Blogging Life: How I Ended Writers Block And Got My Blogging Groove Back

Many of you might have noticed that I haven’t been posting much at all these days. I’ll be completely honest with y’all (feel like you deserve the truth here). Not long ago, I thought about giving up my blog completely.

Seems drastic, I know, but blogging just hasn’t come easy for me lately. My brain power has been working through life stresses, my birth-month (wee!), and major self reflection. This has left me with little to no creative energy for my passion projects.

Luckily it just so happens that my blog-a-versary is this month. Perfect timing to break my blogger’s block, right? If your creativity is running dry, here’s a few pointers I’ve learned do to regain creative energy and get back to blogging.

 

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TALK TO SOMEONE

First thing Monday morning, my coworker and I like to catch each other up on what we’re working on in our personal life and side hustles. From SEO to illustration, we’ve chatted about everything under the business sun and she’s been a great sounding board for new ideas.

Is there someone close to you also struggling to find inspiration? Pair up and bounce ideas off each other. Be it a friend, a coworker, or even a therapist, hearing your ideas out loud and getting constructive feedback will get both of your inspiration juices flowing.

INVEST IN YOURSELF

When I wanted to rebrand a few months ago, I was faced with a decision tough. I could either A.) use the limited resources available to me to make my blog look “good enough” or B.) upgrade my blog to a business account, pay a large lump sum, and make all the changes my heart desires.

Back then, I thought “NOOOO WAY am I paying that much for my hobby.” This line of thinking only reinforced the idea that my hard work wasn’t worth a dime. When you decide that your passion is worth investing in, a world of inspiration opens up to you.

GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE

Not gonna lie, I’m a bit of a house mouse. Most weekends, you can find me making trips to Target solo, prepping meals alone, or taking bubble baths. Self care and alone time is great, but sometimes you need to shake things up to get those creative juices flowing.

Now I make an effort to attend different expert panels, blogger meet ups, shop pop-ups, clothing swaps, and workshops. Meeting awesome, likeminded, creative people really sparks my inspiration. To find events and meet ups in your area, check out Eventbrite or check out events promoted by your favorite bloggers and influencers.

 

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Do you have any tips for bloggers with writers block? What helps you stay inspired?

Please share in the comments! 

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Fashion Fortune Teller: 5 Trends You Should Get Now to Be In Style Later

Now, I’m not saying I’m a trend setter, but I was the first person to wear Ugg boots with a denim skirt in my high school before everyone else. Coincidence? Could be. Or maybe I just have fashion ESPN or something.

If this has you convinced I have a true gift, please step into my parlor, shuffle the style Tarot cards, and gaze into my couture crystal ball for a look into fashion’s future.

LAVENDER EVERYTHING

RIP Millennial Pink. The rosy shade has officially wilted leaving it’s cool-toned cousin to take the color throne.

1, 2, 3, 4.

BUCKET HATS

Yes, those hats that are a staple in any LL Cool J wannabe’s wardrobe are the must have this fall. Don’t believe me? I see your rebuttal and raise you a Rihanna.

1 & 2, 3, 4.

COWBOY BOOTS

The country girl in me is giddy to see these babies back in the fashion saddle. You can’t deny their cool factor paired with a maxi dress or as an unexpected “pop” of color for your monochrome outfit.

1, 2 through 4.

BROAD SHOULDERS

I’ve never been one for shoulder pads, but these looks have me thinking about “broadening” my scope (EEEEEH???).

1, 2, 3, 4.

WORKWEAR 

Move over, business suits. The blue collar workwear style is having a moment. Pair industrial overalls with white boots for a sleeker look or go for broke and rock your paint splattered pants with work boots.

1, 2, 3, 4.

❤ PJA

Got It From My Mama

The best beauty advice doesn’t come from a blog or magazine. In my family, it was passed down from generations of strong, beautiful, happy women. So in celebration of Mother’s Day, here are the top 4 beauty tips from the OG PJA: my mom.

DON’T TOUCH YOUR EYEBROWS Mother knew best: bold brows are timeless. Trim lightly or pluck some strays; but if you need a little more maintenance, leave it to a professional. I fill mine in with Glossier’s Boy Brow or Kat Von D’s 24-Hour Super Brow Long-Wear Pomade in Taupe for that Brooke Shields look.

STOP PICKING Your face, that is. With age I’ve found that the less I touch my face, the better my skin looks. Here’s a few of her other tried-and-true skin tips: exfoliate with a mild scrub once a week; wash that makeup off every night; moisturize and apply eye cream; and use sunscreen every day. So, yes mom. You were right. Happy?

HAVE FUN I love to play with makeup and I’m so lucky to have a mom that encouraged me to try new things. Put on a face mask, wing your eyeliner, try a new lipstick; you’ll only be out a few bucks and maybe you’ll gain a new favorite look.

PLAY WITH YOUR HAIR After every bad hair cut or home dye job, my mom would comfort me with this simple fact: hair grows. Don’t be afraid to try a new style or color; it’s just hair! The heavily Instagrammed Prism Airbrush Spray temporary color by Hush is a terrific option for folks curious about the rainbow hair trend. It’s formula doesn’t leave hair sticky or stiff making it all the more fun to layer and play with.

❤ PJA

Color Me Happy

On Valentine’s Day, my love surprised me with tickets to Color Factory. Saturday, we spent the day chasing rainbows.

One of the first rooms we stumbled upon was so perfectly Wes Anderson. The color, the meticulous collection of items; One day, I’ll have a home that looks like this (maybe in shades of pink?).

I got so excited by the Lite Brite room! Lite Brite was one of those toys I didn’t have growing up, but always wanted. Playing the the jumbo-sized version was a dream.

The ball pit took me back to the days of McDonald’s Play Lands and Happy Meals. I’m loving it!

It’s clear we had a blast wandering the halls, exploring the different rooms, and getting lost in our nostalgia. My fella was such a good sport and I gotta give him mad props for taking a few of these stunning photos. He even art directed a few of the shots! Keeper.

❤ PJA

FFB: WALK THE TALK

*FFB is a new series documenting my journey to breakup with fast fashion. To learn more about my why, checkout re/make to meet the makers. 

Back in November of last year, I was invited to an intimate bloggers brunch hosted by re/make. Going in, I had no idea how the conversations with a group of intelligent and impeccably stylish women would affect my shopping habits. This was where I decided I was done with fast fashion.

As mentioned in my last post, I’m not stranger to the impact fashion has on the world, both positive and negative. With our environment in dire straits, we cannot continue to dump chemicals into our rivers, streams, and oceans to make our clothing. We’ve known for years that this industry has taken it’s toll on mother earth and there are designers and companies making strides to lessen their carbon footprint.

However, this is far beyond an environmental issue. We’ve lived far too long wearing blinders to the women and men who actually cut, sew, dye, and print onto the clothes we buy en masse. I cannot sit with the thought that my t-shirts were made at the expense of  a child’s wellbeing. There are millions of women being paid very little for their incredible skills. My decision is a statement to support a child’s right to a childhood and a woman’s right to fair treatment, compensation, and a safe working environment.

Wearing my values is a personal mission to help eradicate a system of fashion supply that is completely corrupt and broken. My dollars now go to companies who treat their employees fairly; to brands that have sustainable working practices; and to labels who’s values mirror my own. Putting a face to the once invisible workforce behind the fashion industry prevails over the desire to be ‘on trend’.

Ready to wear your values? I hope you’ll join me in my mission and if you’re wondering how you can help end fast fashion, please start here at re/make. Don’t forget to subscribe or follow along! I’ll be posting updates on my Fast Fashion Breakup that you won’t want to miss.

❤ PJA