Hi beauty lovers,
So, I took a selfie the other day, noticed all my blogging equipment in the background and thought, “I hope I can do this as a career.” It made me reminisce on the day I decided to publish my first YouTube video. Fast forward three years later and here we are! Still blogging strong… When you get off your parents teet and have bills and real shit to deal with, you start to live the life that’s there instead of living the life you love. I was getting frustrated and tired of doing all this work without reaping rewards. I was starting to forget the whole reason I began my blogging journey and started to focus on free makeup and paid ads.
Yet, what I am failing to realize is that I am passionate about something! In life, we get so caught up in the mundane daily tasks and forget the hobbies and passions that make our days better. I have progressed with my makeup (a.k.a. contouring and eyebrows) but there is always more to learn. We often try to jump from grasshopper to master without really going through the struggle, and there is always a beauty in the struggle; it makes for a better story. In these past three years, I have upgraded my video quality, purchased a domain, upgraded my website and worked on my freelance kit! How easy it is to look past all of these accomplishments when there isn’t a check attached to it. The purpose of this post is to encourage anyone out there who is thinking of starting a blog to do so – yes it will take time, yes it will take energy and no one will know or care about your posts until you put yourself out there. So why do it, you ask – blogging is a beautiful thing; no one can tell you how to feel, write or express your thoughts. This is the perfect way to give your opinion while being artistic and creative.
For me, a typical week starts with planning – I love the brand Day Designer because their yearly planners are so detailed, it keeps me sane. It gives you weekly quotes, reminders, a section for goals, overall daily tasks, nightly tasks and yearly tasks. My biggest advice to any future blogger is to plan with the possibility of change in mind. For example, you can schedule to film on Monday but in case of an emergency, check what other days you’ll be free that week for a potential filming day, and mark it down. This is important because planning blog posts, filming days, and social media content will keep you consistent. This is huge – think of it this way: when you see something constantly, you become aware of it. Right? So when you are consistent, that promotes awareness for future followers and brands. Then all you have to do is follow through with the plan, be consistent, be patient, and the rest will come. (example of the Day Designer planner.)
My next goal is to upgrade my camera. It’s a toss-up between Canon and Nikon. Then, I need to upgrade my filming lights and learn some new techniques and content for my YouTube channel. Don’t get me wrong – start with whatever you have first, don’t go out and spend a bunch of money or credit; it’s not necessary. When I started, I used my iPad and a living room light. I slowly progressed – I currently use the Mac Book Pro 13” and a ring light from The Salon Outlet, but I didn’t get that until two years later – so don’t sweat it! Trust me, there is no right or wrong with this; just be passionate and try to do as much research as possible to better your brand. I would suggest following Cara Van Brocklin’s blog and Alexandra Garza or RositaApplebum on YouTube for great blogger tips! They have personally helped me with research and tips on how to become a better vlogger and blogger – they shared all their secrets. I don’t want to ramble much longer, so I’ll leave you guys with these tips:
- Be patient and keep learning
- Research is your friend
- Be prepared to invest in a lot of products and equipment
- Stay consistent and hungry (passionate – lol but snacks are accepted)
- Always look forward and learn to love planning
- Purchase a planner or calendar
- Don’t get discouraged if your follower numbers aren’t high at first
- Remember why you started
Good Luck to all bloggers!
Until next time,
xoxo
Author: Maria Muekalia
Email: [email protected]
Author Bio: Hi beauties, my name is Maria Muekalia and I’m a beauty blogger from Virginia. I have been obsessed with makeup for a while, but wanted to get serious! Feel free to find me on social media for beauty tips, blogs, and fashion! Please leave any comments or feedback, I love to chat with makeup junkies such as myself! Follow me on social media to get a glimpse into my world – @Liz_beautymua
Link to social media or website: https://www.instagram.com/Liz_beautymua/
