Active Rain was my first attempt at blogging. Like most, I was novice writer with little confidence. Even with minuscule qualifications, I took refuge in knowing that the 13,000 others bloggers on Active Rain would accept me into their world.

Although a sea of real estate professionals who knew significantly more than I and could express it more eloquently, still an environment that welcomed this new little guppy into "the club".

I wrote about topics that were relevant to me and my business and surprisingly enough, relevant to others. Guided by comments and personal notes of encouragement, I became comfortable expressing my thoughts and eventually "finding my voice".

As the years have gone by, I still enjoying sharing my thoughts with my fellow Rainers. As I teach blogging classes and introduce Active Rain to these newbies, I'm frequently asked about "Why?" Why share industry related topics with other real estate professionals? Is it anything more than preaching to the choir?

At first, I tried to console them with the foundational basis of social media and transparency. That this was a world void of the "hard sell" and overflowing with all good things. However, my seemingly "Pollyanna" attitude, was not always believed. So, with that in mind, I came up with these 10 reasons why an Active Rain blog is a good place to be:

1) Warmth - Active Rain has always fostered a welcoming atmosphere of camaraderie.

2) Sharing - Writing a blog post is about you engaging others.

3) Education - Active Rain is unique in the depth of information shared. From product reviews to personal experienced, answers are honest and plentiful.

4) Common Ground - Shared industry, similar goals and the belief that we can all make the world (or at least our part of it) a better place to be.

5) Friendships - Real people, real life, real experiences.

6) Networking - 150,000 other real estate industry professionals - from trainers to home stagers, appraisers to marketing gurus, we all stand side by side forging on towards our goals.

7) Support - Through writing, commenting and sharing, Active Rain is at atmosphere of "What can I do for you?"

8) Competition - Through contests, not one-up-man-ship. While you can call it "preaching to the choir", wouldn't it be better to recognize this incredible opportunity to "learn from the masses"? Reinventing the wheel is a waste of time, when the tools and the car have already been provided.

9) Confidence - As time goes on, it becomes easier to share you story, easier to give advice and build real life relationships. Ultimately, the foundation shared on Active Rain gives way to the success of your real estate business.

10) Business - After all, isn't that why we're all here? Learning, creating, building, planning = success

Active Rain has been a diving board into my social media ocean. Merely the first step into a world of pro-active professionals who are just as interested in connecting with me as I am with them.

From all over the world, I have made connections. Real "live" people, with whom I never would have had the opportunity to "meet" without Active Rain. Industry leaders and professionals who have openly shared their knowledge and experiences, expecting nothing in return. But, then again, isn't that the premise on which social media is built?

I am a better person (both personally and professionally) for diving into the Active Rain waters. If you want to jump with me, I assure you the water is just fine.