I wanted to pop on to give you guys a little update on where I’m at with life, healing, blogging, everything. If you’ve been here for a while then you probably know that I blogged DAILY for years, and then multiple times a week for many more years, and last year + this year my posts have been a bit fewer and further between.

As a perfectionist at my core… at times it has freaked me out, like “Jordan hello, this is your livelihood and your joy, why aren’t you writing more for the blog itself?!?” But honestly when I get down to it I know exactly why. For one, this year in particular, I have been TIRED. I have wanted to get onto the blog to write about how I feel about a million things, how I’m healing, what it feels like approaching 30, and then some, but a lot of times I am wary because the internet, now more than ever, has gotten to be a judgey and weird place.

There is a lot of judgment and darkness online these days, and as much as I try to ignore it and turn the other cheek it’s almost impossible to do that sometimes. Sharing my heart isn’t as light hearted and free as it used to be, and that seems to be a sentiment among a lot of us who blog and share our lives. I think back to the early days and reminisce HARD, because sharing life online was a novelty and the people who found it were genuinely interested and hungry to hear more. It’s no secret that blogging has changed a lot since then, so I am kind of working out in my mind how to bring that “secret sauce” back so I can both enjoy it as much as I used to, and so YOU GUYS can enjoy it as if it’s still novel as hell! Does that make sense?

For example… when I first started blogging I would read other blogs RELIGIOUSLY like Cup of Jo, PB Fingers, Chocolate Covered Katie, and others — people who shared their life more or less every single day. I was so obsessed with that. There was some secret sauce to that OG blogging life and I miss it so much. Like so, so much. I think because of the blog world changing so much I have also been contemplating how to make it feel genuinely SPECIAL again. I am all ears for tips & requests on that front.

Also, ever since about May/June I decided to take a little step back and evaluate how much I put myself out there and protect myself from the endless negativity flying around. It was getting dark. Now, after some time of doing that, here I am and I feel more invigorated than I have in a long time. Today at least.  And I am so well aware that my sentiment and energy toward what’s going on in this world is shifting daily, so I really would love to share more of that with you guys because I know I am not the only one feeling that way.

On top of my reasons above for stepping back from the blog a bit, over the years Instagram has become a place where I micro-blog the shit out of my day to day!! If I have something pressing to say, I usually hop on there and do that. It’s a great place to connect and so immediate. But like, too immediate? Lol. I like that the blog is a forever hub where things don’t run the 24 hour cycle but truly STAY. And not to mention the podcast, where I pour my heart out every week and give a lot of my energy in that direction. SOOO I guess 2020 has been a year of re-centering and re-evaluating.

And after doing a lot of that, I feel like making my way back to blogging on my actual blog is going to be a thing. Even being here writing right now feels extremely therapeutic. It feels like home.

Oh also, when I say I have been TIRED this year… I mean like bone tired. Healing from Lyme has been a full-time job for the last several years. Sometimes I look back and think, “How the HELL was I healing, blogging, podcasting, Instagramming, working, getting married, maintaining my life, and simultaneously feeling like I was going to die every damn day?” And I can truly say that almost every morning for the last week 8 weeks or so I have woken up, thought about writing a blog post, and then decided not to because the energy output sounded too extreme.

I am so glad I gave myself that downtime. A few years ago, I absolutely wouldn’t have. I am the ultimate, “Just push through, get it done” kind of gal. I also think through writing. So when I am not writing, I kind of get to a standstill in my mind. And I think I needed that standstill to really think about my life and where I see it going, as well as how I see my blog going along with it.

The good news is… I will never stop blogging. In fact, I only see blogging becoming more and more prominent in my life as I now feel a bit of a calling to step back (a bit) from being ever-so-present in every moment on social media. The blog is my safe space, my hub. I’ve missed laying in bed, sipping my coffee, and pouring my guts out to you guys. This year just got weird and I felt the need to draw inward. I have, however been journaling up a storm and working on some other writing projects I will share eventually.

Also… BALANCE. Blogging every day doesn’t have to be the goal, I now realize. Also blogging when I only have something major to say doesn’t have to be the goal. How about like popping in and saying hi?!?! That is so fun to me. So I’m gonna do a lot more of THAT.

What do you guys think about getting that secret sauce back? What do you love most about blogs and wish there was more of in the blogosphere?

I would love to hear it and incorporate it into this secret sauciness comeback. Love you guys so much. Thank you for sticking with me. I am endlessly grateful and endlessly pouring love into you all. XO 

I want to say time flies, but I also feel like I’ve been doing this all of my life. The crazy thing is, even before I had this blog I was “blogging” for as long as I can remember.

The other day I dug up my old health and fitness blog called “Jordan Health & Fitness” (lol) that I created in college to share healthy recipes, workouts, musings about staying healthy in college and finding the best yoga studios in LA and stories from being the Director of Health & Fitness of my sorority, Alpha Phi.

I barely remembered that I’d had it because it’s always just felt like second nature to me to live this healthy lifestyle but to share what I’m doing and learning. Before that blog, I had “Meanwhile in Florence…” which was a travel blog about my study abroad experience in Italy and our travels. I remember pressuring myself to write 8,000+ word posts so I wouldn’t leave out a single detail of our experiences there which also made blogging very tedious and not so fun…. LOL.

Not to mention, the hosting sites of my old blogs were not great (I had no idea what I was doing back then!!) so it took some SERIOUS digging to even find them!! The Florence one is gone but I remember that one fondly because I felt like such a serious “blogger” and shared every post to my Facebook, MySpace, all the places.

Speaking of MySpace… before I even started blogging I was a HUGE MySpace girl. I took it extremely seriously to decorate my page, learn all the codes and hacks to have the best colors, fonts, music, artsy photos, massive Top 8 (mroe like Top 50 with all of the hacks and codes I used), and I took it upon myself to ~*tYpE LiKe tHiS aLL oF tHe TiMe bC iT wAs tHe COoLLLL tHiNg 2 Do!!!!!*~

And pre-MySpace, it was Buddy Profiles on AIM. PLEASE tell me someone remembers this!!! Same thing there, I learned all of the backend coding so that I could use the rarest fonts and rainbow colors. I used Dashboard Confessional and Taking Back Sunday quotes in my bio and away messages like it was my job. And I think I left my AIM screen up 24/7 with various detailed away messages so I could always share what I was doing or what was on my heart.

Am I crazy or is that… BLOGGING?!??! IT ISSSSSS.

So that’s why when I say I have been blogging for 7 years but it feels like a lifetime, it really started in 4th grade when my brother made me my @jojoyounger screenname for AOL. I vividly remember only one or two of my friends had a screenname or even an email address at that time (Eleni and Kayla, I am looking at you) so I would message my friends’ parents on there just to utilize my AOL messenger.

It’s wild looking back at it all. Now that I know my Human Design (REFLECTOR !!) I know that I was living my best Reflector life all along. It has always brought me so much joy to share my life and my heart with the people around me, whether no one was reading or now, hundreds of thousands of you.

Which brings me to my next point — THANK YOU.

I may have been blogging for a lifetime before TBB, but it’s you guys that have made TBB what it is. A community, a place to share our hearts, a hub for spirituality and wellness and going deep, a brand that has ranged from a clothing line, to books, ebooks, an APP, events, a podcast, retreats, Facebook groups, courses, and of course the forever mothership — THE BLOG.

I am forever grateful I started this blog (really originally my Instagram account) sitting in an airport in Maui on June 18th, 2013.

I was a brand new college graduate in love with the vegan lifestyle, and the vegan blogging community was JUST starting to get a bit popular and a select few people were sharing recipes and musings on Instagram. I had this thought while I was in Hawaii that I could do the same thing. I had plenty of food photos on my phone, I loved creating recipes, food styling, teaching people how to live healthier, and of course I loved sharing my life.

So boom, on a whim, @theblondevegan was created. I spent the summer creating content all day every day. It was a DIE HARD passion from Day One. A few months into it I decided to write a Facebook post asking if anyone I knew could help me create a website… and I got a message from a guy I went to college with saying he could do it.

We kind of dated for a bit   and he took it upon himself to be sort of a business advisor on top of building my website. He saw the blog traffic on the very first day and said, “Jo… You know you could make money off of this? We should put ads on your website.”

So we did and the revenue was super minimal but I was not in it for the money and keep in mind the blogging industry as we know it wasn’t even close to existing quite yet. I was just thrilled to get free vegan protein powders and was stunned every time someone new found my blog and told me it was impacting their life for the better.

Then the same guy who built my website came to visit me in NYC and gave me a real talk about how people were kind of starting to blog for a living. I couldn’t believe it. I had JUST committed to grad school for creative writing and was halfway into my first semester… but the only thing I could focus on was my blog already. Now someone was telling me I could actually do this for work AND fun?

I finished out my first year of grad school but the rest was history. I was hooked. By that time I had created vegan cleanse programs and we had launched our first batch of TBV Apparel t-shirts. If you weren’t here back then, think cheeky health-related sayings on shirts which may be a-plenty now, but back then let me tell you they were very original. “Health is the New Black,” “Yoga Junkie, and “Oh KALE Yeah!” Were some faves.

I could tell you my blogging story forever. I plan on writing a book about it one day soon, because this blog has been my baby and has gone through so many iterations. I’ve seen the industry flourish and then blow up during these 7 years, and it has been the coolest thing to be in it as it has grown. I fully believe that everything happens for a reason… and creating TBV (and then TBB) when I did has been nothing short of one of the top two greatest gifts in my life (number one being J + Hud obvi).

So let’s get into 7 things I have learned in 7 years of blogging!!

1. The best things are born out of pure passion. This blog was created not for the sake of creating a career or even growing an audience, but to share what I love most- health, fitness, spirituality, and my heart. I have seen many blogs come and go because they aren’t rooted in that passion. I heard something lately that said, “Brands have to have a SOUL. If they don’t, they won’t last.” That is the ultimate truth, and TBB will always have a living, breathing soul of its own – which is my proudest accomplishment of all.

2. You never have to do what everyone else is doing. Actually, it’s even better if you don’t. I have done things quite differently than a lot of other bloggers in the sense that right out of the gate I tried a LOT of things— having managers, agents, employees, business partners, so many ventures, I was really all over the place and so excited to be living this entrepreneurial life. Over the years I have REIGNED it in. And now I keep things very tight around here, I really only work with family and a select few people on TBB. My goal is not to have a huge office of people but rather to keep things true to how they started. That is what makes me happy and that’s what I focus on building upon every day.

3. Let your blog grow WITH YOU!!! I can’t even begin to name the ways I have changed and evolved over the years. I went from a passionate diehard vegan to non-vegan and back to veganism, but in the process I have changed. I have opened up psychically, gotten married, and now I am freaking 29 vs. 23 when I started. In short… everything has changed, and my blog has grown right along with me. Have I lost so many followers and readers along the way because I am not who I once was? YES. Is that okay? Yes. I believe our true audience and who needs to be here reading will always find their way here.

4. Breaks are good. When I first started blogging it was all about working 24/7 and never taking a break. I would stay up all night creating content and forego many, many other things in my life to be “on” all the time at events, festivals, traveling for work, photo shoots etc. etc. A few years ago I realized that wasn’t a life I wanted to continue living, and I made some changes. I never again want to work my ass off at the expense of missing important events and memories in my close circle’s life. Oh and the real breaks I have taken for my health have been GOLDEN.

5. It’s okay to pivot. I used to be so afraid that if I switched up my content in a big way people wouldn’t be into it anymore. It turns out, you guys are the freaking best and we have developed such a friendship over the years — many of you are here for it all, and you are ON THIS JOURNEY with me. When I pivot, many of you are pivoting in your lives at the same time. I am really just sharing the journey that so many of us are currently on and if I tried to keep it the “same” as the past it wouldn’t be true to reality.

6. Long term partnerships with brands you love are the JAM versus one off things. For a while I did a lot of one off partnerships, many with brands I loved and many with brands that I wasn’t so into. It was a nice way to make $$ for a while but there is no soul in doing that. Now, I am only interested in creating lasting, real partnerships with brands I love that have to meet certain super specific criteria. For a few years now I have seen the importance of the long game vs. the short game, which also helps keep the brand true to its core vs. ever being about $$.

7. IT IS ALL ABOUT THE AUDIENCE!! You guys are my true friends from all over the world. I mean it when I say that you guys feel like my best friends who know me inside and out. When I meet you guys out in public sometimes people say, “I hope this isn’t weird but I really feel like I know you so well,” and I always say “YOU DO!!” The Internet is a wild place but it is a beautiful place too. At the end of the day you guys have made this blog what it is — a brand with readers — so thank you, I love you, I am always here for you and right there with you.

Wow. HEART SPILLLLLL. AHHHHH!!! Pleeeeease tell me below how long you’ve been here, how you found me, your thoughts on this story, all of it!!! TBB Tribe is my heart and soul. Cheers to 7 more years and beyond, and to continuing to grow TBB right alongside of me. Maybe in 7 years I will be mommy blogging ?!?! But I will never lose the core and foundation of where this all started. Love you all HUGELY. Thank you.

First of all, can I just say thank you for reading my blog?!

Over the years I have run the gamut of what it means to be a blogger. For a while, I blogged 3x a day because I was inspired to share all of my meals every day and loved the way other bloggers I followed did that (way back in 2013).

Then I toned it down to once a day, and at some point I started taking weekends off.

THENNN I started my clothing line (which iIno longer have, for other reasons), wrote my book, discovered writing FULL BLOG POSTS (hehe) in my Instagram captions, started teaching yoga, and most of all — started podcasting. With the development of each new project, blogging every day of the week became a little more unrealistic to maintain.

It was a lot of stuff!

It am not saying that any of the new projects replaces blogging. Quite the contrary, there is nothing like blogging. Writing a full blog post. A “pour your heart out,” fingers to the keys, type it all the F out and feel like a new human when you’re done, kind of post.

I feel that I will always be a writer at heart. I am a big “phase” kind of girl, and as much as I try to find things that I can stay 100% consistent with… that just ain’t me. And trying to make that me is just fighting who I really am.

So I hope you guys who have been following for a long time and remember the days that i used to blog 3x a day or even every day, are enjoying my podcast and the VAST amount of energy I am pouring into it, are following on social media and staying up to date on my behind the scenes life, and of course staying tuned for when new blog posts come out.

Photos by Tamara-Muth King, capturing me in my element as always!

I just had to say that — all of that — because with every passing day of NOT blogging, I feel funny about it. This blog has always been my baby and my bread and butter and my everything, but the truth is, over time LIFE evolves.

I also have my huddy baby now. I have my relationship with jonathan that i cherish so, so much. I have my role as a yoga teacher, and I am reallllyyyy enjoying drawing inward and diving DEEP into my spiritual practice which, eventually, will birth and shape my next book… which I am so freaking excited about.

I still blog as much as I can or WANT to… and right now I have a list of about 25 topics I am dying to cover and blog about, so you can expect a lot of fun to come.

I wanted to give you guys that update because as my readers and supporters, you deserve to know what’s going on up in here. In my head. What I’m focusing on. What I’m excited about. All that jazz!

I would love to hear your thoughts on all of that!

Now let’s dive into the subject of today’s post… 5 Things You May Not Know About The Blogging World!

This idea came to me the other day when I was a) starting to get a little frustrated with people out there acting like they are experts on every single thing in existence, and b) I think it will answer a lot of questions about what it’s like to blog full-time!

Lettttt’s do it.

5 Things You May Not Know About The Blogging World //

1. A lot of non-experts act like experts, so follow along with that in mind! A lot of people, including myself, start a blog because they are passionate about a certain subject. I wound up getting my health coaching certification after I decided to wellness blog full-time because I wanted that legitimacy, and then I took my 500-hour yoga training, and right now I have some other programs and trainings in the works. That is not to say I had to do any of that to blog about wellness, yoga, fitness, etc. but I do think it’s important to have knowledge and a solid background in what you are sharing with people.

What I see all the time on social media and on blogs that I really can’t stand behind is people talking about certain wellness-related things as if they are total experts, when they just aren’t. It’s okay for them to give their opinions (we are all human and have that right, duh!) but when some bloggers jump from one health-related topic to the next, to the next, to the next and tell you their opinion and experience of it as if it should replace the word of your doctor / nutritionist / trainer… I don’t agree with that.

I add this point in because I think it’s important to listen to our own bodies above all else, and seek medical help when we need it. Let’s just say adaptogens and superfoods won’t cure everything, as much as we wish they could. So keep LEARNING and soaking in advice and tips from people you follow and love, but don’t get frustrated if you don’t have the same results as them. We are all so completely and entirely different!

2. A lot of followings are fake… the sad truth. I got an email a couple of days ago from an agency I work with frequently in NYC called Fohr Card. They ran the stats with some super tech savvy programming to figure out which influencers they work with have legitimate followings, and which do not.

In the email from them, they wrote, “There were thousands of influencers [we’ve worked with] whose followings didn’t get verified, and we hope this badge is another step towards adding transparency to the industry and rewarding those who have built real, authentic followings.”

Many of us in this industry have worked incredibly hard to get to where we are today, with established REAL followings and real engagement. It is absolutely heartbreaking to me how many people out there cheat the system and fake it, making our industry seem + feel so much less reliable and trustworthy. It makes it hard for brands to trust those of us who are legit, unless they follow us closely and personally.

For this reason, a lot of the brand deals I do these days come from someone working on the brand team who has followed me for years! They know that my audience is legit and that I only share what I love. It makes it a fun and authentic back and forth between us.

There are tons of other amazing bloggers that have built authentic followings over the years, and I think you’ll be able to decipher who they are quite easily.

3. Blogging is more than a full-time job, it’s a lifestyle. People ask me all the time whether blogging is a full-time job. Sometimes I laugh to myself as I say yes because I know it’s more than that, and other times I think, “Dayum, how in the hell did I get lucky enough for THIS to be my job?!?” And ultimately, I believe it’s more than a full-time job. It’s a lifestyle. If you’re not walking the walk that you’re sharing with people, then eventually your blog will not be able to maintain itself. Authenticity is huge in blogging.

But when its more of a lifestyle than a full-time job, it means that you can be incredibly flexible with your schedule. You can work from anywhere. You can go on long trips and actually work MORE on vacation than you do at home because there is so much content to capture.

So I always say it’s a lifestyle! I don’t work 9-5. I work different hours every day. Sometimes I can really get behind the Tim Ferriss notion of the “Four Hour Work Week” because some weeks I spend very, very, very little time behind a computer doing “work.” But that means I am researching and living the lifestyle I share, which is the most authentic, important and valuable to me.

4. Even when you have help, blogging is a one person job. But it is super social! I think it’s important to have at least someone in some area of your business helping you as a blogger because it all goes back to the reality that we can’t do EVERYTHING. When we spread ourselves too thin, we are actually hindering our creative potential because we just don’t have the time, space or energy to create from the heart and come up with new ideas.

I have had a lot of different types of help over the years from full-time and part-time assistants to full-time photographers and videographers to managers and agents to graphic designers and podcast editors to asking my MOM to do everything behind the scenes because sometimes I would crumble from the pressure I put on myself to do “everything” and to answer every single email and question that came my way.

Right now… I have a little bit of everything, and at the end of the day I know that as much help as I have, my blog can’t function without me and without the truth that it’s really a one-person job.

But I keep it simple.

My dad is my accountant. I have a brand manager, a literary agent, a podcast editing team (audio will never be my forte!), a few go-to photographers, a web designer, and I have my mom’s help with all sorts of things because she’s awesome like that.

More than anything, this post by Tash Oakley REALLY resonated with me. As entrepreneurs and one-woman shows we truly work our asses off and we give up a lot in order to do that. I LOVE my life but I wouldn’t call it normal in any way. In many cases most of my close friends don’t even think to ask me to join in on big group activities (and they haven’t in years!) because my answer for so long is always… I’m working.

And I am okay with that. It’s a choice I’ve made. We all have to find that balance that works for us (and trust me, I’ve gotten better with work-life balance because I re-prioritized it) but don’t ever mistake us bloggers as people who just got lucky or became successful enough to hire a lot of help. I feel like a complete one-woman show and I am HAPPY with that. I like feeling like a boss and handling it all.

Ultimately, blogging is a one-person job (unless you started your blog with someone else) and I feel more clear on that right now than I ever have before, after trying out a lot of different infrastructures out there.

5. It is absolutely pertinent to take time for yourself in order to come up with new ideas! As much as I say that blogging is a lifestyle, that also means that as a PART of that lifestyle you’ve gotta cool it sometimes and draw inward to tap into your creativity and new ideas! The more time I create for myself to sit in silence, stillness, meditation, listen to new podcasts, read, write, journal… the more I come up with inspiration to keep creating.

Blogging is the ultimate industry of creativity. From a blog, you can create anything you want. You cultivate an audience that likes the same topics as you! You can go to town creating from there, whether it be ebooks and programs, to online classes and trainings, to coaching or consulting, to events and books, to clothing lines or product lines, FOOD, makeup, whatever it may be.

So in order to let that full creative potential shine, you have to take that time to yourself. That’s just not for bloggers but for all entrepreneurs. It is crazy important.

AHHHH now that I’ve written this post I am re-inspired to blog all the time. It’s so much fun. I love connecting with you guys in this way.

See?! Endless things to focus on.

Also, check out my most recent Spotify playlist. It’s playing right now and I feel like you’ll enjoy. XO

LOTS OF LOVE! Would love to hear your thoughts on this. xxxx

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writing to you from the beautiful, magical, sun-soaked island of MAUI in hawaii! i am currently sitting on my balcony, cross-legged (duh), overlooking the ocean, listening to the rolling waves crash into the shore, and spying down on my cute parents, sister, and niece chillin’ by the pool while i chug kombucha and type out this post.

( fun fact: i have been told that i have an unusually loud typing-noise, and i think it’s because i type like an absolute maniac. my fingers move PSYCHOTICALLY fast, not as fast as my brain, but i have had a lot of practice over the years so it can sound pretty wild… lol. just thought of this because i was just in ojai with some of my best girlfriends + this came up a LOT! )

i have so much i want to share with you about ojai, my insanely amazing spiritual experience with energy alchemy while i was there, maui so far, and more, BUT today is somethin’ special and i want to get right to it.

( i’m working on posts about everything else that will be live while i am here in hawaii! )

my blogging journey!

so i recorded a solo podcast episode before i left town the other day, which you can listen to here.

it is all about my blogging journey…

including the details of how i stumbled into even starting a blog / instagram, what my life in New York looked like when i first started blogging (while in grad school!), the first product i developed, the second/third/fourth products i developed and how they worked / didn’t work (because trust me, some did NOT!), WHY i decided to start blogging full-time, some deets of my eating disorder (i mean, it was happening at the same time so…. couldn’t avoid talking about it! #OPENBOOK), what i’ve learned, how to prevent burnout, etc.

it was a really fun episode to record because sometimes it can be so nice to just talk directly into the microphone and share with you guys in that way. there are no other energies to balance (as much as i love / adore / am obsessed with my guests) and i can just SHARE. from the heart & soul. one of you awesome humans told me it was like having a long, deep chat together. and that is ALL i want, so that made me very happy.

sharing my blogging journey with you guys and hearing HOW MANY OF YOU are into starting your own blog, have started blogs and are thinking about diving in full-time or more seriously, or have an idea for another creative business really got me thinking.

i want to provide really tangible, helpful info for those of you who are diving into this awesome industry. so i will definitely be doing a lot more podcasts on the topic (woo!) and can’t wait to share more on that front.

huge tip below, one of the juiciest & biggest and i don’t talk about it that often so let’s dive into it!

let’s talk about MENTORS!

i have a lot of mentors. i am really lucky, as you’ll learn in the podcast episode, because i am surrounded by successful, driven individuals from my BFF / business guru brandin, to my boyfriend / business guru / teacher extraordinaire jonathan, to my entrepreneurial & extremelyly business-savvy dad (in fact, all he wants to ever talk about is business lol), to my longtime idol & spiritualality-meets-branding mentor gabby bernstein, to my agents and managers, to BOOKS (so avail to all of us), and so much more.

i believe that having a valuable, trustworthy, confident mentor is one of the most tangible and realistic steps that you can take when it comes to formulating ideas and a plan for your new business. it also makes things more FUN, because you have someone to bounce ideas off of (or a whole community, depending on whether your mentor has a community or social presence to join in on!!) and someone to learn from.

in many cases, having a mentor helps prevent some of the errors in the inevitable trial & error process of starting a business. not all, because they ARE inevitable and you’ll want them because you’ll learn from them — but the big no-no’s that could crash and burn your excitement and your ideas are the ones they’ll help you avoid.

AN OFFER, for those who are ready to take the next step with their business + ideas!

one of my top mentors, the beautiful and beyond successful & abundant gabby bernstein, offers an annual Spirit Junkie Masterclass Digital Course that can be done in the comfort of your own home & will legit rock your world.

if you’ve been reading along lately, then you know i’ve mentioned it a lot, but TOMORROW is the final day to sign up. so really, i’d do it today. (who has time to fret about doing it at the very, very, very last sec?)

it’s rockstars like GB who have paved the way for so many of us wellness-obsessed entrepeneurs to create businesses off of the things we love most!

gabby’s masterclass signup link is open for ONE more day, and you can sign up here!

there are a lot of things that set this course apart from so, so many other business + spirituality courses out there that are similar.

in general, i don’t promote business courses. i had a few bad experiences and i even had a bad-ish experience in grad school (#gradschooldropout), so if i’m going to tell you about something it’s going to be because it’s different, BETTER, more practical, and more spiritually aligned with my mission (and hopefully yours too!).

a huge thing that makes gabby’s course different is that there is LIIIIVE energy within the course!! although it’s all online, it has been filmed in ultra-crisp HD video and audio beforehand with the super fun, electric energy of a LIVE crowd because that’s how she filmed the entire thing with her amazing rockstar guests! you’ll feel like you’re right in the room, with the best seat in the house.

it’s truly one of a kind. she is goals.

by the way you’ll also have lifetime access, so if you’re like me and you’re terribly fearful to commit to something big like this for fear that “it’s not the right time, i already have SO MUCH GOING ON!!” then you don’t have to worry about that. the course will be available to you at ANY time throughout the year. but you can only sign up now!

more amazing deets:

gabby, like me, believes that the fastest path to business success starts with enriching your spiritual practice. in my opinion and in my experience, you really truly cannot create something meaningful & huge & abundant without first having that deep, authentic, spiritual relationship with yourself.

and I’m not talking about religion. i’m talking KNOW YOSELF! meditation! yoga! journaling! DEEP. DIVE. discover what it is that makes your heart beat a little faster, and go after it.

throughout the course you’ll learn techniques and methods that will help you tune in to your inner wisdom and really hear what’s calling you. we all have access to that, but so many of us are shut off to it.

this course is about SO much more than just getting stellar business training — it’s also about creating the kind of spiritual experience that allows you to embrace your purpose and take action with conviction and confidence you’ve never felt before.

you don’t need any pre-requisites or a pre-existing business, and it’s totally cool if you do or don’t! the only, only, only requirement is your willingness to grow and serve.

boom! yes! do ittttt. signup is here, and it’s available until tomorrow, june 29th, and 6pm EST.

that is my TOP tip for creating the business + life of your dreams. to commit to something bigger than yourself. learn firsthand from someone as knowledgeable and incredibly successful as gabby B (new york times best-selling author and so much more!).

my other top tips for starting a blog & growing a business…

+ stick to what you’re passionate about // if you’re going to create a blog, make sure it is relevant to a topic you could talk ENDLESSLY about! you never know what this might turn into for you and you don’t want to set yourself up to get burnt out or to run out of ideas.

+ join a passionate community of likeminded individuals! // this could be anything from a Facebook group (the soul on fire podcast tribe on FB is on FLEEK, just sayin!), a fitness or wellness community or studio in your area, a blogging network online, a newsletter where you can chat with other people who are on a similar path as you, or even make friends on instagram!

+ engage with others, support, and don’t compare yourself // i think what really sets successful bloggers apart is the non-competetive and non-comparison factor. there is room for all of us. there are billions of people on the internet. support your fellow bloggers and they will do the same in return!! engage authentically with their posts and content. and don’t get too wrapped up in what they’re doing and/or try to imitate, you do YOU and that’s all you need to focus on!

+ MORE !! listen to the pod episode to dive deeper with me, and head to my GABBY landing page for full info on the spirit junkie masterclass and to join this journey of a lifetime while it’s still available!

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People ask me this question a lot, and honestly my answer is all over the board. Yes, majorly & no, not at all — depending on the sitch.

The truth is, it really depends on the person. It also depends on the type of blog, whether the person blogs for a living or just for fun, and what their intentions were when starting their blog.

But as usual: it MAINLY comes down to the personality of the blogger.

Here is my super blunt opinion: If the person is blogging for the right reasons, then they are probably not competitive. They know their subject, they have passion for what they’re doing and they own it. They don’t waste their time trying to compete with other bloggers.

This panel of ladies yesterday at GirlTalkLA couldn’t possibly have been more inspiring & SUPPORTIVE.

If they are not blogging for the right reasons, then they are probably highly competitive… because they aren’t being very true to themselves and they don’t have the passion or chops to back up their blog.

I blog for a living, but it certainly didn’t start that way. I started blogging because I was beyond obsessed with wellness & writing and then fell in love with connecting with my audience. I tried to force myself to stay in grad school but all I cared about was blogging… so I left to do it full-time. The passion is still real, 3.5 years later.

Most of the OG bloggers who are in it for the right reasons blog because they LOVE it, regardless of the monetization they’ve been able to put into place.

With my bb’s & some of my biggest supports and fellow entrepreneurs / honorary bloggers… Kelly & J.  

It’s sort of the same as any other profession, right? If someone decides to go to law school because they are SUPER PASSIONATE about the law, then they probably are going to focus on their own shit and not let their fellow aspiring lawyers get in their way.

But if they’re going to law school because they feel like they “should” or because their parents forced them to… they probably look at their peers all the time and compare themselves, feel insecure, and/or try to bring others down because they aren’t making passionate, intentional choices. (MAYBE. Not all people do this just because they aren’t totally passionate about their career, obvi).

Here’s the dealio: the most successful bloggers that I know are the most humble, passionate and the most willing to be friends & help others find success. When you are confident with your own blog & brand, there is no need to feel like there isn’t room for all of us.

A few of the super inspiring & successful bloggers I’m referring to are Lauryn of The Skinny Confidential, Geri of Because I’m Addicted, Katie of Chocolate Covered Katie, Sophie of Philosophie Mama, Tara & Jesse of How You Glow, Whitney of Eco Vegan Gal, Remi of Rrayyme, Rachel of Rachlmansfield, Courtney of Realfoodology, and the epic Kathryn Budig to just name a few.

And there are SO many more bloggers who I love and am friends with — I’m not trying to choose favorites here, I’m just naming some women who have been extra supportive & collaborative with me (and all of them have become close friends) because I think it’s something YOU guys as readers should be aware of because they are all freaking awesome as people.

Chillin’ with my blogger babes at an event a few months ago!

These ladies are always nothing but supportive, open to collaboration and willing to share the deets of their own success.

For instance — Katie & Kathryn are two of the busiest badasses I know. I emailed them questions for my upcoming Business of Blogging eBook Q&A, and they both got their answers back to me within 24 hours. Lauryn — who no doubt gets 500+ emails a day — subscribes to my newsletter & is always the first to respond to it and congratulate me on little successes.

Remi & I text all of the time about partnership opps we are both a part of and give each other all sorts of advice & support when making blog-related decisions.

Courtney and Rachel have become fast close friends of mine, especially because we have SO MUCH IN COMMON — there is no need to compete because of that, there is enough room for everyone’s successes.

All of the people I mentioned I have a special relationship with and I would not know them if it weren’t for the fact that we ALL have the same profession! And guess what? Zero competition there. I love ALL of their blogs, no matter how similar or different their content is to mine.

That one time K. Budig & I ran into each other in the Hearst Building when we were both promoting our books!

It got me thinking… the number one most successful bloggers in my book are always interactive with their fellow bloggers as well as their readers. It just comes with the territory, and I think people who shy away from that sort of thing are missing out on a big, positive opportunity.

Also, the Instagram wellness community BLOWS me away with the openness, support, collaboration, friendship & authenticity. There are probably 50+ girls who I communicate with on a daily basis through Instagram — we all support each other’s photos, like & comment, and have developed genuine friendships based off of awesome likeminded interests.

Danika Brysha, model & founder of Model Meals (and influencer) is one of the RADDEST, COOLEST, MOST AWESOME chicks that I know. No competition here, ever. Just tons of collaborative ideas and creative juices flowin’ every time I’m with this babe.

No one who is confident in their own brand and as their own person acts “above” anyone else… We are all in the same boat & trying to make this rad alternative career work and be as longterm sustainable as possible!

Sophie & Whitney supporting at my app launch event in November 2014! Cannot BELIEVE it’s been two years.

The way I feel about it is, the more of us that are doing this for a living — the better for ALL of us (and our readers).

I think it’s so cool to see blogging as a business turn into such a lucrative and attainable career path. A few years ago, it simply wasn’t a thing. It wasn’t really a form of marketing and people who were doing it were doing it JUST because they love it. (Like Geri, who has been blogging since 2005!)

When I refer to bloggers who aren’t in it for the right reasons, I am talking about a few types of people:

• people who think that starting a blog will make them famous and/or super-well known and desirable for that reason… because then their blog becomes all about them (#selfies galore) and doesn’t have a key passion or definitive subject behind it
• people who think that their modeling shots on Instagram make them a blogger, but have no interest in writing or providing quality content to back it up. (Nothing wrong with model pics… but those people are not bloggers by my standards.)
• people who try to start blogging full-time way before they are ready to take the leap, so they end up cramming their blog and/or social media with ads and paid posts because of the $$. Trust me, I get it. We have all gone through an “ad happy” phase… but if you lose your passion or stray from your readers’ expectations because of it, you will lose quality and readership quite quickly
• people who are using blogging as a stepping stone for social climbing, networking, or other job opps. It’s true that blogging CAN be a great stepping stone toward other awesome things… like writing books, hosting TV shows, growing a Youtube channel, etc. There is a way to be authentic, genuine and open about what your ultimate goals are without sacrificing the quality of your blog or coming off as in-genuine to other bloggers
• simply, mean / catty girls who have no interest in supporting other bloggers or forming any type of community

Basically, I would be nowhere if I didn’t read other bloggers’ stuff. I think it’s important to support other people in the industry because these are our contemporaries… people who we can go to with questions, support at events and have them support at ours, and people who we can collab & bounce ideas off of.

The beautiful Rachel Mansfield supporting me at my Breaking Vegan book signing in NYC this summer!

I mean — we are all in this biz for a reason! Not to walk all over each other and vie for opportunities, but to reach our audiences and provide them with quality content. AND to live our happiest lives by doing something we absolutely love for a living.

I hope this sums it all up without being too all over the place! Yes — many bloggers are competitive. I can spot them from a mile away. I do not get along with those people. At all.

But many, many are not. You will find these genuine bloggers all over the Internet — supporting other bloggers, attending events, speaking on panels, posting from the heart content about things that inspire them, new wellness methods / etc. and not solely sponsored posts or solely super glossy, done up images from events that make them appear super high-profile (even if they are!).

Some of the most badass ladies I know. Kirbie is a POPSUGAR TV host, Maile founded & runs BeGlammed (such a #boss), and Sarah founded GirlTalkLA. Their inspiration & tips have been so meaningful to me — we all have so much to learn from each other. 

Overall — support other people! It makes a huge diff. And this space is a GREAT way to make friends with likeminded interests. People who are doing seriously awesome & inspirational things.

Would love to hear your thoughts on the subject. Do share? X 

Collaborating with my boo Aerial in our Adidas a few weekends ago!

Okay, so this isn’t MUCH of a dilemma if you don’t care that much about social media. But if you’re a blogger, you should care about social media. Unless you’re Emily Schuman or something, in that case — your blog readership is set regardless of your social media presence.

For those of us who started blogging post-2009 (which, I’m willing to say, is most of us…) then the aesthetic and vibe of our social media matters a LOT when it comes to driving readers to our blog.

Our Instagram accounts, and also Snapchat, Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, and others to some extent; are a huge reflection of what our blogs are all about.

If you’re a food blog, you’re in luck. All of your food photos will probably flow nicely together as long as you have some nice backgrounds and an eye for photography and food styling. If you’re a fashion blog, you’re also in luck. Your style will attract a certain type of curated audience and they will keep coming back for more because they love the way that you dress, and you can even throw in some fun quotes and scenery without it being totally out of place.

In other words, for those types of blogs, it’s EASY to stay consistent. The challenge might be staying innovative and keeping things fresh and exciting… but even so, your Instagram feed (and all other social channels as well) will reflect what your blog is all about — so you will keep on gaining followers and traction at a steady rate. You KNOW what will keep your audience engaged.

The LIFESTYLE bloggers:

Then there are those of us who don’t always blog about something so specific. I mean yeah, I write about health & lifestyle. I do healthy recipes, shoot some vids here and there, am a total fitness fanatic, am a sucker for the beachy-gypsy-wanderlusty travel lifestyle pics, love a good selfie, and like to share my IN THE MOMENT real life with you guys.

My Instagram photos & videos now range from yoga flows in my living room to super styled and very curated photo shoots for brands that I work with to post-workout sweaty selfies to long-as-can-be captions about what I am feeling in the moment.

You know, like this…

You see, I’ve found myself in a dilemma. But I also kind of love the dilemma for other reasons. I’m torn, you guys!

I want to have a beautifully curated Instagram feed. I want the photos to flow super well together and have the artistic aesthetic of Marianna Hewitt‘s Insta or the super reliable consistency of Chocolate Covered Katie‘s.

When I give advice to new bloggers, I tell them to BE CONSISTENT and give their audience the type and style of content that they followed them for in the first place.

But I also want to switch things up and keep things unpredictable and fresh. I want my social accounts, sort of like this blog, to have a “reality show” feel and vibe. NOT in the “famous for being famous” reality show way… but the very open, sharing my life, letting you guys know what I am up to every day kind of way.

And with that, there comes a lot of variety. No two days are the same. Try as I might, I don’t always have that killer white & grey marble slab with me for food photos. And I don’t always have the most kickass lighting for my yoga videos. I also like to throw in a few spur-of-the-moment ‘WHAT UP, GUYS?’ photos when I am feeling most inspired, which most definitely don’t always have a professional quality to them.

On the flip side, I love the creative side of curating a beautiful, perfectly flowing Instagram feed. I love high quality imagery, and I love capturing the perfect yoga photo on the beach at sunset with my fave photographers. I love being super, duper proud of the quality of a food photo I capture for a brand, and I love sharing the art of photography with you guys who are following.

SO, that is why I am in a perpetual dilemma! Do I keep sharing pure, un-curated, in the moment reality with you guys, or do I exercise some self-restraint (which I’m bad at) and JUST post the beautiful images with the best lighting even if inspiration strikes in between?

I think I know the obvious answer to this. Inspiration should never be ignored.

And I feel LUCKY, beyond lucky, to feel so inspired in the job that I do.

Just like beautiful, aesthetically jaw-dropping photography inspires me to no end, sharing REAL, authentic, & raw moments in real-time inspires me.

This was a good example of in the moment sharing, but also something I found super beautiful and wanted to share for that moment too:

That’s why when you go to my social media accounts these days (and this blog), you see a medley. High quality photos that have days and hours of prep work behind them & an experienced photog behind the lens — and hopefully when looking at them you feel a little bit of the magic that sparks within ME and the photographer when we nail that perfect shot.

That’s what I want when I share those photos. I want you to feel the magic, and I want the inspiration I feel to radiate back to you and make you inspired in your own life, and in your own way.

Like this shoot for Alo Yoga with my BFF Lex & BFF behind the lens Danika:

Similarly, you’ll see a grainy video of me DRIPPING sweat in a yoga class, and you’ll also hear some bomb-ass music playing along with the video because there’s almost nothing I love more these days than finding the perfect song to accompany my yoga flow vids.

And starting on Thursday, you’ll be along for the ride with me as I travel to Kauai for 8 days and capture the beauty around me in ALL sorts of ways. With my GoPro, my Canon 6D, my iPhone, my Snapchat story, my iPhone video (grainy at times I’m SURE), my mom’s Nikon, allllll of it.

Because I love switching it up. I LOVE staying inspired and making sure things never get dull. Not for me, and not for you guys. I want to keep it fresh and exciting always.

So, WHY is it a dilemma then?

So yeah, because of the lack of total consistency, I don’t see the steady, predictable rise of my social following the same way I used to. When I used to be very consistent with the same style of food photo 3 times a day, I knew how many followers I’d gain per week no matter what. Now I am more likely to LOSE & gain the same amount of followers per day, because not everyone is in it for the full lifestyle.

But I am interested in sharing my lifestyle above all else. The good days and the bad. The ordinary and the extraordinary. The AWESOME quotes, songs, fitness routines, recipes, outfits, moments, all of it. ALL of it.

But I promise I am still a creative nutcase and still have an aesthetic vision for everything I do.

Don’t you worry about that.

This is where I see social media moving. We want realness. We CRAVE realness.

Just tryin’ to bring dat to all of you.

What do you think? Have you noticed a change in my social media aesthetic over the years, or did you not really notice because you’ve just been along for the ride? If you blog, how do you curate YOUR social media? Heck, even if you don’t blog, how do you like to make your Insta feed look?!

XO,

TBB

Hashtag #TBBMADEMEDOIT on Instagram if you agree!!

ALSO, if you like this kind of content, you can preorder my Going Viral: A Guide to Becoming the Boss of Your Own Life, & Turning Your Blog Into a Business eBook HERE!!

You see, there is a boss. And then there is a boss. And I have my OWN #TBBdefinition of what it means to be a boss. Let me break it down.

Let’s get bossy, okay?

The dictionary definition of “boss” ranges from “a person who employs or superintends workers,” to “a person who makes decisions, exercises authority, dominates,” to “chief; master,” and on and on in a similar fashion. It can even be defined as someone who exercises TOO much authority in an arrogant/aggressive manner.

On UrbanDictionary, boss is defined as “incredibly awesome; miraculous; great,” with synonyms like pimp, beast, amazing, sexy, swag, and bitch. This is the kind of boss we probably think of quite often in our Millennial brains… “Dude, this blog is #BOSS.”

You know you say that ish that you love is boss all the time. Boss kale smoothie. Boss t-shirt. Boss gym bag. Boss chick at the club. (LOL.) I never really say it, I’m more of a “bomb” person myself… But I hear people say it all day long.

There’s obviously the corporate boss, and even that has evolved a lot lately with start ups, blogs, tech, small businesses all over the Internet, apps, etc. I also know plenty of bosses who don’t take any sort of authority or control — they are simply at the head of the company but they have people take care of everything for them / do their dirty work / etc. Nothing wrong with that at ALL, but that’s not the definition of “boss” that I’m going for.

(I’ll get to my definition soon. Promise. Before that…)

There is also the whole #GirlBoss thing, which is a term I’ve grown to fall in love with — but I have read interesting opinions about it on both sides of the spectrum. Create + Cultivate wrote an awesome Eulogy for the Term #GirlBoss, mainly because the term has the potential to make the idea of female bosses cutesy and sweet sounding versus the legit bosses that we are.

I like the term #GirlBoss because to me it doesn’t dumb down the idea of a female boss, but rather brings together the women in the world who are taking the reigns on their own life… Whether they are a BOSS in a corporate setting, or whether they are the BOSS of their own life. Or both, which is also rad AF.

#GirlBoss puts all the women who run sh*t under one umbrella with a super cute word and also a rad “queen” #GirlBoss at the head… Sophia Amoruso.

I love Sophia because she is the perfect example of a girl/woman/lady/awesome human who took control of her own life and become boss. She started from the bottom, found something that fed her soul, and paved the way for herSELF. Now she is the boss of a highly successful, innovative, multimillion dollar company, Nasty Gal, but before that… She simply became the boss of her own life.

Which brings me to MY definition of a boss… Are you ready for it?

TBB dictionary //

BOSS //

noun; a person who takes control of their own life, trusts themselves to pursue what they love, and does so with a unique combination of brains, class, knowledge, creativity and passion.

verb; to take control of your own life and become the boss of what YOU do, starting with your inner self and moving outward to every aspect of your life.

adjective; chief goddess (or just chief, if you’re a dude) of your own life.

YEP. That’s right. You can be a total BOSS without running a company or even having authority over anyone but yourself.

For me, becoming the “boss” of my own life technically did turn into being the boss of my own company, but I wouldn’t call myself a typical or traditional boss in any sense of the word.

I’m a TBB boss. It’s close to a #GirlBoss, but better. I guess I’ll call it a #BalancedBoss.

THE #BALANCEDBOSS LIFE.

I take the reigns of my own life. I don’t do what other people tell me to do unless I actually want to do it. I go with my gut, I trust my intuition, and I do a lot of personal work on my own happiness and wellbeing every single day so that I can make sure I am always able to tap into my intuition and let it lead the way.

After all, our intuition is what allows us to be the boss of our own lives. Deep down we know what is best for us. We know what we love, we know what we need, we know what we crave.

But getting out of our day to day routine for a few to actually DO that, which often includes making really difficult and uncomfortable decisions that take us far out of the bubbles we are used to… That’s called listening to your gut.

That’s called being a boss.

The good news is, you can become a boss overnight if you want to. All you need to do is to WANT it. And you have to really want it — you can’t just half want it but also half hold onto the security of not being a boss at the same time.

You’ve gotta own it.

To be a boss… You have to be BOSSY.

Some people are inherently what I like to call “BOSSY,” which really doesn’t mean anything like the term bossy as in bossing people around like we are used to. It means that you have it in you to be a boss, and it’s not hard for you to believe in yourself to BE that and to work toward what you want.

I have always had that bossiness in me. It doesn’t mean that I have always had the confidence or self-awareness to understand WHAT that bossiness was or that I was allowed to listen to it. It took many years of not listening to it, half-listening to it, half-ignoring it, trying to shove it away to fit in with everyone else and be more like what I felt was “normal,” i.e. not being bossy at all. Just going with the flow… which I’ve always been terrible at.

But who wants to be normal when they can be #BOSSY?

Juggling becoming a boss with phasing out of being a non-boss:

This is probably the part that intimidates people the most. You want to be the boss of your own life, and maybe for you that does include being the boss of your work life and not having to answer to anyone. I meet people every day who say that their main goal is to find what they love career-wise and become their own boss.

So how do you tap into that inner boss while phasing out of doing things that please others but don’t fill your soul?

Start tapping into what YOU want. What makes you feel most alive? What are you most passionate about? What could you talk about for days / weeks / years on end without getting bored? If nothing comes to mind, try some new things that you think you might like… And then fill your time with MORE of that, and LESS of what you don’t like.

For me, I stopped going out at night when I didn’t feel like it. I stopped saying “yes” to plans all the time because I felt like I had to. I stopped trying to juggle WAY too much so that I could focus on what I actually wanted to do with my life.

I also stopped saying “no” to things that scared me — I signed up for a marathon, I wrote a book, I left grad school, I cut a few people out of my life, I broke veganism, I did things that terrified the crap out of me because that’s what I needed to tap into MY gut and to live life on MY terms.

And guess what? Now I feel more bossy than ever. I am the “boss” of my own life in every sense…

And whatever that means for you, I want you to find it. I want you to get bossy wid’ it.

Thoughts? Bosses out there? #GirlBosses, #DudeBosses, #BalancedBosses, #CorporateBosses… ANY bosses — what do you think?! Who’s with me? It’s fun taking the reigns of your own life. Scary, different, challenging, and ever so fun. 

A blog, like anything, has to start somewhere… And that’s with passion. Without passion, you’ve got nothin’. Who wants to read a blog that lacks passion and screams “I don’t even know why I’m doing this in the first place!” ??

No one. That’s the right answer. Zero humans. Nada. Ding ding ding.

This photo was from an epic sunset shoot with my intern the other evening… Something we did purely for FUN because snapping photos for the blog is something I love more than life. This photo is me in a nutshell — no frills, no fakeness, no nothing except me being me. That’s why I do what I do. Because I love blogging, creating content, and bc sharing with you guys makes my heart go boom boom.

I didn’t start my blog with the intentions of turning it into a full-fledged business — heck, I didn’t even start with the intentions of making money! If I had, I probably would have gotten frustrated and walked away, because I wouldn’t have been in it for the right reasons.

Wanna know why I really started my blog?

Because I absolutely love to write, I have a crazy huge passion for photographing my food/lifestyle/trips/workouts/friends/family (I literally have been doing it since the Myspace and Buddy Profile days —  I was that girl who changed her Myspace profile picture every single day and wrote a “bulletin” about why each new pic was important to me),

I am obsessed with health and wellness and I have a strong need (not desire; need) to share that with others, connecting on social media is something I understand well and thoroughly enjoy, I am “highly sensitive” & express myself best through writing, and because I have something I like to call “creativity ADHD,” and the blogging space seemed like the perfect place to dump it all out… For lack of a better term.

That’s why my most loyal and longterm readers tell me that they love my “brain dump” posts the most — because I come to this blog, and dump the inner workings of my brain. Luckily that often consists of health and wellness related stuff (gotta have a niche, ya know), but it also consists of a lot of other things… From celebrating my best friends’ birthdays to breaking down why I will never have a 9-5 job, I write ALL different types of posts on this blog.

Sometimes I feel like writing lists upon lists, and other times my blog writing journeys with me through marathon trainings, apartment makeovers, my book launch, and whatever I’m currently up to / obsessing over.

That’s why I’d probably go as far to say that what makes a great influencer is someone who lets you into their life, and allows their blog to ebb and flow with their life.

Of course there are different types of bloggers & influencers, and I’m not going to sit here and say that a fashion blogger or a home decor blogger’s job is to tell you about her/his deepest thoughts and musings.

But those of us who fall into the lifestyle category, I believe we have a duty. And that duty is to share our lives authentically, vulnerably, and openly with all of our readers.

If I were just halfway-authentic and held back when life got rough, or if I were ALL about the sponsored posts and making money, would you read my blog?

No.

I mean, if you would, then you rock because you would be dedicated AF and I can appreciate that. But I certainly wouldn’t read someone’s blog who wasn’t letting their authenticity and passion shine through.

Sometimes I create full food photo shoots in my living room for no reason other than the fact that it calms me down and makes me happy, and then I stay up all night editing them for the same reason.

That’s why it *kills* me inside when I get an email or a message from a reader telling me that they think I’m doing too many sponsored posts, or that a specific ad didn’t resonate with them.

It kills me because each and every time it happens, I feel misunderstood. Of course everyone is entitled to their own opinions and I would never invalidate someone else’s viewpoint — but each time I hear “You’re doing too many ads,” or “You’ve lost the core of what you’re doing,” I want to say back, “…You’re wrong,” or “I don’t think you fully understand this industry.”

Because I know that my passion is alive and thriving. It’s not going to resonate with every single human out there, and that’s okay. But I wake up every morning with an excitement to work, to create and to share. I have to actively try not to post 29839283 photos a day, because ALL I want to do is share and connect.

I don’t want to focus on the negativity too much because I think most of the criticism comes from people who aren’t following me as a whole… Or else they’d see through my Instagram, Snapchat, and this blog that all I do is share, share, share my life!

I feel that I passionately choose each & every partnership that I do for very specific reasons — so that’s that. And a lot of what I do is not partnership-based; it’s SUUUPER in the moment spontaneity.

I post a sh*t ton of spontaneous stuff, to the point where I often feel like my management team and agent think, “Oh god, she’s doing it again… She’s being candid as f, and totally spilling her guts out on the Internet…”

But that’s what you get with me. I wouldn’t have it any other way. It might not be the “give them less, and they’ll want more” or “just act cool & let the photos speak for themselves,” mentality I feel like a lot of bloggers & Instagrammers apply, but that’s not who I am. You probably know that by now.

When you follow a blog, you have to understand what’s going on behind the screen: we create content, we attend events to share with our readers, we sometimes stay up at all hours of the night to bring big projects to life, we drop bank on certain areas of our business to make sure it’s all as up to date and user-friendly as possible; and we do it because we want to share with YOU!

So yeah, we do some sponsored posts once in a while. We choose them mindfully, and we curate them so that they fit right in with WHY we started our blogs in the first place… To share our lives, and to share what we authentically love, do, make, eat, and breathe.

My blog evolves with me every day, month and year. I started as a VEGAN FOOD BLOGGER, which I obviously am not anymore, and now I feel a serious pull to share yoga videos + photos, my beachy lifestyle, and long captions + posts that “dump my brain.”

Can you roll with it?

Passion!! This was sponsored, and it was also one of the most fun days I’ve had all year, because I was on the beach with my best friends drinking something I would drink/photograph regardless of the sponsorship. Boom. That’s what makes life good.

I just had to say it, and I had to follow up because even though I want to help you guys create blogs (if you want to), and make thriving businesses out of them, blogging is SO MUCH MORE THAN sponsored posts, hosting events, and paid advertisements.

Blogging is about sharing your soul. It’s about igniting a spark and a connection with your readers, about putting stuff you care about into the universe, expressing yourself to live life to the fullest and heal past wounds through self-expression & connection, and about spreading good vibes to make the WORLD a better place.

That. Is. What. It’s. About.

Not about making money.

Money is an added bonus, because then you can actually live and sustain your life WHILE doing what you love. But there’s nothing wrong with in-between jobs or blogging on the side — nothing at all. Because if monetizing your blog is going to mess with your passion & reasons for starting it, then you don’t want to do it in the first place.

Blog because it makes you happy. Because you love it. Because your readers are into it. And if they’re not, hook them back in by actually being yourself.

K? K!!!!

LOVE YA.

I get asked this question a lot, and for good reason. Blogging as a business has only been around for a few years, and blogging as a full-time business has  been around for even fewer.

When I started blogging full-time almost two years ago, I was just beginning to get the hang of the way things worked in this industry.

For me it was more about the way the timing working out, and the fact that I was leaving grad school to pursue the blog full-time meant that it was more about pouring my ENERGY into it, and having a gut feeling that making a living would come from the huge (huge, huge, huge) amount of effort & time I was pouring in.

So basically what I’m saying is that I didn’t start blogging full-time because I was rolling in the dough. Totally the contrary. I started to see that brands were shifting in the direction of wanting more lucrative, longer term partnerships with bloggers, and I also started to see that there were lots of other ways to monetize my platforms other than simply working with brands. I knew if I gave blogging my full attention, time and effort, then I’d at least have a shot at making it work.

Luckily, I was right. Brands have started paying more and more attention to what bloggers can do for their businesses, and the blogging industry as a whole has grown a LOT in the last couple of years.

So, today I am going to break it down & tell you the top 5 ways I make a living as a blogger.

This post could technically be an entire novel because there is so much to say, but I will at least broach the subject here to get the convo movin’! If you’re interested in more… the good news is, I am working on an EBOOK about all of this — and let’s hope it doesn’t take me a decade to finish so you guys can get your hands on it soon. (Email me to get on the pre-sale list for it, btw.)

(ALSO, let me know if you want me to do a “Monthly Income Breakdown” post — I see a lot of other bloggers doing it and it could be super fascinating. I feel weird putting my exact income out there unless you guys want to see and feel that you could benefit from the breakdown… So let me know in the comments below if you do!)

TOP 5 WAYS TO MONETIZE BLOGGING: 

1. Working with brands: This is the #1 way I am able to monetize my blog and earn a living by blogging. Technically this has a million sub-categories under it, but I will keep it short and sweet (ish) for today.

As a wellness and lifestyle blogger, there are a wide range of types of brands that I work with. I work with activewear companies, healthy food brands, clothing lines that align with my style (bohemian, beachy, active), healthy restaurants, healthy supplement companies (like probiotics, hydration powders, protein powders), fitness studios and gyms, wellness authors, and more.

When I was strictly a “food blogger,” back before I transitioned my blog to a lot more lifestyle content… I was pretty limited to working with food brands, restaurants, and the occasional cleanse program. I like being in the lifestyle genre because I have more options… but it’s also a bit more difficult to choose because you don’t want to be that person who is doing EVERYTHING. You have to stick to a niche, and know what your audience wants/likes.

I went through a phrase where I worked with a million brands. I said yes to everyone and very much had the mentality “I can make this work! This sounds slightly up my alley…” kind of thing. I am a businesswoman at heart, ya know, so I wanted to be smart & make things fit — especially because the more partnerships I do, the more leisurely + from the heart posts I can do because I will have the security and time to do that.

Now I am phasing out of that “yes man” mentality — way out of it. I now realize that I would rather work with far fewer brands, and stick to a few core values and specifics of what I really want to share. Activewear, healthy food, any wellness brand that aligns with what I am doing, clothes I legitimately love, etc. I could go on and on, but I am much, much pickier now. I would rather make a living working with brands that I actually USE every day — like blenders, almond butters, produce, activewear, etc — because then it’s seamless. And then I feel good about sharing it because I totally would anyway.

I understand that we’ve all gotta start somewhere, and it’s only in the most ideal world where you can only, only say “YES” to brands that you would use whether or not they paid you — because you love them that much. Unless you have a side job, sometimes you do have to make things work. It’s all about finding that delicate balance… I personally would rather have less $ and be ridiculously proud of every partnership that I do. But we also have to make ends meet, and make enough $ to keep pursuing our dreams, building our businesses and expanding. It’s a DANCE — a balance, and I am still working to find that perfect balance.

Personal story time for a sec…

A couple of days ago someone wrote on my Instagram, “So many ads!” And that really stung. The photo was of me at CycleHouse, a place where I had legitimately worked out that morning, organically integrating a skincare product that I do use on a daily basis. I felt like I was being so authentic and so true to myself with that photo, and even had a blast taking it because I climbed on the CycleHouse desk, was head to toe in un-sponsored clothes that I adore, and had a genuine smile on my face because I was having a genuinely great time.

I know I shouldn’t let that Internet judgment get to me, but I am also one to listen to my followers and really value their (your) input. Immediately I scrolled through my feed: “Am I doing too many ads?! What am I doing wrong? OMG are people going to dislike what I’m doing? Am I not being genuine?”

I promptly deleted the comment out of instinct, but I still felt so hurt — I work so hard to organically integrate the brands that I work with, and I am super picky about which brands I say yes to. But I suppose at the end of the day you can’t please everyone, and not everyone will understand my reasons for working with brands. In an IDEAL universe — maybe I would work with no brands at all, but in that case I also wouldn’t be able to blog full-time. I may not even be able to blog at all if that were the case!

So yes, it’s a give and take, and of course when you are a newer blogger then you start small by promoting products for free (but you should still get them for free!), and then as you grow, your rates will grow as well. YOU are worth your time — you are valuable. Never forget that.

And also as you grow, you can be pickier and picker. I am getting there — and I feel good about it! I am at least at the point where I really like every brand that I work with, and I truly believe that my followers and audience can benefit from learning about each of those products!! If that answer is no, then I don’t work with the brand.

Never alienate your audience by posting about too many brands that don’t fit with their interests — you have to respect the people who follow you and give you the reason to start monetizing your platform in the first place!

2. Developing a product: So this one is a little more tricky, I realize, because you have to have a legit idea and also a bit of savings and cash flow in order to develop a product and get it off the ground. But if you do blog then you have a built-in audience, and you probably have a general idea of what they like and what they would want to see from you and/or purchase from you.

For me, I knew my audience was into health and fitness, and I knew they would love some good health puns on t-shirts. That’s where the initial  idea for my clothing line TBV Apparel came from. As time went on I paid attention to what people seemed to like and want, so expanded upon it and made the line all about good vibes and balance on top of health & wellness — and I have been lucky to have the raddest business partners to build that with.

(*That reminds me — if developing a product seems daunting or impossible, find someone who’s visions and interests align with yours that you can partner with, collaborate with, hire, or get advice from them. There are always people who can help you bring your vision to life! Don’t try to do it all alone… That will never work — your attention is needed in too many places!)

I also see tons of bloggers creating eBooks, fitness guides, etc. and that is awesome because there is little to no cost involved. When I developed my cleanse programs, I invested only about $300.00 total and ended up seeing massive returns. You don’t HAVE to spend $ to develop something… In fact, sometimes starting small is much better so you can test and see what people like!

3. Affiliate marketing: This is a big one, and perhaps the easiest to get into. I am a part of all sorts of affiliate networks. I do rewardStyle (the best by far in my opinion — and no, it’s not only for fashion bloggers!) where you use an affiliate link for products you use / clothes you wear, and you get a commission whenever someone buys that product or clothing item from one of your links.

I’ve had people to say to me before, “Isn’t that weird, trying to get your followers to buy something?” And for me, the answer is no. People online shop on the Internet all day long — and by using a bloggers’ affiliate link, you’re just supporting a small business when you make a purchase, and you are spending the exact same dollar amount you would be regardless. Just because it comes from an affiliate link doesn’t mean the customer is paying more… Ever!! So it’s a win-win. I love to support fellow bloggers/fellow small businesses in that way!

There are a lot of other affiliate programs, but I don’t spend a lot of my time using them. Find what works for you, and run with it. I have a few ads on my site that I get a few bucks for every several months (lol), and it’s truly not worth my time — maybe if I spent more time trying to drive people to those ads, it would be better, but I have found other ways to monetize that work far better for me!

I have noticed that a lot of other bloggers make BANK from affiliate marketing… So I am actually going to do my research and incorporate some new options onto my site!

4. Hosting events: As I mentioned above, your time is valuable. Never underestimate how much you are worth, and never let anyone shortchange you or make you feel like you AREN’T worth that value.

When I host events, I charge for my time. I think anyone who has an established following (no matter how big or small) has the right to do the same. Of course it depends on the event, and I do a lot of non-profit events, collaborations, and super mutually beneficial events that I don’t charge for.

BUT, for the most part, if I am hosting an event that will bring promotion and awareness to a particular company, event space, restaurant, etc., then I do charge for my time. I used to feel bad doing this (“What if they think I’m a diva?!”) but over time I’ve grown comfortable with the fact that my time is valuable. If I’m not hosting an event, I can be working on my blog, clothing line, exercising, spending time with friends… etc. Time is valuable, peeps!

If someone isn’t comfortable paying you to host an event and you want to do it anyway, then by all means — do it anyway!! This can also be a fun way to interact with people, develop good relationships with brands, meet your readers, represent causes you believe in — it doesn’t always have to be a paid situation.

But, if you are looking to monetize your biz, then yes — this is a legit way to make $! I charge an hourly rate, and sometimes when I am offered far less I know that the event simply won’t be worth my time. Sometimes it’s totally still worth my time… Some things are simply soul-filling and that’s what they are made for. It depends on the sitch!

5. Using your talent/interest to do something similar: This could be a whole variety of things. I wrote a book, because I love to write and the story that I wanted to share simply became way too long and involved to only share on my blog. But not everyone is interested in writing a book!

If you are into wellness, you can also get certified as a health coach (I did that too!) so you can open a coaching business along with your blog, you can get a yoga teaching certification or a personal training certification; you can start a podcast and use that as a form of advertising / cross-promotion; you can lead weekly workshop groups for writing, digital marketing, content creation; etc.

The list is ENDLESS. Use that same passion that drove you toward creating your blog, and develop something to do alongside of the blog that can help earn you a living!

This list literally only grazes the surface… But I hope it helps steer you in some sort of starting direction! I know it can be intimating to try something new, especially when you have no idea where to start — but don’t ever let that deter you from starting. You must start somewhere, and if you are doing what you love, then the rest WILL fall into place in due time.

PS email me (jordan@truthbalancevirtue.com) if you want to get on pre-sale list for my upcoming eBook all about the business of blogging!!

XO

Create + Cultivate gathers the next generation of curious creatives, entrepreneurs & business leaders to enlighten, entertain and inspire across multiple categories such as fashion, design and business. Many of the speakers & panelists were top bloggers, celebs & writers that I have admired for years, and a few others were my friends who are amazingly cool & inspiring enough to entertain a room full of curious creators who are killin’ it.

Also, while I was there I was freaking out because what a lot of the bloggers were saying on stage about their experiences are exactly what I find myself saying to my readers, friends and other growing bloggers all the time. Seeing such distinct similarities between my daily blogging lifestyle and those of Julia from Gal Meets Glam, Geri from Because I’m Addicted, Shea from Peace Love Shea, Devon from Devon Rachel and more was an outstanding and eye-opening feeling.

Naturally, the decor was unbelievable (I mean, hello, a room full of bloggers & creative cultivators… what’s to be expected?), the Photo Booth was a BLAST (especially because it was hosted by my Be Social PR babes a.k.a my management company), the pop up shops were on point, the SUJA was a’flowin’ (I think I spent more time hanging out with Sam in the Suja booth than anywhere else!) and even the break time activities were pretty glam… I mean that literally, there was a glam squad onsite!

The only thing I could possibly complain about, and this is only because my sensitive tummy makes things a nightmare for me sometimes, is that I was running on zero food all day because I couldn’t eat any of the snacks or the lunch that was provided! (I just started on the FODMAP diet to try to cure my latest tummy probs.) But that’s my own fault for not bringing my own snacks or being more prepared… Whoopsie.

Here is a walkthrough of my day & some of my biggest takeaways from the experience:

A) The first person I saw when I was walking into the conference at the ripe hour of 8:30 a.m. was the beautiful Betsy Jones. She had been at my Orange Theory event the night before because of our mutual friend & yogi master Laura Conley, but we didn’t get the chance to meet. We both recognized each other on the street from the event the night before, and we couldn’t help but freak about how serendipitous the run-in was. She is a killer woman, and I am so glad we got to hang throughout the day yesterday! And of course we snapped this selfie to send to Laura!

B) After checking in & exploring the cool digs, it was time for panel #1: Julia Engel, Geri Hirsch, Gabi Fresh & Vanessa Flaherty. I loved hearing them speak and talk about their inspirational stories from transforming blogging from a hobby into a business for these top bloggers. The best part of this experience was finally getting to meet Julia Engel from Gal Meets Glam, since we have chit chatted back and forth for a long time & I totally idolize her and all that she has grown her blog into!

C) After that we had a panel on the art of styling/branding, where we were introduced to the app “A Beautiful Mess,” where after much trial & error (lol Kaitlynn & Priscilla!) I came up with this “digital business card” which I used precisely zero times yesterday but perhaps I will start using it from time to time. I got super into it and it reminded me that I need to get back to my crafty roots more often on the bloggy.

D) After that panel discussion we had a lunch break whereeee unfortunately I wasn’t able to eat the food they had because of my tummy, but I did have a blast in the Photo Booth… You know I love a good photo booth!

E) Next was small group mentoring where we got to pick two different mentors to sit down with and ask all of our burning questions! I met with the incredible Devon Rachel & Erin Weinger from Pretareporter. They were both super cool, down to earth, authentic and sweet. I loved their personalities and it was easy to see why they have both become so successful. I also loved hearing Erin’s story about how she came to start working at The Hollywood Reporter, especially since it included juicy tidbits about her shamelessly introducing herself to some of her journalism idols which eventually won her jobs at their companies. Yesss for being a persistent, confident go-getter! I am all about it.

F) In between every panel I bounced back over to the Suja booth because for 1, my love Sam was working the booth and I wanted to hang with her, and for 2, I desperately needed hydration and sustenance because I was starting to get dehydrated & hangry.

G) The next panel was headed by YouTube sensations Mr. Kate, Chriselle Lim & more! Super interesting for me since I am working on growing my YouTube and am currently in love with anything and everything on-camera! They had some great tips. One of their tips was how Snapchat is the newest up & coming form of social media and connection. (On that note, add me on Snapchat!!! I’m @jojoyounger. I’ve been having a blast with it.) Also, I found out that the lovely girl behind Mr. Kate went to LMU just like me– smallll & amazing world!! I love love the connection.

H) Next were the absolutely sensational Julianne Hough, Whitney Port, The Fat Jewish & Shea Marie. I adore each & every one of these rockstars– both the IG stars and the actual stars! Hearing where they all came from & their thoughts on the art of Instagram was super cool. And The Fat Jewish had everyone rolling on the ground laughing.In fact… I also took a selfie with him post-show and sent a bunch of texts to my friends who love him. He was hysterical and most definitely unlike anyone else I’d ever met before. Don’t mind my green tongue… I told you that all I had to eat that day was Suja juice!

I) After that were Aimee Song & Alex Taylor of Who What Wear which was fun to watch because I know Alex personally and she inspires me to no end. And Aimee is an awesome, kickass, successful blogging businesswoman whom I also adore!

J) Anndddd there was more, but then I absolutely had to bounce because I was dying of starvation at this point and needed some major food in my life. Also, my awesome friend & graphic designer (she designed my TBB logo!) Jess Hannah spoke, but I was in a different track so I didn’t get to see her! However, just for fun & in honor of her massive accomplishment, I am sharing this hilarious old photo of us from our high school days. Clearly we thought we were ravers.

My main takeaways from the day…

1. “BE AUTHENTIC!!!” -Everyone who spoke, especially the killer Julianne Hough + Devon Rachel who were both super passionate about authenticity. My JAM!

2. Don’t get ahead of yourself by taking on too many projects too early. Wait for the best things to come, and if you work hard then they will. –Julia Engel

3. Snapchat is going to be the next big thing. -Almost everyone who spoke, especially Geri Hirsch + Mr. Kate

4. “Having a real job, is like, so 90’s.” – The Fat Jewish. LOL I agree

5. Don’t ever respond to haters. Just delete & report abuse! -Whitney Port

6. It’s not ALL about video quality, sometimes a good “day in the life” vlog shot on your own computer is just as wonderful, interesting and endearing. – Chriselle Lim + Mr. Kate

7. I need to bring snacks with me everywhere I go… haha, but really.

8. I want to start speaking at more conferences/panels!

9. Being around like-minded individuals inspires me and makes me incredibly happy.

10. I love hanging with my blogger babes… Hi, Kaitlynn!

In conclusion– follow your dreams to create & cultivate. They WILL come true if you put in the time, effort, work, love, passion and energy.

Feeling more inspired than ever to kick ass with TBB + keep creating fresh, new, fun, aesthetically pleasing and well-written content for you all.

But really… Thank you for reading. Without you, there would be no bloggy!

Xox, TBB

Now that we have that out of the way, I want to share some exciting news with you. Now that I’m finished writing my memoir (available for pre-sales in May… Pinch. Me.), I have had some big brainstorming sessions about what I want to do to take TBB to the next level.

Yes, I’ve experienced success in the blogging world, but there is always a next level. I think & plan on a massive scale, I can’t help it; it’s my creative and entrepreneurial brain calling the shots! I want this blog to continue to be a hub for health, fitness, passion, lifestyle, bohemian style, travel, following your heart & the like– for as long as humanly possible! A.k.a for as long as you guys keep reading.

I guess you could say balance means all sorts of things to me. From health to living the wild & free lifestyle I am so into promoting. The Balanced Blonde is a handy dandy little medley.

So, what am I doing to reach that next level, you ask? Let me tell you some goals I have in place that I am hoping will do just that!

How I’m Taking My Blog to the Next Level…

1. My YouTube channel: This one is ridiculously exciting for me, because I love being in front of the camera and expressing myself to you in new & different ways– ways that are so tangible and relatable because you can actually hear my voice and see my face! I have a lot of great videos lined up to share with you guys this year, so subscribe if you like it so you can help me grow! If you are not a subscribing type, I totally get it. I wasn’t either until I had my own YouTube! Here is an example of one of my videos:

2. RewardStyle: This platform is probably the coolest thing in the world when it comes to bloggers monetizing our websites. I was thrilled to join RewardStyle a few months ago, but because I was so hard at work on the book & maintaining the blog, clothing line & everything else TBB, I haven’t had the chance to use it as much as I would like. From now on I am going to be using it a lot more, especially as a way to incorporate more lifestyle & fashion posts into TBB.

Maxi // Similar dress // Similar but shorter

3. Hiring a full-time photographer/videographer: Okay, this is a huge step for me. I have been hesitant to do this for a while because I am so hands on with the blog & its hard for me to delegate and commit to switching up the way I run things… but it’s time. I see that what’s standing in front of me and the top blogs that I admire is that I don’t have nearly as much professional photo content when it comes to outfit posts / food photography / product reviews and everything of the sort. That being said, I’m not letting just anyone in on the craziness that is my TBB brain! It’s someone I have worked closely with throughout the whooooole TBB process — and I am freakishly excited for us to get going. This means SO MANY COOL PHOTOS & VIDEOS coming your way. I can’t waaiiitt. Kinda like this but every dayyy:

4. Consistency: I feel that I have been consistent all along, and I know that consistency is key. Having a posting schedule, even though spontaneity is definitely my natural inclination, is hugely important and I plan on carrying that out even more seriously these days.

5. Events: Well, this is a given. You guys know I LOVE events. From TBB App Launch Party to my Gingersnap’s Organic events in NYC, I looove getting out there in the community and connecting like-minded individuals. I have some fun things in the works with friends like Valley Brink Road, The Chalkboard Mag, my Orange Theory peeps & more. Not to mention the epic HEALTH RETREAT I’m planning.

6. Working on Sundays: I know, I said it. I like to work on a “day of REST!” I think the reason I love working on Sundays is because I can simply work on exactly what I enjoy. I don’t have the pressure of meetings or deadlines interrupting my work, because no one sets deadlines or meetings for a Sunday. I can get ahead with my blog writing, do fun planning for future collabs & have special me-time focusing sessions. Maybe this classifies me as a workaholic, buttt if that’s true I will roll with it because I see how much it helps me get ahead during the week — and saves me time to continue doing things I love/need, like yoga & Orange Theory!

7. Collaborations: It’s ALL about the collabs, my friends. Not only is it super duper fun to work with people you enjoy and admire, it also helps expand both parties into newer audiences. I love collaborating with friends & blogging powerhouses like The Skinny Confidential, The Whole Tara, Philosophie and more. Plus, it makes this oftentimes highly introspective job more fun & social.

8. Keeping the Passion Alive: If something isn’t working anymore, I am not going to force it. For instance, I was hosting my Recovery Series posts every Friday, but curating the interviews & putting them together each week proved to be too much for my jam-packed schedule. I still love getting those posts up, but I saw that making them happen each week took too much of my time that could be better used elsewhere. I am constantly switching things up to remain as passionate as humanly possible– that’s where the magic happens!

9. Travel: I don’t know about you, but I love reading about travel & looking at gorgeous travel pics. There are a lot go #TBBtravels on the horizon, and many of those were planned with YOU guys in mind & what you want to see on the bloggy!

10. Keeping It Real: The hugest thing to me is keeping the core of the brand connected to who I am & what I stand for. You will never see me selling out in the name of making $ of gaining popularity. Every move I make will be related to my core goals & mission statement!

So, with that being said– thoughts?! Do any other bloggers agree with me? What do you all want to see more of on TBB in the coming months?