Guest Blogger/Author Feature… The Magnificent Christy Birmingham

IAM so happy to introduce you all to my friend ‘The Magnificent Christy’ who IAM sure many of you know here on WordPress, but if not, you must visit her and enjoy her journey on her blogs When Women Inspire and Poetic Parfait. Christy is a young budding writer, blogger and author who inspires her readers, not only through her own true experience coming out of an abusive relationship, but from women all over the world who are changing their own life and their Environment in positive ways. It is important to Christy to let others know that everyone can recover from the depths of darkness and make a difference in the world, co-creating a harmonious world.

You’ll love Christy’s friendly, bubbly personality and warm heart that touches all her readers. Christy encourages everyone to blog about their truest moments, both joyful dreams and dark days… as it has the potential to not only catapult you into creativity, but connect you to new friends who can inspire and support you based on their own ‘dark nights of the soul’. After all, we have all experienced them to some degree and each unique insight has the potential to help another move towards living a most passionate and inspiring life.

No-one needs to be alone in this day and age of virtual technology.

An example of Christy’s inspiring writing is her post… What Gets YOU Out of Bed in the Morning?
Lucy dropped out of school and got a job that she did not like very much. When her son was five months old, Lucy fell into a deep depression and could not get out of bed for several days. I thought back as I read this part to when I had my depression and how difficult it was to even brush my teeth. I recall my parents making me do it, but I had no desire to do anything related to hygiene—or anything else for that matter. The bed seemed safe to me, and I imagine Lucy likely felt that way too. As she explains:

“I couldn’t get out of bed, hardly ate and was a mess. Mom was not having it. She told me to get my butt up and to do something with my life.”

That quote in particular resonated with me, as my mom and dad were crucial to my becoming productive again in real life rather than wanting to stay in bed all day under the covers. I wondered if other people have had similar circumstances. Perhaps it was not a parent who said to get out of bed, but instead was a partner, other family member or friend.—someone who cares about the person battling depression.

Looking back to Lucy’s story, I have been thinking how glad I am that she did get out of bed eventually and continue to take care of her child. She admits that having a child is difficult, and I can only imagine how much she likely wants to stay in bed still some mornings. I am sure that a large part of why she does strive to be her best is to be a role model for her son and to provide the best life she can for him.

While I do not have children, I do have parents and a few close friends who encourage me to live to my fullest potential. That is part of why I get out of bed in the morning. The other part of it is that I have the determination to help others to see that they can come from rock bottom and still make something of their lives. It is not easy to keep going, but there are happy moments to look forward to when you do so.

Christie shares what she’s learned on Compassion through her Blogging…
It can be easy in blogging to stop thinking about your audience or caring about the subject that you’re writing about. I know it. I used to obsess over how many page views I got per day at my blogs, and I looked primarily at what subjects would bring me the most reads. However, I’ve realized that’s not what’s most important. Instead, writing with “soul” or compassion is what really counts. And, interestingly, once your writing has genuine depth, that is when the views will come.

Adding Soul to Writing

Without the soul, it’s just a lot of meaningless words put together, right? Without the heart, what is your blog post? I had lost heart, so believe me when I say you’re not alone if you feel that way. Once I put feeling back into my blogs, I discovered longer comments, and more of them, left by readers. I also felt better about what I was writing.

It all started, ironically, with caring more about myself. I thought back to why I had started blogging, and I recognized it had nothing to do with how many page views I got per day. It had to do with expressing messages to readers, whether it be through poetry at Poetic Parfait or through uplifting true stories at When Women Inspire.

Once I reconnected with my original motivations for blogging, I realized that I had deviated from the compassion path. I began to explore my feelings and be kinder to myself so that, in turn, I could express kindness in my writing. This involved talking nicer to myself, as well as being less self-critical. Only once I did so could I be honest and vulnerable in my writing again.

But Compassion Won’t Always Be Returned

Ah, yes. Even though I did the work to add compassion to my writing, I want to point out that there were still people who did not return the compassion I expressed in my writing. I didn’t judge them and still don’t (I try not to judge anyone!). I only express this point so that you will not become deflated if you receive an email or comment pointing out flaws in your blog post.

If the received critical words bother you, I encourage you to take a walk or talk to someone. Doing so can help to clear your mind so you can get back to writing with empathy, sympathy, and humanity. At least that is my hope. After all, a world without passionate writing would be empty, wouldn’t it?

Christy’s Biography…
I have a BA in Psychology and have taken professional writing courses at the University of Victoria. I am an avid freelance writer, author, blogger and poet living in British Columbia, Canada and am the proud owner of the blogs Poetic Parfait and When Women Inspire.  I dedicate one to poetry and all kinds of literary goodness and another to supporting women initiatives to positively impact and change the world. I have written two poetry books to date, other work appears in the Poetry Institute of Canada’s… From the Cerulean Sea: An Anthology of Verse (2013) and the literary journals… The Claremont Review and Tipton Poetry Journal.

Pathways to Illumination by Christy Birmingham

I published my first book of poetry Pathways to Illumination in 2013. It is a chronicle of a woman’s struggle with depression and anxiety after the end of an abusive relationship that gives hope to others of the light it unfolds. My second book of poetry Versions of the Self released in 2015 is a collection of poetry that inspires and enthrals all aspects of life in relationship to others, but especially with self.

A Book Review…
“A book of poetry that gives the reader an emotional glimpse into a woman’s difficult journey through an abusive relationship. From the relationship’s inception to its tumultuous middle, to its dark end–and finally to the woman’s reemergence into light. Through the poet’s vivid imagery and rich symbolism, the pain of depression and despair is palpable, as is the soul’s will to heal itself.” ~ Carrie.

Connect with Christy…
Website: Poetic Parfait & When Women Inspire
Twitter: ChristyBis
Facebook: Poetic Parfait
Pinterest: ChristyBis

Thank you Christy for joining us all on this great adventure, for sharing with us your experience with Compassion and for your continued support inspiring others to seek an enlightened and good life.

Do you want to be part of my Guest Blogger Feature… Your Magnificent Self?

Every other Monday throughout this year, I will host a Guest Blogger/Author Feature and put YOU, my magnificent fellow Blogger/Author in the LIGHT. Not only this, I will feature your book/link to purchase in my website library and include your writing on Compassion in a FREE E-Book at the end of this year.

I know this is an incredible venture that is deeply impacting the world we live in.

For more information and how to apply, please read my post here.

Call to Action
Thanks for helping me share this Guest Blogger Feature with your friends… (Sorry I don’t have a reblog button as I host my own website… but maybe you could write an introduction and link back to this post?)

Together we can support each other and create an abundant, joyful and harmonious life.

Barbara Franken… Creative Visionary & MasterCreator
Inspiring New Energy Consciousness

A paperback and Digital Book is available from all Major online stores… Amazon and Apple

I share my own magical journey, exploring Who I AM with the help of nine Elemental Beings and expand from a world of fear, struggle and limitation into a New Energy Consciousness of love, grace and freedom. It is in this loving space that I discover my Divine and ALL LOVING self and allow myself to integrate together as one Body Consciousness… a DivineHumanBeing… and Magnificent Master Creator who expresses and creates heart and soul passion on the physical plane and beyond.

 

 

There is no time like the present moment to Sign Up and give YOURSELF a magnificent gift… I promise YOU you’ll answer your own question… How to accept myself for Who IAM?

More Info: MasterCreator Class ONLINE

 

 

 

 

All the money raised from my books and classes go to my ‘Creative Art Project’ The Magnificent Consciousness that I bring to our little ones to inspire them to explore, discover and express life and know their part in it ALL.