Why I Blog | One Year Blogging Anniversary

Hey guys! I have a hopefully inspirational post planned for the very special day that is (drumroll) my one year blogging anniversary! I'm going to be talking about an Emma Watson quote (I bet you can't guess what it is haha) and why I blog. I am proud of this little baby (my blog) that I have created, I have put my entire being into it, I hope you like it too.

I started out blogging for no exciting reason, I saw other people doing blogging and YouTube and literally just thought "oh, that might be fun". I blog for many reasons a year later but here's the main one is that I have something to say. In the "real" world (to me blogging is real but I needed to get my point across), some (okay, most people older than me) people don't hear or choose to ignore what I'm saying. Maybe it's because they think "she's just a teen that thinks they know better than everybody else". I love knowledge and I want to learn from the generations before me but I want this respect to be returned. Those generations have taught me a lot and this generation has something to teach too. On my blog, people read what I have to say and reflect on it (that's my impression, I'm going by the comments you publish and the emails you send to me) instead of ignoring everything I say because I'm young. The quote in the picture above is from Emma Watson (one of the best people of all time) and it really inspires me to blog about what I know. Everybody has something important to tell the world that will change lives. I recommend you tell the world what you have to say before it's too late. We CAN and WILL change the world and I'm gonna do it through blogging - how about you?

Thank you very much for reading this blog post, today means a lot to me. I hope you have been inspired to make your mark on the world. Even though this blog post isn't going to solve all of the world's problems, I believe that you and me and everybody else reading this, can make a small difference in this world.

I feel like, as it's my one year blogging anniversary, I can ask you if you would like to follow my blog on Bloglovin'. I recently joined so I want to tell, how else are you going to find out haha!

xxx

Catherine

Male Feminists | Let's Talk About Feminism

All subjects talked about in this post are not meant to offend anybody. If I have offended you or if you disagree with me, comment on this post or alternatively, send me an email here. I would love to hear you opinions.

Hey guys! It's been a while since I last talked to you all and I apologise for that, thank you for your patience. As I said in my first Let's Talk About Feminism post, the second installment of the series is going to be about male feminists. Both of these topics are things something I am very passionate about, it is one of the stupidest myths about feminism and I really want to talk about the misconception. 

First of all, let's get things straight - males CAN be feminists. As I talked about in the first post in this series, feminism is the will for gender equality. That's it. Men are allowed to want equality, men are allowed for fight for equal rights, men can be feminists. Saying that men can't be feminists for the sole reason that they are men, is going against everything feminism stands for. Men and women have the equal right to fight for equality.

Another thing I wanted to talk about is the feeling of men being less manly if they are feminists. No, men are still men if they believe in equality... I think this came around because of the most common myth about feminism - "feminists are angry women that think they are better than men". This isn't true in any way of course. I think that once that first myth is cleared up, everything else will fall into place. My suggestion to men, if it comes up in conversation, is to say that you believe in equality, this will get your message across until the true meaning of feminism is known to everybody.

So if you are a man, you should be proud to call yourself a feminist among the people that know the true meaning of feminism and a person who wishes and fights for gender equality among those people that don't. If you are a woman, embrace the feminism for the other gender, they are going to help us win this fight for gender equality.

I hope you have enjoyed this post, I know that is just a drop in the ocean in this fight for gender equality but I want to help in anyway I can. If there is anything about feminism you are unsure of, email me here and I will do my very best to help you out. Have a lovely day and I will talk to you all very soon!

xxx

Catherine

The Truth About Reaching Out To Bloggers

Hey guys! I have had such an amazing time collaborating with seven of you lovelies in Q&A Week and I have learnt so much about collaborating. I want to share my knowledge on this subject with you all, if you have never collaborated with somebody, I know exactly how you feel. It's scary. Hopefully this list will make you feel a bit more confident when reaching out to other bloggers.

1. They are real people

One of the most important things to remember when reaching out to other bloggers is that they are people too. They won't try to hurt your feelings, they have feelings too. You are allowed to be scared of talking to them but it helps if you try to view these bloggers as people instead of professional monsters!

2. The worst thing they can say is no (which isn't likely)

(I just want to say that it is pretty unlikely that the blogger will say no, especially with if you have connected with each other in the past, even if that just means reading each other's posts.) Okay, worst case scenario - they say no. If they are going to say no, they will probably do so graciously, like I said before they are people with feelings! If this blogger says no, you might be a little upset, but you pick yourself up and you try again with another blogger and you have a great time.

3. Don't be scared of 'big' bloggers
I have a blogging friend called Lou from Lou's World (she's amazing, check her out), she has about ten times as many pageviews as I do, but for us, that's not a problem. I reached out to her, she reached out to me. It really always comes back to number one, these bloggers are people, if they like your work, pageviews shouldn't matter all that much. If they say no, and you can tell it's because they can't gain anything from you, it's not even worth collaborating with them. A collaboration should be fun, the sole purpose should NEVER be to gain pageviews.

4. You might make a friend
I have made so many blogging friends through Q&A Week, it's wonderful that we can talk on different sides of the world and be great friends. I have definitely sent and received emails that might not be entirely about the collaboration, we are talking as real friends, emailing each other about life. If you collaborate with somebody, you are going to get a wonderful post and possibly a real friend. Don't be scared of what could go wrong, give it a go!

So there are just a few of the things I have learnt in this giant collaboration project called Q&A Week, the most important thing to remember is to give collaborating a go, you won't regret it.

xxx

Catherine

Q&A with Accidentally Jade | Q&A Week

Hey guys! Today is the last day of Q&A Week and I am interviewing Jade from the amazing blog Accidentally Jade, she is an amazing person and that really shines through her posts which is so important. I had so much fun working with Jade, here is the collab!

1. Why do you blog?

I like blogging because it brings me an inexplicable happiness and release. It is really hard to explain but writing about something that I care about, regardless of the feedback I receive from the public, is something that makes me feel proud afterwards.

I also like to blog because ever since I was little I have been someone who loves to be the center of attention. I know it sounds slightly bad and conceited but I will admit it wholeheartedly. I don’t necessarily think it’s a bad thing and I usually do it without even thinking about it by always asking probing questions in conversations, trying to relate to anyone I talk to and cracking jokes. Due to this I hate the feeling that I am not making my mark on the world. Blogging allows me to feel like I can state my opinion, talk about what I care about and make connections to anyone who will listen. 

2. Is there anything you would change about your blogging experience? What would it be?

There really isn’t too much, for the most part I am very happy with my blogging experience. The online community has proven to be very friendly and supportive and I am SO grateful to be apart of it.

I do wish I could expand the amount of blogs I read and connect with. So far I have done so by joining Beau Bloggers -- an online community of bloggers who share their newest posts. There is an endless amount of interesting blog posts and bloggers in this group, and the support has been truly astounding. 

3. What is something about blogging that you struggle with?

I wish I had more creative ideas and time that would allow me to write more. I want to feel that fulfillment I get from blogging more often however sometimes when I feel I have nothing exciting to write about I lose motivation to write.

With that comes issues with confidence which I know everyone likely struggles with to some degree. Since I did share my blog publicly on my social media however it does not impact my confidence at all which I am quite proud of, if anything it allows me to take pride in my writing more and strive to make better posts.

4. What do you think is the best thing about blogging?

The community. It overjoys me to see groups of people coming together over an activity they find pride and happiness in. I also love the diversity of bloggers- people from all walks of life, ages, countries, and mindsets sharing what they believe and offering different perspectives. It provides me with a more worldly view that allows me to continuously learn and grow.

5. Do you have any advice for new bloggers?

If you are new to blogging my biggest advice to you is to be yourself. I will be the first to admit in the beginning I was not and it is completely natural to struggle to open up and be truly you. Do not try to mimic someone else’s style of writing, posts or personality. Sure it is okay to experiment blogging styles and posts until you find your flow, which is easier said than done. Sometimes I feel like I still haven’t found mine, but I am getting there :). It is so much more satisfying when you create a great post that is purely and completely you. And why would anyone want to read a knock off version of someone else when they can have a brand name shiny and new version of themselves? So don’t waste your time striving to match up with someone else’s flow, go on that journey yourself, there is so much to learn along the way. 

6. What is your favourite type of blog post to write?

Lately I have been really into posting about the recipes I am trying but I also really posts where I review various items I own. I have this knack for I guess, describing things that I am really proud of. I also tend to get really good feedback on those posts. I think this is because the consumer lifestyle is DEFINITELY for me (in other words I really LOVE to shop), or maybe because those are just my favourite posts to read. Probably a bit of both :)

7. What are your hopes for your blog in five years time?

I don’t want to expect too much. By then I hope I will have a constant posting schedule and I hope to be making much higher quality posts. Being in university I am constantly learning how to refine my writing and how to best represent the subject at hand. In 5 years I will be graduated so I should be much better by then!

I also hope to have all those tricks and gadgets that go along with having a fancy blog full of bells and whistles figured out..so seriously if anyone has any tips on how to do any of that PLEASE LET ME KNOW

I hope you all enjoyed getting to Jade better through these questions. As I said before, I had so much fun working with Jade and I'm looking forward to many more collabs with her in the future!

xxx

Catherine

Q&A With Writing | Q&A Week

Hey guys! Today I have the honour of sharing with you the interview I did with Harel Ziv from the wonderful blog Writing and her equally amazing YouTube channel, she is a lovely person and that really shines through in her posts and videos which I love! I hope you enjoy getting to know Harel a bit better, here is the Q&A.

1. Why do you blog?

I blog because doing so allows me to get all my thoughts out onto one open, judgment free space. Because it is my creation, I have the freedom to write what ever my heart desires. It’s nice to be able to free my mind of negative thoughts, or ask readers for advice. In turn, I also like giving others advice, and it’s always fun to interact with people who read what I have to say. In a nutshell, I blog because it’s easier for me to write out my thoughts rather than talk them out. 

2. What is your favourite thing about blogging?

My favorite thing about blogging is having the choice to write about whatever I want, any topic that pops into my head. I also like to customize my blog and change up its appearance.

3. What is the hardest thing about blogging for you?

The hardest thing about blogging is lack of inspiration. Sometimes I’ll have flows of ideas and get really excited because I want to get it all out and onto a document. But, other times, I will be stuck for days on end. I won’t have the motivation to write. But, when inspiration strikes, it’s the best feeling.

4. What's your favourite type of blog post to write?

I would have to say my favorite type of post to write is personal posts. When I say personal posts, I don’t necessarily mean specific personal stories, but things I’ve gone through that I think others have as well. I love seeing comments from people with kind words, personal experiences, and advice. I also like writing posts about a specific day and the events that went on during that day. I include pictures I’ve taken so I can go back and remember good times.

5. If you could change anything about your blogging experience, what would it be?

I wouldn’t :)

6. What advice would you give to new bloggers?

To anyone who aspires to blog, make sure to stick with it! If you love to write, just do it. Don’t write with any expectation, write with love and passion.

7. Where do you see your blog in 5 years?

In 5 years, I see my blog as a developed site that is aesthetically pleasing and a place people can go to when they want to laugh, smile, seek advice, seek support, and just a place I can look at to make me happy. Writing makes me happy, and as long as that is still true, my blog will make me happy as well.

I really enjoyed working with Harel and getting to know her better through this Q&A and I hope you did too! Definitely check Harel's blog and YouTube channel out if you haven't already, it's so worth it! Sadly tomorrow is the last day of Q&A Week, maybe this will become an annual thing!

xxx

Catherine

Q&A with GingerSnapHattie | Q&A Week

Hey guys! Today I have the honour of sharing with you the interview I did with my lovely friend GingerSnapHattie. I absolutely love her blog, her passion and talent for writing really shine through! I hope you guys love reading this Q&A as much as I enjoyed putting it together!

1. Why do you blog?

Blogging is something that has kind of exploded in recent years, it seems like everyone wants a piece of it, be that for fame, money, friends or simply getting people to hear you. For me it’s like a modern day take on journaling, except the journal can talk back with a million different voices. How amazing is it that we can all

find a little corner to talk about our interests? There is a blog out there for everyone, I love that, so I guess that’s why I blog. Why not be a part of such a fab community?

2. What is the best thing that has come out of blogging for you?

There are so many things, the basics like improving my writing, photo composition and general internety-techincally type skills blah blah blah. There are also lots of good things I didn’t expect, I have made friends, people have started to read my posts regularly and I now feel like I’m not just blogging for me. My number one favourite would have to be meeting people though, it takes me out of my own little

world. Writing is very cathartic, top stress relief really!

3. What is your favourite thing about blogging?

I love that moment when you see something or try something and think “wow, I must take pictures and talk about this, people need to know”. You never know who might stumble upon your page and find just what they were searching for, sharing is helping and that is what motivates me.

4. What do you think is the hardest thing about running a blog?

Different people will struggle with different elements, it’s very subjective. Aside from not always having a clue about coding (but I am getting there I promise), it’s hard to keep it light sometimes. The world can be a very temperamental place, especially at the moment, you see something on the news and it makes you so angry that you instantly feel the urge to stick your oar in too. However, the internet has enough negativity as it is and I want my blog to be a place of safety and be reliably positive.

5. Would you change anything about your blogging experience if you could? What would it be?

Ooh, this a very controversial question! I like it haha. Blogging, like any other life experience, is a bit of journey into the dark! If I changed it, things might not have turned out the way they did, so no, I don’t think I would change it. You have to take the good with the bad, plus I might not have made friends like Catherine so I would be daft to change the past.

6. What is your favourite type of blog post to write?

I honestly don’t think I have a favourite…I guess of all the things I write about reading is my favourite thing to do, but then I love to try new products and go to new places and to cook…oh dear, basically I love everything. If it’s on the blog that means it is probably a much loved activity.

7. What advice would you give to new bloggers?

Advice that I might have needed is that you just need to chill out and roll with it. Stop panicking about not knowing what to write. Don’t worry if your page isn’t as whizzy as you want it to be, those kind of skills will come with time. Don’t stress about how people will react to your posts, the vast majority of people are good and your posts will get a 99.9% positive response! Ignore the bad and focus on the good. Who cares

how often you blog or what you write about, make yourself happy!

I hope you enjoyed that Q&A, definitely check GingerSnapHattie's blog out if you haven't already because it's simply wonderful! This collab is something I will hold very close to my heart because I gained a friend in the makings of this post and that feels amazing!

xxx

Catherine

Q&A with The Art Of Being Invisible | Q&A Week

Hey guys! I'm so happy to be sharing with you the Q&A I did with Erin from The Art of Being Invisible! She is such a lovely person with an amazing ability to write. Erin is actually taking a little break from her blog due to personal issues but she has told me that she is doing her best to return so definitely check out her previous posts! Without further ado, here is the Q&A I did with Erin, I hope you enjoy it!

1. Why do you blog?

When I first started blogging, it was because I wanted to make YouTube videos but didn't feel completely confident in doing that. I decided that having a blog was the next best thing. But now it's changed a little and I blog because for me it's a place where I can talk about whatever I want, whenever I want. I can discuss things that I like and what goes on in my life which outside of my blog I can't always do.

2. If you could change one thing about your blogging experience, what would it be?

I guess I would change the fact that my blog is mostly anonymous. I'd like to be open with who I am and share pictures but I have always had this fear (which I talk about all the time) that someone I know from the non internet world will find my blog and read it. I'd like to change this because I do think the whole blogging experience would be different if I weren't so afraid and I think it would improve my blog.

3. Do you have any advice for new bloggers?

Everyone says this but my advice would be to just start writing. Write what ever is on your mind and write it whenever you like. Don't try to stick to a schedule straight away because you need to get used to what you're writing without limits. And don't just write what everyone else is writing or talking about just because you think they'll enjoy it more because it can get boring.

4. What is the best thing to come out of blogging for you?

That's definitely the other blogs and bloggers I've found. I love reading what other people write and blogging myself has meant I can see that even more. Joining Beau Bloggers has helped and it's great to get support from there and to support the people from there.

5. What do you think is the hardest thing about running a blog?

For me the hardest part of running a blog is finding the motivation to post. I've had so many weeks were I planned to write but just couldn't sit down and do it which is why I've had a few phases where I didn't post for months. But so far, I've always come back.

6. What are you favourite types of blog posts to write?

Probably lifestyle posts where I talk about what I've been doing or how I've been feeling. They're the most honest and easy to write. Although I have also enjoyed writing three posts (more soon) of mine about people who inspire me because they're the ones which make me feel creative.

7. What the best thing about blogging in your opinion?

I think the best thing about blogging is when you get comments on a post you've published. Not because it means views or that you're becoming 'popular'. But because someone out there in the real world had a real human thought about something you've written and they've decided to share it. It only takes a minute or two but for me, the fact that someone (even if it's just one person) actually felt any kind of emotion towards what I've written that's made them comment it's amazing.

I hope you have enjoyed getting to know Erin a bit better, she is such a nice person and I hope that you check out her blog, it's wonderful! Thank you very much for reading and I will talk to you all tomorrow with another special guest!

xxx

Catherine

Q&A with Rainbow-Rose Blossom | Q&A Week

Hey guys! I feel so blessed to be able to finally share this post with you! For Day 2 of Q&A Week I have collaborated with an old blogging friend of mine called Rainbow-Rose Blossom - the best blogger with colourful hair. She was probably my very first blogging friend and I really learnt what the blogging community is because of her and I'm forever grateful. Rainbow's blog and YouTube channel are so inspirational, encouraging, colourful and happy, I honestly recommend then to everybody.

1. Why do you blog?

To share my knowledge, wisdom and inspiration to help others to heal, become better versions of themselves and to own who they are.

2. What do you think is the best thing about blogging?

Being able to help and inspire others, what that gives to people is priceless and something I'm so incredibly passionate about. I also love learning and gaining knowledge from other bloggers, it's such a beautiful experience.

3. What is the hardest thing about blogging in your opinion?

Navigating how things work and building an audience, I'm not a computer whiz so it is most definitely a learning curve and also when I start I had no idea how to build an audience.

4. Is there anything that you would change about your blogging experience if you could? What would it be?

Learning how to build an audience sooner. Besides posting on my blogging Facebook page I had no clue how to gain an audience so for the most part I talked to myself for about a year and a half with some family and friends reading.

5. How has blogging helped you grow as a person?

It's helped me grow my creative side even more and it's also opened me up to meeting other people doing similar things, it's like a whole other world of creativity and passion.

6. What are you favourite posts to write?

Inspirational and motivational pieces that are short and sweet and help others in some way.

7. Where do you see your blog in 5 years time?

I would like it to remain a place of inspiration and motivation but I would like to build my audience more and have it more interactive.

I hope you have enjoyed getting to know Rainbow-Rose better! Definitely go check our Rainbow's blog and YouTube channel, I can assure you that there will be something for you.

xxx

Catherine

Q&A with Elise Brown | Q&A Week

Hey guys! I'm super happy that Q&A Week has officially started! To kick it off, I collaborated with my great friend Elise who runs I Can't Think Help. I have literally been reading Elise's blog from Day 1 and I have loved every single one of Elise's posts. She is such a lovely, supportive person and I really do think that there is something for everybody on Elise's blog.

1. Why do you blog?

I've never thought about this really- I guess it's just because I enjoy it! I love spilling my thoughts in any form: my friends aren't really good for that sort of thing and although I do sometimes write my thoughts down or type them up or something it's nice to have people talk about them and show that I'm not alone in certain situations! I guess I blog just because I like telling people about what I do, or what I'm thinking and hearing their opinions on it.

2. What is the best thing to come out of blogging for you so far?

I think that's definitely the friends I have made! I can definitely say I have made new friends since I have started blogging and I absolutely love that!

3. What do you think is the hardest thing about being a blogger?

That's probably the creativity you have to have. I do like to think that I am a pretty creative person, but it only comes in bursts. When I have these bursts I tend to think or write four or five blog posts at once but other times when I want to write a post I feel bone dry and I have no ideas.

4. How has blogging changed your everyday life?

I'm not really sure I can say 'how' it has changed my life, but it definitely has. Now everyday I read blogs and whilst I used to read blogs before I now fully realise just how much effort people put into their blogs and I respect bloggers a lot more. Also, I think my attitudes have changed, some blogs I have read have made me realise certain things like how I was acting to certain things in maybe the wrong way and I needed to change that- it's great!

5. If you could change anything about your blogging experience what would it be?

I don't think I would change anything to be honest! I love my blog and nothing has really gone 'wrong' for me. I guess if I had to say anything I would probably have started sooner because I have wanted to blog for a long time but I never got round to it. However I don't actually think I was ready before. I've been through a lot of things and I think when I started blogging I had calmed down a lot from that and I do think it was a good time to start!

6. How much time do you spend on your blog per week and what exactly are you doing during this time?

Oh gosh, that's a hard one. I have no idea how much time I spend... Probably at least 3 hours a week I would guess, but it's probably more than that... During that time I usually write posts and whilst a lot of them don't make it to being posted I do write a lot of them. I also spend a lot of time tweaking little bits to the layout of my blog- like if I'm not happy with a certain colour or the spacings... I spend a lot of time doing that!

7. What were your initial thoughts on blogging?

If you mean when I first started, then I loved it! From the moment I wrote my first post I was addicted! And I still am! If you mean when I first found out about it then I would still have to say I loved it! For quite a while I loved reading blogs- mainly the popular ones like Zoella and Sprinkle Of Glitter etc- but I never thought I would be cut out for writing my own blog. Them I started to really want to have a go at doing it myself and after getting in touch with a blogger I started and I loved it! I love it I love it I love it!

I hope that you have enjoyed getting to know Elise better, I know I did! Go check out Elise's blog if you haven't already, it's definitely worth it!

xxx

Catherine