7 July 2007

Positive role models


I’ve been thinking a lot about positive role models lately and how there are so few of them. I look at my friends and none of them live as I do, they are all still caught up with spending and over consumption. I love my friends dearly but I am not inspired by how they live.

So where do we usually find women, or men for that matter, who act as role models – who simply by the way they live and present themselves, inspire others to live to their true potential? Certainly not in the popular media, and I won’t go further than that as this would turn into a tirade if I did. If there is no inspiring light in your group of friends or someone at work, then where?

Well, for me it’s been in blogs. I have found wonderful role models online. Women who show me a way of being that allow me to stay true to who I am, and simply by sharing their lives demonstrate important, honourable and creative ways to live.

The blogs I like best are those written by women who are living an authentic life. I’m not interested in the political and intellectual blogs that talk about change and how to achieve it; I prefer to get that information in books. I am more interested in people who live their changes rather than talk about them, and who share their experiences. I’m fascinated by those blogs that show you, with words and photos, how others live simply, while being mindful of environmental responsibilities, in ordinary and every day ways. For me, living a life that works well, and honestly sharing it with all its ups and downs, is the best example.

At the moment I find inspiration in a few blogs that you might have already discovered yourself. If you haven’t, I encourage you to check these places out. 


Path to Freedom I have been visiting this website for the past five years and am still as motivated by them as I was on the first visit. The Dervaes family live in California and show us all that true change is possible.

Sometimes I see love and caring in photos and I see it often in Little Jenny Wren’s photos of her home. Jenny is a Tasmanian woman who shares her family and her crafts with all of us. There is plenty of simple wisdom there.

When she writes about her day-to-day life Jewels clearly demonstrates that everyone and everything matters. She lives in the US with her husband and ten children and shows us that simply living can also be elegant, heart warming and a lot of fun.

Phelan is living on farm and tell us about all the changes she's making. I love her honesty and her enthusiastic small steps.

I really like the cooking on the free range living blog, but there is also a lovely small house she sold recently and the excitement of a new house she and her family are now moving in to.

There must be many more blogs that document the authentic extraordinary lives of ordinary people. I would love to find more blogs to inspire and motivate me. If you have favourite blogs you go to everyday, please tell me, and everyone else, about them and add a link so we can visit.
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20 comments

  1. I have to agree with you there Rhonda my inspiration,motivation and my role models are from Blogs My nana was also the major influence in my life.
    You are included in that so I thankyou
    Regards The Other Rhonda

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  2. It's funny that you say that because YOU are my positive role model!
    I often think I was born into the wrong generation because not many people my age are interested in old fashioned simple living - quite the opposite in fact. I don't really know why the opposite has never interested me. I am far happier pursuing the simple life.
    Keep up the great posts. Everytime I read them I think you must have read my mind as I am often doing similiar things.

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  3. I agree with busy woman! YOU are so insightful and I love seeing all of the wonderful things you create and have achieved! I wanted to tell you too that I really enjoyed your thoughts in the "Homemade" blog you wrote...you couldn't be more right.
    Another interesting blog of the type you discussed is: Wardrobe Refashion @ http://www.nikkishell.typepad.com/wardroberefashion/. Great concept!
    Hope you are having an enjoyable day!

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  4. I too see you as a positive role model :) I wish I'd discovered ALS and your blog earlier. I am so inspired. Thankyou. Ali (jasali)

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  5. I forgot to add that other blogs I enjoy reading are http://crazy-mumma.blogspot.com/, http://www.avisionsplendid.blogspot.com/ and http://gobblersrun.blogspot.com/
    Ali (jasali)

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  6. Rhonda, thank you for your wonderful words. I agree with the others, I find your blog, your wisdom inspirational. I find Jewels blog really interesting and she has become a good bloggy friend, I also like to visit Path to Freedom. Another person with good things to say is Natalie at www.isabellainthe21stcentury.blogspot .com It is wonderful to find kindred spirits wherever you can.

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  7. I too agree with all the other comments so far...you really do inspire me to simplify my life. My friends don't really "get" me either. My parents are also a great inspiration as both of them were brought up during ww2 and to this day my Dad never throws anything away.

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  8. Dearest Rhonda Jean, I'm nursing the baby to sleep while coming by to visit you and say *goodnight* in my end, before shutting down the computer for the day. My older daughter Rosie beside me and we both smiled while reading your post. I just said nearly the very same words (though not quite as *beautifully* as you said it :o) to Rosie and to Claire, last night and used you and Jenny as examples. This was so wonderfully put. I can't tell you how much I look forward to visiting you both each day. I come away so inspired, encouraged, and blessed, by the sharing of your lives and your hearts. There are about 4 other blogs that I love visiting each day, too, and it's the people--the women--their lives that are like a breath of fresh air, like music, like art--so very, very, lovely to me. Thanks for giving so much of yourself. I know I'm only one of many that are so grateful, that you take the time to do so. It's what makes it like you're the dear friend that lives next-door.Thanks for your sweet words, for your thoughtfulness, encouragement and friendship, Rhonda Jean.
    Warmly, Jewels

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  9. Now you *will know* that that's suppose to say *on my end*, right?? :o) Realizing that you dears are going strong just when I'm beginning to completely fizzle out. You totally and completely have my permission to edit any and all of my posts--in fact, please do, okay--especially when I come callin' at the eleventh hour--nearly zonked out mama, hunting and pecking with one finger, zonked out nursling in my right and typing arm :o)
    xo Jewels--who's really going this time, knowing full well that she's used up far more than her allotted commenting space! Again, have mercy :o)

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  10. Hi Rhonda,
    I was going to comment on how you have become my role model. Looks like plenty of people have beaten me to it! I'm thinking you won't mind adding another "little chicky" to your flock though right? :-) Hope not, anyway!

    I will have to look at those other blogs you've mentioned. Slowly, slowly though. I find I get overwelmed quite easily and just need to take babysteps with all of this. I want to live more simply and mindfully. I struggle with being swayed by those around me though (no friends around here of the same mindset - yet). :-)

    I'm blogging about my adventures in life so if you ever want to see what's happening, you're welcome to drop by. :-)

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  11. Why thank you for including me. I am honored.

    I can only echo what the others have said.

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  12. oh dear. I feel a bit embarrassed now. Thank you all for being so generous. I hope to encourage other women to live to their true potential but I never expected this. It shows me that many others feel this void too. It also shows me that we need to help and encourage each other to live well.

    I'm only just realising that some of you have blogs that I haven't listed here. If you would like to be added to my blog list, please let me know. Ali, I have you email, thank you.

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  13. Rhonda,
    I'm honoured to be included on such a great list, thank you.
    And like you, I'm also glad to have my blogging friends to turn to when I'm feeling like a square peg!

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  14. Rhonda you are my role model too, I visit a few blogs and all of them are similar, and very inspiring. It's also good to see that I'm not the only person out there who counts bloggers as friends.

    cheers Lenny

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  15. Hmm... Sorry, feeling a bit of loss for words today, but I'll ramble on anyway. This is something I've pondered about a great deal and why I tried blogging for awhile, to show a living, simple example just by doing and then posting about it... And I was amazed by others generosity to comment on my simple little blog and found them to be inspiring me to keep at it... Just as your blog is inspiring me now.

    Problems were a very slow computer connection with complications in posting... Plus, not always able to avoid the impulse to rant about drastic changes and other things going on around me. Also spending what I felt was too much time online and not enough on creating enough of a quality life off. Not keeping up with the tasks at hand or having much real human contact locally, you know?

    However, I've been very fortunate to have met a few of the wonderful people I met online, face to face, in the actual flesh! One of them directed me to this site of yours, another can be found at http://clairesgarden.blogspot.com

    Take care, Rhonda, and thanks for hanging in there over the long haul!

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  16. P.S. That was "Wildside", by the way!

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  17. Have you seen Meredith's blog? It's likemerchantships.blogspot.com .

    Her blog and yours are the only two blogs on my 'Opera' speed dial.

    Jora

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  18. Oh Rhonda, I really miss Jewels' Eyes of Wonder. I read it for years before it went private. I enjoy your blog, too. I am reading it from the beginning. Have a wonderful week.
    Laura Lane
    Harvest Lane Cottage
    Carthage, Missouri, USA

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  19. Just went to path to freedom and that person has passed away....:-(

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    Replies
    1. Yes, it's very sad, Mandy. That happened last year but he taught his children well and they're carrying on what he started.

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