As a blogger, you write to inspire. You share your world with others to add value to their life while also enriching your own. It can feel very rewarding when people you know have gained knowledge from what you've shared.

Since I've started blogging, like many, I've dealt with, for lack of a better word, a "copycat" here or there. But more recently I've been dealing with just one. Sometimes it's so blatant that you even wonder whether they know they're copying basically... everything.

I've made it a point to be inspired by other bloggers. It's almost impossible not to. Any time I've been inspired or taken on an idea of theirs, I've been SURE to give them credit. Sometimes, it's not even bloggers. Just friends or people on the internet. I believe everyone should be given credit for their ideas in some way. 

BUT, there is nothing more annoying than someone being "inspired" by you... your products, your wish list, your shoes, sometimes even your copy, and not giving you any kind of credit. Not only not giving you credit, but even going as far as to mention just HOW LONG they've had the idea...conveniently making a point to mark a date that was before your post. And I'm even talking more serious stuff, like unique code that my website designer wrote specifically for my blog. 

I went looking for resources on this. Thinking other bloggers may have experience with similar. And there is a TON of it. Which, made me feel better, a little.

To imitate someone is to pay the person a genuine compliment — often an unintended compliment.

The point of this post is to remind everyone that it is 100000% ok to be inspired by other people. That's life. Life is better when we're all helping each other out. 

• Be inspired
• Be inspired my more than one person
• Be you. Find what makes you, you. I guarantee you that there is something interesting about your life that other people will like. You have a unique voice. USE THAT
• GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE

If you're having trouble with a copycat... rest assured that you're not alone. Try really hard and be flattered and keep doing your thing. Soon enough, they will move on from you to someone else. 

Rise above. Don't let it get you down and try to look at it as a good thing. 

Be genuine. Build your audience honestly (aka, don't buy followers, it's obvious). Believe me, it all feels MUCH better in the end. 

This is my platform and I'll keep doing what I love. Improving other people's lives is what this is all about anyway.