Special thanks to River Island for partnering up on this post

Cheers to 2 years

It’s crazy to think that I’ve been doing this blogging thing for 2 whole years. In reality it’s not that long but I feel that I’ve learned  and experienced so much in these past two years that it’s definitely worth sharing with you guys! Gearing up for this blog post last week I asked you guys a few poll questions on my Instagram stories. Therefore I’m going to cover the topics that you guys voted for. So let’s get into it! 🙂

How to stay consistent

When I started my blog I made a commitment to myself, all of the people in my life, and to my career. Although it was terrifying (at the time) for me to get outside of my comfort zone and start sharing bits of my life, I knew it was something I’d wanted to do for a long time. So I put my fear aside and I committed to that. I let my family, my friends, and the world know that I was doin’ this thing. And once I started I never stopped.

In It to Win It

I’ve made it a priority to create content, educate myself, and put in effort every day since day1. I think that this mindset has helped me to stay consistent and committed at all times. Although I started out the blog as a hobby I knew it was going to be a passion project, and that meant it was going to get a lot of my attention and time. I also knew in order to make a career out of it, I’d have to really give it my all.

Consistency is Key

Consistency is one of the most defining factors in this industry so I set my standard high and do my absolute best to stick to it. This means posting at least once a day on Instagram and at least once a week to the blog – as much as possible. Some weeks life happens. But very rarely have I let that standard falter. Once you get in the groove of being consistent it helps to keep the momentum going as well. Don’t get me wrong – it’s a lot of work between organizing, planning, and delivering but once you start being consistent it’s much easier to stay consistent.

Bumps In The Road

Although I love my job and the amazing community I have supporting me, there is of course struggles in this industry as well. I’ve always been super fortunate that my friends, my family, my boyfriend, and my audience has been super supportive and encouraging. Without this support I would be nowhere. However, the lack of professional/business support is hands down the hardest part for me. Especially in the beginning of the journey there was just so much meandering, wondering, and floundering due to the lack of industry education and support. What I mean by this is the fact that you are running a business on your own without really knowing how to do it or who/what to turn to in order to learn how to do it. 

Finding Your Way

Most of the things I’ve learned about this business have been through trial and error. There is also some research you can do, but it’s quite minimal. It’s always been hard for me to have all of the decision making pressure on myself as well. Recently I’ve been trying out management which as helped alleviate some of that pressure. This allows me to have someone to bounce ideas off of, help me juggle the book work, and help me make tough decisions. Over time I’ve also grown my circle of blogger friends which is a great help in the support area. Not only are these girls now my close friends, but they can also help answer some of my toughest questions. Such as what should I be charging, how should I respond to this brand, what’s going on with the lighting in my photos and everything and anything in between. 

Better With Time

I’m not gonna lie, it’s still hard sometimes to run this business virtually on my own. I miss the day to day human interaction that other jobs provide and I often feel stressed about the pressure and the weight I carry to keep this business going. And especially in the beginning this was challenging. But like I mentioned above, a solid group of blogging friends/peers, maybe some management, and the mastery of your role as CEO and intern (and anything in between) get better with time and you learn how to juggle it all.

Looking Back – What Has Made This All Possible

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – you just have to start. That is the hardest step and the most important. You will only ever wish you started earlier. Looking back I thank myself for mustering up the courage and just going for it.  Getting started obviously deserves a lot of credit because if I never started I’d never be here. So if you’re on the fence about starting anything…my best advice is do it and do it now.

Thanks To YOU!

Aside from getting started there is of course all of you that make this possible and enjoyable. If it weren’t for the support and love you guys give me I wouldn’t be able to continue this blog. You back my business but you also inspire me, educate me, and warm my heart. You’re the fuel to my fire and I can’t thank you all enough for the support throughout these last two years. I also would not be able to do it without the support of my loved ones. Although its been hard for some people in my life to understand exactly what I’m doing they’ve always had my back. Especially a big shoutout to my boyfriend Clayton as he puts in almost as much work into this thing as I do! He takes all my photos, listens to me when I need to vent, helps with tech issues etc. etc.

Although this is somewhat of a one man show in many ways, the people behind the scenes wether it be supporters, family members, or whomever – are a huge piece of the puzzle and make everything possible. Staying true to yourself and your dreams will also get you a lot further than trying to become someone else who’s crushing it in their own way so be mindful of that.

If you guys have any more questions on this topic feel free to write me on Instagram and I’ll do my best to answer them all! 🙂 That’s it for today’s post. As always thank you for reading and thank you for letting me live out my dream these past two years. Heres to many more! Xx

P.s. I was so excited to show this boss lady look from River Island to celebrate this two year mark. Hope you love it! 

Shop The Look Below

Pants – Here

Top (similar) – Here

Belt (similar) – Here

Shoes – Here

Earrings – Here

Sunnies – Here

Photography by Clayton Wenner @clayhendrx