Hi everyone! I’m back! These past two weeks have been a rollercoaster catching up with friends and family, getting in plenty of workouts, my grandma being hospitalized for a few days-she’s okay now thank God-working, testing out products, and watching a couple of seasons of Parks and Recreation. It’s literally, one of my favorite shows at the moment.  If you’re a fan of the show, you’ll understand this reference. 😉  Also, I am now stephieestie.com which will hopefully make it easier for people to follow me.  Super excited about this!

While it was great taking a much deserved break, I must say it’s nice to be back into the swing of things which brings me to today’s post.  This moment away from blogging and a post written by Karen from Confetti and Curves (hi Karen!) made me reflect on 6 things I’ve learned so far about being a blogger.

Support Group

One of the biggest surprises I’ve encountered as a blogger is the immense encouragement and support from fellow bloggers, readers and family.  They are people from all over the world who are willing to lend a hand when you need help whether it’s  a technical issue, their honest thoughts on new products or accepting to work with you on a collaborative post.  Absolutely incredible.

New Ventures + Consistency

Starting a blog teaches you to reach out into an unknown world, forcing you to step out of your comfort zone which is a necessary facet to grow as an individual.  Luckily, as stated in the aforementioned section, there’s a great support group of people.  Blogging also teaches you that with consistency, patience and hard work, your little corner on the web starts to grow and opportunities you never thought of begin to present themselves.

Creativity + Vocabulary Skills

I’m constantly thinking of what could be a new blog post or what places would be best to capture the essence of a post and I really enjoy this.  With everything I read and learn, I get excited to share this information with all of you.  Having a background in writing, I’m used to making good use of the thesaurus and blogging is no different.  It’s a handy tool to have when you’re looking for ways to describe products not to mention an excellent way to build up your vocabulary skills.

Sharing the same interests…and fears

The most obvious aspect of course is that regardless of your interests, you’ll find people who share the same passion on the same subject as you.  As a beauty blogger, this means I can share my excitement about the latest beauty launches without that blank stare of indifference I normally get.  You also get to understand that the fears that plague you are also shared by fellow bloggers.  From something as small as hating the sound of your voice to insecurity, we’re all scared of something yet you’ll find that you begin to slowly overcome those fears or at the very least know that you’re not alone.

Picture Perfect

As a beauty blogger, showcasing pictures of products and swatches is vital and you really come to appreciate the art that is photography.  Now, while I will never be a professional photographer, I have paid attention to and learned different aspects about photography including product placement, lighting, editing, etc.

Can any of you relate to this?  Let me know in the comments below!

Stephanie