How has it already been 1 year?! I started this blog not knowing where it would take me, but it has lead me to so many cool opportunities and it has given me a chance to practice a skill set that I haven’t really used before.

Blogging is way more than just taking a cute picture and posting a caption with a ✨ at the end. It really can be a full time job planning out shoots, talking with brands, making graphics and finding links all while staying consistent and looking cute of course.

While I have so much to learn about this industry, I have learned a lot about it in a short amount of time. To narrow it down, I have come up with a list of the top 5 things I learned from being a blogger this past year!

1. Good Things Take Time – This is in all aspects of life really. Whether it is trying to get the perfect shot or waiting for a brand to email you back or growing your account, it all takes time and patience is really an essence. It can be so discouraging if you don’t see results right away. I’ve had moments where I’ve thought about giving up on blogging, but then a new opportunity comes up or something positive happens and it pulls me back in. It all takes time.
2. Start Somewhere – I always had a vision about what dontstoplovin.com would look like and seeing it come to life right before my eyes was quite amazing. I knew I had to just go for it because I had nothing to lose. I didn’t really know where to start and thankfully I have a close friend who has a blog and she gave me some pointers along the way (thanks Bec!) It can be so overwhelming setting the site up, but once you mess around with it and find your groove, it eventually falls into place.
3. Accept Constructive Criticism – My sister (who is also my photographer) is so hard on me and criticizes me ALL THE TIME, but I honestly love her for it. She is making me a better content creator and she really pushes me to be the best I can be. I truly trust her judgement and she gives me long term goals to think about that gets me excited for the future. I really like this quote: don’t accept criticism from someone you wouldn’t trade lives with. It has really resonated with me and has changed my mentality on receiving advice.
4. It’s Okay to Fail, But Always Try Again – Sometimes a photoshoot doesn’t go as planned and the photos don’t turn out good. Or a brand tells you no and to ask again later. While this may be negative at first, see it as a door of opportunity. The second time around, you will be more prepared and plan for mistakes or mishaps. Don’t give up on something you are truly passionate about. We are all learning and growing.
5. BE YOURSELF – This is by far the most important one that will carry with you for the rest of your life. It’s okay not to be the super trendy girl or try to fit in with everyone. I really love this quote too: Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind. It means that the people that mean the most to you are always going to support you for being you. Those who mind when you voice what you think and feel and are negative about it should not matter to you at all. Those aren’t your true friends and you should not surround yourself by people that make you feel bad about yourself. Find your people, find your supporters, but most importantly, find yourself and stick to it.

Thank you so much for making it this far! I cannot wait to see what the future hold for this little corner of the internet. Thanks for reading 😊