Last week, I had an interesting conversation where the concept of personal branding came up. I was amused as only recently Lil Sis and I sat laughing at how many of the items listed on the 10 things you need to stop tweeting about list I routinely break. Clearly, branding is not a concept in my forefront. Or is it?
Certainly I am guilty of talking up my workouts in this blog as well as the social media sites I am involved in. This is a running blog after all. In blogging my running adventures, I share both the good and the bad. My intent is to inspire you, but also to ask for encouragement from you. Perhaps it is more about the relationship than running.
While the rest of my blogging (or tweeting), varied as it is, may seem as far off the topic of running it is absolutely related. It is the reason I run: from the more obvious emptiness I am left with in being widowed to waking up to find dog poop on my kitchen floor. Essentially, it is life. As I noted here, my view is that life is a journey where parts “are beautiful and others that are darn right ugly.” It is the same with me.
This blog, as I’ve said many times before, is for me — providing an outlet, much as running does, which exercises my mind instead of my physical body. The relationship that I have with you, my readers, allows me to find my voice.
If I was to describe the personal brand that I have been putting out, be it conscious or not, I would have to describe it as “real life.” Some days I am beautiful, and other times as far from it as possible. I try hard, succumb to apathy, succeed, and fail. I am just me.
If it is perfection what you are seeking, I am not your gal and this is not what you will find here. If you can put up with the varied topics that I write on (perhaps skipping past those that you cannot relate to, or possibly offend you) than I am thrilled to have some company on this journey I am on.