Some Reflections and Changes to Come... (2020 Recap)

For as long as I've had this blog, I've kept it as a personal hobby because I love expressing myself through writing. I feel as if this year has been kind of weird and crazy, but it's also made me think and reflect a lot, especially on my future and my creative projects. 

Going back to school has honestly been a very positive experience for me so far. Before COVID started, I was kind of feeling like I was in a rut, like I needed to do something different. Of course, because classes have been taking place online, that's had its challenges, but so far, I don't have any complaints. I really do think there's a chance this might work out for me, but there's more that I've been thinking about outside of homework and such. 

This blog has been on a journey. I shifted my content from what was personal thoughts/insights and short stories to lifestyle content a little over 2 years ago. I've found that I find a lot more joy in writing about slow fashion, capsule wardrobes, minimalism, movies, anime and other topics that catch my interest. My interests alone have become a lot more diverse, and I'm happy with the pace I'm going at. Having said this, I've come to realize that the career possibilities that come with having a blog are very hard to not ignore these days. I've customized this blog to reflect my interests, but with the help of some classes I've found on Skillshare (I'll be writing a separate post about that later), I'm deciding to make one last edit so that this website will look more professional. I want to be taken seriously as a blogger and earn something from it. These changes will come at a slow pace, and I realize that this won't be an easy task, but I'm ready to take that next step. 

With all this thinking and reflecting I've been doing in regards to my creative projects, I realize that I still need a steady income. I'm not ready to give anything up cold turkey, but I'd be lying to myself if I said that being a full-time blogger isn't a dream that I have. There have been days where I just feel doubtful or conflicted with everything else going on in my life, but I'm trying my best to take care of myself. 

For me personally, being in quarantine has really helped me to slow down and be a little more mindful in my habits and daily routines. Be it, I know I had days where I may have felt stressed, impatient or bored out of my mind, but I can't say that this pandemic has impacted me negatively. I realize that I'm in a place of privilege when I speak of my experiences; not everybody can say that this year has been smooth sailing for them. I'm grateful for the challenges I've faced this year, and I have faith that 2021 will be better. 

I think that between COVID happening as well as the shootings and riots, our country is in a fragile state right now. I'm not going to act like 2020 has been the best year ever, but saying that it's the worst year ever is subjective. Everybody here has experienced something difficult, but not all hope is lost. If anything, I'd say let's continue to try sticking together in these tough times and just keep moving forward. 

Podcast Review: Life Styled by Erin Elizabeth

Sometimes, the things I write about are inspired by what I see or hear through other people I follow online. That being said, today’s post is going to highlight a podcast that was launched earlier this year by a blogger I follow. Her name is Erin Elizabeth and she lives in Canada. Her brand is very much focused on inspiring people to live life their way and to just make the most of life in general.

Erin’s podcast has honestly been very much enjoyable because of her down-to-earth nature and the way she presents herself (whether that's through her YouTube videos or through this podcast). You can learn more about her by following her blog (byerinelizabeth.co.) or by subscribing to her channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf-eyIV4WLB6-Mc3MnWoQpA.).

A lot of what Erin talks about on her podcast is life insights, career, wellness, fashion and beauty. I have to admit that when I made my shift in content two years ago, I knew that following a specific niche just didn’t feel right to me. I didn’t want to just be a fashion blogger or an entertainment reviewer. Erin’s content has honestly inspired me a lot, and because of that, I feel like it was only natural for me to follow her podcast.


Before I get into my actual thoughts on the Life Styled podcast, I want to share some background information/context here. Nearly all of my blog posts are usually planned in advance, and if you follow me on Instagram, I make one new post almost every week. When I first got started on this online journey, I had some self doubts and never really associated myself fully with the online community. This isn’t to say I don’t have self doubts now, but as time has gone on, I’ve gotten better on managing those thoughts instead of letting myself dwell on them. I think being part of this online community has given me a place to truly express myself, and since that day two years ago when I decided to really invest my time and energy into my content, I’ve felt this stronger sense of purpose, like this may be something worth pursuing in the long run. I’ve gone through a lot of back and forth thoughts and emotions along the way, but what I’m coming to realize is that being a content creator is far from what others may perceive or judge as something that’s “not a real job”. I’ll get more into that in a different blog post however; let’s get into the review now.

Having a podcast, regardless of what it’s about, can be a lot of fun whether you're speaking solo into a microphone or interviewing a guest. Erin’s podcast content seems to have a little bit of both, and what I enjoy most about this kind of approach is that it gives your audience a chance to learn new things as well as having that sense of connection. Sometimes, I find myself enjoying her solo episodes a little more because of how personal they can be, but out of the few guests she’s had so far, I’ve found myself becoming more open minded and understanding of the different things that other people are into regardless of if I agree with them or not.

Not all podcasts are the same. What makes Erin’s podcast unique is that instead of just sharing 20 to 30 minutes of facts or information on a certain subject and keeping things cordial/professional all the time, she’s not afraid to speak her mind and share her thoughts on things that she finds interesting or something that she feels is important. There’s just something refreshing about being authentic with yourself and allowing that to be part of your brand (or even just with your life in general), and the more you live by that, the more likely you are to attract people who can respect and admire that; I know I certainly feel that way.