempt to portray this attitude to all of my readers. Here on this website you find Abby and what is normal to her. Not what is generally accepted as normal by the public, or by the healthy living blogging community…simply Abby’s normal.
And it’s only Abby’s normal.
Find your own Normal, embrace it and then share it.
Categories: Uncategorized
Love, love love this post!
Love!
Happy blogiversary!
Yaaay Abby! I love how so many of us are celebrating our blogiversaries this month!
This is a great post and I definitely see what you meant about our similarities in posting today. We are on the same wave length even though we aren’t in the same city anymore. I am so glad that you stay true to YOU and that what your “normal” is – is not a pattern of many others. I’m so glad blogging brought our worlds together, Miss Abby. You have truly been a blessing in my life. xoxo
Happy blogiversary, Abby!! I love this post– it rings true on so many levels. So much of blogging is about finding your OWN voice, not trying to imitate the voices of others (however strong they might be).
What a sweet and encouraging post, Abby! You are such an inspirational person. I know so many of us struggle to accept our own “normal” and not others’. Keep up the fabulous blogging!!
Blessings!
Love this post and your blog
I’m glad that you are sticking to what you know: YOU! Happy bday abbynormally!
Happy blog birthday! This is a great post, especially for a blog noob like me.
Looking forward to reading all that comes your way in year 2 and beyond.
Hapy blogiversary! you know I love your blog because it’s fresh and fun and that’s all that matters.
happy blogiversary, mydear! xox.
Can I just say that I love those pictures that were taken with you holding the picture frames?
Love those.
Happy blogiversary and what a cute post!
What a great post! Thank you for putting yourself out there, which can be so difficult to do.
Happy 1 year!
Love this one, hun! Great advice from a wonderful person
I’m glad I found your blog this week for lots of reasons but especially so that I can say Happy 1 year!! Here’s to many more 
I’m a day late, but happy bloggiversary! I love your blog…you mix it up enough to keep me reading, and I’m interested in getting to know YOU. When I think of bloggers I’d like to be more like, you pop into my head!
Congratulations on your one year anniversary!
I can’t believe I won – can’t wait to spend the gift card!
Hi Abby! I’ve just recently been reading your blog and I have to say, I Love this Post and couldn’t agree more. Happy Blogging Anniversary (a little late!). I am really excited to read more
Love this post
Just found your blog through one fit foodie. Love the idea of not wasting anymore time being anything other then what is normal for you. So simple yet sometimes it seems so elusive.
Cheers!
Crista
Thank you, Crista! So glad you stopped in to say hi