Tag: online communities

World Autism Awareness Day 2019

World Autism Awareness Day 2019

nadiaewestbrookcreative

Today is world autism awareness day. A day to raise awareness and celebrate the awesomeness of people like my daughter Abigail who have autism. One thing I won’t be sharing is the blue puzzle piece. The puzzle piece and light it up blue were started by a company called Autism speaks. They started out wanting to “cure” autism or find a way to eradicate it by finding it in utero. They also originally claimed Autism was linked with vaccines which has been disproven time and time again there is no link. Autism isn’t something that needs cured. People with Autism aren’t a missing puzzle piece. It is a spectrum disorder they are all wonderfully unique in their own way.

(Link to article about autism speaks and why the autism community do not support this organization – https://theaspergian.com/2019/03/29/autism-speaks-just-no/ )

My daughter Abi (diagnoses ASD 1-2) is amazing I love her quirks ,her cheekiness everything that makes her her. I hate when people ask about her quirks and I explain she has Autism. The ignorance that radiates off them when they say oh sorry she has autism. Why do people say sorry. She is amazing she loves to sing and dance and has no care who sees. She has things she’s advanced in like puzzles and drawing. She has her challenges also with speech/comprehension/safety. We all have our strengths and weaknesses that doesn’t mean we should be singled out or made to feel less. Autism isn’t less it’s strengths and weakness’s that fit in a particular spectrum.

I love seeing the world through Abi’s eyes and carefree spirit. She teaches me about life just as much as I teach her. So for world autism day I ask please don’t ever say sorry to someone about them having Autism or to a parent of a child with Autism. Autism isn’t something to be sorry about it is something to embrace, love and learn about. It is appreciating everyone’s uniqueness. So take the time today to learn about Autism so we can be supportive and informed as a community and embrace everyone within our community.

6 Months of Instagram

6 Months of Instagram

nadiaewestbrookcreative

This month marks 6 months since I started building my Instagram account in April. I went from a fairly inactive account with 250 followers to a very active account with a following of over 7400 now. I can’t believe how fast it has grown from just being me. It really warms my heart .

This isn’t one of my normal blog posts this is an appreciation blog to all the people who continue to inspire and teach me so many things. I have a thirst for knowledge and I am now surrounded by so many intelligent kick ass people. I went from 6 months ago being in a bit of a creative rut to getting a better life balance and having so many fabulous new people enter my life. Without them lighting that fire under me I wouldn’t be kicking goals like I am now.

I have joined a few different online communities of writers, bloggers, influencers and kick ass Mummas. I have networked and have met online and in person so many inspirational women that raise each other up and support each other in so many ways. Building my social media presence has got me out and about more.  Most recently to an influencer dinner which is where the photo above is from, where I met so many like-minded people. Building my pages and content has me learning and expanding on my personal and professional growth as well as helping me set goals and putting my life in perspective of, wanting to be better and do better. I have got to collaborate with people and companies I could only dream of and I see many more collabs in the future. I love being creative and now I get to work on that creativity every day.

My writing project on my first book is now coming along more than ever. As its historical fiction/ fantasy so loosely based around real places and times my research has really come together as well as chapters flowing onto the page. I cant wait to start sharing character info on the lead up to finishing my first draft. As well as my book my blog which I started fairly recently is also slowly building and I have a lot of topics im passionate about I will be posting soon.

What has got me in the roller coaster of learning the past 6 months is that my self growth is helping me be a better all round person and mother. I now have a clear path of what I  am doing and my plan overall is to do as my favourite quote “Leave the world a better place than how you found it” Sarah J Mass ( My favourite fantasy author) I want to make a difference with my writing, blogging and influencing. So I hope this inspires someone to do what they love and follow their passion as it makes your heart happy and life full.

Nadia

xoxo