5 Tips For Starting A Blog

So, if you’ve stumbled upon this post, then you’re probably looking into becoming a blogger. And I’m sure your head is already filled with dreams of how you’re going to have thousands of followers and will be throwing out more ads than Kylie Jenner on one of her best days. Or maybe you’re just happy that you’ve finally found an outlet to write about whatever your heart desires. But either way— you’re going to have to get started with your blog, and that can actually be one of the hardest things to do. So if you’re sitting in front of your computer, asking yourself how to even get started with having a semi-successful blog, these tips are perfect for you!

Find your label.

If you’ve ventured into the world of blogging at all, then you’ve surely noticed that there are millions of different types of bloggers out there. You have your parent bloggers, your beauty bloggers, your lifestyle bloggers, your travel bloggers, your bloggers who blog about blogging— its something that you can post more than once or twice about. You kind of need to find your label for later on down the road, when you’re presenting yourself to others. Because when someone asks about what youre doing you can’t just say “Im a blogger.” Because then they won’t really be able to know what your content is about. However, if you are able to identify as a travel blogger, then they will be able to draw conclusions that your content will fit with what they’re looking for. Also, please notice that I didn’t say “niche” when talking about this. Because, yes, niches are great! But if you’re going to be blogging for the long haul, you’ll find yourself wanting to branch out of your niche eventually. So instead of confining yourself in an overly specific thing in the start like exclusively blogging about homemade shoes, start out with a broader label and then narrow your way down.

 

Photos like this could be used to help label yourself as a travel blogger.

Plan a (REASONABLE) Posting Schedule.

So you’ve made your first post and are finally happy with your blog’s theme. And you’re so excited that you want to make another post. And another post. And another post. All within the same hour. And it’s great that you’re so motivated to write all of these posts! But maybe pump the brakes a little. One of the best ways to gain traffic to your blog is through consistent posting. So, unless you’re going to be able to make four posts for every hour (which, please don’t do that, your followers will not appreciate the spam), you’re going to have to find a consistent schedule. Find one that fits best with your life schedule and then write it down. For example, you can schedule to post every Monday and Friday, or every two days, or everyday if you want. Just find something reasonable and once you make your schedule— try to stick to it. Because if you fall off track and forget to post for a month, you will definitely lose the traffic that you built up. Also, keep in mind that you don’t have to immediately post every blog that you finish. Feel free to stockpile your posts! In fact, I encourage this. You will love your past self so much when life gets too hectic to be able to write something but it’s fine because you already had something saved. I know this seems like a really small step, but it will make your blog so efficient later on.

Create graphics for your posts.

Once you’ve gotten in the groove of making posts that you love, you’re going to want to personalize them a little bit and make them more clickable for your potential audience. And while stock photos are great for adding some more visuals to your writing, a graphic that you’ve created will add a little extra dash of creativity to your blog. And making amazing graphics is actually way easier than it sounds! There are several different platforms you can use to make graphics for your blog posts. In fact, I’ll actually be publishing a review on one of the sites soon. So stay tuned and follow me for that!

This is an example of a graphic for one of my older posts.

Let’s Get Social.

If you want your blog to have a wider reach, then you’re going to have to connect your blog with other social media platforms. Personally, I have been using Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram to connect with others for my blog. Also, I’m a part of a few Facebook groups too, and they’ve been an amazing help to gain even more feedback. For Twitter, I recommend making one that is disconnected from your personal account, seeing as you’ll be tweeting a lot about blogs and your friends probably won’t be too interested in seeing that. This step is actually the biggest one that can launch your amount of readers. If you’re interested in learning more about my tips for being more social with your blog, leave a comment below and I can definitely make a post about it!

My instagram

Learn from Other Bloggers.

This is the step that has made me be able to mold my blog into what it is today. A lot of people when they first start just make their posts and go because that’s all that blogging should be about, right? Wrong. Half of being a blogger is the writing. The other half is all about networking. You’re going to have to spend your time reading other bloggers’ posts. And not just skimming, genuinely reading them. And after you actually read them, you should always leave a well thought out comment about what you enjoyed or any questions you have. Don’t just have a copy and paste comment that you leave on others’ posts in the hope of gaining exposure. If you do that, then the blogger is just going to want to ignore you because you didn’t take the time to actually read about it Instead, make real connections, learn from other bloggers’ and study their methods. Find people who you genuinely enjoy to read and don’t be afraid to tell them that you do enjoy their blog. Exposing yourself to other bloggers and paying attention is one of the best methods to strengthen your content. It never hurts for you to learn from others.

Source

Getting into the world of blogging is a lot of work, but thats the beauty of it You’re going to work hard, you’re going to have questions, and you’re inevitably going to grow from
this experience. And it doesn’t hurt that the blogging community is actually extremely helpful and they want to help you grow too.

You’re going to not know what people are talking about when they use weird tech jargon— heck I still don’t understand half of it And even after you’ve been blogging for years you’re still going to have questions. The blogging world is constantly evolving, so in turn, you will be constantly evolving too. But don’t stress about the super big things yet and get your feet firmly on the ground before you start worrying about SEO and affiliates and all of the other things that people like to stress the beginners out with. And never, ever forget, that you started this blog so that people can hear your voice. So don’t lose yourself in the process of this whole thing.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask below and Ill try to answer them to the best of my ability! And, for any of the established bloggers that may be reading this, what is an important tip that you would give to new bloggers?

I hope you all enjoyed this little piece. Im doing a new series about blog help for beginners because I, a certified dummy, have had difficulties with understanding some of the intense lessons that I’ve came across when I had questions. So if you want to read more posts like this, give this post a like! If you want to read more of my posts, be sure to follow me! And, as always, stay rad.

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Life’s Hardest Pills to Swallow

When we were kids, we were taught several important lessons. And these lessons can range from always chew with your mouth closed to the mantra of “sharing is caring.” Our minds are filled to the brim of different wisdoms that cause for us to cultivate some sort of expectation about how life should work. We learn that if we say sorry, then we will be forgiven. We are taught that if we treat people with kindness, then people will be kind in return. And, if we love someone, then they will definitely love us back.

But, as we grow older and gain more experiences, we learn that this bits of wisdoms are not as rigidly true as they are made out to be. Life cannot be contained into following the path that you want it to. People aren’t going to act the way you expect them to. And these facts can lead to you facing some realizations that you weren’t ever really prepared for.

As I’ve went through life and experienced different setbacks, I have come across what I call some of life’s hardest pills to swallow, which are the harsh truths of life that kind of contradict everything that we have been told at a young age.

Sometimes People Are Just Not Going to Like You

This was extremely difficult for me to accept because I am the definition of a people pleaser. I have this unyielding desire for everyone I meet to like me. I want everyone to smile when they think of me and only ponder over my good qualities. But life isn’t like that. There have been several people who disliked me from my first impression due to my terrible case of RBF and I was able to rationalize that they just haven’t gotten the chance to know the real me. But even after people have seen my real personality, I have had people who just didn’t like me and there was nothing I could do to change that.

And, at first, I couldn’t stand it. I wanted people to like me so badly that it wounded me when somebody did not. I would spend all of my energy trying to convince these people that I was worth their time and that I had qualities that I felt they would enjoy. And the only result of that was me wasting my time on people who completely lacked interest.

So, I decided to invest my time in people who actually cared for me then those who did not. It is so much more beneficial to the care of your deep friendships rather than sacrifice them because you’re so busy trying to impress those who don’t even care. Instead of obsessing over what was wrong with me, I started to see the qualities of myself that the ones close to me adore and I continued to build on those instead.

Learning this life lesson caused for me to suffer a big blow to my confidence, but in the end, I think it has helped me grow in ways that I can’t really articulate.

You Can’t Decide When You Should Be Forgiven

When you do something wrong, you should say sorry. That’s a simple fact. And you should apologize when you hurt somebody, don’t get me wrong on that. But the thing that is often glossed over is that when we say sorry, we immediately expect someone to accept our apology and forgive us. But that’s not really how life actually pans out.

If you hurt someone’s feelings, you can’t decide when the person should be over it. Even if you are truly sorry and regret what you have done, it’s not up to you to feel that the entire ordeal should be forgiven. You don’t have control over the emotions of others. The only thing you can do in this situation is be respectful of the other person’s feelings and be aware that the world doesn’t move at the pace that you wish it did. I know it’s difficult when you apologize to someone and they don’t forgive you because that goes against everything that we have been taught since we were little. But life doesn’t always perfectly mirror all of the morals that we have ingrained in our minds. My only advice to someone in a similar situation is to remember that action speaks louder than words, so truly show your remorse through your behavior to this person.

You Are Not Entitled to Have Someone’s Love

This seems to be one of the most difficult pills to swallow for some people. When it comes to love, we have been told that true love will always win out in the end. And if you love someone but they haven’t given you that love in return, then you should continue to make them fall for you. But that is definitely not the case.

If someone doesn’t love you back, respect that. Just because you feel that you deserve a fairy tale ending with someone does not mean that they will ever feel the same way. Sometimes people just simply won’t reciprocate your feelings and you can’t get angry with them because of that because you are not entitled to have them be returned.

Does it feel like you are being stabbed in the heart when someone doesn’t love you the way you love them? Yes. But you have to remember that you cannot control someone’s heart. You can’t make them feel something that they cannot. And if you try to convince them into feeling something that they don’t and try to force a relationship, it will only hurt you even more because you are not going to be as happy as you thought you would be. Someone might make you the happiest person on Earth, but that doesn’t mean that you are the person that makes them happy. And that’s the cold, hard truth. But you can maintain a relationship with this person and use this experience as a lesson for the next time you devote your love to someone because you will find your person eventually.

I know that this post may seem a little dark, but I don’t intend for it to feel that way. These are all important lessons in life, and even if you haven’t experienced these situations before, you can take a lot away from this.

Personally, I have taken away the knowledge that you cannot have complete control over every aspect of your life, no matter how badly you want to be in control. Life has it’s own plans for you. You may not enjoy the paths it takes you down, but you will come from every situation having learned at least something of worth. Your heart is going to be broken. You will have days where you don’t want to get out of bed. And yes, life really does have the nasty habit of kicking you while you’re down. And while everything doesn’t resemble the idea of how situations should pan out in your head, it does give you the opportunity to find other ways to make yourself happy.

And even in the most hopeless moments when life is sucker punching you in the face, remember that you’re lucky. You’re lucky to be alive. You’re lucky to be around people who care for you. You’re lucky that you get to witness the sun set everyday. You’re even lucky that your life gets to have dark moments, because every dark moment will have a light of promise for a better tomorrow to shine on it eventually.

I hope you enjoyed this post! It’s been something that has been stuck on my mind lately and I just had to get this off of my chest. Comment below with your thoughts or even your own opinion of what life’s hardest pills to swallow are. Also, be sure to like and follow for more of my posts! And, as always, stay rad.

 

The Mystery Blogger Award

I am filled with disbelief over the fact that I have been nominated for another award. And this time, I was nominated by FOUR different people! Can you believe that? Some people actually kind of sort of enjoy my blog! This is insane!

Thank you to Manessah, Mrs. Anonymous, Lavanya, and Thekabys. All four of these creators have blogs that I genuinely enjoy and I simply cannot put into words how shocked/grateful I am that you guys thought to nominate me. Please check them out!

For those of you who don’t know (because I didn’t) the Mystery Blogger Award is awarded to amazing bloggers with ingenious posts. “Their blog not only captivates; it inspires and motivates. They are one of the best out there, and they deserve every recognition they get. This award is also for blogger who find fun and inspiration in blogging and they do it with so much love and passion” – Okoto Enigma (creator).

Now let’s get to the fun part!

THE RULES

1. Thank the blogger(s) who nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
2. Mention the creator of the award and provide a link as well.
3. Give three facts about yourself and link your best post.
4. Answer the questions from the person who nominated you.
5. Nominate other bloggers and ask your nominees 5 questions of your choice.
6. Notify your nominees by commenting on their blog.

THE FACTS (ABOUT ME)

1. I’M NOTHING WITHOUT….. my glasses. I’ve had to wear glasses since I was in first grade because my eyesight is horrific. I cannot read anything from the vision chart– even the massive E– without a little bit of help from my glasses.
2. MY FAVORITE MAKEUP PRODUCT IS… mascara. I’m a natural blonde so I have been cursed with the fact that both my eyebrows and my eyelashes are ice blonde. If mascara wasn’t a thing then I would constantly look like a rabbit.
3. I’M A FIRM BELIEVER THAT…. the world is actually a great place. I know that there are a lot of bad things going on and poverty and war leaves a nasty mark on humanity. But there are also so many beautiful things that we overlook, like the amount of nonprofit charities that exist and how beautiful sunsets are everyday.

MY BEST POST 

The Journey to Confidence. This one has the most comments and is also one of my favorites! If you haven’t checked it out, you should! It was really helpful to write.

THE QUESTIONS YOU’RE DYING TO KNOW

Seeing as I was nominated by four people, I’ve decided to take my favorite question from each blogger and then randomly choose the fifth one out of the remaining sixteen.

1. What’s the best thing about yourself? At first I wasn’t going to answer this. I don’t like to give myself credit for anything because I have this weird complex that I’m not allowed to like myself. But then I was like, no. I want to be confident. I want to start smiling when I look in the mirror. And this could be a baby step in the right direction. I think the best thing about myself is my mind. And looks-wise, my eyes.
2. A movie or song that resonates with you?? Its Kind of a Funny Story is an amazing book and movie that makes me feel things that I struggle to explain. Also, the song “Girl Almighty” empowers me so much that it’s not even funny.
3. How different was your life one year ago? So insanely different that it is not even funny. I was in a very dark place. Probably one of the darkest places I’ve ever been in. I just lost someone very meaningful in my life to cancer. On top of that, I was petrified of going to college so far away from home and I wanted to give up before everything even started. All of the changes set out before me was daunting, and I was so sure I was going to be a college dropout before I was technically even a college student. But I went to college anyways and I forced myself to branch out and welcome the changes before me. And now I’m here, in love with my college, happier than I’ve been in a while, and so happy that I didn’t give up.
4. Who/what inspired you to start blogging? When I was little I was in love with writing. I filled countless journals with written nonsense about everything from cute boys to my fear of death (I was a very intense child). That love for writing about myself shifted into a love about writing for everything. Writing has always been my strong suit in school, and I think its because I genuinely love it. As I’ve gotten older, that love has never stopped. So I decided to find an outlet to continue to write about everything that I feel the urge to, so that’s why this blog was created.
5. If you could travel back in time and give your younger self some advice, what would it be? Tell people you love them. Don’t think that everyone will think you’re weird for giving them affection. If they’re important to you– tell them. Because one day you won’t be able to and you will regret that you didn’t so, so much.

 

My Questions & Nominations

I’ve decided that this time around, if anybody really likes one of my questions, then they are more than welcome to answer it in the comments! I think it’ll be a great way to start some conversations and maybe even build some new friendships!

1. What was a defining moment in your life that made you who you are?
2. What has been your favorite thing about blogging?
3. What has been your least favorite thing about blogging?
4. Is there one thing you can do to instantly lift your mood?
5. If you could have a conversation with anybody (dead or alive) who would it be?

For this award, I’m going to nominate a few of my favorite bloggers that I’ve recently found: Kourtney,  TheLexiEdit, Beauty and the Being, Colour Me Yellow, & Glow Steady!

 

If you have read this entire post, then you deserve a cookie! I hope this was an enjoyable read for you! Thanks again to everyone who nominated me. Be sure to leave a comment answering one of my questions. Also, leave a like and don’t be shy– follow me! And, as always, stay rad.

 

 

Failure: The Thing our Parents Didn’t Warn Us About

Parents are supposed to be like this endless fountain of wisdom springing from their own experience. They teach us everything from how to walk to how to change a flat tire. But, there are some things that they don’t quite prepare us for, like failure.

And no, not the type of failure that happens when you totally bomb a test. I’m talking about the gut-wrenching, tear-causing failure that hits you at your most vulnerable spot. The kind of failure that life throws at you when you least expect it. And even our parents, who are our cheerleaders in life, can’t prepare us for that feeling.

In life, failure is inevitable. As much as I hate to admit it, not everything in life goes as planned. Not every goal that you set will be achieved. Life isn’t something that can be mapped out, no matter how hard you try.

And for somebody that is very organized and goal-oriented, this was a tough pill to swallow. I’ve always been the person who has extremely high expectations. I’ve always wanted to be the best and set an example for everyone else. I’ve always wanted to make everyone proud of how much I can achieve. I just wanted to be perfect.

I’m not quite sure where my desire to always succeed at everything spawned from, but I do know that it ruined my mentality in a lot of things. I worked myself to the maximum, I forfeited my sanity, and I stopped doing things for myself out of my desire to make everyone else proud. And when I failed at being the best, it destroyed me.

When things didn’t go to plan, when my life wasn’t on the track that I imagined it would be, I fell apart. I never wanted to fail at anything, and when it happened, I wasn’t sure if I could ever bounce back. I was ashamed, embarrassed, and never wanted to put myself in the place to fail again. I stopped making goals. I stopped trying so hard. I stopped wanting to be more. And that’s the worse thing I could have done.

You know that phrase where when the horse kicks you off, the only thing you can do is climb on again? I should have done that. But instead, I wallowed in self-pity with my tail tucked between my legs. I didn’t want to put myself in the place where I could fail again. And I did that until I couldn’t handle it anymore.

I only stopped when I realized that I’m not that person. I can’t sit back and not try, because it is in my nature to want to do as much as possible. And I definitely was not going to put everything in my life on pause because I failed at one thing.

So, I picked myself up, told myself I was finished crying, and re-evaluated some things. I realized that I have spent so much time trying to make everyone around me proud that I forgot about what I wanted. I was living for everyone else, not for myself. So, I changed that. I sat down, thought about what made me happy, and set goals to focus more on that.

I accepted the fact that life won’t always be picture perfect. Things won’t always go to plan. Life can be hard and you aren’t going to be the brightest person in the room. There will be difficult times in life that even the longest of parent lectures cannot prepare you for. But that’s what makes life great.

If life didn’t have it’s ugly and hard moments, then the other times wouldn’t be nearly as beautiful. I have learned way more from the times when I failed compare to what I would have if I had just breezed through life. And no, my parents, may not have warned me about just how hard life can knock you down, but that’s fine. Sometimes you just have to learn about how to cope with not living up to your expectations on your own.

I hope you enjoyed this! Its just something that has been on my mind lately and I felt the need to share it. Tell me if you want to see more motivational posts like this in the future! Be sure to leave a comment, like, and follow! And, as always, stay rad.

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How To Survive: A Music Festival

Ahh, music festivals. A time for good music, outrageous outfits, and the inescapable fumes that could rival a frat house at 2 A.M. all for the small price of at least a hundred dollars. If you’ve ever been to a music festival, then you know that it’s not as simple as buying your ticket and showing up. There’s a lot of planning and preparation that goes into actually being able to enjoy your time at a music festival. And I would know, because I messed up in almost every way possible when I went to the Bunbury Music Festival and just barely survived the experience. I don’t want that to happen to you, dear reader.

So, learn from my mistakes and read on to see how to survive going to a music festival.

Step One:

Make sure you can afford the tickets. If you’re kind of thinking about going to a music festival, then do some research. Make sure you’re a fan of at least a handful of performers. Look at your bank account and decide if it will be worth starving for. And, for the love of God, don’t wait until the last second to get your ticket because they will most definitely sell out.

Step Two:

So, you bought your ticket. Congratulations. It should all be smooth sailing from now, right? Right? Wrong. Now is the time for you to look at the line-up and make a general idea of who you would want to see and what times they perform. Because what fool would buy tickets to a music festival and not try to make a tentative schedule of what they plan on seeing? (Spoiler alert: I’m the fool. I had no idea when anything was happening. It got confusing so quickly.)

Step Three:

This is the best part. Plan your outfit(s). Look at the weather forecast to see if it will be hotter than Satan’s kitchen or if it will be raining profusely while also being hotter than Satan’s kitchen and arrange your outfit accordingly. Also, wear something you’ll be comfortable. And do not, I repeat do not, wear shoes that are a size too small because your feet will literally never forgive you.

Step Four:

Find your sleeping arrangements. Whether it be in a tent or at a hotel, have something planned out so that you won’t end up having to sleep on the ground using a map of the festival as a blanket. And if you’re gonna try to stay at a hotel: book it early. Because, once again, they will probably sell out.

Step Five:

Get to your hotel or whatever, get dressed, use the bathroom, and get an Uber. Even if you’re familiar with the city you’re at, still get the Uber because it will be so much cheaper than the obscene price for parking. Also, if you’re planning on drinking, you should definitely make sure that you are unable to get behind the wheel of a car.

Step Six:

You’ve made it! Make sure you stay with a friend at all times. Go to the concerts you want to see. Take part in the food trucks that are there. Buy yourself something horribly overpriced to remember the day by. Oh, and be prepared to sweat. A lot.

Step Seven:

If you want a great seat to a headliner, get there early. Like, if you were to go see Post Malone, for example, don’t wait until thirty minutes before he’s set to start. Or else you’ll probably get stuck behind that one girl with no respect who has to get on her man’s shoulders and block everyone’s view of the show.

Step Eight:

Schedule your ride home early. Just in the off chance that all of cell service crashes and you find yourself sitting aimlessly in the busy city streets calling your mom in a state of panic because you cannot find a ride home. Also, bring pepper spray, because you might have to find yourself having to scare off a creepy guy who keeps staring at you.

Step Nine:

Get in your Uber. Enjoy the adrenaline rush that comes from watching the concert. Ignore the horrible smell that has clung to your clothes thanks to the guy who vaped like a freight train right beside you. And have a nice life chat with your Uber who is just trying to pay his way through med school and is oddly very motivational.

Step Ten:

Congratulations! You survived (barely)! Reward yourself with some midnight pizza and look through the obscene amounts of photos and videos you took.

I hope you enjoyed this! I’m planning on making this into a ‘How To Survive’ series with all different types of scenarios. Comment below if you’ve ever had a failed experience with something that was supposed to be epic. Also, be sure to like and follow. And, as always, stay rad!

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The Journey to Confidence

We live in an era where there is beauty everywhere. From nature to city skylines to our friends on Instagram– it’s impossible to escape the glory of how pretty everything is. We are currently in a time where everyone is documenting the beautiful things about their lives and sharing it with others, and that’s amazing. I am a firm believer that we should be unyieldingly grateful for all of the beauty the world has to offer. But, if you’re anything like me, sometimes you have trouble not comparing the beauty of your life to the beauty of others.

There are so many girls that should be models, scenic photos that look straight out of a Sandals commercial, and daily vlogs that could rival movie trailers. And, personally, I want so badly to be part of it. I wish I was like those girls who are perfectly tan and skinny, wearing designer clothes and smiling without a care in the world. I even wish that I was girl who could proudly add a selfie on her Snapchat story just because she felt pretty in it and didn’t mind sharing. I wish I was that girl who just leaks with confidence.

But I’m not. I’m this girl, and I have no confidence at all.

From the time of when I was a little girl in grade school until now, I have always compared my image with others. I was never skinny enough. My hair has never been long enough. My face was not symmetrical enough. And I definitely was not pretty enough. And it’s nothing that anybody did. It’s just I would always want to be like other girls. Like my friends who were always rail thin. Like the girl who was never afraid to go up to the boy she liked. Like my older sister who was the coolest person on the planet.

And that constant stream of comparison ruined my mindset. I didn’t think I was as pretty as other girls, so I told myself they didn’t want to be my friend. I didn’t think I was as smart as my best friend, so I never rose my hand in class. I kept on telling myself that I wasn’t enough of something so that I ended up amounting myself into nothing. 

I would stand in front of the mirror and try to search for things to like about myself, and I couldn’t. I was so intensely concerned about my outer beauty for so long that I would tear myself down at every chance that I got. And I never even felt somewhat proud of myself until I followed the cliche and searched within myself for things I liked.

I discovered that I am smart enough. I pushed myself to be proud that I knew the answers to hard questions. I allowed myself to be happy with my test scores. I stopped comparing myself with others at school and started focusing on beating the goals that I set for myself, and it worked. My confidence in my mind manifested into being confident socially. I started talking to people and learned that I was kind of good at it. I learned that  I am actually a decent public speaker and I can use my skills with writing to make me more entertaining during conversations. I found bits and pieces of myself that I liked.

But the problem lies in the fact that the only things that I like about myself are on the inside. And that shouldn’t be a problem, seeing as we have always been told that “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” and “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover.” But it’s different.

 

There is something different about being confident in your character as a person and being confident enough to wear a swimsuit and not want to cry. Both of these types of confidence are extremely important, but when you’re lacking one it can just make you feel empty and ashamed.

I believe that everyone is beautiful and we should all be proud of our skin. But for some reason I struggle so intensely with being positive towards my own body. I always want to hide myself and not be noticed. I worry that people make snide remarks about my appearance when I’m not around. I’ll cry if I look in the mirror for too long.

I hate it. I hate it because I wish that this was an issue that I could fix. I wish that I could smile and not feel the urge to cover it up. I hate that my brain always wants to compare myself with others. I hate that I can’t just wake up and be completely confident in myself.  And I’m trying to fix it, I’m trying to build confidence in myself.

But it’s not an easy solution. Whenever I get compliments, my mind always bites back with the rude thought that someone is just being nice. When a guy flirts with me, I always think that it is some type of joke. It’s hard to build confidence when every step towards it actually pulls you two steps back.

I wish I had a nice conclusion for this post. Maybe a few helpful tips that can build confidence or maybe even a riveting plot twist where some incident in my life made me wake up with more confidence than I could ever imagine. But that’s not the case. I’m still on the long and difficult journey to loving myself, and I’m not sure if I’ll ever be fully happy with who I am but at least I’m trying, right?

The only advice for confidence-building that I can give you is if you’re on the battle to be more confident like me, then try to help others on their journey too. Don’t be afraid to tell others that they’re beautiful, or to leave a kind comment on someone’s page. It never hurts to be kind to others. Especially because it’ll make you happier to know that you have the potential to make others smile.

I hope this wasn’t too heavy. This post was more so something that I really felt the urge to get off of my chest. Let’s spread some good vibes and comment below with an aspect of yourself that you’re proud of. Also, be sure to like and follow.And, as always, stay rad. 

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My Secrets Revealed *The Liebster Award*

Well, I have been officially been nominated for my second award. And even though I can’t believe that I have been nominated for one award, I guess it is time for me to accept I am officially (kind of) a blogger. Thanks a million times to BiterMarshmellos for thinking of me at all when given the chance to. It means a lot that you think enough of my blog to want others to venture over to my small circle of readers.

As there always is with awards, there are some rules that I should follow. I’ll list them really quickly right now: 1. Thank the blogger(s) who nominated you. 2. Share 11 facts about yourself. 3. Answer the 11 questions the blogger gave to you 4. Nominate 11 bloggers who deserve the award. 5. Create 11 original questions for the nominees to answer. 6. Let them know they’ve been nominated! And now I’m about to break them.

See, I’ve already answered most of the lovely questions I’ve been asked in other posts, so I have decided to use this as an opportunity to list some lesser known facts about myself so you can get to know the girl behind the blog a little bit more. So, stay tuned for eleven fascinating facts about myself that you more than likely didn’t care to know.

11 Facts About Me That I Probably Shouldn’t Put on the Internet

1. I have a dog and he’s kind of a jerk. And, no, I’m not being dramatic. My dog is one of the most self-absorbed animals I have ever encountered. He will give you the cold shoulder, knock your phone out of your hand, and expect belly rubs all at the once. He only cares about himself and cheese. So, he’s essentially me in dog form.

2. I’m tall and it’s annoying. Not to height-shame or anything, but any of my fellow tall girls can relate with me when I say it kinda sucks to be tall. Because, guys who are shorter typically don’t want to date you for fear of their losing their masculinity. Guys who are your exact height make you feel like you are constantly having to battle for dominance. And the guys who are taller than you always seem to want to be with girls who are literally less than five feet tall. And don’t even get me started on the short girls who refuse to date any guy less than six feet tall. But those tall guys won’t be so happy with their choice when their future kids can’t make it on varsity because they’re a few inches too short so HA.

3. I’m an extremely picky eater. There are picky eaters, and then there are picky eaters who literally eat basically the same exact meal everyday. I just so happen to fall in the latter. I am so outrageously picky that it even annoys myself. And I know you’re probably thinking “Oh it can’t be that bad.” Well, trust me, Susan. It is. I eat salad without dressing. I hate hamburgers. And hotdogs. And steak. And turkey. And fish (except for certain types of sushi). I also hate mashed potatoes, ice cream, and basically almost every other food that the rest of the world seems to love.

4. I’ve never been out of the country. But I’m planning on changing that soon. When I was little I was always filled with wanderlust. I wanted to go everywhere and experience everything. I also had an unhealthy obsession with Great Britain (we can thank the band One Direction for that). I always thought by the time I reached this age I would have at least visited Canada by now, but I haven’t. I do hope to study abroad soon, though, so stay tuned to see if I ever get to travel.

5. Speaking of country: I’m from the south. Which, is fun, I guess? There’s not many things for people to do here and the restaurant options are terrible, but I love it down here. There’s nothing more beautiful than the sight of a colorful sunset reaching through the trees. But there’s also nothing worse than the smell of fertilizer during the summer, so you win some and you lose some, I guess.

Via Tumblr

6. I go to college in the city. My college is only around three hours away from my hometown but it honestly feels like an entirely different world. There are so many places to see and new adventures to discover. I love being close to shopping malls and movie theaters and the insane amounts of amazing restaurants. But, the downfalls of being up here is the homesickness, obviously, and how terrible the traffic can be. I’m happy with my decision, though, because I love my college.

7. I’m in a sorority. Which, is seriously something I never would have predicted to happen in my life. I’m a first generation college student so my only knowledge of Greek Life as a whole was based off of movies like Neighbors and I was kind of skeptical of it. But now, my sorority is such a big part of my life that I can’t imagine myself not being in it. I’ll probably make a post later talking about why I joined.

8. Beauty products are making me broke. Right now there are so many amazing (and expensive) brands out there with so many great products. And while it’s awesome that there are so many options out there that I want to own, it is not so great for my bank account. Seriously, I should be banned from walking into a Sephora for the next five years so that I can have a healthy adult bank account.

9. My dream job is to be a producer. Ever since I was little I have been obsessed with media. Television, movies, books, magazines– everything. I’ve always just been so entranced by the world of pop culture and have always wanted to be a part of it. And as I’ve grown older and tried my hand at editing and public relations, I’ve realized that my passion has never faded. I want to one day be the person behind the scenes, making something that will inspire others on a global scale.

10. Shopping irritates me. And no, it’s not because I detest malls or because I am not a big fan of fashion. I actually love fashion and could spend hours on end at the mall if I had the time or the money. I just get upset because there is a serious lack of fashionable and reasonably-priced clothes for curvy girls who aren’t average height. Any tall or petite girl can relate to this when I say it is nearly impossible to find jeans to fit correctly at a store. And if you happen to have a chest then best of look on finding a shirt that won’t feel too tight over that area! And, for the love of God, don’t get me started on how impossible it is to find shorts or a skirt if you’re tall and want it to be able to stay at a length that your dad wouldn’t disown you for wearing. It’s like retailers only cater to a certain type of body type and studiously ignore the rest of us. I would love to be able to walk into a store, find fashionable clothes that actually fit me, and not have to pay an arm and a leg for it.

11. I literally have no idea what my future holds. But I’m (wishfully) thinking that most other people my age feel the same exact way. I’m not sure if one day I’ll be a mother. Or if I’ll ever get married. Heck, I don’t even know where I plan on living after I graduate from college. Right now, my entire future can only be defined with a massive question mark. And that’s kind of terrifying, but hey. We’re not supposed to have our entire lives completely mapped out before we turn twenty, right? So, for now, I’ll take things one step at a time and try to figure things out as I navigate through life. And of course, I’ll keep you guys updated along my journey.

 

My Nominations

Since I recently did a post similar to this and will be nominating similar people, instead of asking them additional questions, I figured I would just ask them to also share eleven facts about themselves too so that I can learn more about them. During my short time on this site, I have discovered that there are so many fascinating creators on this site and I wish I had the time to get to know each of them individually. I look up to so many other bloggers on this site, and I hope that one day people will look up to me as well. So, I am planning on using this opportunity to get to know more about these certain people.

Please follow and check out the blogs of all of my nominees, because they are all genuinely talented people who deserve even more recognition: Tasha Louise, Just M.E., Chloe Burford, Scattered Stars, Jenny Lee, Nicculent, and Alex McKay.

I hope you enjoyed this! I can’t quite wrap my head around the fact that when someone sees an award, that I would even pop in their head. It means so much to me! I have a lot of plans for the future of this blog and I hope you guys stick around as I go on this journey! Comment below a fact about yourself that not many people know. Also, be sure to like and follow to stay up to date with me! And, as always, stay rad. 

The Inner Battle of Extrovert vs. Introvert

Ever since we were little we have been taught about differences of the personality spectrum. We have always been divided into two groups: the introverts and the extroverts. The introverts are the people who enjoy their alone time and are often described as “shy.” Extroverts, on the other hands, are the social butterflies of society. The ones who thrive in large groups of people and hate being left alone. These two different personality types seem to be world’s apart, don’t they? But what happens when someone has a personality that settles somewhere in the middle?

I have spent the last five years of my life trying to answer that question.

Whenever I was little, I was the absolute definition of an introvert. I only had three friends, mostly because they were kind of forced to be my friends because our mothers were friends too. I refused to speak during classes to the point where teachers arranged meetings with my parents to talk about how terribly shy I was. I would get overwhelmed in social situations and would always prefer to cuddle up with a book rather than to go to a birthday party. I was an introvert, and I wasn’t ashamed of it. That is just who I was.

But then as I got older, things changed. I started putting myself out there. I didn’t want to be the wallflower anymore, I wanted to be the tallest sunflower in the whole meadow. So I took chances, joined clubs, and started using my voice. And, truth be told, I enjoyed it. I enjoyed being the person that was not afraid to make new friends. I enjoyed being heard. 

I started hanging out with friends more often. I spoke in front of large crowds. I found myself thriving in social situations that I would have went to great lengths to avoid in the past. So, by that logic I should identify as an extrovert now, right?

Wrong. 

Because even though I now find myself aligning more on the extroverted side of the spectrum more than I ever thought I would, I still have a lot of introverted tendencies. I still enjoy staying at home all alone. I still have times where I get overwhelmed with the thought of having to be around a lot of people. Oh, and I definitely still have severe shyness that I have to force myself to overcome almost everyday. So, where does that leave me?

Introverts and extroverts are supposed to be polar opposites. But I have somehow been able to be both. And, to be honest, I don’t mind being both. I like that I am able to hold a conversation with anybody and can spark friendships in the matter of minutes. But I also like that I am more than okay with staying the night in with only a book as my company. I like that I don’t constantly want to feel alone, but I don’t necessarily need to be surrounded by others either. It feels like the perfect balance for me, and that makes me feel more satisfied than I would if I was a full extrovert or a full introvert.

And I feel like I’m not the only person who is like this, I have plenty of friends that can be shy or would rather spend their time alone but they can also be a social butterfly if they need to be. Honestly, personality types don’t stay set in stone for our whole lives. We evolve and mature with age as we learn how to adjust our social lives to benefit us.

So, I’m not just an introvert. Or just an extrovert. I’m just a happy mixture of both and that is more than fine with me. I’m satisfied with being an extroverted introvert.

I hope that someone relates to this! Surely I cannot be the only extroverted introvert out there. Comment below about your personality type and if you’re happy with it! Also, be sure to like and follow! And as always, stay rad. 

 

What’s My Future? *The Sunshine Blogger Award*

I am happy to announce that I was nominated by the amazing Bobby for the Sunshine Blogger Award. I feel so honored and honestly shocked that I would be nominated for anything! Thank you so much!

For those who are unfamiliar with this award, the format is to follow these certain rules:

1. Thank the blogger who nominated you.

2. Answer the 11 questions asked.

3. Nominate 11 other bloggers and ask them 11 new questions.

4. List the rules and include the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post.

So let’s get started so you can learn more about me and check out some of the blogs that I feel definitely deserve more recognition.

My Answers

1. What’s your future plan for your blog? I would love to continue putting out content to help others. I want to continue to do pieces with advice drawn from my own life. I have been pondering adding more lifestyle elements to the blog with clothing hauls/travel journals/etc. I would also love to make an Ask Column where people can ask me life questions and I can make a post answering them to the best of my ability. I just want to make more people smile. 

2. Do you believe that the concept of “Blind Likes” exists on WordPress?I’m not sure what “blind likes” are, to be quite honest. 

3. What do you like about my website ?My favorite series that you do is the slash because you effectively show the yin and yang of a certain topic. Your writing style is also the most captivating in those articles, I believe.

4. Is true love possible without “Real Communication” (means…..Just by texts or calls ?)Possibly. It depends on the type of person you are. If you need affection, then you can’t have a relationship based off of technology. But, if you’re a person who finds love based more on conversation, then you can probably find your true love that way.  

5. Denim Shorts or Full Jeans?Shorts. I hate jeans so much. If I could fist fight an article of clothing, it would be jeans. 

6. Pinterest or Instagram?Instagram for sure. It’s easier to navigate and has such a wider range of content. 

7. What is the most weird thing about yourself ?I sleep with my eyes slightly open. I always have.

8. Describe one negative thing about my website ?I wish you had a way to kind of sort your articles into tags that you could find in an easy way. Like, if someone wanted to binge read your slash series, I think it would be nice to have a place where someone could find the tag and be able to stay in that certain tag. 

9. Are you an Introvert or Extrovert ?I am an introverted extrovert. Which sounds odd, doesn’t it? I’ll write a blog about it pretty soon because it’s a rare thing for people to claim.

10. What are you passionate about except blogging?So many things. I’m passionate about helping others who have less than I do. I’m passionate about helping others grow into better versions of themselves. I’m passionate about the organizations I’m in. I’m passionate about doing things to better myself.

11. What is the definition of Imagination in your sense ? My definition of imagination is honestly just a blank space. Imagination isn’t about living up to the definition that is outlined. Imagination is about filling an empty space with your creativity. Imagination is about having the potential to do something amazing. 

My Questions & Nominees

1. What inspired you to start blogging?
2. What is your favorite piece you’ve ever written?
3. Have you ever been out of the country? If so, where?
4. What is your favorite song at this moment? (You can only choose one).
5. Can you do something that most people cannot? (A hidden talent?)
6. Have you ever fallen in love?
7. Do you prefer cats or dogs?
8. What is one of your biggest regrets in life?
9. Do you have any advice on how to grow my blog?
10. What is your least favorite type of food?
11. What is your favorite quote?

I am nominating the following: Discovering Your Happiness, Himandshudiaries, The Floating Thoughts, Today’s Perfect Moment, Simple Ula, Ben’s Bitter Blog, Beyond This Fence, Don’t Give a Jam, Hunida, and Hannah

 

If you stuck with me for this long, bless your soul! I hope you enjoyed getting to know a little bit more about me/my plans with my blog. Leave a comment below and be sure to like and follow! And, as always, stay rad. 

How to Find Happiness

Happiness. I’m sure the webster dictionary defines it as a feeling of joy that one may feel, but we often don’t talk about how even though everyone likes to pretend that they are experiencing happiness, it is not as an abundant of a feeling as we are led to believe. No single person is happy at any given moment, I mean, even babies cry and they hardly have any stressors in their lives.

We all strive to be happy, and I think that’s a great thing. We deserve to be happy. But it’s easier said then done when the world is in the current state that it is. Happiness can seem so unachievable at times, so how can we be happier?

It’s not simple. There is not one certain thing that will make every person on Earth instantly happy. Some people feel rejuvenated by self care and some people hate it. I wish that there was a life hack that every person could take part in that would instantly make the world a happier place, but there isn’t one because every person is different.

But there are a few tricks that every person should try so that they could make their days feel a little brighter. I encourage everyone to try at least one of them and see how it feels.

1. Clean Your Living Area

Wow,  I turned into my mother by just typing that. And I know it sounds cliche and like a waste of time, but believe me— this works. Whenever your living area becomes extremely messy and chaotic it can make you feel like your life is messy and chaotic too. Also, if you have anxiety, sometimes you can feel overwhelmed by your surroundings and a great way to not feel like everything is closing in on you is to allow yourself to have more space. So, get up, and organize at least one part of your living area. It might be an annoying process while you’re doing i, but afterwards you will actually feel proud of yourself. Plus, no one can get onto you for having a messy room.

2. Set Goals for Yourself

Now, this one can seem a bit daunting. When people hear the word goal they think of long term things like becoming a billionaire or starting their own company from the ground up. But your goal doesn’t have to be that intense. You can have the goal of finishing a puzzle by the end of the week or, hey, the goal to clean your room! Goals don’t have to be elaborate and life-changing, they just have to be something that you have the urge to want to complete. Setting a goal for yourself can also give your life purpose. If you’re having trouble getting out of bed everyday, you can combat this by waking up and thinking “I’m gonna take one more step to finishing my goal today.” Having a goal, no matter how big or how small, makes your life feel meaningful. And the feeling of happiness when you achieve your goal is indescribable.

3. Cross Something off Your To Do List

Okay, so this might sound like setting a goal, but it’s not. This can be something that you’ve needed to get done but just haven’t had the motivation to do so. It can be washing the dishes or going to see that movie you’ve been wanting to see. Just do something minimal that you’ve been meaning to do and then allow yourself to be proud when you finish it. Not only will it make you feel more efficient, but it will also alleviate some of the stress that you’ve built up by not doing the thing that you’ve wanted to do.

4. Socialize with friends

For me, this is one of the most difficult but rewarding things to do. When I’m having an episode of sadness, I often want to shut in on myself. I won’t want to hang out with a friends and I even have trouble texting them back. And it’s not because I️ don’t want to be around them, personally I believe I have some of the best friends on the planet. It’s just I sometimes hit this mood where I can’t reach out. But after I force myself to find a way to slide into their schedule, I couldn’t be happier. Being around people that love you for you and want to laugh with you is honestly one of the best ways to combat sadness.

5. Get Organized!

I’m aware of how cliche this is. Believe me. But for some people this actually works. Doing things like sorting their clothes by color or purchasing a planner can cause for a person to be really satisfied with their lives. The feeling of being in control of the small things in their lives makes them feel more in control of their bigger struggles. And hey, it never hurts to at least try to organize your life.

6. Compliment Others

This is something that often isn’t talked about when giving advice on how to instill happiness in yourself. I mean, you’re trying to make yourself happy, so why are you complimenting others? Well, I’m a firm believer that smiles are contagious. If you take the time to make someone else smile, then you can’t help but to smile too. Also, what’s the harm in telling someone your honest and kind opinion. If you think a girl has a pretty necklace, tell her! If a guy has some cool hair, tell him! Don’t be afraid to pass out respectful compliments to people, because their smile will make you want to smile.

7. Give Back to the Community

This is my number one method to make myself happy. As I mentioned before, the world can be a dark place. Or so it seems. We see so much focus on the bad that we forget to notice the good. Heck, we forget to be the good. So, if you’re feeling down, find a local charity to contribute to. Help others and dont expect to be rewarded for it. Just contribute to the community and then you will feel happier. Not because you did your good deed for the day, but because you will be able to see firsthand that there is a lot of faith to still be had in humanity.

8. Make Time for Yourself

Sometimes you can stretch yourself too thin. You might have a thousand different obligations and your brand new planner can be already filled to the brim with tasks you have to accomplish for other people. Life can be extremely stressful, especially if you don’t make time for yourself. So the best way to combat this is to find the time to relax. Even if it’s just for five minutes everyday, try to block out a time where you can just breathe and praise yourself for all of the things you’ve accomplished. Because you deserve it.

9. Find a new hobby

Sometimes life can feel like you’re stuck in a rut. You fall into this routine of normalcy that can make you feel a little lackluster when you wake up each day. The things that once brought you joy have became part of your daily motions and you feel yourself losing passion for the the things you used to love. A great way to combat this feeling of being stuck is to add something fresh and exciting to your routine. Taking on a new hobby can rejuvenate your daily routine and make you excited as you go through your day. Whether it be to try your hand at drawing or practicing yoga, find something that you find mentally stimulating. Finding a new hobby can be the trick that you’ve been searching for to relieve your stress.

10. Be a little selfish

I know, this seems odd to have in the same list that recommends you do some community service, but bear with me. Oftentimes, we stretch ourselves too thin. If you’re anything like me, you’re so busy saying “yes” to others that you forget to say “yes” to making yourself a priority. Sometimes we can do so much for others and forget to do anything for ourselves until we feel empty. So, my advice to you is to be a little selfish. Make yourself a priority. And I’m not saying to only do things with your benefit in mind, but instead make choices that you know won’t cause you too much stress. Ask for help if you need it. You don’t have to spend your whole life being the person who does everything for everyone else. You’re allowed to take a step back and say, “Hey. I do a lot for others. I deserve to do something for myself.” Because as soon as you recognize your own need to take care of yourself, then you can start on the path to making yourself happy.

I know that I said it before, but please keep in mind that there is not a ritual that exists that can instantly make every person happy. Depression cannot be cured via a bubble bath. You can’t achieve life satisfaction by buying a planner. Being happy with the state of your life cannot be accomplished in one day. You have to work towards happiness.

You can find happiness by taking part in some of these things, or even finding your own thing that puts a smile on your face, but it’s a lifelong journey. You’ll face trials in life that’ll make you feel upset. You’ll have times where you want to give up on everything. But keep in mind that without the ugly parts of life, you wouldn’t be able to have the beautiful parts too.

So take care of yourself, do things to make you smile, do things to make other people smile. Because you deserve to be happy.

I hope you enjoyed this post! Leave a comment below about which method you use to lift your mood, I’d love to try it! Also be sure to like and follow if you enjoyed this. And, as always, stay rad.