#HLS12 – Itz Meant to Be

Hi!  I’m Linz and I write a healthy living blog called Itz Linz.  It features workouts, recipes, and everyday happenings of living a healthy life.  I began the blog on the last day of 2011, so I still consider myself a newbie blogger.  Though I’ve been reading blogs for awhile, I still have a lot to learn.  As I’ve read posts and posts about bloggers meeting at various events, I knew that was something I wanted to do.  It was a matter of time before the opportunity presented itself and I would actually be able to attend one.

When I first discovered Healthy Living Summit, I thought this would be the perfect step in developing my blog.  While the event is being held in Boston, I knew I would need airfare, hotel, and an actual ticket to the event.  HLS is actually one of the more affordable blogging weekend events at $100 per ticket.  After discussing the Summit with my parents and expressing my concerns with the cost of the entire weekend, they reminded me that my birthday falls just before the event (August 12th to be exact).  My parents have always been my biggest supporters and they understood the value of HLS, so they agreed to help me financially.  Best birthday gift ever!

I was still worried about snagging a ticket as one year they sold out in twenty minutes!  I read about the giveaway that Healthy Living Blogs was hosting and instantly entered.  Much to my surprise, I received an email the night before the tickets went on sale informing me that I had won the giveaway!  Not only was I guaranteed a spot at HLS, I won a discounted ticket, at that!  All doubts in my mind were instantly extinguished as this confirmed my believe of "Itz meant to be!"

There are several reasons why I am excited about HLS, but I’ll give you the top five.

1.  As previously stated, Itz Linz is just six months old.  There is so much for me to learn and ways for me to grow and develop as a blogger.  There will be multiple "experts" speaking on various topics, and I plan on taking advantage of their knowledge.  Also, with two hundred other bloggers, I’m bound to learn a new thing or two from my fellow community members!

2.  Never in a million years did I think I would make the friends I have through blogging.  It’s true; I have, and I cannot wait to meet them in person.  I feel like I know so many of the girls who blog, and I keep reminding myself that, no, I have not yet met them face to face.  August will change that though.

3.  Boston.  Haven’t been before, but I’ve heard it’s a pretty stellar town.  ‘Nuff said.

4.  Part of the Summit includes Blog Photog Basics with Gretchen Powell of Honey, I Shrunk the Gretchen.  Confession:  I take all of my blog photos with my iPhone!  I know that’s ridiculous, but my camera gave out some time ago, and I wanted to make sure I really and truly needed a “real” camera before investing the hundreds of dollars a good one is worth. 

The description says that Gretchen will cover all bases, including phone photography.  (Perfect!)  I’m also hoping to get some advice from other bloggers on which camera works well in this field.  My sister is a photographer, but I definitely did not inherit that trait, though I don’t think all of my photos are too, too terrible.  

5.  In addition to the Just Say No… To On-Camera Flash: An Introduction to Blog Photog Basics, there are several other workshops that will be hosted throughout the weekend that sound so worthwhile to a new blogger like myself. 

Hosting a Virtual Challenge: Should you do it and how?  Social Media: Keeping Up With Online Trends.  Blogging With Brands.  Blog Design Boot Camp.  I Am The Blogger in Your Neighborhood.  The Fuzzy Grey Areas of Blogging. Wow!  There will just be a plethora of information out there, and I will be soaking up every second and tidbit of advice.  (Full agenda of the weekend can be found here.)

I hear there are still a few tickets left to the Healthy Living Summit, so if you have not yet purchased yours, NOW is the time!  I look forward to meeting all of the fabulous bloggers and people behind the scenes of this awesome event.  Thank you again, Healthy Living Blogs, for my reserved discounted ticket and for having me guest post today!

I would love to hear from you!  Pop on over to Itz Linz.  Follow me on Twitter.  Become a fan on Facebook. Follow me on Pinterest.  See you in Boston!

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