Four Things You Should Know About Lifestyle Blogging

I like to try and be as transparent as I can here on the blog, so today I wanted to share some of the things that go on behind the blogging scenes. Everyone knows that social media can make us feel inadequate, like we're missing out, or like we need to spend tons of money on vacations, clothes, houses, etc. I personally love bloggers who are honest with their readers. It definitely makes them more relatable. 

1. Even for a small blog, I get a lot of emails requesting sponsored posts, product reviews, and hosting banner ads. If you're a regular reader, you probably know that I'm not at the point where I do tons of posts like this, so when a fun opportunity comes along I jump at it. But for every email that excites me, there are ten that make me roll my eyes. Yes, I would love to make money from this space and all of the work I put into it, but I'm not going to do that with a brand or product that I don't feel is authentic to My Inner Fabulous. 

2. Speaking of branding, my friends and family know that being "on brand" is a thing for me. If you follow me on Instagram, then you've probably realized I don't post a ton of personal pictures, it's mostly outfits, or scenes that are styled just for a picture. While I do like to share personal things here, because I want you to get to know me, I predominantly post about fashion and style. That's "my brand." So I try to be consistent and stick to that brand across all platforms (except Snapchat, but that's a whole other story). That's where the whole social-media-is-not-reality thing comes into play. There are a ton of things that go on in my life that happen off-line. I always need to remind myself of that when I see other people's perfectly curated lives on Instagram.

3. I often get dressed up just to take pictures and then go back and put my cozies on. This is something that I like to be upfront about, however, I have worn most of my outfits IRL at some point. It may have just been earlier in the week, but then it got dark early and I didn't have time to take pictures that day. I do try to keep my outfits pretty "normal" and relatable. I'm not wearing couture, or ballgowns, but sometimes I will photograph an outfit with heels because it looks more flattering, but in actuality I wore flats. 

4. I feel pressured to do more and be better when it comes to the blog. I try to post on Instagram every day, but that doesn't always happen. Life gets in the way, or there wasn't anything interesting going on in my life, etc. I'm sure you wouldn't even notice if I miss a day on Insta, but I feel like I should have done more, and should have been better. It's so easy to make comparisons and feel like you're behind. I started this blog for fun three years ago, and I want it to remain fun for me. Yes, I would love to grow this blog, but I ultimately want to keep enjoying it. So while I do love to post three times a week, you'll have to forgive me if I slack sometimes, because it's for my sanity!

Let me know if there's anything else you'd like to know about! I'm an open book ;)

xo Catherine