MY FIRST TWITTER CHAT

Today I participated in my first Twitter chat! It was the Coffee Date Chat hosted by Coffee and Cardigans and Life, Love and Coffee Stains. It was so much fun. For my non-blogger friends, a twitter chat is a way for bloggers to connect and converse over Twitter about blogging or whatever the specific theme of the chat is about.

It's such a great way to meet other bloggers. I am so passionate about writing and blogging, and sometimes it's hard to talk about it with other people who don't understand blogging as much. So I have loved getting to know other bloggers recently. I also love finding new blogs to read, because there is so much out there.

One of my favorite parts about connecting with other bloggers is that you get to meet people from all around the country. While I may never meet most of the people I connect with in the blogosphere, I feel like I have a preview into their life. And, especially with lifestyle blogs, that can mean a lot. There is sometime a stigma towards meeting people on the Internet, because you don't really know the person behind the keyboard. But I don't feel like that at all with the people I have met through blogging. I have talked to some of the kindest, sweetest, and most genuine people. Through twitter, comments, Facebook groups, and kind emails, I have had the pleasure of talking to some wonderful people. Some of the comments I have gotten have made my day. Some of the posts I have read  have given me inspiration and faith. Some of the people I have met have made me feel like all the time and work I put into the blog is worth it.

Diving deeper into the blogging community was one of the best decisions I have ever made. It has been such a positive experience, and it has encouraged me to grow my blog in ways I never dreamed of before. Blogging hasn't always been a big part of my life. Until this past summer I blogged infrequently, and didn't make much of an effort to share my posts other than copying a link to Facebook for friends and family. When I started to see what others in the blogging community were doing, I knew it was something I had to be a part of.

I am so glad that I decided to participate in my first Twitter chat. Confession: I was a tad nervous at first, because I had only ever observed them before. But once I got into it, I lost track of time, and I was sad when it was over. Thanks for the wonderful conversation, ladies. I can't wait to learn more about you through your blogs! #CoffeeDateChat

And if you this Twitter chat sounds like fun to you, check out Life, Love and Coffee Stains, and Coffee and Cardigans on Twitter. This was their first time hosting, and they will be back with another one in October.

Have you participated in a Twitter chat before? What's your favorite one?