Happy September!

Hope you all had a wonderful summer. September has always seemed like the start of a new year! With these new beginnings – whether they be school, job, city, activity, or friendship we should start afresh with our attitudes! We should open our hearts to new ideas; we should make goals; and we should ASK for what we want. You never know what amazing things will happen when you take action!

A clear example of this was shown to me last week, when I met my blogging friend Jacqueline Boone, 6 Months to Live, in person after three years of knowing each other - which began through the WordPress.com community.

When I started blogging four years ago, one of my goals other than writing and sharing content was to create a heartfelt community of individuals from all over the world. Therefore, I made it a goal of mine to discover others’ blogs and reach out to them.

In late 2010, I remember commenting on someone’s blog, then randomly seeing a comment of Jacqueline’s; I went to check out her site. I loved the concept of her site and started following her posts. Several months later in April of 2012, I had created an interview series on my blog and thought she would be a great person to profile. As Jacqueline is a “passionately curious global explorer,” I wanted to hear her insight on how she overcame obstacles on her life journey. That day, I reached out and asked her via email to be part of my series. Read her interview here.

Since then, an awesome friendship has developed where we try to Skype every week given that we live on opposite sides of the continent and in different countries.

This past week, Jackie and I finally got to meet in person when an opportunity brought her to the West Coast. We spent time exploring nature via the ocean, a lake, and a mountain. People thought we had known each other in person for a long time, as we were so comfortable with each other.

Little did I know what would result from reaching out introducing myself and asking Jackie to be part of the series but she said yes and over time an amazing friendship has resulted.

I never expected the deep connection and beautiful outcome when I wrote that initial email. Look at what I would have missed out on if I never pressed “send.”

What an empowering way to end the summer and start September. Thank you, Jackie, for your presence in my life! Your friendship is such a gift.

Jackie’s visit showcases why I continue to blog - because of the heartfelt community that develops and the relationships I have built. The road to success is tough and we can’t do it alone. Through connecting with others offline and online – we can help each other stand tall.

Thank you readers for your support along the way – making Arianna’s Random Thoughts – a supportive retreat for all who visit. Even if you have never met the person, your presence is making a difference in someone’s life. YOU ROCK!

Let’s all start of this month with the goal of celebrating our selves. You never know what will happen what amazing things will happen when you ask for what you want.

Thank you for reading and your presence at this beach retreat. Since this is a space of emergence, I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts in the comments section below.

See you at the beach!