Blogger Recognition Award
8:53 PM
Hey everyone!
I hope you all had a happy Halloween! Did you guys go out and party, or stay in and just dress up for a good Instagram photo? I did none of the above. I had to work, and study, so none of that fun for me. Though, at work we did dress up. We had an ocean theme, and if you follow me on Instagram you will know I went as Mr. Smee from Peter Pan. It was kind of an impromptu costume. So kind of a semblance of a costume but not really a costume... What did you dress up as?
It’s been a long time since I was actually nominated for this Blogger Recognition award. (Random thought but when I started with that phrase it instantly brought to mind Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth’s song "See You Again", anyone else?) I was nominated back in August and September, so a good couple months ago (cue awkward chuckle and shrug). Huge apologies because I’ve been meaning to do this post for awhile. I’ve just been planning it out and all. I felt like November was a good month to do so.
Side note: Can you believe it’s November already? I swear it was just summer yesterday. I feel like all the back to school craze barely even happened this year because everything went by so fast, and now it’s almost time for holidays!
I have prolonged this post for awhile because one year ago at around this time is when my blog really started taking on its identity. November is also the month to give thanks, a month of reflection if you will. I was nominated by TWO lovely fellow bloggers, the blogging duo of Aleeha and Lucy from halesaw.com as well as Barbara from barbiegirl06.wordpress.com. I definitely recommend hopping over to their blogs to see what kinds of things they post. They always got up interesting posts to read, and I always enjoy getting a taste of their character and personality from their posts.
So, what are the rules to this award?
1) Write a post to show your award
2) Acknowledge the blogger who nominated you
3) Give a brief story about why you started blogging
4) Give two pieces of advice to new bloggers.
5) Nominate 15 other bloggers/blogs for the award
I guess I can cross off the first two. Check and done.
Why did I start blogging? Good question. I’m glad you asked. And if you didn’t, just go along with it and pretend you did.
I initially started blogging back in February 2014. I launched this blog when I was a senior in high school. This was around the time when the air was filled with thick angst from the pressure of our unknown futures ahead. People in my generation already grow up in a world filled with social media that showcases all the successes of others. To the point where it can almost feel suffocating, like a huge weight. I’m not someone who doesn’t know where they want to go. I know where I want to be. But I am someone who doesn’t know how to get there.
Many of the little known YouTubers whom I had watched for years were finally gaining more and more recognition around 2014. More people were starting their own channels in hopes of attaining success like them. I chose a different path. It’s not just fame or success I want. I created this blog for a space where I can be completely myself. What I wanted to do was to put myself out there, to do something outside of my comfort zone. I wanted an outlet where I can voice my thoughts, and to share these opinions with other likeminded people. Or at the least have a way to reach out to and meet others. That’s what I feel many people intentionally wanted when they started their own YouTube channels or blogs.
By creating this blog, I did something for my own future. I took control and made sure there was something there for me that made me happy, something that can be a constant, something that could at the least help me find a way to be where I want to be. As cliche as that sounds…
I did stop blogging for pretty much a year and half. I relaunched this blog last fall in 2015. Finishing high school, starting university, and basically taking a step in what resembles the real world was a stressful, emotional time. Hence the year and half hiatus. There were lots of changes in my life, and it took awhile for me to get back to blogging.
But I’m extremely glad I did. I really love blogging. I’m not just saying that in a cliche way that you have to say. I truly view my blog as my baby.
Here are two pieces of advice to new bloggers.
First off, welcome to the blogging world! One thing I definitely recommend when you start your blog is to really figure out what it is you are trying to do for your blog. I guess, find a direction you are going. You don’t need to have a full understanding of what your blog has to be like, and you don’t need to follow a particular standard. You can always change it up whenever you want because it is your blog after all. But at the least, know what it is you want to do with your blog. With that, you build more of an emotional connection to your blog. At least it did for me. Blogging can get stressful; it is like a job in itself sometimes. But by always keeping in mind what I wanted to do with my blog, this helped motivate me. Keep going, and don’t give up. You know what it is you want to do, and just keep doing it.
Second piece of advice is to just be yourself. Don’t be afraid to really let your true voice out. Don’t do what you don’t want to do, and don’t feel like you need to do what others are doing. Honestly, the types of bloggers I follow religiously are the ones who write in a way where you can really get a sense of who they are. Yeah, they might be posting the usual OOTD or Beauty Favorites or Haul or whatnot. But, it’s the way they go about it, the format of their posts and their blog, that makes it more than just reading some random webpage you stumbled across. Ignore the pressures of society, and just do you.
(I know it’s only two pieces of advice, but I also really wanted to say that making sure you are a part of the blogging community is very important. Very important. After all, it’s a community and you can’t just sit there like a loner and expect others to approach you.)
The 15 fellow bloggers I nominate for this award are as follows in no particular order:
Roberta milleunrossetto.blogspot.com
Kay shoesandglitter.com
Jasmine thesixthdisneyprincess.blogspot.com
Sora viasora.blogspot.com
Jenn thepinklemonadegirl.com
Julia Kaylee jkdawn.blogspot.com
Kayla kaylasvibrations.com
Samantha mybeautycloud.com
Aly alyinwanderland.com
April beybiapril.wordpress.com
Lovingrose lovingrosestyle.blogspot.com
Marianne myhappybubblexx.blogspot.com
Vildana living-like-v.blogspot.com
Farah vatkinary.com
Pallavi wildfirecharm.com
**if you've already been nominate before or already did this, sorry it's been awhile since I've seen this award going around so I lost track of who has been already nominated and all**
If you were not nominated, I still highly encourage you to comment down below why you started blogging! I always love finding out more about you guys! Lemme know in the comments below the best advice you've got to bloggers, new or old! Also, comment down below what you did for Halloween!
Thank you all for reading this super long post! I think I took a lot of steps with this blogger recognition award post. But oh well. Unapologetically, I thank you all for reading! I wish you are all having a wonderful week so far! Happy November!
Till next time,
~A
42 comments
You are just the sweetest, Andrea! Thank you so much for nominating me! :)
ReplyDeleteI love that your work place had a themed costume day! Since I work at a library, most people dress up as book/comic book characters.
So happy to hear that you still love blogging and it's become a source of inspiration and peace for you. I wish you the best in all your blogging endeavors just because you're so good at it and I'm happy to have met you!
Being yourself is probably the most important thing when it comes to blogging, in my opinion! It's so easy to have blog envy and wish our pages looked like other popular bloggers out there, but I think remembering why you started and allowing your blog to be an extension of who you are in the online world is really necessary to have a "successful" blog!
Great post dear, as always. Hope you keep having a lovely week!
thesixthdisneyprincess.blogspot.com
Of course! :) Your blog is really amazing and I always enjoy reading your posts!
DeleteIt's definitely way easier to gain inspiration from book characters though, having to stick with a theme can be so difficult! There are way more choices when dressing up as a character
It really is so easy to compare ourselves to bigger bloggers. But they all came from hard work as well. Remembering why we started is a helpful way to keep those jealous feelings at bay and focus on working hard.
I'm really glad to have met you as well :) Thank you so much for your lovely comment Jasmine!
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For the actual day of Halloween, I completely forgot and I stayed inside and watched Netflix all night lol. BUT I did dress up the Saturday before for a friend's party, and I went as a modern Alice in Wonderland in jail. So I had one of those signs around my neck with narcotics possession as my crime. I thought it was pretty clever, so thanks to Pinterest for that one ;P I think it's so cool your work had an actual theme though! & again, thanks for nominating me!
ReplyDeleteSam | My Beauty Cloud
Hahaha there's nothing wrong with watching Netflix! Whoever invented Netflix is seriously the best person ever! Modern prisoner Alice is such a creative costume, and definitely so unique and different from what other people go as. Pinterest has so many awesome ideas I never know which to choose.
DeleteThanks Sam!
Great advices for new bloggers.
ReplyDeleteNina
Nina's Style Blog Giveaway __ Enter to win $100
Thank you Nina!
DeleteWe haven't celebrated Halloween because of work and stuff, gosh! but still I am happy though ^^
ReplyDeletehttp://itsbeyondimaginations.blogspot.com/
Halloween is fun regardless of actually celebrating or not. there is a happier more adventurous feel in the air when it's this time of year. Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteCongrats, lady! And great advice. :)
ReplyDelete-Ashley
Le Stylo Rouge
Thank you Ashley!
DeleteLoved this post. I also found your advice very interesting and great for new bloggers. Congratulations on your award!!🏆🏆😊.
ReplyDelete#sweetreatsxx www.bakingboutiquebirds.blogspot.co.uk
Thank you so much!! I really wanted to write something that would genuinely help others instead of just the basic advice. Glad you like it :))
DeleteOh thanks for share the amazing tips for new bloggers
ReplyDeletexx
www.sakuranko.com
Thank you!
DeleteI love how you created your blog with the intention of having a space for yourself, I think we can all relate to that :) Your advice of to 'keep going and don't give up' could apply to so many areas of life, wise words!
ReplyDeleteaglassofice.com
x
We definitely all need our own space in the world, a place that's our own where we can be completely ourselves. Thank you Gabrielle :)
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ReplyDeleteFollow me, let me know and I follow you :)
https://astbakay.blogspot.ru/
Sure, I will check out your blog :)
DeleteLove it
ReplyDeletexx,
Hadasah Love | www.styletolove.com
Thank you Hadasah!
DeleteVery nice advices!
ReplyDelete<3 michelle // covered in copper
Thank you Michelle!
DeleteThis is so beautiful!
ReplyDeleteSuch a lovely idea for a post and I really love how you wrote it !
The advice you gave to the new bloggers is really great and I love this post!
Thank you for nominating me!
I'll do this post as soon as possible, thanks again. xoxo
Vildana from Living Like V & Stalia Is BAE
Thank you Vildana! I really enjoy reading your posts :) I can't wait to read your post too
DeleteThank you so much lovely for nominating me! I really enjoyed reading your post and agree with you on the "be yourself" point. It's so important in and outside of the blogging world. I really feel like blogging has made me a better person in a lot of ways :) It's never about the fame.
ReplyDeletewww.wildfirecharm.com
Not to sound cliche but we are all different for a reason and it's definitely best to embrace that instead of trying to be like others. I agree that blogging has changed me as well :) Thank you!
DeleteFirst of all, you look great in that last picture! I love the jumpsuit!
ReplyDeleteSecondly, thank you for the nomination! I always feel great whenever I get nominated for a blogger award. It just makes me feel like I achieved somethings. So thank you lots!
Thirdly, I am the same way. I follow blogs that give me something more than just beautiful pictures. I want to be inspired. Yes, I love blogs too that post beautiful pictures and barely write. But those blogs I only spend like 1 minutes of my time because I only go there for the pictures. I love blogs that really speaks and will "touch" me mentally and emotionally. I really enjoy reading blogs like that (like your blog). :)
I will let you know when I posted mine.
Thanks again! :)
Jenn
❄The Pink Lemonade Girl
❄YouTube
❄Bloglovin
Aww thank you!! :) my sister takes my photos, and I'll let her know she did a good job haha
DeleteOf course!! Your blog is really wonderful and I always enjoy reading your posts. They are so insightful.
I agree, I can look at pictures on Instagram or Pinterest. But when it comes to blogs, I really like ones that have more substance and content. The ones that mostly consist of photos I also spend only a little time on. I definitely enjoy reading ones that share ideas that, like you said, touches me emotionally.
Thank you very much for your lovely comment Jenn! :)) I look forward to reading your post!!
Nice post Andrea
ReplyDeleteHi I'm Teresa and I'm your new follower
http://teresagranara.blogspot.it/
Thank you Teresa!
DeleteThanks SO much for this nomination! I love reading your blog and am so thankful I found it, there's so much inspiration here!
ReplyDeleteps very good advice as well, it's so easy to try to be inauthentic as you're goiving people what you think they want, but ultimately I think people want to invest and get to know you.
Farah x
www.vatkinary.com
Awww thank you so much Farah!! I am so glad to have met you as well because all your recipes are always sooo incredible and clever. I really want to improve my cooking skills and it's so amazing how you are so skilled in making healthy food taste soo good.
DeleteI feel like it's so easy to don a mask and be superficial, but it's ultimately best to be authentic because people can sense when others are fake.
Thanks for stopping by Farah!
Ah this is amazing.. loving your pictures! x
ReplyDeleteadelelydia.blogspot.com
Thanks Adele!
DeleteGreeeat post,I love it! Photos are amaizing as you on the last photo! :)
ReplyDeleteCan you click on links which are at the end of my last post? :*
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Thank you! I'm happy to hear that you like it :) and I just did!
DeleteCongratulations on your award! Have a nice day. Gemma x
ReplyDeletewww.jacquardflower.uk
Thank you Gemma! I hope you have a wonderful day too!
DeleteYay, thank you so much for nominating me, my darling! So excited to do this tag. :) Really enjoyed reading through your answers, and I can relate so much to what you said! I think the advice you gave to new bloggers is especially useful and very true. It's important to not be afraid & let your personality shine through your posts as much as possible! :) Also, it can be difficult to find your own direction, like you said - especially at the beginning. I never thought I'd do any lifestyle posts but I've been doing more and more of them & I enjoy those greatly! <3 Super excited to do this tag though, and thank you again for nominating me! You're the best. xoxox <3
ReplyDeleteKay
http://www.shoesandglitter.com/
I really enjoy your blog and I am so glad to have met you! :)
DeleteI definitely enjoy reading your lifestyle posts. It's been so helpful to get to know you better. I really like reading posts where people are really raw and real because when people open up, chances are there are a ton out there who feel the same way.
I enjoyed reading your post on this too!! Thanks for stopping by Kay, and I hope you have a fantastic day! :)
Thank you!
ReplyDelete