I finally see the big picture

There is nothing quite like spending a little time with yourself. Turning off the television. Unplugging from the laptop and cell phone. Dare I say, going to bed at 9 p.m. and just letting your mind go blank. No thinking of what needs to be done tomorrow or what you might be missing out on because you turned all connections to the outside world off.

After four days of tuning out and tuning in to myself, I came to a realization - an epiphany of the big picture. Of what matters to me and what my purpose is on this planet. There are things that I am passionate about and I want to share these things, write about them, and hopefully inspire others to be passionate too.

My blog is my blog and I'm tired of people telling me what I should or shouldn't do. What I can or can't write about. I don't need a swag bag or free admission to someplace for me to write about something I like. If I like something, then I will write a post about it. If I believe strongly about a cause, then I will write about it.

I share what I want and I am honest in what I say. I will not say something is great if it is not. I will not promote a brand or place that I don't personally use and support myself. Sure, I've written a few sponsored post, but I was honest in my opinions and tried to write from a viewpoint of the average person. When I see blogs filled with sponsored posts, it doesn't tell me anything except that the writer was compensated in some way to tell you how wonderful something is.

When I see 20 different people all writing about how wonderful a place is it makes me wonder - could it really be that great? I don't need to see a movie a week before it opens to tell you how good the movie is. I have no problem paying to see a movie, and if I really like it I will let you know. Even worse, when I see people writing about a place that I know for a fact has long lines or isn't as "perfect" as the writer makes it out to be, my blood begins to boil. Call it ethics, call it morals, call it loyalty, call it whatever you like. Whatever you choose to call it, that's how I write.

I have been a member of the Zoological Society of San Diego for almost 8 years - nobody is paying me, giving me free things, or special treatment to write about our experiences at the San Diego Zoo or San Diego Zoo Safari Park. The same goes for LEGOLAND California - we have an annual membership and have never been treated differently because of the posts I write about LEGO's or LEGOLAND. We have a family membership to Aquarium of the Pacific, so I will share our experiences there.

Dylan and I are huge animals lovers. Land animals, ocean animals - between the two of us, we are ready to save them all! We believe in conservation, preservation, protection, and educating people about these beautiful animals that are disappearing from our planet. I want to share more about this with those who choose to read my blog. Not because it's the "topic of the moment" or because I am getting something in return, but because it's who I am. What I get in return is the satisfaction of inspiring someone else to see the world a little differently than they did before. I get the pure joy of being true to myself.

That being said, there will be some changes happening here over the next few weeks. I may lose some readers and some followers on twitter, but that's OK with me. If someone doesn't like me for being me and writing about what I believe in, then that is there choice. My success is not measured by twitter followers, page views, or Facebook "likes" - my purpose in life is to be the best I can be for me and for my son. To be true to myself and in doing that find joy in the simple things.