I need to reset.
Hi guys. Some real talk for you today. I have been so overwhelmed the past two weeks with trying to keep up with daily posts and giveaways**, that I’ve been miserable & have been dreading blogging. Furthermore, the past few months I have really been going down the rabbit hole that is the comparison game. I have been freaking out about growing my instagram following and obsessively checking my social media statistics. I have been seeing these girls who post mirror selfies of their outfits and sell $5,000 worth of product and thinking what the heck is wrong with me?! Why I am not that successful?
You may even remember my instagram stories from Black Friday where I came on to openly say that on one of the days of the Black Friday week I actually made zero sales, and was feeling disheartened. Let me tell you; disheartened was the understatement of the century, I was an absolute wreck about it. Now, part of that is the understandable disappointment and fear that comes when something you do pour time into and do rely on for income doesn’t do well. But part of that, frankly a much bigger part of that, was just me comparing myself to “the big bloggers” and wondering why their outfit selfies sell more clothes than mine do
… Did I really just say that? Why do their outfit selfies sell more than mine? *barf*
I realized that yes, I love fashion and part of sharing that with all of you and pouring my time into this little corner of the internet does mean I want to see some financial return on investment, but that is not what LegalLee Blonde is all about. I will never be a fashion/income earning success like a Caitlin Coving or an Emily Ann Gemma; and that is okay. I won’t be that, because this was never meant to be a place just to showcase fashion and earn money that way. This was meant to be a place to inspire, encourage and help women. I want to inspire you to try new clothes for the office, to encourage you to stand-up for the promotions you deserve, and to help you decide what to do on your trip to Aruba/where to stay on your trip to New Orleans/where to eat in New York. I want this to be a place where you come for fashion inspiration, travel ideas & real-world experiences you can relate to.
I think, for the most part, I have done that. I’m really proud of the educational value of my post on why you’re taxed more, just for having a period. I’m really proud of the photos and the tips/tricks in my post on everything you need to know about Aruba’s flamingo island. … But while I am proud of the content I’ve been putting out here, I haven’t loved how I’ve been feeling. I haven’t loved spending hours scrolling facebook blogger groups on tips for increasing engagement/growing your following or running to the mall on a near daily basis to make sure I have enough new pieces on hand to create daily shopable outfits for instagram or the liketoknow.it app.
So. I am resetting my focus. I’m letting go of the comparison game. I am letting go of sharing outfits just to try to increase sales. To be clear, I don’t plan on changing LegalLee Blonde – it will still be a fashion blog with some real talk, travel and beauty content. What I won’t be doing is trying to “keep up with the Jones'” by sharing an outfit photo when I don’t have anything I really love just because “I have to”.
One thing that really prompted all of this is a blogger friend of mine (shout out to Candace!) talking about how she didn’t want to create posts of these collage gift guides we see everywhere. You know, the ones like “gifts for her” and “gifts for him” where the blogger’s goal (often) is just to get clicks to earn a commission. Candace mentioned she didn’t want this because it felt inauthentic and just “ICK”. … And I could not agree more. For the record, I’m not shaming any bloggers who do that – if what you are wanting to create/share is a ton of clothing items, sales, and just exclusively do that that is totally okay! But it feels inauthentic to who I am, and to what I want LegalLee Blonde to be. I actually felt that way going into the holiday season- that’s why I only created a few very curated gift guides, like gifts that give back and gifts to inspire young girls. I knew I only wanted to do those sort of gift guides, but wasn’t able to articulate why or understand exactly what it was I was feeling, until I heard Candace talking. Gifts that give back, and gifts that inspire young girls are things that are important to me and so doing those gift guides felt right.
I know this post is a bit of ramble; but I wanted to share it for two reasons: First, to let you guys in on how I’ve been feeling and what has been going on with me and LegalLee Blonde. Second, to get you guys thinking about your mindsets as well. You don’t have to be a blogger to get stuck comparing yourself to others and losing focus on what you want; it can happen in any career. Take some time to reflect on what is bothering you in your career; what goals you aren’t reaching, and then take time to make sure these really are your goals, and not just something you have got swept up into.
Rambling post over. I heart you all. See you back here on Monday for an outfit post that I am super excited to share because it is a dress that I love, that can be worn for a work day or a date night. Heck to the yes for a versatile dress! (side note, that really lame rhyme was entirely unintentional I swear lol).
**note on the giveaways: Taking this little break before day 12 has been so good; but rest assured I do still have one more day of “12 days of giveaways” for you. It will be on instagram and it will be up on December 19th at 8:00pm!
Ps. I did still want to share my Love Trumps Hate Tee because, hello, it’s freaking awesome:
Love the shirt, and love this post! I appreciate realness so much. Have a great day!!!
Thank you so much Kim! <3 Hope you have a great day as well!!
well thank god for this. i can’t believe what blogging is anymore. i am so glad you disgusted yourself with your own thought about why did she sell 5,000 worth and i didn’t. i was never a fashion blogger, but i did have a home blog for a few years. everything seems inauthentic now and everything is a lifestyle blog. i don’t click on gift guide posts precisely for the reason you shared. no one’s fooling me with your amazon posts or try on sessions, where you probably buy nothing but just look for the income. i can’t believe this is what blogging is, even fashion blogging. it should be about showing a creative outfit or helping someone think outside the box with how to wear colors or whatever. the goal shouldn’t be to get me to buy some item in your post, and then you think this makes you an “influencer.” don’t even get me started on that word. the blog hello katie girl is really great inspiration and eye opening combos, and is more about sharing that fashion, nay, STYLE, then selling or pitching something. refreshing.
b
Hi B,
Thanks for your comment!! I totally agree that the goal should be to share a creative outfit or help someone think outside the box fashion wise, and that’s definitely what I hope to do! One thing I disagree with though is the idea that it can’t be about the money at all. Blogging, as I’m sure you know from having a home blog, takes a ton of work. And if this is something you are putting time into and treating like a job then I think you should be compensated accordingly. I don’t want to shame anyone out there who is striving to make an income with their blog, and I hope this post of mine doesn’t come off that way. I am all for women (and men) designing the career they want and if that includes making money as a blogger than that is amazing. I definitely don’t intend to stop making money off my blog, and in fact have a goal of increasing my revenue each month this year. I just think it’s about finding a balance of not creating content ‘just for the sake of creating content’, but still earning an income. For example that Hello Katie Girl you just shared- I just went to her blog (love her style by the way – so cute and retro) let’s be REAL she’s not out there pouring her heart and her time into a post without the goal of making money. Her latest post has an affiliate link right there in the FIRST SENTENCE. Fashion bloggers definitely should focus on inspiring people and sharing outfit ideas; but there is nothing wrong with earning an income from this. If someone likes a skirt I share, or a lipstick I’m wearing and are inspired to buy it because they saw it here, there is no reason I shouldn’t make a commission and be compensated for that. Just my two cents! <3
Thank you so much for posting this. It was super refreshing for you to be so real. I also love your shirt.
Thanks so much Megan <3
Sometimes we just need to take a step back and refocus so that we can stay in our lane. The comparison game is real but we are all our own unique people with different perspectives and that’s what so great about blogging.
So well said!!
I loved reading your two cents and I truly believe that comparison is a thief of joy!! I think you are doing an awesome job and I love that you pour your heart into it!
Kileen
cute & little
Thank you so much Kileen! <3
I find that what works for someone else almost never works for me, so I focus on myself and create my own thing and I feel much happier for that!
Such a healthy perspective!
I HAVE MANY BLOGGER FRIENDS and I hear this a lot. It is a tough game but I really am glad you are going to look after you and your mindset. I am a firm believer in “Do what makes you happy” At least someone is happy. Nothing good ever came from an unhappy person. Bravo to you. I am also a firm believer in “get a cat it will solve all your problems 🙂 (I have 6 and smile all day long)
You’re so right nothing good comes from being unhappy. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment and share your thoughts – and haha I love that cat solution! I’ve actually been really wanting a cat or dog; but I need more stability in my schedule first!
Girl I feel you! I feel the comparison game so much lately. It’s so good to rechanrge over the holidays and refocus. Enjoy this time off!
It’s so brutal right?! We all need to collectively just forget about the damn algorithm and get back to enjoying the content we create. Hope you have the best holidays babe!<3
I have thought these exact same thoughts and I know most of us get frustrated with the difficulty of growth on IG these days. I’m trying to adopt a similar focus and trying to care LESS about Instagram and keep the main focus on my blog. We all have something to offer and need to do it because we LOVE it, not because we have to 🙂
Such great advice- focusing more on the blog and less on IG. I think that will help me stay in this more positive mindset.
Haha, I think that sometimes too! The most ,,stupid,,picture on IG het so many likes! Why?? Why nog me?? Haha, refreshing post!
Thank you so much!! 😀
I so needed to read this post because I have been feeling like I need a reset myself. This year it was sooo hard for me to get motivated to do gift guides but I felt like I had to because that’s what’s expected and if I don’t am I leaving $$$ out on the table. Thanks for sharing your feelings. It’s nice to know I’m not alone in sharing some of these feelings!
xo, Laura
Aw I SO get it girl – I have heard that now from so many blogger friends- that we’re getting caught up in what were “supposed to do” and loosing sight of creating the content we want to create; whatever that might be.
Comparison can really bring you down and just stop a great thing from becoming! This is truly a great post!
Thank you so much Anna <3