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    Personal- Part 1

    August 9, 2015 in Lifestyle

    This might be a bit of a ramble but I feel like I need to get it out.

    021CTConfidence-Abby-493x740

    I have been blogging for 3.5 years. Every week I have diligently put out approx 3 posts without missing a week. What started as an escape from studies has turned into something far greater than I ever imagined. If I look back at all the incredible opportunities my little blog has brought me I am quite overwhelmed. I absolutely love blogging and reviewing new products. Even though I receive parcels on a daily basis I have yet to become jaded and am still like an excited little kid at Christmas when I open them up. Whether it is a R4000 eye cream or a R30 concealer both warrant the same amount of excitement in my mind. I am so grateful that after all these years this joy has not yet been lost.

    Events: Last year I attended so many events and in Cape Town there are events every single day pretty much, at times multiple events in a day. Between racing from one to the next I realised that I needed to take control of my personal time and be far more selective. Afterall I work full-time and am still busy with my studies. I gained that control and now attend only 4 or 5 events a month. I am so happy that I no longer stretch myself and feel much happier in this decision. Even though “out of sight out of mind” is quite common in the beauty industry and the minute you have to cancel on an event you find yourself being bumped down a few notches or might even be scratched off lists. You know what, that is okay. If you don’t want me there because I have to cancel due to an exam then that is fine. You aren’t spiting me.

    Commitments: The next challenge that I feel I have a grasp on is commitments. I am at a point where I am very fortunate to have a steady flow of products heading my way. I never have to stress about content. Earlier this year it felt overwhelming though and I knew that I needed balance and a routine. I used to feel compelled to post a couple of days after receiving the product. I took a step back and thought this is a review for my readers. Take your time, test the products for a week or two at least. Maybe even three if it is a skincare line. I don’t want to just throw out half-assed reviews even if the launch date is the next week. I’d rather take a month to review a product and know it is worthy of a review. To some this might sound simple but when you have products piling up and PR’s to respond to it can be scary. This blog is my domain though, no one can pressurize me into something that doesn’t gel with my brand or what I feel you would like to read.

    Personal: This is the part that I am currently battling with and it is a two-part. On the one side where personal relationships are concerned I try very hard to keep them private. Yes, I have recently gone through a break-up and it has been very difficult. We were together for 3 years and I really felt like we were meant to be together. Nothing bad happened but we both realised we weren’t making each other happy and there is no point in staying with someone if you aren’t sure if you can fix things. Sometimes it is more difficult to walk away when things aren’t awful because you do keep thinking that maybe this is a mistake and that you can improve but after trying for months. It is over. The other personal part is that I have been dealing with issues of not feeling like I am good enough. In the blogging world this is difficult to deal with because you might see stats that show that your blog is growing and feel that on paper things are doing well but it can still sometimes not feel good enough. I hate when my content isn’t perfect. I don’t have a professional photographer shooting all of my content and I am still getting to grasps with my camera and sometimes when you constantly compare then things lose a bit of their meaning and magic. I want to be my best and give you great content that is worthy of your time and data and if I feel things aren’t then I still beat myself up over it.

    Readers: This isn’t all about me but sometimes one needs to vent a bit. After all I am a real human behind my laptop and blogging involves a lot of strength and determination. The beauty industry takes guts to be in. Blogging is also amazing as you connect with so many people. On days where I am exhausted and really don’t feel like writing a review at 10pm after a long day at work then I’ll scroll through my emails and read my readers emails and it all makes it worth it in the end. I know that sounds super soppy but sometimes a bit of soppy is important too.

    So this turned into quite an essay but I feel like I needed to say a few things and let you in on where my mind is at the moment. I actually have so much going on that there might be a second part about studies and career.

    Have an awesome long weekend and Women’s Day! xx Abby

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    Comments

    1. Kerry says

      August 9, 2015 at 1:21 pm

      Well done for sharing this, it isn’t always easy to share the personal stuff but I feel it is a good thing to do because it shows you are only human and helps others relate to you. I love your blog, I enjoy the content and I really enjoy your personality in your videos – you are natural and relatable so don’t ever think you are not good enough or that you aren’t equal because you are good at what you do. I find at times like this if I stop reading blogs or at least blogs in my category (in your case beauty blogs) for a while I find myself again and my confidence fights its way back in. Keep up the great work Abby x

      Reply
    2. Chevone says

      August 9, 2015 at 2:28 pm

      Thank you for sharing this. So sorry to read that you’ve been feeling a bit down. Re-assessing where you are at, and prioritising your needs sounds a lot easier than done. Wishing you all the best!

      Reply
    3. Hayls says

      August 9, 2015 at 7:57 pm

      Love that you wrote this and just feel like I can really relate. Been feeling the same lately! Thanks for this post and hope you feel better about everything soon Honey xxx

      Sending big hugs your way 🙂
      Hayls

      Reply
    4. shante says

      August 12, 2015 at 12:54 pm

      Blogging is difficult especially when your confidence has taken a knock! But one thing it has taught me is to be honest with myself , to know myself and most importantly that without confidence you can never get anything done in this world. RE-evaluate everything and find the best way forward for you and be smart about it.

      goodluck!

      Reply
    5. Bailey Schneider says

      August 13, 2015 at 12:10 pm

      Sorry to hear about your breakup! I suppose since you’re a beauty/fashion blogger and not a lifestyle blogger, you don’t need to share your personal life. It protects you and can be quite the blessing!
      So many blogs try to copy one another and what’s important is uniqueness and genuineness! Your content is always lovely and authentic.
      Sending lots of love
      x

      Reply

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    The past few weeks have been stressful - an escape The past few weeks have been stressful - an escape is needed! I love Autumn but I’m craving sunny beaches and tranquility and would love it if my next holiday is somewhere exclusive. 

While daydreaming and scrolling, I spotted the incredible @clubmed La Plantation d'Albion! It offers so much! Evening activities, scuba-diving (which I haven't done and want to), a beach bar, secluded coves, a luxurious Cinq Monde Spa and adult-only Zen Zones. Oh did I mention ALL-INCLUSIVE gourmet food, an open bar plus Champagne all day! It’s relaxation heaven! 

Being all-inclusive it’s also budget-friendly which will make it easier to convince Richard to book it for us! 

So, when you make a booking (Link in Bio) tag me in your snaps to make me extra jealous! 

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    How does the saying go again? In the entertainment How does the saying go again? In the entertainment industry, never work with children or animals?

Well, I've discovered this was especially true tonight. I was just trying to get some snaps of Rocco & Candi testing out some of the new Boss Mighty Chunks. They are available in 3 flavours- Chicken Casserole, Grilled Steak & Lamb Stew. I've honestly never seen them this excited over a specific food before, and they already go crazy for food. 

Candi was incredibly naughty. She's usually so well-behaved. She had the audacity to climb onto the table and stuck her face into the Grilled Steak can! Just as I was setting up my camera.

As a pescatarian, dog food in general typically doesn't have the most appetising smell to me. So I was surprised that all of the Boss Mighty Chunks has a pleasant & extremely unique aromatic rosemary scent. Something both Furbabies seem to love as you can clearly see from all of the fantastic blurry tongues out & mouth-watering impatient background photos of them. 

To find out more about the new #BossMightyChunks range from the @bossdogfood then click the link in bio…

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And precisely the reason as to why I have decided to announce my new business. Today on this page, on my 32nd birthday. So I'd like to formally introduce @buchanandigitalmarketing .

One Stiletto At A Time. The blog and social media influencer side of things will remain the same. With extra growth in this department to! One Stiletto At A Time will always be a part of my journey. For many years it was and sometimes still is considered my primary Portfolio.

 It's just the spin-off it created- One Stiletto At A Time Social Media Management was quite a mouthful. It also, no longer felt like the right fit/name/direction in order to elevate my Digital Brand and showcase the many offerings we provide.

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    After all of the heavy rain last night. I’m trul After all of the heavy rain last night. I’m truly hoping for a few more sunny pool days! Mostly because Rocco wanted to spend the majority of last night outside in the rain 🤣🙈

He lives for water. So “splashy pool days” is heaven for him. Even if I’m making him pose… “Look at Daddy for the camera! “

He LOVES water though to the extreme. Even though he is a rescue, every animal behaviourist etc has confirmed he is most likely an Irish Setter.

He can’t swim, due to his build. Large upper thick coat and slender but furry legs. Ideal for trudging through bogs/wetlands in Ireland and the shallow parts of a pool 🤣. I have to be on full mummy duty though. As when he spots water he will go in and follow me. 

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    The colder weather definitely called for a warm & The colder weather definitely called for a warm & hearty meal. 
What did you cook up tonight? 

I was Inspired by @masterchef_sa Ep 7 where the hero product was one of my absolute favourite ingredients to cook with- chillies! I did my best to recreate @tembisa_cooks Vegetarian Curry with aubergines, baby marrows, chickpeas and of course plenty of chilli! I not only used the dried chilli flakes she had in her recipe but also added something for an extra kick!

As you can see my love for spice has led me to grow my very own pots of Birds Eye Chilli. A chilli that is indigenous to Africa!

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    I hope that your weekend was as beautifully balanc I hope that your weekend was as beautifully balanced as mine was. It consisted of a little bit of relaxation, some social time and considering this gorgeous weather, it naturally involved a braai. 

Although, after snapping a little video for Richard, who couldn’t stay long due to tennis league. I realised we need to step up our game when it comes to cooking, even if it's just a braai. 

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