As I revealed in my previous post, I’ve been very lucky to be a part of the Bridging The Gap campaign, founded by Catherine Grace O’Connell and Fierce Forever: The Midlife Revolution. The campaign is bringing together 100 millennials and 100 midlifers, each paired to connect and learn about each other – because integrating across generations, rather than dividing, is the best way forward to understand and celebrate our similarities and differences.
My partner is Amy Lynne Kennedy of blog ‘Your Favorite Chapter’. In my previous post I told you about her wonderful, uplifting blog, focusing on its inspiring purpose of encouraging women to realise there isn’t just one ideal time in your life, and then it’s all downhill after that! But I also want to tell you more about Amy on a personal level, because there is so much more to share.
As we all know, it’s so easy to just see what’s on the surface. But we also know that style and appearances are a window to your personality and soul, and they are a tease for finding out who is the person underneath. And similarly, blogs can act in the same way – they tell us about one small aspect of someone’s life, but there is so much more to find out.
For those of you who don’t blog, I know the concept can be daunting. I sometimes speak to ladies who would in theory like to, but aren’t sure where to start, or don’t feel they have much of interest to share. Additionally, the blogging world can seem like a very tight knit community that is hard to penetrate. So I hope by sharing Amy’s story, it might inspire some of you to feel that you too can start blogging – should you wish to – because everyone has something worth saying.
"We have a huge family and we wouldn't change a thing"
Amy with her parents, 5 siblings and their spouses, kids, nieces, nephews and more!
Family is clearly at the centre of Amy’s heart. Based in Michigan, she is a Midwest girl, born and raised in a family with 6 children. She still has a very close relationship with her parents, and married her high school sweetheart Troy. She also has two young adult sons Shane and Jake. Despite Your Favourite Chapter clearly being Amy’s blog, it is still some what a family affair as Tory and Jake often help out with her photos (something she readily acknowledges and thanks on her posts). She also recently featured her sister Stacey, showing off her style as well as featuring one of her and her husband’s vintage cars - a stunning 1940 Lincoln Zephyr convertible coupe! So every time Amy mentions her family, it is clear there are so many fascinating stories she has to share.
Amy with several of the people she works at the Church with ash their 'family skating party' last winter
Extending on from this, education and children has played a huge part in her life. She has a degree in education from Michigan State, and has spent a lot of her life looking after children – both her own and others. And when she started taking her children to classes at her local church, she was asked to work there, thanks to her evident natural ability with children. She continues to do so with children in all ages and stages and walks of life. She told me how some can come from difficult backgrounds, but how wonderful it is to see them be able to have space and time to enjoy themselves.
"[Kasey] is the epitome of a faithful companion, and I often think "I hope I make others feel as she makes me feel"
Amy also clearly has a soft spot for animals; her rescue dog Kasey is Amy’s icon for the blog, knicknamed her “Bloggy Doggy” . And she loves to travel to places with beautiful landscapes or history. She visited London when she was 16, and would love to come back – which would be fab as we could meet in person and go shopping!
Amy with her Bloggy Doggy Kasey!
This has barely scratched the surface of Amy’s life, but it goes to show many topics she could have focused her blog. Amy chose to focus on fashion and food because it’s something so many of us have in common, so it makes a great way to open a door and get to know someone. Fashion is exciting, beautiful and lovely and available to every single one of us! And we all eat, and we all appreciate something that tastes really good!”
"Staring the blog was a pivotal movement for me, choosing a path that would take me to new places and intentionally filling my life with people and adventure and fun, and the desire to encourage as many as possible to live their life to the full."
As well as fashion and food, there’s so much more to explore, and I love the fact that increasingly more ‘older’ women are blogging, instagraming or facebooking to contribute to breaking down misconceptions. As Amy pointed out “some people treat women over 50 as though their opinions and what they have to offer the world are unimportant, as though they no longer count. But all people matter regardless of age, and their opinions and thoughts are precious, and this world is short-changed of something beautiful and extremely revelant when anyone is marginalized.” Amen to that.
A really significant photo for Amy - a New Year's photo when she started her blog in January 2017
