Meet Brittany Enger | Blogger

We had the good fortune of connecting with Brittany Enger and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brittany, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Embracing risk feels similar to trying on an itchy sweater; yet, our proudest moments require a healthy dose of it.

Each of my achievements started with a risk, including my first blog post on Positivity Pledge. As soon as I clicked the publish button, the flickering butterflies of joy transformed to panic.

Will I fail? Did I make a mistake? What if someone criticizes my work?

That’s how risk aversion shows up. It’s the whisper in your ear saying “don’t put yourself out there because someone may not like it.” Months later, I came across what must have been a sign in Daring Greatly:

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who spends himself in a worthy cause….” – Theodore Roosevelt
In that moment, I made an intentional choice to treat Positivity Pledge as a sanctuary for people like me, regardless of whether they agree with me. To this day, I still ignore unwarranted disapproval from others. You know why? We will never be criticized by someone who is doing more than us.

A clear intention of serving others brought vitality and wonderment to my life. I plunged into education related to coding, photography, and writing styles. I curated meaningful activities that others could use as inspiration. I contributed to the self-help industry. I found a place that made me feel like I belong. I finally made choices that elevated my daily life.

Positivity Pledge taught me that powering through risk doesn’t come naturally. Instead, it’s cultivated through flashes of fear. But, it’s worth it – nothing is more important than becoming our most authentic selves.

Can you tell us more about your art and your journey?
For my entire life, I’ve shared poignant stories, traditions, and tributes with others. Delighting family and friends through cards, books, and scrapbooks is meaningful to me. One moment, you’re watching someone focus on errands and busyness, and the next, they’re cherishing a long-forgotten evocative moment. Witnessing that transformation within a matter of minutes brings me joy.

Fast forward to 2020, I found myself in a period of stagnation, longing for a way to build purpose in my life. My days blurred together and I felt wholeheartedly unfulfilled. As external activities began to disappear in the world around us, it was apparent that I needed to create my own happiness within the walls of my own home. Don’t get me wrong – I love a good binge show and consider the cast of New Girl my personal friends; however, consumption couldn’t be my only contribution to the world.

As Bansky states, they say you die twice – once when you leave the earth and when somebody says your name for the last time. How could I leave the world better than I found it? How could I make an impact? What did I want my legacy to be? How can I serve others? I wondered.

Even with my energizer bunny disposition, the year of 2020 provided me with the gift of presence. Life was slow enough to focus on who I wanted to be and how I wanted to show up. For the next few months, I stumbled upon meaningful activities online, and noticed a pattern. The most relatable and accessible ideas had one thing in common – all were created by bloggers.

Bloggers have been providing inspiration for decades; yet, I never made the connection that real, down-to-earth creatives were behind all of these words of wisdom.

After researching the About Me sections of my favorite blogs, I had an “a-ha” moment as Oprah says. I could bring my life meaning, by sharing my suggestions for creating a meaningful lifestyle.

Turns out, ideas related to meaningful memories resonates with others! After two years, my vision of impacting others positively came to life. I garnered thousands of followers that shared my affinity for positive thinking. My blog was added to Feedspot’s Top Positivity Blogs. In addition, I received media requests to share more about my blogging adventure, such as Voyage Phoenix.

Did my success come naturally?

NO!

My first year blogging was rocky. I constantly compared myself to other bloggers…but when I really started digging into it, I was comparing myself to those that have been blogging for over 5 years. Blogging is like any hobby, you get better with practice.

During my second year of blogging, I narrowed in on specific skills, and compared myself to ME. Every moment I dedicated to writing, made me more eloquent. Every moment I dedicated to photography, brought me closer to the ideal shot. Every moment I dedicated to marketing, allowed me to find my people.

Everyone has to start somewhere and embrace risk in order to share their talents with others. EVERY creative spirit did not just decide become influential overnight. Their consistency, grit, and ability to conquer fear coalesced over years [before you even knew they existed].

The entrepreneur sold their first product from a basement. The author wrote words of wisdom in birthday cards. The keynote speaker presented to strangers in the library. The basketball player beat the neighborhood kids. And, the blogger published posts for their family and friends.

If you get anything from this overflowing soliloquy, it’s this:

While considering the worst-case scenario, make sure you consider the best-case scenario, too.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I am obsessed with exploring new restaurants, meaningful activities, and outdoor adventures in the Greater Phoenix area!

We would start out the day at Prep and Pastry which mimics an eclectic French bistro. Afterward, we would hit the peaceful Papago Park trail; it’s a choose-your-own-adventure hike that is only 2.2 miles but offers views of monumental rocks and wildlife along the way.

In the afternoon, we would venture to Changing Hands Bookstore filled with new and used books, aromatic self-care gifts, and a connected coffee shop. Then, we would explore the Desert Botanical Garden and walk the trails filled with cactus, agaves, and other flora from the Sonoran Desert. Lastly, we would end the day at Ghost Ranch and gorge ourselves on Southwest cuisine in the form of chipotle tacos, blue corn polenta, and fresh Prickly Pear drinks.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d love to dedicate my shout-out to bloggers who inspired me to create my own by showing me what is possible. After following a handful of influential bloggers for months during a rut in 2020, I was reminded how important it is to live life aligned to our wildest dreams. I was mesmerized how each of the bloggers shared their unique gift with the world consistently.

My shout out is dedicated to:

Barrie Davenport (Live Bold and Bloom), Tina Su (Think Simple Now), Scott Young (Scott Young), Lori Deschene (Tiny Buddha), Marc & Angel Chernoff (Marc & Angel Hack Life), Scott & Chelsea Dinsmore (Live Your Legend), Celestine Chua (Personal Excellence), Luminita Saviuc (Purpose Fairy) and Marelisa Fábrega (Daring to Live Fully)

Website: https://www.positivitypledge.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/positivity_pledge/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/positive_pledge

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brittany.powell.3726/