I've spent the last 10 years in the "mom blogging"/ social media space. I began digitally journaling when blogging was just a wee bit of a thing, chronicling the life and times of my two young sons. I've blogged about mom-fashion, family vacations, kid friendly activities, life in Chicago married to a TV producer for the most famous woman in daytime, and almost everything in between.
And then I found my truest "niche". PLAY. PLAY, PLAY, PLAY, PLAY, PLAY.
The best definition of it, the need for it, the benefits of it, the transformative POWER of it, and how to incorporate more of it into our filled-to-the-brim family lives.
I've spoken on panels and keynotes and to big groups of parents about the impact of playfulness. I've written a magazine column based on it. I've done countless television segments for shows like the TODAY show, Fox and Friends, Home and Family, and on and on and on... all with the thread of PLAY woven very intentionally within each 3-5 minutes of show and tell.
And this past year I wrote a book about it. (Well Played, the Ultimate Guide to Awakening Your Family's Playful Spirit, Harper Collins 2016).
It's been a year of exciting adventures and daunting new beginnings as I sent a kid to college, launched a book, and then loaded up the truck and moved across the country to LA... where my playful work seemed to blossom even more. (it must be the every-day-of-sun here).
People were "getting it" and it appeared they wanted more PLAY-full-ness in their own lives as well! Boom. My work here is done. PSYCH!
And then this week I was nominated for a Mom2.0 IRIS Award. "Breakout of the Year". After 10 years of searching for my truest message and throwing myself head-long into it, I've apparently had my "Breakout" year! As often, but not always happens with "sudden success", right? Sudden sometimes must be backed by a decade of vision and hard but wonderful work.
When a blogging pal of mine told me via text about the nomination, I misinterpreted her message completely. She said "congrats on Mom 2!" I THOUGHT she meant "Congratulations you now have '2 mom' friends in LA!" (I had JUST posted about being on another successful "friend date" out here.) See how I messed that up? Mom 2 (short for Mom2.0), Mom #2? Yep, clueless.
And then I discovered it was for having a "breakout" year. And I slowly, half-smirkingly nodded at the universe, God, and my own playful spirit like, "Yeah, I kiiinnnnnda get that."
This year has surely broken me OUT in more ways than one. I still was a little unsure how I was nominated in this category with fresh faced, newer to the scene, "viral" women. And then a fellow blogger whom I highly admire wrote in a FB comment: "Meredith Sinclair, this is forever the year PLAY went viral" (cue the tiny tears in just the corners of my eyes).
If I had ANYTHING to do with giving PLAY a glitter-filled spotlight this year, then I'm the proudest mama of all.
I'm honored to be among a group of women and men I SO admire. For their grit, gumption, creativity, and HUSTLE. Thanks to whomever threw my name in the IRIS Award mix. Ya'll totally made my day.
To see all the amazing women and men nominated...check it out HERE!
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