Tag Archives: big blogging is my hobby

Aug30

Making Your Blog The Best It Can Be

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Making Your Blog The Best It Can Be

Hi! My 1,000th day of writing on lifewithlilred is fast approaching so there is no better time than the present to talk about some more of my favorite blogging tips and tricks that have helped get me to this point. Obviously, I love to write or this crazy long streak wouldn’t be possible. If you are not passionate, then it is going to be difficult to sit down at the computer every day to create a blog post.

Just as importantly, I love the blogging community and my amazing friends and readers and this encourages me to keep coming up with daily content for them. Today, we are going to discuss some of my favorite ways to help strengthen your blogosphere to make your blog the best it can be. Let’s get to it:

Communication Is Key:

This may seem like an obvious one but you would be amazed by how many people leave comments or emails unanswered and this is a huge no no! The foundation of your blogosphere will be very flimsy, indeed, if you ignore these communications because it is what keeps readers coming back.

Once you start a dialogue with your commenters, the real blogging fun begins because it is a great way to make new friends! In fact, one of my best friends is from the blogging world and it all started with commenting back and forth on each other’s pages. ❤

Don’t Be Vague:

I have always considered my blog to be my online journal, which is why a lot of my posts feel so personal as it is coming straight from me and my experiences. Of course, you should only post what you are comfortable with. As far as what you are writing about, don’t spare any details! While some vague posts are okay, like if you are announcing something exciting in the future, a lot of grey area doesn’t give your readers much to go off of so your page could become boring fairly quickly.

Remember, your readers want to relate to you. This is why they continue to visit your page! Encourage this by writing as the “real you” with genuine posts. Not only will it enhance your stats but it will improve your writing skills too!

Share The Love:

While it feels nice to have people liking, commenting, and following your blog, it is so important to give the love right back. Interact with the members of the blogosphere on their own page to show that you are just as interested in what they have to say as they are about you. Don’t forget to link to their blogs when appropriate on your posts too as a friendly tip of the cap.

Reading other blogs can help inspire you and you might just form unique collaborations from it. Trust me, it’s really fun to do collab posts with other writers and it helps set the groundwork for lasting friendships.

You could have the best written posts on planet Earth on your page but it means nothing if you don’t have the support from our wonderful blogosphere. This is what will help make your blog the best that it can possibly be. 🙂

Do you have a favorite blogger? Have you formed any close friendships in the blogging world? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug18

*Updated* All About Me

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*Updated* All About Me

Hi! Every day is one step closer to achieving my 1,000 post streak of daily writing and I am so beyond excited! lifewithlilred will also be fast approaching its seven year blogiversary this September, as well, and I thank all of my friends and readers for joining me on this crazy ride. ❤

It has been a while since I have done an All About Me post and I figure there is no better time than the present to do an updated version, especially with all of these big milestones coming up! Some of these fun facts might be old news to my long term readers but that’s okay. 🙂 Let’s get to it:

1 – I got married this summer! Johnny and I tied the knot on June fourth and it was the best day ever. So many people have asked us if being married feels any different and we both always answer with no. Our two year anniversary is on September first and the honeymoon phase has never ended. The only main difference is peppering in “my husband” or “my wife” in conversations, which we are both incredibly fond of. 😀

2 – I work with people with special needs and have been in the field for over seven years. I recently changed up my work schedule and it has given me the opportunity to learn lots of new things, which I am so thankful for. This past month has actually been really busy because I am working on doing my training to become certified in providing job coaching services. I can’t wait to start this new chapter!

3 – My favorite way to spoil myself is with all of the pampering! In the words of Madonna, I am definitely a Material Girl and I live for shopping trips to TJMaxx, going to the nail and hair salon, testing out skin care and bath and body care, and getting new tattoos. I have over fifty tattoos in total and I have a very high pain tolerance so a day at the tattoo parlor qualifies as pampering for me, lol.

4 – I would never consider myself a “couch potato” but I love my evening and Lazy Sunday TV time with Johnny. We have a lot of favorite shows which includes Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Impractical Jokers, Law & Order, and The Last Kingdom. I am also a huge anime fan thanks to the recommendations from my brother and am currently watching Black Clover. I also love Demon Slayer, The Promised Neverland, Parasyte, and Castlevania.

5 – Since I changed things up at work, my mental health has improved twentyfold and I have really been enjoying cooking again. I have been having so much fun cooking dinner several times a week and love trying out new recipes so if anyone has any favorite vegetarian dishes, send them my way!

6 – Other than cooking, my favorite hobbies include: Reading, learning new languages, playing video games, and figure skating. I was a competitive figure skater back in the day and had just started getting back into it before the pandemic. I even bought new skates! I miss my weekly skate sessions dearly and plan on returning to the rink once I finish up the training for my new job.

7 – Although I love going out and about with Johnny and seeing his band play, I love our weekend at home date nights the best. If we don’t have anything going on, we will usually spend either Friday or Saturday night staying up late, playing video or board games, and listening to music. We each take turns playing our favorite songs and it’s so much fun to sing along and dance with him. In the future, we would like to do some ballroom dance classes and I can’t wait!

8 – My guilty pleasure would definitely be reality TV. I live for America’s Next Top Model, Dancing With The Stars, and literally anything on TLC. My 600 Lb. Life will always and forever be my favorite and Doctor Now is my best friend in my head. ❤

9 – I have had the same slide up keyboard phone for years and have prided myself on never having a smartphone. Unfortunately, my Old Faithful has been on the fritz in terms of getting reception so an upgrade to a smartphone is becoming inevitable. I can’t say that I’m thrilled about it but I am excited to have a good camera for blog pictures!

10 – I used to be a really big coffee drinker but after an oral surgery gone wrong, I lost my taste for it. Now, my mornings would not be complete without a can (or two) of Diet Coke. In fact, I’m drinking it right now. 😀

So there you have it, ten Lil Red fun facts! Once again, many thanks to each and every one of you who continue to get to know me better every day. ❤

What are some fun facts about you? What are your favorite things? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug17

A Force Of Habit

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A Force Of Habit

Hello! In case you haven’t realized by now, I am the type of gal who loves organizing, planning, check lists, and schedules. I thrive on structure. Meanwhile, Johnny is definitely more spontaneous so the combination balances out nicely! I run two businesses, which means that my days need to run like a fine tuned machine so that I can get everything done with time to relax in the evening.

While it takes an average of sixty-six days for a person to form a new habit, it probably takes me a week or less because I take a lot of pleasure in penciling things into my schedule. There is also nothing better than a super long streak of doing something daily! There are a handful of habits that I have formed that I truly don’t think I could live without now. In fact, it pains me to think of not doing the following every day:

Skin Care Routine:

My days start and end with a skin care routine that I have customized to best fit my skin type. With the stresses that sometimes come with being self employed, self care is extremely important to me. Sometimes, this takes form in trying out a new face mask but it mostly means using products on my face and body that make me feel good. This includes using a delicious smelling body wash from Bath & Body Works, a refreshing gel moisturizer, Vitamin C serum, and body lotion every day.

Writing:

Once I have completed my morning hygiene routine, it is time to write! My fast approaching 1,000 post streak of daily writing would probably not be possible if I didn’t get up extra early every day to complete this task before I need to leave for work. While I always enjoy adding new things to my schedule, I like checking them off of my mental to do list even more! I feel amazing every time I finish a new blog post and my countdown gets one day closer to 1,000.

Practice Learning Languages:

Other than reading, learning new languages is one of my favorite hobbies. I am currently on a three hundred day streak on Duolingo for practicing French, Italian, Spanish, German, and Czech every day. Whenever I get asked what I would want my super power to be if I had one, I always reply with being fluent in every language in the world. Unfortunately, I am not going to get bit by a super learned spider for this to happen automatically so I try to do it myself. It makes me proud to learn new words and phrases every day and I have made an insane amount of progress from practicing these five different languages daily.

Push Ups:

When Johnny and I first started dating almost two years ago, we were hit head on by a car. It was so scary and I actually ended up being hospitalized for injuries to my cervical spine. I was left with a lot of nerve damage in my upper body from the accident, which resulted in my arms and torso becoming weaker than it already was!

To help ease the nerve pain that I was experiencing at the end of every day, I began to do push ups to tone and strengthen my upper body several months ago. I started out with only doing twenty-five, which was really hard. However, I graduated to now doing fifty! If I’m feeling saucy, I sometimes do fifty more. These daily mini workouts have made a noticeable improvement in the upper body pain that I have to deal with and I am excited to continue increasing how many push ups I do. 🙂

All of the above have become a true force of habit for me and my day would not feel complete without doing them. Here’s to continuing to check all of them off my mental to do list every day!

What is something your day wouldn’t be complete without? How long does it take for something to become a habit for you? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug14

Get In The Writing Zone

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Get In The Writing Zone

Hi! I am quickly approaching a 1,000 post streak of writing on lifewithlilred and it is incredibly exciting! As promised, I will be sharing all of my favorite tips and tricks when it comes to writing as we continue on with the countdown to 1,000. The tips shared today and in the linked post have been essential in making such a long streak of daily writing possible and I am happy to fill all of you in on them. Let’s get started:

Stick To A Schedule:

I follow a very strict schedule when it comes to my writing and it is almost painful for me to stray from it! I wake up extra early before leaving for work to have time to write and get ready for my day. While I love being able to sleep in a little bit longer, I love being all done with my blogging so that I don’t have to do anything once I return home even more.

This is the schedule that works for me but it might not work for you and that’s okay. Figure out the best time to write for you whether it be before work, after, or even in the middle of the night and stick with it. Daily writing is so rewarding and despite almost 1,000 days straight of it, it still feels really good to check it off of my to do list!

Create A Writing Nook:

It’s important to have somewhere comfortable and distraction free to write so that you can keep your creative juices flowing. This is also why I like writing early in the morning because my husband has already left for work so it is just me and my laptop. Create a space in your home that is designated just for your writing. I, personally, thrive by having my own home office. However, if this is not possible for you, then a cozy spot on the couch, some space cleared on your kitchen table, or your favorite coffee shop will work just fine.

Play Some Tunes:

Although I don’t listen to music very often while writing anymore, I used to do it all of the time and it definitely served its purpose. Now, I tend to play some tunes if I am struggling with writer’s block. Some people work and focus better when they have a bit of background noise. If this sounds like you, then create a playlist to write to. Once the music is on and you’re in the zone, there is no stopping you!

Practice Makes Perfect:

Daily writing can seem like a daunting task but just like anything else, practice makes perfect. Writing every day will help you grow exponentially in your craft and you will be amazed at the difference in your posts compared to last years’ or even last months’. Like any new hobby, you might feel shaky in the beginning but continuing to try writing daily will help your confidence in your skill soar as you start to get the hang of it. 🙂

As a seasoned blogger, it is exciting to me to enter the Writing Zone every day and the tips above have all played their part in getting me to that level. I hope they do the same for you! ❤

What are some of your writing tips and tricks? Do you have any questions for me? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug12

1,000 Post Countdown Giveaway

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1,000 Post Countdown Giveaway

Hello!! I am thirty-six days away from a 1,000 day streak of writing on lifewithlilred and I cannot begin to tell all of you how excited I am! There will be a giveaway once I have achieved my 1,000 streak status but I thought I would offer a bonus one too. This giveaway will be limited to the United States, however, the grand finale giveaway will be world wide.

If you all recall, I had an extremely unfortunate online shopping experience with Wildly Untamed Boutique when it came to ordering shoes for my wedding. Because of their ridiculous return policy, I was not able to return a pair of heels that I ordered which didn’t fit to a United States location. I would have spent hundreds returning them to China, which was more than I originally spent to begin with.

The heels that didn’t fit have been sitting untouched in my apartment since they arrived in May and while I could try selling them, I would prefer for them to go to a fellow fashionista, instead. So, if you are a shoe lover and are a size six and a half, then I have got a giveaway for you! Check it out:

6DFEBD2B-1A91-4842-ABF1-FE8F7F66488EFA2DA815-F067-455C-8B28-8BED0BDE05FBDF181D06-E340-46B5-8F55-E488BB922E84FEBDF187-75F4-4C50-B814-7A580F0B8E37

Giveaway Rules:

  1. Follow lifewithlilred
  2. Like this post
  3. Share this post to your blog
  4. Bonus entry if you share this to your social media
  5. Leave me a comment letting me know you completed the first three or all four tasks! And, as mentioned before, you must be a United States resident.

Despite the not so great experience I had with purchasing my wedding shoes off of Wildly Untamed Boutique, there is no denying that these heels are gorgeous. This giveaway will close out after one week so get those entries in ASAP. Best of luck! ❤

What is your favorite store to shop for shoes at? What does your favorite pair of shoes look like? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Aug9

1,000 Post Countdown!

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1,000 Post Countdown!

Hello!!! In thirty-nine short days, I will have reached a 1,000 post streak for writing on lifewithlilred. That’s 1,000 days of writing in a row and, my goodness, has it gone by quickly! I had no idea where I was at in terms of a streak until WordPress started notifying me daily and I get more and more excited every morning when I sit down at my computer to write. 😀

Today, we are going to discuss some of my favorite writing tips and tricks that have made this over two year streak possible. And, of course, keep it locked on lifewithlilred for more Countdown posts and one (or more) giveaways! Let’s get to it:

Go With The Flow:

Let’s be honest, we have all had those days where we experience writer’s block in some form or another. It’s easy to think that you have nothing to say but we all know that’s not true at all! If you are feeling stuck, remember that you are writing for your blog and you can write about anything. Go with the flow of it and remember that short and simple posts are A-okay… Did you have a crazy dream last night? What kind of mood are you in and why? Have you tried cooking a new recipe recently? It’s okay to not have groundbreaking posts every day so take a breath, relax, and go with the flow.

Take Notes:

I am constantly taking down notes for potential posts because I know that if I didn’t, I would forget my ideas in five seconds! Use a physical notepad or use the one on your phone whenever you have inspiration for a new post. Having a backlog of things that I can write about really comes in handy when I am struggling to come up with content. In fact, the Old School Rulez post featured recently has been on my notepad for ages until I finally wrote about it!

Content Won’t Create Itself:

If you are hurting for more exciting content on your page, remember that it is not going to create itself. I know firsthand that it can sometimes be a chore to create bigger posts like OOTDs, MOTDs, or travel based pieces – but, man, do I feel so good once I have a more time consuming article that I am happy with. Schedule some time throughout the week to dedicate yourself to taking pictures or visiting local events. When writing prep is planned, it makes it so much easier for me to follow through with it.

It’s Your Party:

People are visiting your page because they are interested in what you have to say and want to know more about you. Recommendation posts are amazing for that reason! What have you been binge watching? Which products can you not live without? What is one of your fondest memories? How about some gift guides if you pride yourself on being an A+ gifter? Review style posts are great for when you have writer’s block because picking your favorite thing and writing about it is easy to complete and effective to read.

I keep the above tips and tricks in the back of my mind constantly and they have all helped me get to the point of an almost 1,000 post streak. I hope they help you too! 🙂

Do you have any questions for me? What are some of your writing tips? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun7

Happy Birthday To Me!

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Happy Birthday To Me!

Hello everyone and happy birthday to me!! It’s my twenty-seventh birthday and within the past week I got married and celebrated my husband’s birthday on the first. Needless to say, it has been the best week ever!! Today also marks the sixth year that I have celebrated my birthday with all of my dear readers and that isn’t anything to sneeze at, either. For the past six plus years, I have so enjoyed getting to know each and every one of you and it is such a joy to share a slice of my life with all of my readers and friends.

From sharing in my excitement, random musings, disappointments, and holidays together, you guys have been through it all with me and that is incredibly special. Here’s to six more years of birthday celebrations on lifewithlilred and tomorrow, it will be time to talk wedding! See you then. ❤

Happy Birthday To Me!! ❤

Jan14

Want To Improve Your Blog? Try The Following!

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Want To Improve Your Blog? Try The Following!

No one ever said that blogging was easy and writing throughout a pandemic is even more difficult when there is a huge lack of activities to write about. If you find that the stats for your blog are steadily declining as the days go by, the following tips might help to put you back on track. Let’s discuss:

Communication is key:

Like social media, the blogosphere is amazing because it puts you in touch with friends old and new. Your faithful readers want to communicate with you and it is important to be prompt when replying back to comments and getting a dialogue started on your page. Showing support to your fellow bloggers by liking and commenting on their blogs is also a great way to get yourself out there.

If you are still finding that views on your page are lacking, it might be worth checking out blogging or marketing experts to help improve your page’s position on search engines for better results.

Writing more frequently:

Writing during a pandemic is insanely hard and can sometimes feel impossible. But, as a writer, it is still essential to come up with content as often as you can. Your readers want to hear what you have to say, even if it is just a short and sweet post. It lets your viewers know that you are dedicated to your craft and entertaining them and it will make them even more eager to return to your page knowing that there is fresh content available.

Remember the joy of writing:

People blog because they love to write and, even though it’s hard, you have to remember the joy of writing every time you sit down at your keyboard. Writing is something that you found fun enough to dedicate an entire web page to and you can’t forget that! Blogging shouldn’t stress you out, so take a deep breath and get to work. Putting a lot of pressure on yourself can lead to even more writer’s block and that’s the last thing you need!

Take notes:

I am constantly writing down notes of potential blog posts throughout the day and I recommend to anyone to do the same. No matter how many times I tell myself I will remember what I want to write about, I rarely ever do (lol) which is why my notes are so handy. Inspiration can come from anything and as soon as you have an “aha!” idea, take note of it. You will find that you have a lot more to write about than you think. 🙂

Keeping up with your blog during the pandemic is a sure fire way to not only keep your mental health in check but keep your page running smoothly. Happy writing!

Jan14

3 Things That Keep Me Sane

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3 Things That Keep Me Sane

Hello! Throughout the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, Johnny and I have essentially just been in our apartment other than work and groceries. No one is saying that it is not monotonous AF but it is for the best and we will continue doing our part in keeping ourselves and loved ones safe. With continuous days at home, it can be hard to work up the motivation to do much of anything. But, setting goals has always helped me move forward with what I want to accomplish and completing these three tasks every day has kept me from going totally stir crazy:

Writing Every Morning:

Whether it be on a work day or the weekend, as soon as I take my morning shower and ready myself for the day, I sit at the computer and prepare a scheduled post to publish. I never thought that I would be able to keep daily content coming when there is literally nothing to do. I have surprised myself and think that I am even better at my craft now because I have learned to draw inspiration from all of the little things that now make up my day.

I feel a great sense of accomplishment every time I complete a post during this pandemic because it really can be difficult. However, lifewithlilred has been dedicated to creating daily content for the past several years and not even COVID-19 can stop that! Starting my morning off with a goal already checked off of my to do list makes me feel ready to take on the rest of the day and keeps me motivated to do it again tomorrow.

Practice Languages:

One of my favorite hobbies is learning new languages and every day I practice French, Italian, Spanish, German, and Czech on Duolingo. In fact, I am on an over eighty day streak of daily practicing and I have never even come close to that before. This Christmas, Johnny got me Duolingo Plus to help me continue practicing my languages in a more efficient way and it has been awesome. No adds and unlimited hearts, baby!

I like to set aside at least an hour every day to work on learning new languages and I feel proud of the huge steps that I have taken in each one that I practice. I definitely feel like I have gotten better in all of them – particularly German and Czech and I never thought that would happen! I feel excited to learn more each day and I can’t wait to get to a one hundred day streak!

Read:

The last thing that I like to do every day is read. I have always been an avid reader and I enjoy it even more now because I feel like I can escape my apartment and join the characters from the book in their world. I try to read at least thirty to forty pages plus in whatever book I am working on each day. I love the feeling of excitement I get every time I crack a book open because I know I am going to be transported on an adventure. However, I love the sense of accomplishment I feel after finishing a book and starting a new one even more. 😀

I am currently reading a delightful book called Miss Benson’s Beetle by one of my favorite authors, Rachel Joyce. It has been a nice palette cleanser from the psychological thrillers that I have been reading so definitely be on the lookout for a Lil Red’s Book Club review of it soon!

Once I complete these three tasks every day, I give myself permission to play all of the video games or watch all of the Netflix that I want. Hey, everyone deserves a treat after accomplishing their daily goals, right? 🙂

Do you set daily goals for yourself? Have you improved on one of your hobbies during the pandemic? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec13

Rita Rites

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Rita Rites

Hello!! I like to think that I got my knack for writing from my grandma. Not only was she a gifted musician but she loved to write too and had a monthly newsletter called “Rita Rites” that was distributed in her church and mailed to her friends. In fact, when I was younger, we would both sit by the computer and she would read her handwritten draft of Rita Rites out loud to me while I typed it. I would always look forward to receiving the end results of our handiwork in the mail! In a way, it was kind of like her own blog, filled with jokes, fun facts, stories, and charming insights.

I was proud to be able to help my grandma with her newsletter and even prouder when my mom accidentally called my blog my “Rita Rites” the other day. I considered it a high compliment! From a young age, I was exposed to all of the joys of writing and I definitely have my grandma to thank for that. Her creativity, dedication, and the fact that I can never recall her using the same blurb twice continues to inspire me to this day.

I loved being able to help my grandma with Rita Rites and I miss her terribly. But, thanks to my mom misnaming my blog, I have felt so close to my grandma every time I’ve sat down to write since. Fond memories of an afternoon with my grandma working on the newsletter and then sitting down to a delicious dinner with my whole family have flooded my thoughts and it makes me happy. I think my grandma would be extremely proud of my blog and that makes me happy too. 🙂

Even though everything pretty much sucks right now, writing has helped keep me sane. And, whenever I struggle to come up with a post for the day, I think of my grandma’s dedication to her craft and everything just kind of flows. Whether you just started writing or have been doing it for years, keep going! Great friends and some of the best memories will be around to greet you at every corner. I am so thankful to the support of the blogosphere and my loved ones when it comes to my blog and Lil Red will always be here to help support all of you too!

What inspired you to start blogging? How long have you been writing for? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah