The blog world is full of kindness. Encouraging comments, social media engagement, and posts touting favorite bloggers and brands are common. We can all relate to the feeling of support that this community provides; it keeps us going, helping us to know that our hard work and efforts aren’t going unread or unnoticed.
But there’s a different kind of kindness that I’ve noticed more and more recently that makes me so proud of bloggers. It’s a philanthropic kindness, the kind that comes from an open heart and place of wanting to make a difference.
Bloggers have been using their platform to spread word of causes they believe in. They write to encourage participation, bring attention to topics worth noting and to make a real difference in the lives of others.
Take, for example, Dena. She is a fashion blogger who was diagnosed with breast cancer at a young 29 years old and decided to document her journey of diagnosis and recovery. Her upbeat attitude is inspiring and her bravery is admirable. Also admirable are the bloggers who have shown support for Dena. Grace and Christin both wrote posts about Dena encouraging others to donate on her behalf, helping to raise money for this amazing woman.
Another example is Lynzy of Sparkling Footsteps, who started Operation: Friendship for Newtown, a program to send friendship bracelets and notes for kids affected by the tragedy in Newtown, CT. Countless bloggers like Ashley participated in creating the bracelets and helped to spread the word further by writing posts on the program.
Far and wide, bloggers are showing that our community is deeper than outfit posts and fashion finds. Blogs are being used for the good of others, for selfless purposes, without any thought of something in return. These outreaches are worth taking note of:
Whether your blog has thousands of readers or just a handful, your voice is powerful and can make a difference.
Here’s to recognizing the ability to make a change and to keeping kindness in mind as we create our posts in the near future and beyond.
Have you ever used your blog to shed light on a cause or charity you care about? How has your audience reacted? Share your expereince in the comments.
Emily VanderBeek is a digital advertising professional living & playing in Chicago. She is the blogger behind Isn’t That Charming, a lifestyle blog focused on style, DIY projects & inspirations that charm her socks off.
thank you SO much for this post. i think it’s so important that we as bloggers try to use our reach for good!