Showing posts with label lifestyle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lifestyle. Show all posts

GREYHOUND AT CORFE CASTLE REVIEW

Saturday

AD: PR Visit - This experience was gifted in exchange for a review but all opinions are my own.

This week I had the pleasure of visiting the Greyhound at Corfe in Dorset with my friend and partner in crime, Maddie. The Greyhound is a stunning old English pub right next to Corfe Castle, which of course meant there were stunning views in their pub garden area. We had originally booked to sit inside but the garden just looked so nice that we requested to sit out there with the sun shining too. There were also some really cute dogs so that was a plus!


Crab Tien at Greyhound Corfe Dorset


Upon arrival we were greeted by the most lovely staff that just couldn't do enough for us, they were very attentive and chatty - I wish I caught their names now but we were served by a lot of people so I safely assume that they are all as friendly as each other.


Maddie and I both ordered the same thing which was nice, nobody got food envy. For a starter, we had the Dorset Crab Tien (when in Rome). It was really nicely presented and tasted amazing too!


After that, we had the beef and chorizo burger for a main accompanied with halloumi fries on the side. It was a mega burger, you definitely won't be leaving hungry if you order it. The halloumi fries were 10/10 although, I did wish there was a few more of them. 


Beef and chorizo burger greyhound corfe dorset

Related: Places you need to visit in Dorset

We only had soft drinks but were very envious looking around at some of the cocktails, maybe next time.


If you are in Dorset or want to go then I'd definitely recommend visiting Corfe and the Greyhound. It's such a picturesque, historical village and did you know it's home to the smallest town hall in England? The Greyhound is such a lovely way to top off a great day out in Corfe.


Garden seating area greyhound corfe dorset


I would definitely visit the Greyhound again, it's pub garden area is one of my favourites ever and the food and staff are both great.


Where have you been for food lately that you really enjoyed?

Related: A day at Sculpture by the Lakes in Dorset

MEET MY JUNE ADVERTISERS

Wednesday

AD - This post features advertisers on my blog. If you would like to advertise with me in the future, then send me an email at woolofthekingblog@gmail.com or DM me on social media.

I can't believe it's June already! I am so excited for warmer weather, and I have finished university now too. Now that I don't have to spend all of my time doing assignments anymore, I will hopefully be able to spend more time on my blog and also reading some more of your blogs.

Speaking of your blogs, I am so delighted to share the following bloggers with you. Since I started my advertising service on my blog, I have featured some really great blogs and I always love reading new blogs too. So without further ado, here are some of my favourite bloggers this month.

Bloggers you need to check out this month

Nyxie's Nook blog logo

First of all, we have Nyxie's Nook. Nyxie writes all about mental health, wellbeing and lifestyle. I think mental health blogs are so important an I love reading them. It's just a reminder that you can be open and vulnerable online and don't have to try to be perfect all the time. It's also an inspiration for others to open up when they have felt like they can't.

Start by checking out these posts

Sunshine sarah blog logo
If you need a bit of positivity then you definitely need to check out Sunshine Sarah. Sarah is a lifestyle blogger and content creator that wants to bring a bit more sunshine to your life! I always feel better after reading Sarah's blogs or seeing her uplifting social media posts.

Make sure you check out these blog posts by Sarah


lyla stone blog logo

Next up, we have Lyla Stone. I have only discovered Lyla's blog recently but I am already a big fan of her posts. She writes mainly about psychology and wellness.

Check out these posts

5 ACTIVITIES TO DO INSTEAD OF USING SOCIAL MEDIA

Saturday

As a blogger, I am often spending a lot of time on social media. Whether that is to promote my blog, or to research trends to grow my presence, I feel like I spend most of my free time on there. As a lot of us know, too much time on social media can sometimes become a bit toxic, as we may find ourselves comparing our lives to others too much. That's why I've come up with a list of activities you or your child could try instead of scrolling social media for hours.


Social media can be great in moderation, as it helps us to connect with people we may not get to see a lot, especially in recent times in the pandemic. It can also help us to connect with new people too, but it's important to take breaks from it too.


scrolling through instagram on iphone with coffee
Image by Kerde Severin on Pexels.


Activities to try instead of using social media


1. Exercise


OK, I'll be honest, how likely is it that I will exercise any time I would usually use social media? Not very. Just imagine the health benefits if we exercised each time we did endless scrolling though. If you are motivated enough, then this is definitely something to try.

2. Painting


In the first coronavirus lockdown, I started a paint by numbers and I found it a lot more relaxing than staring at my phone screen scrolling. And, it's a cool project that looks really nice when it's done!

3. Gaming


If you want to be active on your phone or laptop, then why not try gaming and putting your mind towards gaming instead of looking through social media? A website for gaming I have tried recently is Plays.org. It's great for when you're just bored on your laptop and have some time free. My personal favourites on here are the Pac Rat and Minigolf games. It really reminds me of when I was at secondary school in IT and played games on the computer. (If you are one of my school teachers, this is a joke).

Or of course, if you have a gaming console such as an Xbox then that is another great way to spend time and let off some steam.

4. Reading


A bit like exercise, I always wonder how many books I would have read if I picked up a book any time I wanted to just sit and scroll.

5. Go for a walk


Again, using your time for fresh air and stretching your legs is time better spent. Getting out of the house just makes me feel better afterwards too.
What is your favourite way to spend your free time? Do you feel like you're on social media too much too?

5 YEARS OF WOOL OF THE KING

AD - This is a sponsored post.

This month marks 5 years of Wool of the King, so I thought I’d share my experiences over the years and the sort of things I have got from blogging and growing my social media channels, including gifted products and payment. I am hoping this post will encourage young people, bloggers or not, to pursue their goals.


Purple balloons
Image by Spemone on Pexels.


Early years


When I first started my blog in 2016, I was at college and I only really wrote blog posts occasionally. It was just a space for me to chat about things I wanted to chat about as a hobby. When I started university, I still only occasionally posted updates and one day, one of my posts got over 1000 reads. I was so happy and this really motivated me to write more, but with assignments, a part-time job and a uni social life, I found it really hard to keep up with my blog so I stopped writing for a while.


It wasn’t until 2020 at the start of the pandemic that I started to write weekly blog posts and really start focusing on my growth. At first, it was just out of boredom, I had so much more free time so I decided to use that time to grow my blog and social media.


Growing my online presence


Once I started blogging more regularly, I wanted to make sure these posts were being seen and gaining an audience, so I focused on growing my social media channels including Twitter and Instagram. As a result of this, my blog views were growing each month and I began to partake in gifted influencer campaigns on my blog and over on Instagram. I was so excited by this because I never expected to be doing anything like that!


If you want to find out more about influencer marketing, check out the Mindy Parisi Influencer Spotlight.


In this instance, engagement is key! The more you engage with others, the more they will engage with you, it’s so important in growing your blog and socials.


Onwards and upwards


This year is the first year I have started making money through blogging and I never thought I would be able to say that. It may not be a lot to some, and it’s not enough to make a living from at the moment but having any extra money through blogging is crazy to me as it started out as just a hobby when I was 17.


So far, I have made money through sponsored posts on my blog, influencer ads, advertising slots on my blog and affiliate sales. Last month I made a total of £184 which has been my highest paid month yet. I would love to be able to write E-books one day and sell those.


I have spoken a lot about blogging in this post, but a lot of my influencer campaigns are on Instagram. These days, lots of brands look to collaborate with content creators on there. I used to think you had to have over 10k followers to collaborate with brands but this is not the case anymore as smaller accounts often have higher engagement.


Read more about the rise in influencer marketing


I have really loved my blogging journey, but it hasn’t always been easy. There have often been times where I’ve wanted to give up, or thought no one was going to take me seriously and it’s fine for that to happen. The trick is to just not give up when you feel like that, and keep pushing through with whatever it is you may be wanting to do. I have been blogging for 5 years now, but it has only been in the last year that I have started seeing signs of success.


When was a time that you wanted to give up on something but kept going?

THE ART OF BLOG WRITING E-BOOK REVIEW

This product was gifted to me as a PR product but all views are my own and I will be honest in my review. This post also contains affiliate links, meaning if you purchase a product through the links I will gain a small commission at no extra cost to you.

So if you're in the blogging community, you will probably already know that Eleanor from Not So Modern Girl, recently released an E-Book called The Art of Blog Writing, and I am so excited to have a copy to review!


Even the most seasoned bloggers need advice on blog writing from time to time and it's always great to hear advice from different sources, so we can keep on top of our game. 


two brown pencils on white surface
Image by Jess Bailey Designs on Pexels.

The E-Book usually retails for £3.99 which is a great price considering Eleanor is a blogger with over 4 years experience. It includes a step-by-step guide on writing a new blog post as well as tips on creating great social media posts and advice on spelling mistakes to avoid and proof reading checklists.

Related: How to find out the best blogging niche for you

A lot of E-Books these days can have some scary jargon in that is intimidating for new bloggers but The Art of Blog Writing, in my opinion, has really straight-forward points that could easily be applied to blog writing.


The text also includes some great advice on writing social media posts as well as blog posts. If you are using social media to support your blog as many bloggers do, you will need to know how important it is to represent yourself and your brand across your social media channels and Eleanor explains this in the E-Book.


If you are looking for advice on writing blog posts and social media content then look no further. The Art of Blog Writing explains all the basics in a simple way, without any scary information or jargon that you may learn later down the line.

Related: Top tips for creating digital branding as a blogger

Have you read Eleanor's E-Book?

MEET MY MAY ADVERTISERS

AD - This blog post features my monthly advertisers. If you would like to advertise with me or find out more then please contact me.

This is now my 4th month of featuring advertisers on my blog and I have been really loving it. I love reading posts like these too and discovering new bloggers so I hope you have been enjoying discovering these wonderful bloggers too! This month, I have 5 amazing bloggers to share with you, I also offer ad slots to small shops too so if you are a small shop or business owner wanting to increase sales or views to your website then let me know!


Enviroline blog logo

The first blogger I have to share with you is one of my favourites, it's Enviroline Blog. Caroline is not only a lovely person, but she also shares amazing content about the environment and eating disorder recovery. I always learn so much when I read her blogs and love keeping up with her content on social media too.


Check out these posts from Enviroline Blog

Sunshine Sarah blog logo
Sunshine Sarah is another great blogger that I am proud to share with you. Sarah is a lifestyle blogger and she also shares really great vegan recipes. Her goal is to bring a ray of sunshine into your life with her content and she definitely succeeds in that.

Start by checking out these posts

Brit Voyage blog logo
Next up on the bloggers you need to check out this month is Brit Voyage. Georgia from Brit Voyage is a travel and lifestyle blogger that writes amazing blog posts all about her adventures around the UK. I am always looking for new places to explore in the UK which is why I love Georgia's content.

Here are a few of my favourite posts from Georgia


Skinned Cartree blog logo

A great blogger who I have only recently discovered is Corinne from Skinned Cartree. Corrine writes fab posts all about lifestyle and blogging help so if you love reading about that then you need to check out Corinne's blog!

Start by checking out these posts


Miel and mint blog logo
Finally, last but not least is Nadia from Miel and Mint. Nadia writes really helpful posts all about self-help, productivity and lifestyle. She is another blogger that I have discovered recently and I love her content. Again, I am always learning new things when I read her posts.

Check out these posts from Miel and Mint

I hope you enjoyed reading about these bloggers as much as I enjoyed sharing their content with you. Don't forget to check them out! 

Who are your favourite bloggers at the moment?

JUGGLING BLOGGING WITH UNIVERSITY

This is a guest post by Ruthie Loves Glamour. 

Blogging and studying are two really hectic, time consuming and effort taking things. And if someone had asked me few months ago if I would be able to juggle university with blogging, I would have given a big NO! but I'm doing it today and even though it gets tough sometimes, the fact that I'm able to juggle them both is something I am proud of myself for as they are no joke. Blogging and University are two different things but they both require an insane amount of time, energy, commitment and hard work. If I had to juggle university with babysitting the neighbours' 4 year old daughter, it would have been a completely different case as baby sitting even though stressful, is not as stressful as blogging. 

In the few months of me juggling blogging with university, there has been ups, downs, positives, negatives. I have learnt a lot from juggling both and today, I'll be sharing the good, bad, the ugly and the lessons I have learnt from juggling university and blogging.

messy work space
Image by cottonbro on Pexels. 

Some positives 


Juggling blogging and university made me realize that I am stronger, can handle so much and stay organized and I am so much more capable than I know. Sometimes, being faced with a really tough situation brings out our capabilities and brings out a kind of strength we never knew existed. I never felt like I wasn't strong or capable of handling things but I did feel like I wasn't capable of juggling university and blogging. I knew just how much time, commitment and energy they both require and at some point I did feel like it would be impossible for me to juggle both of them but guess what! I proved myself wrong. 

Though, it has not been easy, I have been doing well and the fact that I have been able to handle so much and still be on top of my game has made me believe so much more in myself and my abilities. Even with the fact that I have been juggling both, I have been able to do assignments, post twice a week and catch up with some other non blogging/non uni stuff and boy aren't I awesome?! 

Some negatives 


Juggling the both is stressful as hell. Juggling these two have given me sleepless nights, late nights and early mornings and sometimes, I get so stressed, I just leave both of them and go relax somewhere haha. The stress that comes with juggling these two is just too much but I have been able to stress less and up my productivity game with to-do lists. I swear to-do lists are a lifesaver and I would be forever grateful. Even with the to-do lists, juggling blogging and university is still a handful but the to-do lists make such a difference. Aside from the experiences I had juggling blogging and uni I have learnt a lot from juggling university with blogging and below are some of the things I have learnt! 

LESSONS I LEARNT FROM JUGGLING BLOGGING WITH UNIVERSITY 


1) Nothing's impossible and you can do anything you put your heart to


Who would have known that I would somehow be able to manage blogging and uni together? If you are a blogger I'm sure you feel me when I say blogging is super stressful. If you are a student too then you know that even though uni is fun, it does entail a lot but I did put my heart to juggling these two and it worked for me. I have been so hell bent on not leaving any behind, I have gone out of my comfort zone to make sure I keep up with both and things have been going well. There will be challenges on the way but you can overcome any challenge and cross every hurdle once you put your heart to it. 

2) It's about finding the right balance 


Balance is so important in everything we do and it is important that we try and find a balance in our lives as much as we can. Finding a balance between blogging, university and other aspects of my life really helped me a lot and as much as I put my everything into university work and blogging, I did learn not to ignore other parts of my life even when I am super super busy. 

3) Me time is a must even when there seems to be too much on my plate 


Imma be honest now, there have been times when I neglected me, my health and my wellbeing just to get everything else done but never again. Creating time for me is a must and it is also an important part of self love. I have realized that it is very easy to neglect ourselves and get wrapped up in everything else, all the hustles and bustles of life but juggling blogging and university made me realize that overworking myself would only make me less productive and I need to create time for myself no matter how much work I have to do. 

4) Passion is so so important 


I have always known that passion is super important but juggling blogging and university made me realize that the importance of having a passion for whatever you are doing can never be overemphasized. Passion gives you motivation to go on even when things are rough. On days where I have felt like quitting, passion kept me. If you are doing something you don't have passion for, it will be easier to call it quits when the storm hits but having a passion for something will give you the drive to keep going even when nothing seems to be working. 

These are my experiences and the lessons I have learnt from juggling university and blogging. Are you a student blogger out there, or are you juggling blogging with your day job or anything at all? How do you cope with juggling both and not getting burnout? What are some experiences you have had and what are some lessons you have learnt from juggling blogging with whatever you are juggling it with? Let me know! 

About the author 


Name: Ruth 
Website: Ruthiee Loves Glamour - www.ruthieelovesglamour.com 

Ruth is a student blogger who loves to inspire people to be the best version of themselves. She runs a blog about personal development, self care, self love, positivity, personal growth and all things lifestyle. Ruthiee Loves Glamour is a space for everyone to learn, develop themselves, interact and navigate their way through life. Keep up with Ruth and her blog. 

Socials: 


Facebook page - @ruthieelovesglamour

DATING IDEAS IN DORSET: ONLINE AND IN PERSON

AD - This is a sponsored post.

With the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, a lot of you might have stopped going on dates or trying to meet new people. That’s fine, it’s been a tough time for a lot of people but it doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to stop meeting new people or going on dates, especially as online dates are becoming so prevalent now.


You may have been taking part in virtual or socially distanced dates already, but I am going to be sharing some online date ideas and in person date ideas around Dorset for you to get back into the swing of things. I will also try and give you my best advice on dating, I don’t consider myself an expert but I managed to get myself a boyfriend and we have been together for nearly 3 years so I must be doing something right.


man texting on iphone
Image by cottonbro on Pexels.

Online Date Ideas


If you’re on the dating scene and haven’t tried online dating yet then you need to! As the pandemic has made most of us realise, we really rely on technology so we may as well use it to meet new people. It is quickly becoming the norm for people looking for dates and it can help you connect with others in a safe way. You can find local single people on a Dorset Dating Site.


One of the main benefits of online dating is that you don’t have to leave your house so if you feel the date went terribly, it’s not too much lost as you won’t have gone anywhere. Also, they won’t notice if you’re in pyjama bottoms on a call. Look up dating sites UK to find singles in your area.


Quiz


I feel like so many people have done quizzes over zoom so why not do it on a date? It would be fun to make up some questions to ask each other as a way to get to know each other. Obviously if you are only just getting to know them you need to be careful with what you ask them, but it could be a really cool way to find out what you have in common.


Drawing Games


You could pick any game to play on an online date, I am just using a drawing one as an example of something that could be fun. You could challenge each other to draw the same thing and see who’s is best, or draw something and the other person has to guess what it is.


Date Ideas Around Dorset


Now that rules are being relaxed and you can meet someone outside at a distance, it might be nice to start dating in person again, so I’m going to give you a few ideas of what you could do with someone out and about round Dorset.


Here are some socially distanced date ideas that are great for meeting new people


  • Outdoor Minigolf
  • Walk along the Beach
  • Have a picnic in a park
  • Get takeaway food or coffees

Before we finish, I’d just like to share with you my number one piece of advice before dating. If you are nervous about whether they will like you, just focus on whether or not you will like them. After all, the dating experience is about you and what makes you happy.


Have you tried online dating?

22 THINGS I'VE LEARNED IN 22 YEARS

I'm 22! I'm actually posting this on my birthday. I've seen a lot of people do this kind of post around their birthday so I thought I'd try it too. It was actually quite hard to think of 22 things but I got there in the end. So here we go.


22 Things I've Learned in 22 Years


1. It's better to have a few good friends than 100 bad ones

Honestly, having fake or bad friends can be so damaging to your mental health. It's great to have lots of great friends but what's the point having lots of fake friends? If you have a few good friends, you will really appreciate them more.


2. You have to be your own cheerleader

Don't wait for people to support you and gas you up for your achievements, you should celebrate yourself!


girl at Highcliffe castle dorset


3. I should stop calling myself dumb

I always say I'm dumb as a joke and that often provokes people to join in and say it to, when in reality I'm really not - I've nearly finished a degree.


4. Confidence is key but fake it 'til you make it

I've recently learned that confidence really is key. When you think of the most confident people, you wouldn't really try messing with them or putting them down. Although, it's hard to be confident, the more you try and act confident, the more it will come across to others that you are.


5. It isn't an edgy personality trait to like Lana Del Rey

My favourite artist is Lana Del Rey, don't know if you've heard of her? Haha 14 year old me thought I was so cool and different but really, you like what you like and it doesn't matter. It's not cool to try and be different.


6. I can't keep everything bottled up

I am someone who finds it really difficult to talk about trauma or how I'm feeling, I'll often make jokes out of things as a coping mechanism. Keeping it bottled up is the wrong way to deal with it because I'll often get overlooked. How will people know to be there for you if you don't let them know? I've found it's much more healthy to be open about how I feel.


7. Everyone is working at their own pace

The worst thing you can do is compare yourself to others when it comes to your life goals. Especially in your 20s when some people are married with kids, and some people are just starting to figure out what they want to do. It's all FINE there's no rush on anything.


8. You shouldn't sacrifice your feelings just to get on with people

I hate confrontation so a lot of the time when people have peed me off I haven't said anything, but if someone wrongs you, they aren't going to realise unless you tell them.


9. Age doesn't mean anything

Again, everyone is working at their own pace it doesn't really matter about your age. I am also saying this because I am a 22 year old with some greys coming through.


10. You don't owe anything to anyone

In the past I felt like I had to do things for people and felt bad for saying no to things, but now I'll pretty much only go out of my way for people who deserve it.


11. Like what you like

This relates to my Lana Del Rey point earlier. Unfortunately there are people that will make fun of you for what you like so you may as well openly enjoy whatever it is you enjoy, unapologetically.


girl on the beach at sunset


12. Celebrate the small wins

I feel like no one gives themselves enough credit and this is why I'm going to celebrate small wins from now on. There are so many things in life worth celebrating so we may as well make the most out of them.

13. You don't have to have a life plan

Did anyone else's school make them feel like they were supposed to know what career they wanted to do when they were 16? I still have no idea haha my whole life is a long time to plan for and I don't want to be stuck doing something I don't actually like so it's better to have options than decide on one thing in my opinion.

14. Putting yourself first isn't selfish

Honestly, at the end of the day people will come and go but you will always have yourself, so you need to put yourself first sometimes.

15. Appreciate little things

I feel like I don't always fully appreciate good times until they are a memory and the more things that turn into memories, the more I realise I need to appreciate those things while they happen and not just after.


16. If you can't love yourself, how in the hell can you love somebody else?

So true, thank you RuPaul.


17. Saying no to people is fine 

Again, it's not selfish to set boundaries and to not do everything for people.


18. You won't always have awful taste in men

I used to always go for toxic males and now I have the nicest boyfriend ever and am winning at life, I just wish I didn't waste so much time.


19. There is a lot in the world that needs to change

As you get older, you realise that there are so many things that are wrong in the world and things you thought you knew seem to be untrue and that we need to make take active steps into spreading kindness and trying to make the world a better place.


20. You will probably feel 18 forever

Ever since turning 18, every year I feel like I haven't got any older and I think I will keep thinking I'm 18, at least for the near future anyway. I wonder if when I am 30, will I still feel like I'm 18?


21. Don't grow up too fast

When I was a teenager, all I wanted to do was be older but now, I am going to be an adult for the rest of my life. You are only young for a short amount of time so you may as well make the most out of it.


22. It will be harder to think of things for this post than what you thought


I struggled with finding 22 life lessons I've learnt, but I hope you enjoyed reading my list.


What's one thing you've learnt?

MEET MY APRIL ADVERTISERS

Monday

 AD - This post features my monthly advertisers. If you are interested in advertising with me then please contact me or find out more on my advertise with me page.

woman working on a keyboard

I have really enjoyed sharing some of my favourite blogs with you each month, it's such a good way to interact with and discover new people.

Life of Morag blog logo

Firstly, we have Life of Morag, a fabulous blog all about travel, politics, health and life in general. I recently discovered Morag on Twitter and I'm so glad that I did, she has such insightful posts that are written from the heart. Be sure to check out her blog!


Start by reading these posts


A girl with a view blog logo

Tash from A Girl with a View is one of my all-time favourite bloggers. She writes about lifestyle, university, travel and more. I always make sure to keep up to date with her posts and you should too! If you love reading helpful, honest posts then you need to check out A Girl with a View.

Check out these posts by Tash


Pickle Emporium logo

Now, this suggestion is a little bit different as I usually advertise bloggers but why not promote small shops too? Prickle Emporium sell really lovely succulent plants and plant accessories. These plants would really brighten up a room and by buying them you would be really supporting a small business. Make sure to check out Prickle Emporium for your plant needs.

Lynn Mumbing Mejia blog logo
Lynn Mumbing Mejia is a great lifestyle blogger with some really helpful posts about DIY and life in general. My favourite posts of hers are her recipes, they always look amazing! If you want really informative posts and advice then you need to check out Lynn's blog!

Make sure you read these posts by Lynn

Sophia Patel blog logo
And finally, last but definitely not least we have Sophia Patel. From blogging help to lifestyle and travel, Sophia has such an amazing range of posts on her blog. If you love reading all about lifestyle or need a bit of blogging advice from time to time then her blog is definitely for you!

Check out these posts from Sophia


Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy these blogs and shops as much as I do, let me know what you think of them. I loved having them on my blog! Remember, if you want to advertise with me for as little as £3 per month then you can just reach out to me.

HOW TO WORK OUT THE BEST BLOGGING NICHE FOR YOU

Saturday

This is a guest post from Sophia Patel.

Blogging can be a challenge, especially when you feel like you are always scraping for content. After 6 years, at times I can find it a weekly struggle to come up with content good enough. There are, however, several tools and habits to stop you from walking down this path - one of them is establishing your niche. Here's how.

Get To Know Your Audience

Just like your blog, your audience will evolve. You will gain some, lose some, and others will stick with you along the way. Base your key topics of interest on your analytics - what are my most popular posts within a particular time frame? What is the demographic of your audience? Both your topic and audience have to work together, otherwise, you will have no one reading your posts. For example, a parenting blog would not be 100% relevant if your audience were 10-15-year-old boys, would it? Establish your demographic first.

What Are You Interested In?

Over the last few years, I had had so much inner conflict with this. I started as a beauty blogger (reviewing the likes of Benefit's They're Real Mascara). Now, you will see 3 beauty posts per year. Why? Because over time your niche will naturally change. I have always considered it an evolution because the ideas you come up with at silly hours in the morning is usually a clue as to what you want to post. And let's be honest, content is always better when it comes from the heart. That's why over time I have ditched the beauty and moved into blogging tips for beginners and home & finance. When the content slowly evolves, some will stick around, and some will leave - that's just part of the process.

laptop coffee and to do list

Don't Try and Blog About Everything

This is a mistake I learned pretty late on. Over time, it is so easy to add a little bit of everything. Been on holiday? Blog about that. Done some clothes shopping? Blog about that. Cooked yourself a nice meal? Blog about that. Just in this example, your blogging niche has expanded to travel, fashion and food. But it begs the question of which one is your direct niche. I have been calling myself a lifestyle blogger for years, yet what does it mean? If new audiences want to gain a snippet from your blog and see a dozen blog posts in different niches they may be slightly confused. Nail down your focus to a few interlinking topics (I have linked blogging tips and home niches by talking about creating a home office to blog), and perfect them. Chances are, there will always be someone else blogging about the niche you ditched so no need to worry.

If You Cannot Write About It, It's Not The One

If you have a niche that you love, but cannot ultimately write content about, then it is not the one. Increased competition means that posts need to be near 1000 words to meet the requirements of Google. If your niche cannot meet that easily, you will still struggle for content. When thinking of a niche, without any resources - make a list of as many blog posts as you can. When I moved to home and interior blogging, I came up with 50 ideas, meaning I could effectively have enough titles for the next 6 months (excluding guest posts and exclusive content). Bounce blogging ideas off one another and aim to interlink many of your posts (a series / two part post). Not only will this help to create content, but strengthen your niche.

What Blogs Do You Read?

Chances are, your niche and the topics you are interested in are going to be linked. If you are still struggling to pinpoint your niche, look at it from a different angle and self-reflect. Think about yourself - your hobbies, career path, the books you read and the blogs you follow. Create a Venn diagram if need be and see where it all overlaps.

Then look at the competition. If the market is oversaturated, it is going to be difficult to stand odd / offer content that Google doesn't have the answer to. E.g. Blogging tips is a very large field with lots of high DA Bloggers competing. As this is something I want to pursue, my niche has shifted to beginner level. We strip back all the technical terms and start from scratch. The key is to find a balance where you are offering content that has not been done a million times before, and something that you have enough experience to talk about. After all, list posts and how-to's are the most popular.

working on laptop with flat white

Give It Time

This is the number one piece of advice. Blogging takes time, finding your niche takes time. If you find it straight away then you are the lucky one - but more than likely a new blogging niche is caused by a love for something else and a critique of current work. If you ever have that dilemma, then it is time to change, because otherwise it'll be shown in your content.

About the Author:

I am Sophia - a recent marketing graduate who is blogging full time in lockdown. I talk about all things blogging; as well as the progress on renovation of an 18th century home on a budget, to boost valuation for sale.

TOXIC POSITIVITY: THE LOW DOWN

I am continuing on my blog series called The Low Down. I haven't done a post in this series for a while so if you are new to reading my posts, I basically just write my opinion on things in this post. I've written about things like student housing, friendships and being a fussy eater before, and this time I'm going to be writing about toxic positivity.

long grass by the sea
Image by Nathan Cowley on Pexels.

What is Toxic Positivity?


Before looking into toxic positivity, and hearing a few things about it on social media, I didn't know anything about it. 

"Toxic positivity is the assumption, either by one's self or others, that despite a person's emotional pain or difficult mindset" - Dr Jaime Zuckerman, clinical psychologist in Pennsylvania. Read the full toxic positivity article on healthline.

Toxic positivity has become even more prevalent in the pandemic. How often have you told someone you are having a tough time to be faced with responses like "it could be worse" or "everyone has that" or even "you should feel lucky?" You may have even responded in this way to people.

It supports the rhetoric that we are not allowed to feel sad or in a bad mood and we must try to feel positive and think positively. It's not possible to think positively 24/7 so why, as a society, do we try to push this?

What can we do about Toxic Positivity?


I think it's definitely important first and foremost to recognise toxic positivity. Before reading about it, I wouldn't have even known that it can be harmful to people and a lot of the time, people believe they are helping by trying to make other people think positively.

Obviously, it is great to have a positive mindset and, I'm just saying that it's impossible to expect this from people all the time and if you or your friends are feeling down, it's important to look after yourself and recognise that you are down so you can deal with the emotions, rather than just pushing them away while trying to be positive.

Change your approach


Start with yourself. If you're feeling down then remember that's ok and hopefully you will feel more positive another day - remember to go easy on yourself and treat yourself with kindness. 

As for being there for others, if someone is coming to you with a problem or they are feeling sad, think about how to approach this. Instead of trying to get them to think positively, just tell them you are there for them and it's ok to feel sad now and again. Ultimately, if someone is coming to you with an issue, they will be reassured that you are there for them, there is no need for saying things like "it's ok, you have nothing to be upset about," as we spoke about earlier.

Just to reiterate - positive mindsets are GOOD and it's great if you are mostly positive. However, not everyone has that mindset all the time and it can do more harm than good to try and force people to look on the bright side when they are feeling low.

What are your thoughts on toxic positivity?