Hello 2017

If you're anything like I am, you have mixed feelings about New Year's resolutions. Rather I find pleasure in reflecting in the past year. 2016 was filled with many opportunities, new employment, gaining better perspective, continued love and happiness but let's not forget the ups and downs as well.


As I look towards 2017 - I hope to find new ways to channel my imagination and creativity as I prosper in my blogging adventures but also daily life. With that being said, I'm sharing my tips on how I have grown as a blogger this year and managed not to be such a workaholic. Let's start the year with a fresh start and a new mindset:

1. Learning to Say No

As a blogger, you posses many hidden talents that slowly reveal themselves with the trade. Over the years, I have expanded my portfolio to include freelance writing, social media management and photography which now days keeps me quite busy on top of my amazing full-time job. So when approached with an exciting opportunity, it's always important to make an educated decision which will truly tell you if you are passionate about the project. Learning to say no is realizing that you are valuable and choosing your own opinion about yourself over others. With the urge to say yes, also comes a lack of self-confidence and self-value, this is a hard challenge especially when your plate is full. Remember you are an asset to your brand. Don’t be tempted by the perks because in the long run if it’s not great for your brand, your audience will know and become less engaged. Think longterm!

2. Staying Positive When Facing Adversity

As a blogger, conquering challenge and failure is essential to the success of your business. You can learn to cultivate that resilience by training your brain to stay positive when times are tough. A valuable takeaway I learnt from BlogPodium this past year, was to share the love and stepping away from negativity - no competition, no agenda and pardon my language, no freakin' bullshit. Staying positive leaves us more motivated, productive, and of course likely to succeed. Remember to fuel your passion and go that extra mile - blogging can be quite demanding with struggles of burnouts and criticism. So keep your head held up high and rock what you've got!

3. Strong Social Networking

It's hard to believe but it has been 5 years since I started my blog yet it was only this year that I found my tribe of supportive and like-minded women who are all individually each committed to their passions. But most importantly lift each other up. It is key to be your own person, create your own happiness and not let others bring you down. Through social networking, you can build a support system of gals who have your back. Don't hesitate to get outside your comfort zone - whether it's a conference, event or dinner to mingle with a fellow blogger or creative mind. The more you escape your little bubble, the more you're representing your brand.

4. Don't Be Afraid to Take Risks

Success doesn't happen overnight - it takes persistence and tenacity to get your foot in the door. But patience is the holy grail of hustling to get your way in the blogsphere. You can't be afraid to go the extra mile and while there's lots of ugly, you also need to also find a middle ground that will allow for work life balance. Trust me - juggling a day job, freelance writing, blogging and the list goes on, I have found my happy medium that keeps me sane yet I love it all. You need to work hard to play hard - no blogger woke up one day and instantly got amazing opportunities. They worked their butts off to get to where they are today!

This year I made the proud decision to leave what I thought at the beginning was a happy 9-5 job when I realized it was hurting my life, my creative abilities and my mental well-being. What followed were great months where I dedicated my time to my blog and revived that passion within me but also realized that I turned my blog into a business with a viable income. Remember to find the silver lining in each experience to stay motivated and that each mistake is a learning experience. As time went on, the circle came back around and I accepted another job in the tourism industry and have loved every second of it! Taking risks can be scary yet in the long run can also benefit you.

5. Self Care is Key

Taking care of your inner world as a blogger is crucial to not burning out. Self care comes in all shapes and sizes - whether it's taking a vacation, attending yoga sessions, spin classes or a movie night with friends. Life can be amazing and life can be challenging especially within the blogsphere. That is where self-care comes in. Taking care of myself is what I finally realized was the important next step I needed to take. It allowed me to have something left to give back to others. Taking care of oneself allows you to pull yourself back up into the world of the living.

And with self-care in your routine? Honey, you can take on the world!