HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY TO MY BLOG!
I'm not going to lie, I totally forgot about my blogs birthday but that's perfectly acceptable right?
After one whole year of blogging (on and off) I've learnt so much about myself, others, and the blogging community. Some oh so good and some oh so bad! So enough of the boring shite, here's what I've learnt :
1 : DO NOT get wrapped up in superficial shit.
Yes I'm a blogger and yes I like silly superficial things like makeup and clothes and pretty vases that you don't need but you buy anyway purely because it makes your home look nice, and in turn makes you feel nice. But there come a point where enough is enough. Do not let the superficial things take over who you are. You don't have to have the best makeup or you don't have to have the hottest body or the coolest hair or the funkiest bedroom.What you have to have is a REAL life, just like everyone else out there. I was always a very outgoing, fun loving girl and if it meant getting down and dirty well then that's all the better for me, but when I started blogging I started worrying about silly things like ''Is my makeup still on at 3 in the morning when everyone's drunk and looks like crap & no one notices anyways'' Be realistic. No one likes a lame girl.
2 : Instagram is not real
Like many other bloggers out there I use Instagram as a platform for my blog. When I first started instagram, I would look at peoples pictures and wonder how did they get that extraordinary life, with their perfect makeup, pictures,blogposts and skin? Want the answer? FAKE IT! Its all smoke and mirrors darling. Do not compare yourself to those on instagram because the moment you do that, you will never be happy! The people on instagram don't have the life you think they do! Don't try to be them, be you, originality is always best.
3: Stand up for yourself Guuurl
When I first got into blogging I would come under fire for ''bad mouthing a product'' or ''swearing''. I then stopped being me and I became a people pleaser..The worst type of person.
Now after one year I realise, that's what blogging is all about! If you don't like a product SAY IT! If it gave you a rash on your arse TELL THE WORLD, If this hyped up lipstick brought you down, BITCH, SCREAM IT FROM THE ROOFTOPS! You're a blogger! People read YOUR shit to inform themselves! Don't be a 'yes sir, no sir, 3 bags full sir'' kind of blogger! DO NOT LET COMPANIES PRESSURISE YOU INTO PROMOTING THEIR PRODUCT Tell it how it is and NEVER let anyone tell you otherwise, because then whoa re you really pleasing?
4: ''FREE STUFF''
''Oh you're a blogger you must get TONNES of freebies'' Well.. Yes and no. Before I became a blogger that's what I thought at least! And yea, half of me wanted to become a blogger for the freebies & the all so elegant parties. But the reality is these ''parties'' and these ''goodie bags'' come with a price - The price being ''You must tweet the entire universe about what you have receive today'' ..And yes it becomes tiring to attend these gatherings to see everyone glued to their phones. It's not a party - its free advertising.
5: The blogging world is HUGE - So what?
The blogging world is ALOT bigger than I had originally thought. Once you get sucked into the loop - you realise how unimportant and insignificant your blog really is, and I don't mean that in a ''ohh i want a pity party'' sort of way - I mean it in a very human and real way. Here is an online community of 1000's of bloggers doing the EXACT same thing as you. So don't fret about it, ENJOY the experience - because every single one of your followers have chosen to follow YOU for a reason! If you ever feel down about having ''only 100 followers'' - picture 100 people standing in a room all there for YOU...Now that's a lot of people just for you isn't it? Don't give up!
6: BUZZWORDS
When you first begin blogging you will hear all of these terrible and negative and sometimes down right silly buzzwords that will be ingrained into your very being. Lets start with the most cringe-worthy of them all - ''Haters'' : Never ever EVER call anyone a ''hater(s)'' This makes the public feel detached from you as if you have an air of superiority around you. People do not HATE you based on your blog - People may not agree/like everything you post up but they are NOT ''haters'' They're normal human beings with opinions and voices.
Other words that you SHOULD NEVER use in blogging - Fab , Boo , Babe , Bae, Totes, Emosh, Hun, fleek, squad ...The list is endless.
I guess what I'm trying to say is - Just because the internet spews out these words, doesn't mean you should feel the need to use them to ''fit in''
7:Networking daaaarling
Before blogging I was a self confessed technophobe, and I still kind of am. I didn't realise how many job opportunities had opened up purely from being a blogger! Companies need people to endorse their products they need you to sell sell sell! And once you have a blog, well you're half way there! I now know the complete ins and outs of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google, Blogger - the whole 9 yards-and that's a life skill right there - BOOM!
8: BE YOU!
As simple as it can be.. Be you!
When I first started and seen all these pretty pastel coloured blogs with fancy writing and pretty pastel pictures I thought ''Well, why doesn't my blog look like that''?
Well, Nadine darling- Because that's not you!
I learnt what IS me!
There are literally 1000's of blogs out there with pastel backgrounds and cute flowery banners. But take that step back and think to yourself ''Is this me? Is this the me that i want everyone to know''? Because if it is,Honey there's 1000's more clones of your blog out there.
9:Everything is not as it seems
Let me tell you now, i thought bloggers had this pristine life with their glamorous designer clothes, blogging on their perfect MAC computers while sporting utterly flawless makeup! The truth is if you must know.. I'm sitting here in Pyjamas (Not the cute kind) that I've been wearing for 3 days while sporting last nights makeup and trying to tame the wild mane of unbrushed hair... We are not as glamorous as you think we are
10:Followers aren't / are everything
When i first started blogging I was obsessed with the amount of followers I had / would have. my dream was to get to just 100 followers! Once I hit that I was pretty chuffed with myself! Now I have around 440 of you and honestly that blows me away! When i think of 440 people standing in a room - Man that's scary shit, but also so awesome! Followers make your blog what it is -appreciate the followers you have now!Never ever disrespect or undermine your followers. If you have just one or one million , the fact is they're there, and they're there because of you and for you. Thank you all!
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