A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that I had this post burning inside of me and I was dying to share it. Well, the day is finally here; my secrets are coming out!
Who wants to guess how many versions of this post I’ve written? Anyone?
…This is my 6th draft! I’m not sure why this one was so difficult to write, but it’s a bit different than my other Becoming Bella posts and I wanted to make sure it fit nicely into the series and had as meaningful of a message to share. I think I’ve finally strung the right words together. 🙂
What I want to talk about is staying true to yourself; something that I feel like I’ve failed to do recently. Let me explain.
I started my blog almost 6 years ago. At that time, two things were for sure: 1) nobody really read it, and 2) I was broke. Like so broke. I had a full time job, but did not have a lot of extra spending money. Shopping for fun wasn’t much of an option, so I loved to post about my super cheap finds. Mind you, on top of my no-spending spree, I was also a serious bargain hunter (at least when it came to clothes)! I almost titled my blog “The Frugal Female” or something along those lines LOL. I vividly remember one post in-particular; I had a $10 voucher to Bob’s Stores and I was like “I need to go get as many things as I can with this money!” …because I felt like I didn’t have enough to post.
As my blog grew and more people began to read and engage with it, amazing opportunities and collaborations began to fall into my lap. I no longer struggle to find outfits or products to share on here, and that’s truly a blessing…but what I recently realized is that I don’t often blog about things that haven’t been sent to me. I don’t really talk about the things I buy or the places I shop. And I couldn’t really figure out why, and then it kind of clicked…I think I was a little embarrassed.
On top of that, I was spending so much time pumping out content for all of these stores and companies that I had stopped reading and engaging with other blogs I used to love, I stopped bringing you into my working wardrobe, I halted my What I Wore This Week series (something I plan to revive), I just started to feel like I wasn’t being 100% me. I was like…ehhh…80% me.
As a blogger there’s an image to uphold, almost everyone is sharing cool new things… but in my heart I’m still that girl who will try to stretch her $10 Bob’s bucks (seriously, I just did it last month LOL)!
I had a few lightbulb moments over the last few weeks that encouraged me to address this:
1) A girl that’s been following me for a long time messaged me to essentially say thank you for being so real in an industry that can be so superficial and how she likes that even as I’ve grown I’ve remained the same. Like, holy moly! Before her message I was already feeling like I was beginning to go astray and here was this girl going out her way to applaud me for staying the same. Um, wake up call Amanda! Note to self: don’t lose sight of who you are – people like the OG version of you!
2) I recently mixed a couple of pieces from Walmart into my outfits for two different events…but nobody knew. I personally didn’t care and loved the looks I put together, but I kept my mouth shut and feel like I should have been more willing to share that here! I love finding hidden gems at Walmart and I know a lot of other women do too.
3) I’m becoming so obsessed with the concept of minimalism. Unfortunately, when you’re blogging about fashion and beauty, living a minimalistic lifestyle is kind of contradictory. However, I feel like the mentality for so many bloggers is sell, sell, sell! I’m a member of Reward Style and Shopstyle and I’ll of course share my affiliate links, but I don’t want to be the girl encouraging you to buy a ton of new clothes and makeup 24/7. I don’t want you to spend your hard earned money on things that may be cute, but haven’t really changed my life and probably won’t change yours either – it’s not me (and that teeny tiny commission is not worth it at all LOL). I’m determined to start introducing more minimalistic practices into my content in a fun way. Nobody needs a ton of clothes and accessories and I’ve been actively cleaning mine out. For future collaborations, I’m trying to figure the best way to pass the free items and clothes I receive to people who will truly love and actively use them (yes, many of them will be up for grabs to you!) For me, being stylish is all about confidence. It’s about how you wear the clothes, not the clothes themselves…so we’re going to dive more into that! 🙂
I will always collaborate with brands I’m interested in because I LOVE to, but I also want you to know that most days, I’m not wearing fancy and funky things. I’m very much a normal girl …and that’s okay too. Becoming Bella is all about creating a beautiful life from the inside out and to properly do that, we need to be true to ourselves. I definitely have to check myself every 6-months or so as a reminder to stop worrying about my image in the blogosphere and just be who I am.
My message for you today is to be PROUD of who you are and don’t be afraid to share that with the world! The things that you may find embarrassing or “un-cool” are what make you you! There will always be people who are going to stick up their nose, but there will also be people who understand and relate to you – and those are the people who you want to cultivate. 5 people who you can really connect with and provide something positive for are worth way more than 5,000 who can’t.
I’ve always gotten so much farther, opened so many more doors, and built much more meaningful relationships when I actively stoped worrying about what others were doing and just decided to be myself. I promise it’s the magic weapon, and I’d advise any one else to do the same.
If you read through this, thank you – I hope you enjoyed it.
Wishing you guys a wonderful Monday and an amazing week ahead! 🙂
XOXO
Amazing post. Beautiful and authentic just like you. So proud of you. You inspire me everyday. Stay true to yourself because you are pretty near perfect ❤️
I love you too. Evennnn when you laugh at me! XOXO
Finally got a chance to read and I agree with Mama B 🙂 love you and love being a part of your journey!
Mwah!! Thank you for being you! XOXO
Kudos to you for writing this post but honestly I think you’re still being true to who you really are. Blogging is about evolving and becoming better and better. But I totally understand how easy it is to lose sight of why you started this venture in the first place. It happens to me. Thank you for this Amanda. Definitely a wake up call for me. Love you!
You’re the best Gail! I appreciate your comment and you so much! Sometimes you just realize that your plate is full of things you like, but you’re forgot to add a scoop of the things that you love. Looking back and seeing how a blog has evolved is so awesome, but every once in a while it’s nice to bring it back to it’s roots and share some of the things that made it unique to begin with! Love you babe! Have a great week! XOXO
Girl what a great post! Don’t sweat it. I’m glad you’re bringing back the what i wore this week posts!
But yes life can be a little Gucci and a little target. 😉
LOL, I LOVE that! You should make t-shirts! 😉 And thank you! I just felt like I haven’t really been sharing anything that came out of my own closet lately and I miss it! I am so not a fancy shopper and that’s always been my stance – it’s so easy to put together adorable and affordable outfits that you feel good in – no matter where the pieces are coming from! No shame in the bargain hunting game. Thanks for reading girlfriend, have a great Monday! XO
Hahaha that should be a t shirt! 90% classy 10% hood lol. And that number can vary based on day and situation! You should do a came out of your closet post hahaha
I love following you because you are real too!! I will wear a walmart piece any day- if it’s cute who cares!!? love your genuine soul xxo
Jamie
http://www.jamieeverafter.com
My girl!! I love that you think this way too! 🙂 It’s so strange to me that there’s such a stigma associated with cheap apparel (from Walmart in particular). It’s not that serious. Clothes are just clothes. Thanks for reading babe, let’s plan that lunch soon! XO
LOVE THIS!!!!!!!!! Seriously girl, you are always so real! I’ve always loved your blog, your IG and YOU! I miss the What I Wore this week series… your outfits are always on point! I couldn’t agree more with this post and always being yourself. I too have caught myself worrying about the next girl in line or what is the hottest item right now, momma’s on a budget so I am all about the deals and steals! So proud of you sister… 🙂 HUGS!!!
Brittany 🙂
http://www.kingdomofsequins.com
You’re the best Brittany! I admire your constant hustle, high energy, and humor! Oh! Obviously your style too. You are the realest of the bunch and I appreciate your comment & friendship so much! MWAH!! XOXO
i congrats you on the minimalism is a been a bit hard for me but I’ll admire it from afar lol.
http://sheismelrose.net/
LOL! Oh I am totally not going full minimalist, I’m not sure I could do it. I just love the way they think about “things”. It’s just something I’ve become more conscious about and hope to use some of their skills to keep my life as clutter and care-free as possible. Thanks for reading love! XO
Love, LOVE, LOVE this post! Thanks for sharing, and keep being OG as you grow and evolve in all aspects of life.
Thanks girl! I really appreciate that…and you reading!! XOXO
Love this post! Stay true to you, it’s the best thing about you!
What did you really do that made people read/engage with your blog? I still struggle with that – wish i could break through it somehow like you did!
XOX
Thanks love! Honestly, I just had to be very open. Anytime I speak candidly (about whatever it may be!) I receive the best feedback. You can’t be afraid to share your struggles or insecurities because odds are, many other people have the same ones. There are certain topics I’m still hesitant to breach, but I know need to one of these days! Just be YOU – always, always, always be you! XOXO
Amanda, you’ve always stood out in a crowd of fashion bloggers. You are my fave! I love how you show us the real down-to-earth girl everyone would want as a friend, sister, daughter … I know you’ll stay true to that.
You’re the sweetest Connie! That was so nice! I’m so glad you guys haven’t noticed or felt what I felt about my content lately…it actually made me feel much better. It’s easy to get caught up while trying to keep up, but it’s nice to remember why you began doing what you do and not totally lose sight of that. I guess I just had to check myself real quick lol. Thank you for your kind words, I hope we cross paths one day! XOXO
This was such an amazing post! I am so proud of you with coming out and coming back to your true roots. This is what has kept you as one of my favorite bloggers. I feel like you stay true to yourself. Keep doing you girl. I think I’ll love your content no matter what. Maybe we should meet up in NYC one day! xxx
Melina | http://www.ivefoundwaldo.com
You’re so sweet! Thank you, thank you! These comments made me feel so much better. I cannot tell you how much you are appreciated. Sometimes we get in our own head and it is definitely not my favorite place to linger LOL. I’m not far from the city at all, I would absolutely love to meet up one day! 🙂
I love love LOVE your Becoming Bella posts! Actually, I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve gone back to re-read them, months later when I’m in need of some inspiration….Lately, “keeping up” with social media has started to feel almost like a chore, and I’ve definitely taken a step back, but reading your blog is something I always look forward to! Thank you for always being so genuine! xoxo