Today is My 4 Year ActiveRain Anniversary... DON’T Do What I Did!
Well pass the cake and hold the candles.. today is technically my 4 year anniversary at ActiveRain. That’s right... four years ago today I had the foresight and good sense to join ActiveRain.
By “technically” that is the date I signed up and began my lurking. You know what I mean and I bet there are still some lurkers out there. I read the blogs and may have even commented on a few. Who knows. I wasn’t exactly sure why I was here. No one suggested I join. I have a vague recollection of seeing the ActiveRain symbol at the bottom of someone’s website, clicked on it and Ta-Dah found myself here... kind of like Dorothy clicking her heels in the Wizard of Oz.
Well pass the cake and hold the candles.. today is technically my 4 year anniversary at ActiveRain. That’s right... four years ago today I had the foresight and good sense to join ActiveRain. By “technically” that is the date I signed up and began my lurking. You know what I mean and I bet there are still some lurkers out there. I read the blogs and may have even commented on a few. Who knows. I wasn’t exactly sure why I was here. No one suggested I join. I have a vague recollection of seeing the ActiveRain symbol at the bottom of someone’s website, clicked on it and Ta-Dah found myself here... kind of like Dorothy clicking her heels in the Wizard of Oz.
I wanted to ask someone about ActiveRain before fully immersing myself in the water so I decided to play it safe and call a fellow Texan... after all if you can’t trust a fellow Texan who can you trust..... thus I found Karen Otto.
Karen gave ActiveRain the thumbs up and with that I joined.
However, if you were to look at my Archives (down the right side of my blog page) you’ll see that I didn’t write a post until June of 2008; wrote 2 more in December of that year and probably got off to the slowest start in ActiveRain history.
So, on this my 4 year ActiveRain Anniversary... I encourage any of you newbies or even semi-newbies... don’t do what I did.....
Don’t
Karen gave ActiveRain the thumbs up and with that I joined.
However, if you were to look at my Archives (down the right side of my blog page) you’ll see that I didn’t write a post until June of 2008; wrote 2 more in December of that year and probably got off to the slowest start in ActiveRain history.
So, on this my 4 year ActiveRain Anniversary... I encourage any of you newbies or even semi-newbies... don’t do what I did.....
Don’t
-wait to read the Community Guidelines. There’s very helpful information in there that you need to know (don’t spam your fellow Rainers, for example)
-wait months to write your first post. Jump on in.. no one’s going to bite! And the comments you get and in some cases emails will be very helpful.
-wait to take advantage of the free ActiveRain University (in fairness, I’m not sure they had them when I joined)
DO
- read, post and comment every day
- take advantage of some of the ActiveRain challenges which for the most part are designed to teach you how to improve your blogging
-reach out to your fellow ActiveRain Members
So, Happy Anniversary to Me!
Thank You ActiveRain for all that I’ve learned!
Thank you to my fellow Bloggers for subscribing and reading my posts.
You're right. Just jump in. There's lots to learn and lot's to gain! Have a great week!
Congratulations.. and thanks for the inspiration to keep going forward. I started February of 2010 and did nothing until this past October.. Since then i've been committed to learning and doing as much as possible here. Inspiration from those of you that have contributed so much over the years is great!
Suggested
Kathy... congratulations to you on your milestone! Your contributions through your blog posts are very educational and inspirational.... I'm glad I found you in the rain...
Congrats Kathy! I think we all started the same way. it's scary to just dive right in and "lurking" seems to be the easy thing to do. I would completely agree with you though...don't waste any time getting started!
Thank you for the advice. Just joined and looking forward to taking advantage of all what AR has to offer and hopefully contribute in a meaningful way.
Congrats on being in AR for four years Kathy! You're a Rock Star and you shine in the Rain! Suggested.
Kathy I totally understand! I did the same thing! Congrats to you for becoming such an intrical part of our Active Rain Community. You are awesome!
Well Happy Anniversary Kathy! I was like you in the beginning and only lurked for a while. It took me a year and a half to fully embrace all that ActiveRain has to offer. Newbies, please follow Kathy's advice here!
Happy 4th Anniversary!! Many tend to the same as you did and lurk for a bit, I wish they all end up as successful as you! Enjoy your day girlfriend!
Congratulations on the 4th year anniversary! I am sure time flew by as you made your friends in the Rain. More power to you on your new year.
Jake- absolutely. Wish I'd jumped in a lot earlier.
Janis- good for you! I do remember that when I first began there were some really kind commented who would encourage me to post more and I am so grateful for that. And, thanks for the suggest.
Peggy- Thank you very much and I'm glad YOU'RE here too. I've learned a lot about professional organization from you.
Rebekah- I agree... don't waste time just jump in. I had a fellow stager suggest the topic for my post after I told him of an experience I'd had. He said "Write a post about it". Thank goodness.
Eric- then, welcome to ActiveRain! Be sure to check out the webinars at ActiveRain University.
John (the Q)- Thank you and you are an example of someone who has jumped in and look at you!! Not even here a year. Thanks for the suggest.
Nancy- that's exactly it... the water's great!
Anna- Thank you but YOU are the Awesome of Awesome Ms Bananatude!
Craig- I never would have guessed you to be a lurker!
Kerrie- and you as well. I don't know how you monitor all of this as well as testing for the system, and the challenges.... good grief.. give the girl a raise.....or a trip to Florida!!!!!
Jennifer- as in life.. yes. time just whizzed on by.
Congratulations Kathy and isn't it just like you to celebrate by giving a gift to the AR newbies of sound advice. Hope they follow it!
Happy anniversary Kathy and thank you for the advice. I joined last July and I threw myself into it and guess what, it's been really rewarding!!!! Thank you for all the encouragement these 7 months.
Congratulations! Kathy, I feel the same way.
Although with not being able to use Chrome anymore to login to AR. I might not be here as often.
Well happy 4th year anniversary Kathy-I bet you feel like that flew by fast!
Happy Anniversary Kathy. I too joined in February. I wrote my first post a few days later. It was about a year later that I actually understood the benefits and really started using it.
Oh so you got off to a slow start....once you got that engine running, watch out! There's no stopping you now! I'm sure happy to have found you!
Well, that's a milestone, to be sure! I didn't realize that you are actually an institution around here. Congratulations!
Good advice Kathy and congratulations on four years in the rain!
Kathy - Great advice! Within weeks of joining I had a lot of support, jumped in with both feet and glad I did.
Happy Anniversaty Kathy!
Happy 4 year anniversary! It takes everyone a little while to start engaging. The point is to make it happen!
Good advice thanks! I just joined and am ready to get started.
Congrats & now I'm curious as no idea when I joined. I thought you were going to say ... don't drop out which I did for most of last year & now ready to jump back in.
Happy Anniversary, Kathy! Lots of us got started the same way you did--I, for one!
Thanks for your encouragement to do more posting. I admit my hesitance, and I know that I have to get over it. Have a great day!
Kathy: This was the one single BEST decision I have ever made in marketing for my real estate business! I have never had such good ranking on Google searches and I have never had such good asscociates whom I can call on at any time for guidance if I need need it!
Thanks Kathy! I am still a Newbie, but I have taken seasoned Rainers' advice, just like yours, and try to stay ACTIVE on Active Rain. Congrats, Happy Birthday, and well wishes!!!
Congratulations........Looks like you have been real busy since July '09. Good post for getting some of us off our keisters. As Nike says, "Just Do It!"
Congrats, Kathy, on this "milestone" in your life. While it doesn't quite rate up there with a wedding anniversary or a birthday, it's significant nonetheless! :) You'll have to start planning your fifth annivesary!
Hey Kathy. I did the same thing when I joined and still don't use this resource to all of its potential. I DID do what you did and I know that I need to do better. I have been trying but need to do more. You do a great job with your posts. thanks for some good reading.
Hey Kathy - I DO want to stop by and say congrats and Happy Anniversary in the "Rain!"
Way to go, Kathy! So awesome to hear your success story! Happy anniversary!
Happy Anniversary Kathy. So glad I found you here. xo, D.
Happy anniversary, I too began as a lurker because I couldn't figure what to write.
Kathy, Congratulations on your 4th Active Rain Anniversary ... Birthday. I say Birthday because I feel many of our businesses are reborn when we join AR.
We are all lucky that you came back and started blogging, I couldn't imagine AR without you.
I'm sure you'll look back on this post in another 4 years and continue to share such great tips. Congrats!
Kathy, congratulations on your four year anniversary. You are a top home stager in the Rain.
Great post Kathy! Well deserving of a feature! I probably have you beat though in that I joined in July 2007 and it took me till November 2010 to really get involved and moving in this great community.
Glad we're both here now!
Congrats on the milestone, Kathy. You sure took off after that slow start and so glad you did. There are many of us the richer for your contributions.
Kathy:
I started the same way. In fact, I signed up for ActiveRain in 2009 and didn't post a thing until February, 2011. Glad I finally got in the swing of things.
Al and Peggy- thank you for helping me “celebrate”.
Joanna-You, friend, have come a long way in a short time!!!! Keep it up!
Ron-I’ve been using Chrome and haven’t had any problems. Don’t give up trying to log in!
Marco- it really does!!!
Donna-I look at my archives and see how few posts I wrote when I began. Thankfully taking part in my first challenge was one of the best things I did.
Sharon- not as much as I am at having found you! Thank you for all of the phone calls!
Mimi- I do wish that I had jumped right in instead of lurking.
Jim- I cannot believe how the time has passed and I’m still learning here.
Michelle-how fortunate you were! And... look how far you’ve come.
Gabe-Thank you, Gabe.
Mike and Kate-absolutely... it doesn’t matter when you start... but when you do just get going.
Melissa- welcome to ActiveRain.. Don’t wait like I did... get started!
Karen- I have a feeling there were a lot of us lurkers around.
Tina-I think many here take short leaves for a lot of reasons but we’re glad you’re back.
Lottie-Goodness... it’s fun to see how many of us lurkers there are.
Susan-I know it’s easy for me to say jump right in but really... that’s the best way to get started.
Paula-you said just what I feel... ActiveRain is the single best business decision I’ve made.
Rachel-a big welcome to ActiveRain. You’re on the right track...read, comment and start posting!
Woody-Nike is right.. Just Do It! You’ve nothing to lose.
Beth-Oh goodness.... no time for that.. too many posts to write.
Steve-ok... come on now... set yourself a goal for a certain number of posts a week and be sure to enter the challenges here.
Brad- I owe you much for your guidance you’ve given me with my blogging and for all of the tutorials you’ve written. Thank you!
Curt- what I know of blogging, social media, and so much I learned here at ActiveRain. And, the staff has always been there to support us. Thank you!
David- I remember when you joined and we all fell in love with your own design work not to mention those dizzfying videos of yours.
Lyn- that’s the hardest thing for any blogger. Sometimes the mind just says enough!
Kathleen- it is a business rebirth isn’t it. (sounds like a blog you should write!)
Cynthia- thank you very much for your kind words. I can’t imagine not being here.
Elisa-Thank you but surely I would have run out of things to say by then! (LOL)
Rebecca- we are so lucky that we have many more stagers joining ActiveRain and contributing. We all learn from each other.
DeeDee- never would have guessed that! Seriously? Well I’m glad you’re here now!
I signed up. Forgot about it and came back two years later. Wish I had started hard and stayed that way.
Congratulations, and may you have many more.
Kathy! I am sooo like you. I think I joined in 2006. I know why I joined - I had taken a GRI real estate course and the teacher told us it was the place to be. Little did I know that I was one of the very first to join, that if I had blogged regularly I would have been grandfather ed in, etc. I lurked and read the daily drop for years and just last year I became a Rainmaker. I could never be considered a Newbie as far as actually joining in 2011, but I surely regret to this day not getting involved sooner. Darn it!!! P.S. Happy Anniversary! -Kasey
Thanks for the encouragement. I'm new and still working my way around. But, I've already learned so much.
Congratulations on your 4 years, I have enjoyed following you here.
You are inspiring many "lurkers" :)
Happy Anniversary! 4 Years is a great mile marker! I started by lurking, too, and wish I had jumped right in. As long as you do, I guess it's how it works for some of us. Now AR is part of my daily routine!
Congrats and you are so right about diving right in! The sidelines are not the place where you can have the most fun in the Rain!
Congratulations Kathy on your four years. And like you, it took me way too long to get actively engaged in AR. Even today, sometimes it is hard to write or find the time.
Wow! Congrats on making it to 4yrs. Even though you held back on blogging for a bit, you have managed to make it. Wish you the best in 2k12