How to: Increase your pride by growing your Followers Widget Box

I'd be lying if I said I never hope for my Followers widget to expand with new faces. What enthusiastic blogger doesn't? The point is to share your thoughts with anyone who'll read them, right?

But how does one go about finding new readers? It certainly isn't all about your content. Of course, you must have something of interest to write about so you're readers will keep coming back, but you have to first find the readers.

Best place to start is with your friends. If you know someone who's got a blog - follow each other. Makes sense. That's just a start - most of us don't have 40 friends who blog. If you claim you do, I'd like to hear your definition of 'friends'. Joey & Chandler don't count. If you have friends who don't blog, tell them to sign up anyway so they can follow you. It doesn't hurt to use pursuation either.

Dear Friend,
You need to sign up to follow my blog in the next hour or I will never awknowledge you on Facebook again. Don't forget to comment! :)

You could also go the "I have no idea what I'm doing route" and pay for some advertising. If I ever need to hire an advertising agency, I'm gonna hire the same guys who run the Krispy Kreme account. Those guys know what they're doing.

The best and most effective way to gaining readers is to be one yourself. We find this answer in Luke 6:31. The Bible really does have all the answers! There's more to it than just reading another's blog. You must comment. Leaving comments on other blogs will start you on the path to new readers.

Please take your seats - Blog Commenting 101 is about to begin.

• Find a blog with a fairly large group of followers. You're aim is to steal some of them.
  
• When you leave a comment on someone else's blog it is important that you actually have read the entry.
• If there is a question, answer it.
• If there's not, feel free to agree or disagree with the opinions of the writer.
• Keep it fairly short, this is NOT your blog.
• Be funny or wise - double score for doing both.
• Make yourself human by telling of something humiliating that you did - keep it relevant.
• Find another popular blog and repeat the process.
  

You have a few short words to coax readers to ponder more about you. You have to think smart to get them to say something like,

"LOL. What a clever and witty comment, I wonder what other kinds of insight this reader has. Let me click their profile and see if they have their own blog that is just as clever and witty as this comment that knocked my socks off."

That is the exact reaction I go for when I comment on other blogs in an effort to grow my readership. Make sure you don't over do it though. One too many 'smart' comments and you're likely to get the stink eye.

Follow these simple suggestions and pretty soon you will find you exist in new worlds you never dreamed of. As soon as you get a new reader, you exist in their world. It's like traveling, only you can stay in your PJs and no one can complain.

**Proof that the system works: Before I even finished writing this post I had gain a new follower! Welcome aboard Kyle!**

Photo Tag.

Okay Vicky, here's my photo:

Pretty boring. This is a photo from my Vegas to Gorman, TX trip with my Aunt Anne to help her move. The back of that truck says "One of a Kind." I guess I found it interesting. Being on the road that long with a camera gets you some weird pictures.


Here are the rules:

1. Go to the 4th folder where you keep your pictures on your computer.

2. Post the 4th picture in the folder.

3. Explain the photo.

4. Tag 4 fellow bloggers to join in the fun.

I'm not tagging anyone because pretty much all my blog friends have done this already. If you haven't feel free.

I Got the Sun in the Morning

Sunshine gives me a lovely day,
Moonlight gives me the Milky Way.
Got no checkbooks, got no banks,
Still, I'd like to express my thanks.
I've got the sun in the morning
And the moon at night.
And with the sun in the morning
And the moon in the evening
I'm alright.

Getting the shot

When it comes to getting the shot, I laugh in the face of danger.

HA HA HA HA

This is my younger brother's Pitt Bull, Jixser.

What's your motivation?

the psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal; the reason for the action; that which gives purpose and direction to behavior;

I have a hard time finding motivation. How about you? Being active and eating well are difficult for me, only because I lack motivation. The physical act isn't so bad, in fact it usually makes me feel better and has other positive results.

Sometimes, watching other people take action towards a goal gives me a bit of motivation. Like watching Rocky 3. Sometimes, watching a good musical motives me to get up and dance and sing and do my own version of the film just for Maverick. Sometimes, a really great quote read over and over a few times can get me stirred up. A photo of what my teeth would look like if I didn't start brushing better worked as a motivator for a few months. Sometimes money is the reason for my action - sometimes.

I have yet to find something that sticks. This poster: Not helpful.
There was a time in my life when I was full of dreams and inspiration and I had motivation that I didn't even know of. I was going to change the world! Then I graduated from high school and the world wasn't anything like what they told me it was.

"I wanna run through the halls of my high school/ I wanna scream at the top of my lungs!"

I've started reading this book. Faith-based Fitness. The first couple chapters sounded like there was some great motivation in there somewhere. I just couldn't seem to find it. Maybe it's in the last few pages. Meanwhile, I'm gonna keep on keeping on.

Someday, I WILL find my happy thought. I will fly!

How important are your friends?

Have you ever done a study on friendship? Probably not, right? I mean, who wants to sit around and read up on 'friendship' when you have friends and know exactly what friendship is?

Did you know that around 25% of Americans don't have a close friend to confide in? That's 1 in 4! According to a 2006 study, we are becoming more and more lonely. In parallel, we are becoming more and more sick. It is noted that the declines in heath and friendship are near the same slopes.

It seems that in our "Modern" day and age, we have decided that real friendship is overrated and put it low on our list of priorities. We'd rather zone out with an iPod or XBox than use energy building a relationship.

Take a moment to read Ecclesiastes 4:8-12 (roll over the text). Do you really want to be the guy who's creating great things for himself, but has no one to share with? 'All for nothing' quipt King Solomon.

Friends bring us more than just health benefits. They have benefits we can not even fully comprehend. I can not imagine my life without my friends. They comfort me, encourage me, bless me, share with me, laugh with me (and even at me), and they love me. They also give me the opportunity to grow in the virtues of loving, giving, sacrificing, encouragement, compassion, understanding, and a hundred others. Without my friends, I would not grow. Thank you dear friends.

I charge you readers. Go be a friend. A real friend. Winnie the Pooh once said "It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn't use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like "What about lunch?"" Go deeper. Do more than just lunch. God wants us to learn intimacy with each other as much as we are learning it with him. Dive deep into the waters which friendship treads. It will be hard. You will have to be vulnerable. You will have to let someone in, to learn about you and your strengths and your weaknesses. You will have to take a risk. You will get hurt. That hurt is worth it. It is SO worth it.

You don't have to have a large number of friends. Two or three will do just fine. It's the quality of those friendship that matter.

Ladies. Single ladies. I urge you to press on in your friendships. If you keep close friends, you are much less likely (or less frequently) to feel lonely and pursue comfort in a man. You will not get yourself wrapped up in an unhealthy relationship. Not only will you end up with any old 'poser' who might come along, but you're friends will be there to point out who he really is!

So go on! Go find someone to invite to coffee or steak, or a game of cards or tiddly-winks.

I promise...

I promise to update soon!