Ever wondered about the impact you can have by reaching out to other bloggers in your local community? I'm excited that today Reece Sims is “Speaking From the Heart” and sharing her experiences with all of us.

Reece Sims is a passionate advocate for the professional development of Generation Y women. I'm a Personal Branding Strategist, Host of The Lovenoteworthy Show (listed as the #1 Business podcast in the New & Noteworthy on iTunes Canada) and Host for Behind the Brand which airs on Novus Television's Community Channel. I had the pleasure of being interviewed on The Gold Zebra and had to ask Reece to be involved in this series. Reece has really inspired me on my journey. I connected with her earlier this year as we both live on the West Coast.  I look forward to meeting her in person one day.  Reece speaks from her heart and empowers others on their journey! Read her interview below.

Why do you believe self-expression (speaking from the heart) is important?

I believe that in order to truly connect with others with a message that resonates it has to be done with emotion. It's easy for you to forget the words that are said by someone during a conversation, presentation or article, but it's hard to forget an authentic emotional connection. However, in order for it to be truly authentic, the emotion has to come from speaking/writing/presenting from the heart.

How has writing empowered you in other areas of your life?

I find that writing along with daily exercise really helps to clear my mind of clutter. Every day we are bombarded with content, media and advertisements and have thousands of thoughts running through our minds. In order to remove the excess and extract the important, writing helps immensely. This allows me to stay focused and happy in other areas of my life.

How did you find your authentic voice through writing?

To be honest, I've never thought of myself as a writer, however, I have always had pride in the fact that I am a connector and authentic to my core values. Therefore, writing became a great outlet to extend the connectivity and authenticity beyond that of simply my daily face-to-face interactions. The internet and social media are extraordinary platforms for being able to amplify and extend the reach of your positive messages.

How did you develop the courage to stand tall (i.e., get the courage to share your writing)?

I have pushed the boundaries of my comfort zone substantially in the past year physically, mentally and emotionally. At the end of 2012, I quit a career I loved, ended a long term relationship and moved to a brand new city for the first time in my life all within a few weeks time. Overcoming all of these changes and adapting to my new environment was challenging at first but ultimately expanded my level of comfort substantially. I've always wanted to share my personal thoughts and inner emotions and finally found the courage to do so through my website (and blog) The Gold Zebra. While oftentimes I am still reluctant to post some of the blog entries that I do, I just remember that if they can affect even one person and help them with their internal struggles, it was worth it!

When you have a hard time writing, what do you do to work through it?

I'm a firm believer in only writing when you're inspired. If you're having a hard time, it probably means that you're trying to focus on something that's not authentic to you so switch it up!

How did you find your support group?

I'm not sure that I have an official “support group” per se, but I would say that the people that I am most able to work through my website/blog problems are other wonderful bloggers that I have met at conferences/since moving to Vancouver that I stay in touch with regularly. They just 'get it' and can provide exactly the right insights and advice I need when I am struggling.

Any advice for new writers/authors?

As I said above – write when you're inspired. Keep a small notebook with you, or use Evernote on your smart phone to write down ideas, concepts, quotes or thoughts that you'd like to write about in the future. Because I typically set an editorial calendar for myself a month in advanced, I oftentimes will see or hear something that inspires me and will jot it down. Then at the end of each month, I will review these notes in order to rekindle the article ideas and ensure that these moments of inspiration aren't lost!

Thanks for speaking from your heart and empowering others, Reece! Keep up the fantastic work! If you have any specific questions for Reece, please feel free to ask :)

One question that came to my mind after reflecting on what Reece said was, “How can I find other bloggers to connect with and build community?" Many people struggle with this, so I’m reaching out to you all and asking for your input.  Looking forward to hearing your suggestions!

Thank you for reading and your presence at this beach retreat. You Rock! I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts in the comment section below.

See you at the beach!