Sometimes blogs about life can help snap some inspo into our own lives. After all, life can be exhausting, frustrating and can sometimes feel downright overwhelming. If you feel that way, you’re not alone. We all need some help and motivation from time to time. The idea of what inspiration really is, and where to find it, can be a bit complicated. As Huff Post reports, according to entrepreneur and writer Estelle Williams, inspiration “drives a lot of positive psychology and self-development…and is one of the keys to living a truly happy, fulfilled and inspired life.” And the things that inspire each of us are different—we have unique needs, passions, interests and emotions. The key is to find a source of inspiration that works for you, and use it as often as you can. After all, when life gets hard, using the things that uplift and motivate us to guide our actions can lead to true satisfaction and joy.
And luckily, inspiration is everywhere. Thanks to the rise in blogs and online communities there is no shortage of heartfelt, uplifting and helpful information out there. Here are 9 amazing blogs and online communities that can inspire, excite, entertain and motivate you to live a better and more fulfilling life.
1. Chic Runner
If you’re looking for fitness inspiration and some motivation to get moving, this blog is for you. The writer and running enthusiast fell in love with running and documents her experiences—good and bad—on her blog. You’ll read about her tips, her race recaps, how to get race-day ready if you’re preparing for a marathon or competitive event, music inspiration and more. The blog writer and author of her new book Running for Women has one true goal: to inspire readers to get healthy, challenge themselves, and get motivated.
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2. My Kind of Life
The brains and beauty behind this blog, Emily Nolan, is a model and writer who spearheads the #HealthyBellySelfie project and TOPLESS by Emily tour, which encourages women to love their bodies and appreciate who they are inside and out. Emily knows firsthand how important it is to accept your body and appreciate your health and capabilities. She works hard to provide visual and written inspiration, as well as motivational events, all of which help women feel strong, able, beautiful and confident. We love the look of her website, we love her voice, and we love her message of self-love even more.
3. Chic CEO
This blog was started by a true female entrepreneur; she actually started the blog by using her winnings from Wheel of Fortune (yes, seriously). Her blog is all about inspiring women to start their own businesses by offering resources and inspiration for people who have a great idea but don’t know where to start. It has everything form action plans to motivational and informational books to help you get started.
4. Brit.co
This site is more of a community and commerce site than it is simply a blog, but it’s still inspiring for women, enabling moms, young girls, or really anyone of any age or gender to be more creative. It offers everything from DIY craft kits to tutorials to manufacturing lessons to online classes. You can get inspired by creative ideas, then connect with others who are interested in the same projects, buy the materials you need, and shop for hand-made products as well.
5. Oh She Glows
If you’re looking for inspiration to lead a more nutritious life and you want to be more active in the kitchen as you work to reclaim your health, this blog is for you. The recipes are delicious and easy to make, and even if you’re not vegan (most recipes are free of gluten, soy, and processed foods), you’ll love what this author is cooking up. And the photography is so beautiful it’s actually relaxing to read her regular entries.
6. Something Navy
Hey, we all need inspiration and it’s not always about who we are or how we feel, but about what we wear. After all, fashion is a big part of life for many of us, and what we wear can impact (for better or worse) how we feel about ourselves. This blog has beautiful photography of gorgeous outfits and accessories to inspire your next shopping trip or fashion statement. And PS – the author is pregnant, so you can get a taste of rocking maternity style as well.
7. Zen Habits
This is one of the coolest blogs about life out there. According to the Zen Habits website, “Zen Habits is about finding simplicity in the daily chaos of our lives. It’s about clearing the clutter so we can focus on what’s important, create something amazing, find happiness.” And couldn’t we all use a little help and inspiration to step back, eliminate the craziness and stress in our lives, and actually live in the moment?
8. Scary Mommy
This site, which started as a small blog meant to help a new stay-at-home mom navigate the craziness of parenting, has turned into a massive community of parents who all know that parenting is far from perfect, and you have to keep a little humor and be ready to share if you want to survive. The site features articles and funny stories as well as tips, all aimed to help make motherhood (everything from pregnancy to birth to school to raising teens) a little less terrifying…this is a must-read for any parent or soon-to-be parent.
9. i am a food blog
If you love food, and you’re looking for inspiration to make your meals better, more creative, more delicious and healthier then you need to spend a little time on “i am a food blog.” The blog recently won Saveur Magazine’s 2014 Editors’ Choice for Best Cooking Blog and Blog of the Year, and for good reason. It’s fun to read, beautiful to look at, her recipes are delicious and really do-able, and you’ll be inspired to up your kitchen game in no time.
