This has been a question that has been on my heart recently: Why do I spend countless hours sharing my thoughts and experiences through blog posts?

There are many reasons why I write my blog,  but one of the main ones is due to building relationships with my readers. I'm blessed to have such amazing readers! Thank you for listening to what I have to say and sharing your stories.

I received such a sweet email yesterday from a reader who is letting me post her comment.  It reinforced why I write my blog.

I was watching Oprah's Lifeclass on OWN Network last night and was asked by a friend what my favourite moment ever on her show was.  Their question got me thinking and I thought I would share my answer with you.

I have had many favourite moments watching Oprah. However, I do have one favourite moment that stands out as life-changing.  It was on December 10, 2003, when Oprah had A.J. McLean from the Backstreet Boys on the show.  She gave A.J. a safe space to talk about his personal issues, and for the first time anywhere, he went public about his drug and alcohol addictions. His bandmates then joined him on stage for an emotional reunion, as their musical tour had been sidelined due to A.J.’s addictions.

My name is Kelsey Goodwin, and I am a people photographer. Arianna has asked me to share my story, because when you pursue any passion, its path is sure to be discouraging at times. I'm going to reflect on those times, the "lightbulb moments" I've gained as a businesswoman and how the support of those around me has always shone brighter than any setback.

I love when messages come into our hearts at the moment we need them the most.  I had such a chance encounter today.

I went into a coffee shop this morning for my morning java, where I saw numerous people on their laptops.  As I was waiting in line, I overheard people talking about their favourite blogs.  There it hit me: my thoughts are online and totally public.  Anyone can access my blog and know the random thoughts that are going through my head. All of a sudden, I became a little anxious about “putting myself out there” through my blog.  I feared that people may judge me, thinking I am weak for exposing my insecurities and being vulnerable on my blog.

I am excited that Tara Jacek is sharing her story with all of us.  I stumbled on Tara's blog (Girl Seeks Career) last week and I'm so glad I did. She is a young professional blogging about her experiences and provides advice to young women entering the work world. I highly recommend checking out her blog after you’ve read her post here. She has really inspired me. We each shared our stories for the others blog.

I saw the "I am not afraid ... I was born to do this" necklace that Tina Steinberg designed, and it made me think of a message that has been on my heart and mind for quite a while. I started thinking about this topic when I first wrote about it in one of my earliest posts, "Am I Really Free to Be Me? " For me, when I see this necklace, I think: " I am not afraid ... I was born to be me."

I had an interesting conversation with a friend the other day, which made me think about an earlier blog post I wrote, "The Value of Authenticity in Relationships." My friend and I have known each other for a number of years, and we have tried to be authentic with each other.   While I thought we were close, recent events happened that pushed us awayfrom each other and made us only discuss superficial topics.  My friend then brought up how I was a "frustrating friend," as I only talked about superficial topics; so, the friend had lost interest in our friendship. We were both going through hardships, yet we did not share with each other.  This example shows that it is even hard to reach out to share with your friends. 

I just finished watching 'Brene Brown: The Power of Vulnerability" on Ted Talks.  She said things that really resonated with me and how I think people should live their lives. Watch it!

I love having a great friend of mine around me. I know that he will always be completely honest with me and share his true opinion on issues and that is a rarity these days. When we go shopping, he will be honest about what he thinks (good and bad) of the clothes I pick out. Yes he might say some clothes aren't flattering but when he says it looks amazing, I trust him. He will be real and honest with me (and everyone else) and that is characteristic I really appreciate in our friendship. I give the same thing back to him. I really admire his courage to be bold and stand up for himself. I have learned a lot from him. He isnt afraid to ask the tough questions.