Tag Archives: lilred

Sep4

How To Avoid Blogging Burn Out

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How To Avoid Blogging Burn Out

Hi! In thirteen short days, I will complete my 1,000 day writing streak on lifewithlilred and I am SO beyond excited! One of the questions that I often get asked, especially as my blog has been going strong for almost seven years now, is how I avoid burn out when it comes to writing. So, today, I thought that I would go over my tips and tricks that help to keep myself fresh and inspired so I can sit down and write every day. Let’s get to it:

It’s All Good:

Are my blog posts always the most insightful? No. Are my pictures on my page the best? Thanks to my old school phone, still no. But do I let those factors stress me out? Definitely not! I write purely for the joy of writing, which is why all of the extra things are not even on my radar. Of course, it’s important for your blog to look nice and presentable but the bells and whistles can get you distracted from the main goal of content creating if you stress about them. Take a breath, relax, and let the words on your posts do the talking.

Keep Your Motivation Up:

I write every day strictly because I want to and that’s what keeps me waking up extra early to blog before work. I want to check in with my readers and friends and I want them all to have daily content to look forward to. This gives me tremendous drive and I wouldn’t be nearing a 1,000 day writing streak without it.

Setting goals for yourself or simply crossing “blogging” off of your to do list every day could be motivating enough. But, if it isn’t that’s okay too! Writing should be a fun activity and not something that you feel like you have to do. If you are feeling burnt out or that you are running out of content, it is always a good idea to take a few days off and then try again. Have a breather, find content inspo, and blog later with a clearer head. There is never any shame in that. ❤

Newsflash:

One of the main pressures that writers put on themselves is having absolutely groundbreaking content and I am here to tell you that you don’t need it! While ultra profound posts are great, that isn’t why your readers keep coming back to you. They visit your page again and again because they like you and feel a connection through your writing. This is extremely comforting to me and, therefore, it makes me feel comfortable with posts where I just have something silly or random to say. Remember, writing becomes more of a chore than a joy when you are too hard on yourself.

It’s The Little Things:

I struggle with writer’s block just as much as anyone and a surefire cure for it is to think outside of the box. You don’t need a major event or a bunch of vacation pics to have a good post. Rather, always keep your eyes open for the little things that happen throughout your day because the content is there if you pay attention. When your blog is a healthy mix of this, that, and the other, it keeps your readers excited to tune in every day because they can’t guess what will be posted on your page next.

For me, blogging on lifewithlilred is all about keeping it footloose and fancy free. This helps eliminate the pressure, keeps my motivation high, and makes me love writing even more every day! ❤

What are some of your tips and tricks when it comes to blogging? What motivates you? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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

Keep It Posted!

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Keep It Posted!

Hello!!! Things have been super exciting here on lifewithlilred as we quickly approach my 1,000 day writing streak and the fun doesn’t stop there. I am so excited to begin a collaboration with Elite Sports and Born Tough to try out and review their products! Once the testing phase is complete, be on the lookout for an off ice photo shoot in the coolest work out shorts imaginable. In the meantime, be sure to check out their website here: https://www.borntough.com/collections/mens-workout-shirts and here: https://www.elitesports.com/collections/boxing-gloves for more from Elite Sports and Born Tough!

And, as always, keep it locked on lifewithlilred for all of the latest and greatest! ❤

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

Aug7

Old School Rulez

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Old School Rulez

Hi! A charming quirk that you might not know about your girl is that I absolutely refuse to get a smartphone. Rather, I opt for my tough as nails slide up keyboard phone which I can make calls and text on:

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This shocks so many people, especially since I work in social media. However, I just have always failed to see the point in a smartphone because of my equally old school iPod Touch that I can access the internet on if there’s WiFi and take pictures. This system has worked for me since I was a teenager and as the saying goes: If it’s not broken, then don’t fix it. But, unfortunately, my old school wayz might need to be altered sooner than later. -_-

When I first moved into my apartment two years ago, I had excellent reception and can recall being able to text or make phone calls from any location inside. Fast forward to the past several months and, slowly but surely, it has been getting harder and harder to send a text and I can no longer make phone calls from my apartment whatsoever. In fact, for the first time last evening, I couldn’t send a text message despite trying to over half a dozen times.

I always knew that this day might come – I just didn’t expect this change to happen so abruptly. It seems like just yesterday I could be a Chatty Kathy from anywhere in my apartment! My lack of reception is, admittedly, insanely inconvenient and I finally have thrown up my hands and agreed to my first smartphone.

While this will certainly be a different change of pace for me, I am just a tiny bit excited to be able to have a phone that takes better quality pictures. This will be awesome for lifewithlilred and for snapping precious memories with my family, friends, and husband. 🙂

Old school has ruled for so long for me but it is going to be out with the old and in with the new before summer is over, I’m sure. Keep it posted here for more updates on this shocking development! 😀

What is something that you are old school about? Which smartphone has the best camera? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug6

Rest Of Summer Goals

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Rest Of Summer Goals

Hi! Can you believe we are already in August? I feel like July flew by! When the month of August arrives, I always feel like summer is about to be over when, in reality, we still have a good month and a half left. There is still much I want to do in that time, including the following:

Let’s Go To The Movies:

The first movie I saw in theaters since several months prior to the start of the pandemic was Demon Slayer The Movie and it was excellent. Sadly, I haven’t been to a movie since seeing it in May and that definitely needs to change. When Johnny and I first started dating, we were always going on dates to the movies and there is plenty to pick from this summer – especially if you’re a horror fan like us. I am dying to see A Quiet Place 2, The Conjuring 3, and Don’t Breathe 2. A few weeks ago, Johnny and I watched Don’t Breathe because he had never seen it and it is just in time for the sequel’s release later this month. 😀

Fun In The Sun:

I love being able to use the pool at my apartment community and, despite making an effort to go weekly, it still doesn’t feel like enough! There is nothing better than taking a dip on a hot summer day and I just know I will regret not using the pool more often once it closes for the year. To remedy this, I plan on visiting the pool at least two times a week so I can make up for lost time when it wasn’t open last year.

More Pictures, Please:

One of my favorite types of posts to create for lifewithlilred are Outfit Of The Days. It is so much fun to me to style outfits, come up with an idea for a photo shoot, and selecting the perfect pics for my blog. It’s basically just me pretending to be on America’s Next Top Model and I live for it lol. It would be a shame to not take advantage of the beautiful weather and shoot some more summer looks so I am hoping to do another handful of photo shoots before the weather turns. Then, keep it posted for my all time favorite: FALL FASHION!!!

Every Day I’m Hustlin’:

I am on the verge of a 1,000 day writing streak on WordPress and am quickly approaching a year in a row of practicing five languages on Duolingo. I am incredibly proud of this and won’t stop even after I have reached these landmark achievements. It is so exciting to get one step closer to my goals every day and who knows? We just might have to do a 1,000th post extravaganza on lifewithlilred with a giveaway! What do you think? 🙂

Here’s to sunny days and lots of fun for all this August!!

What are your goals for the rest of the summer? Do you have any exciting plans? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah