Tag Archives: lifestyle

A Look Back At My Content Creator Journey So Far

Hey friends! Long time no *blog* post. I believe the last time I’ve ever published something here was in April, when I was still enrolled in a course where updating this website was mandatory. With that said, I wanted to break my 4 month long hiatus with a reflection on my journey as an aspiring content creator.

I may have mentioned in an earlier post here and on my Instagram that having some sort of platform or blog has been a long time dream of mine. I started my first blog on a free WordPress domain at 10, ran a lifestyle and aesthetics Instagram page at 11, and launched my first online business at 16.

However, imposter syndrome and self doubt would always get the best of me and I’d find myself deactivating or deserting an account, website, or venture I’ve built typically after a couple of months. As I’ve made my way throughout university and have done some more reflecting on the kind of life I want to create for myself, the desire of building a personal brand seemed to resonate deeply with me.

So, this past spring semester, when I was obliged to create a personal blog for my digital publishing class at school, Life With Ainah was born at the end of January 2023.

Upon its conception, I knew I wanted Life With Ainah to revolve around three main interests I have: wellness, lifestyle, and beauty. While I use this website to record and share longer-form content, I am more active on my Instagram and TikTok where I share shorter-form content on these three subject interests.

I knew that I wanted to see this personal brand I have created for myself grow, no matter how silly I felt for trying to become an “influencer” or “creator,” as cringe-inducing these terms can be. As cliché as it sounds, I knew that I wanted to build this personal brand because I simply love creating content and cultivating community with likeminded individuals.

So… here’s a look back at the past 7 months of building this brand, and some highlights I’ve had along the way.

In March, I was invited to shoot a campaign with one of my all time favourite women-owned brands, STIL Classics. I got to go into their studio and chat about what it means for me to be a woman in 2023 as well as share some of my favourite products from their brand. It was such a fun day, and after years of admiring their brand on social media, I still can’t believe I got to work with them in this capacity.

In April, I started landing my first gifted collaborations. To date, I am completely humbled and grateful to say that I have worked with 21 brands since then. It is so surreal to be receiving products from companies I love and getting to make content around them.

In May, I landed my first paid collaboration with a skincare brand that aligns deeply with my core values. I recently saw some of my content on their social media and it brought the biggest smile to my face.

Last month, I got to meet one of my online friends who is also a content creator and female entrepreneur. We got waffles downtown and it felt so surreal meeting someone in the industry I have looked up to for a while now.

And last but not least, last week, I made a trip down to the US to pick up some PR packages. It feels insane that I not only have had a number of packages come to my door, but that I now have a P.O. box in a different country!

I say all this not to brag, but just as a testimony that dreams do come true. I can’t believe that all of this has just happened in the past 7 months after years of wandering around in the digital space. I am so excited to see what the rest of the year has in store, and I truly hope to share more of my story in the content I share.

I truly believe everything I have received in my journey as a content creator has all been a gift from God. I truly want to use my platform in a way that spreads kindness, love, and joy and displays the gospel. I believe that this is just the start of what I have to offer here at Life With Ainah and I’m so excited to continue to share more content!

With care & joy,

Ainah

Reflecting on the Spring Semester and Preparing for a Great Summer

Coming into the Spring semester I was prepared to relax, I thought the semester would be simple and straightforward; however it ended up being quite difficult, and for that I am thankful as that difficulty forced me to grow.

Starting Strong

When the Spring semester began, I was exhausted. Over the course of the fall semester, I had taken four classes, worked twenty hours a week at my family’s business, worked another fifteen hours a week as a teaching assistant, while also spending another twenty or so hours a week training for a business case competition called JDC West, which I attended at the start of this semester.

The fall semester ended mid-December, giving me a little break to regather some energy before the next semester began at the start of January, however this energy was all spent continuously training for the case competition which I was to attend during the second week of January. Resultantly, I never ended up regaining any energy after a draining fall semester.

However, the case competition I was training for was at the start of the next semester and I figured that once I got past that, my schedule would free up as I would no longer be training for twenty hours a week to attend the competition.

So, the competition came and went, and my team won (which was one of the happiest moments of my life). That was it, we had climbed the mountain and now all I had to focus on was school and work.

A Semester of Many Group Projects and Assignments

Soon after school began it became my primary focus, the workload encompassing a majority of my time. This semester I took my first three 400 level courses (in addition to one 300 level course) and was challenged with a large amount of group projects, which included:

(Strategic Decision Making Class) a case study presentation and conduct an experiment demonstrating how concepts from psychology can be leveraged in business.
(Business Strategy Class) a case competition worth 25% of our grade in which a first place finish meant 100%, while a second meant 80%, and a third 60%.
(Consulting Class) three consulting projects with real clients.
(Global Business Environment Class) a case study presentation and an in-depth market analysis.

Each assignment was fascinating and fun, but also required a significant amount of work and coordination among the groups.

This semester I had to turn in 50 deliverables over the course of three months, and truthfully turning in a deliverable more often than every other day while also working on major group projects for every class was incredibly difficult and strenuous; yet I did it, and based on my grades I was able to achieve a high quality of work for all deliverables apart of this large workload.

Some Fantastic Things I Learned

Completing as many deliverables and a countless amount of additional readings was a challenge, but I overcame it. And for it, I learned a lot. Below I seek to record some of these learnings.

Academic Learnings

What It Means For a Business to be Strategic (BUS 478 – Business Strategy)

From my business strategy class, there are three main ideas which I wish to capture in this reflection, these learnings are noted below:

Business-Level Strategy – Business-level strategy is about how a company positions itself. To achieve above average results a business can choose to produce products at low-cost with reasonable differentiation (cost-leadership strategy), produce products at a reasonable cost with great differentiation (differentiation strategy), or in some rare cases try to do something between (integrated strategy). To develop an appropriate business-level strategy a company must understand its internal resources and capabilities, its external environment, and most importantly its customers.
Corporate-Level Strategy – Corporate-level strategy is about how a company manages its portfolio of businesses. With corporate-level strategies, companies should seek to develop a portfolio (through both internal entrepreneurship and M&A) which achieves synergies that enable the company and its businesses to thrive.
Entrepreneurial Strategy – Entrepreneurship is about solving real problems faced by real people. When a new venture begins, its founder is the company, for the venture to become successful the founder must move beyond being the business and advance to an executive role. For a young person, accomplishing this is difficult and for this reason, older entrepreneurs tend to be more successful.

Overall, strategy is about being intentional with actions to achieve desired objectives. I note these learnings in particular as I believe they will be foundational to my understanding of and ability to enact business strategy moving forward.

What It Means to be Strategic in Everyday Life (BUS 471 – Strategic Decision Making)

Most of the world has been built on intuition, intuition meaning grounded in processes that might not be seen as logical or rational. Logic and rational undoubtedly is valuable, yet so are biases and heuristics which act as decision making short cuts.

You may immediately think, how can biases and heuristics be valuable when they are not grounded in logic or rationality? Well, in a world where we are faced with hundreds if not thousands of decisions every day we need to be able to make decisions quickly as we only have so much time and mental energy.

Understanding biases and heuristics, is valuable not only because it allows us to debias ourselves, but also because it enables us to effectively leverage and manage them when we make decisions.

To be strategic in everyday life, we must be aware of how the brain works, have an understanding of where we want to go, and act in accordance with the constraints of our own ability and the external environment around us.

This class was particularly interesting to me, because prior to taking of it, I was of the notion that biases and heuristics were inherently bad, yet it seems that is not the case. In addition to this, I often see that many companies claim to be data-driven, however when learning about concepts such as confirmation bias, I have come to the realization that even when you have data to back up your reasoning, it does not inherently mean that the data says that is the right decision to make, meaning that many companies likely are not as data-driven as they claim to be.

Intuition is an incredibly valuable tool, I constantly strive to learn how to better use it and will continue to as I continue to gather more and more experiences.

I Am A Highly Capable Business Consultant (BUS 450 – Managing Emerging Opportunities)

Over the course of the semester, I got to partake in a consulting project for a robotics company, an agritech company, and a reforestation company, each project unique and interesting in its own distinct way.

Through the process I realized consulting is difficult. It involves a large amount of activities including scoping, maintaining client relationships, as well as a large amount of research. It really does require a generalist skill set and a flexible approach to problem solving.

Learning to manage these activities while working in a team was difficult, but it was also incredibly fun as I got to take on leadership roles for three projects which will have real impact for real clients, while learning about a wide variety of industries.

One particular skill I felt helped me succeed in this class was what I viewed as a strong ability to ask the right questions. Asking good questions can be difficult and it takes time to learn to ask them. Over the course of training for JDC West, I learned how to ask these questions and that skill transferred over incredibly well to this class.

Overall, with this class, I realized consulting could be a career path for me because I love talking to people, learning about new industries, and solving unique problems.

A Framework For Understanding International Markets (BUS 346 – Global Business Environment)

Through my strategy and global business environment classes, I learned how to assess international markets across their political, economic, cultural, and geographic dimensions.

Across the specific dimensions, I also learned a variety of frameworks, however as each region and situation is incredibly distinct and requires special analysis I choose to include minimal discussion of them here.

I recognize the ability to understand global markets will be incredibly important as the world only continues to become more interconnected. And I also recognize that although these learnings primarily were focused on differences across countries there can also be differences within countries and that for some contexts its better to group operations into regions as opposed to countries.

General Learnings

Be Conscious With Commitments

I am going to admit this, this semester I signed up for more than I can handle. I am a person who always seeks to deliver excellence and with the workload I was under this semester that excellence was hard to achieve (and I was not able to achieve quite as much as I would hav liked to). In addition to this, I either picked up or began to recognize a habit where I would describe intentions to group mates, then proceed to be unable to achieve those intentions. Resultantly, I am now more conscious of what I say I am going to do or be able to do to others, thinking about what I really can do as opposed to what I desire to do (which admittedly is everything).

Constantly Challenge Your Assumptions

Earlier I mentioned that data-driven companies might not be as data-driven as they claim to be. Prior to this semester, I assumed that they were (as I am sure they do to). Listening to the founders podcast, a constant trope that has come up is that time and time again throughout history, it is the individuals who challenge both their own and societies assumptions that are able to create change. Just remember, it was once (and still is by some) thought that the world is flat.

Be Flexible, Adaptive, and Resourceful

Every problem and every situation is distinct. Being able to organize within these distinct situations and act uniquely to meet the needs of the task at hand is a critical skill for anyone. Historically, I have been someone who is quite rigid, someone who looks solely at precedent when embarking on a new project thinking I should simply do the same things I did before because it was successful once (which is a flawed way of thinking, because one can always improve), but now I am someone who is always looking to adapt to the situation at hand. Working on three consulting projects in industries I had no prior knowledge of, engaging in a research paper which involved creating an experiment, and participating in a traditional academic case competition were all challenges which involved a large amount of unfamiliarity, yet I was able to thrive regardless. The way I was able to do so was by being flexible to the situation, adapting my styles accordingly, and being resourceful in looking to solve the problems at hand.

Always Be Genuine, Do Your Best, and Be Understanding

People appreciate it when you are genuine, they also appreciate it when you do your best, and most importantly they appreciate it when you understand them. Being genuine shows to others that you are just a person, doing your best shows you care, and understanding others shows you care for them. In all future ventures and projects, I will follow this philosophy, as I believe it will allow both me and my teams to succeed.

What Is Next

The Spring 2023 semester has now come to a close. So now you might wonder (though probably not) what is next for Kobe? Well, regardless of whether you want to know or not I have outlined what is next below.

Taking a Rest

First on the agenda is regaining energy. The primary way through which I seek to do this is with rest. I am trying to get lots of sleep, spend time with loved ones, and watch games of my favourite baseball team, the Seattle Mariners.

Establish Routine

While also resting I do want to establish a general morning and night routine to bookend my days with non mentally draining certainty. As I mentioned when discussing my learnings from my strategic decision making class, you only have so much energy every day. Routine is one way to ensure that energy is used efficiently.

Developing Kobe Golfs

I have always loved golf and creating content. Creating golf content is a perfect marriage between the two, and it is something I have experimented with and had a lot of fun with in the past. Recently I think I realized a unique way I can contribute to the golf community, by leveraging my distinct knowledge about strategy and mindset to deliver content that can help people have more fun rounds of golf.

Learning to Build Mobile Applications

Finally, I have always desired to build great things. This summer, I want to learn how to create mobile applications. I do have a little bit of background in programming (though very minimal) and have always been incredibly interested in design, and this semester I want to harness these two interests to learn to build some really fun and great items.

I have also always desired to build a company, and as I mentioned before when you start a business you typically are the business itself, so with this endeavour I hope to learn some fundamental skills that will enable me to do it.

Conclusion

Overall, although it was difficult I am incredibly grateful for my most recent semester of school, after all the obstacle is the way (a great book by Ryan Holiday) and I am really looking forward to having a great Summer.

Shopping Secondhand at Hunter & Hare

Early last month when I was in North Vancouver, I stumbled upon this women’s consignment store along the Lonsdale Quay area. Their items were adorable and I loved the aesthetic of the store in general. Although I didn’t purchase anything, I hope to come back again in the near future.

Check out the Reel I made about my visit!

https://www.instagram.com/p/CqhTRYcjUq2/

TrekofArts Vancouver – Class Footage

http://keptcollexion.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/IMG_8278.mov

First time visiting the Trek studio located in Downtown Vancouver.

Mini Assignment #5

A little infographic about KeptCollexion… aka my online self

Process Post #12: My “KeptRules”

Reflecting on my site, my purpose is to create a safe and welcoming community. Therefore, to keep that statement I have come up with reasonable guidelines for users on my site to follow.

The list is as follows:
– Refrain from hateful/negative comments
– Consider appropriateness (my site is for all ages)
– To respect and support others
– Plagiarize of any work is not accepted
– If you want to borrow any content from KeptCollexion, you must ask for permission and acknowledge the original author.
– Don’t forget to share this space with your friends and grow the KeptCollexion community.

I think that the guidelines mentioned above are necessary as it moves the direction in where I want my site to go and how I want users to interact with each other.

We all know that the internet can be a dark place. In “The Psychology of Online Comments,” it stated that many users on the internet post anonymously and freely (Konnikova, M. 2013). This gives freedom to anyone to say anything online which can cause harm in some cases like online bullying. But it also stated that removing comments doesn’t really create a solution towards anything as it affects the way how people can connect, and takes away the motivation to build a community (Konnikova, M. 2013). Like how the article mentioned removing comments, I still want my audience to speak freely and share their thoughts as it drives engagement. Although, with that privilege comes limitations. I want KeptCollexion to provide a safe and positive space for users to share things they love, and I plan to keep it that way.

I plan to implement such actions by adding a small section on my site displaying the guidelines or publishing the text beneath my “about me” paragraph.

– Eliza (aka Peanut)

Reference:

Konnikova, M. (2013, October 23). The psychology of online comments. The New Yorker. Retrieved March 31, 2023, from
http://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/the-psychology-of-online-comments

PROCESS POST #10: Insights and Rankings, SEO

From last week’s process post discussing analytics, this week’s readings proposed a visual of Data.ai. The content used analytic reports to show which apps and websites are frequently used/downloaded. It is a useful tool that helps navigate businesses and users to improve their projects and increase engagement. It is ideal for decision-making processes and delivers overall insight into the performance of the gaming market for instance (Data.ai., 2022).

The reading even acknowledges the age of technology we’re in. Linking to my last process post, technology has evolved into a new age and is advancing as we speak, it has brought Gen Z to what it is today (Data.ai., 2022). With Gen Z, comes new trending sites and apps. Data.ai. has reported that TikTok has ranked “Top Apps” in the 2021 market.

As a social media user, I agree with this report. TikTok has grown a huge community of creators and overall is an entertaining app. I think that TikTok has become very successful because it offers short collections of entertaining content that keep the audience engaged and active since videos are around 15-30 seconds. Compared to an hour-long youtube video, TikTok has an advantage as it caters to short attention spans. I do find myself scrolling for hours in my free time which is probably me contributing to levelling up TikTok’s ranking.

Speaking of technology, SEO is introduced as “Search Engine Optimization.” The Search Engine Journal states that SEO is the most viable and cost-effective tool to understand and reach customers (Hollingsworth, 2021). The article elaborates on reasons why SEO is crucial for businesses. From this reading, 2 reasons stood out to me the most. 1: Organic search is often the primary source of website traffic (Hollingsworth, 2021). This is a true statement, considering where we all start online is with a browser, an organic search engine. 2: SEO is a strategy used for the long term (Hollingsworth, 2021). This is a factor to consider because technology and the internet have impacted society, and are constantly changing.

I’ve known about search engines beforehand since it is a daily tool I use, although this is my first time digging deeper into the topic and hearing about SEO.

– Eliza (aka Peanut)

Reference:

data.ai. 2022. State of Mobile 2022

Hollingsworth, S. (2021, August 9). 15 reasons why your business absolutely needs SEO. Search Engine Journal. Retrieved March 21, 2023, from https://www.searchenginejournal.com/why-seo-is-important-for-business/248101/#close

Process Post #9: Thoughts on Analytics

Analytics are tools used across different social media platforms. I am most familiar with Instagram’s analytics, and it also helps track my screen time use on the app itself. I keep track of the reports on Instagram since I hold a public account. I like to see insights on how my posts are doing and the rundown of how many users interact with my account. I mainly post dance content on Instagram (some are published on my movement page) and analyze how my audience on Instagram grows which helps build a bigger dance community. Insights like these do help guide you in knowing the progress of your business/accounts, although as discussed an invasion of privacy is at risk.

For tools like these to collect data, they need to also collect personal information from your phone (number, location, etc.) and about the environment, the user is in, (Digital Breadcrumbs: The data trail we leave behind us 2016). A conversation from the Pod Academy states that a phone comes with a series of sensors that run background information which transfers from the phone to cell towers, which can also be communicated to the internet where others and sites can gain information about you (Digital Breadcrumbs: The data trail we leave behind us 2016).

Tieing into KeptCollexion, I have Google Analytics plugged into my site. It gives me tips on how to improve my site and reports the overall health of my site. Currently, my site’s status reports as “Good” and suggests that I improve my site’s performance and security factors. It’s good to know what steps to take to upgrade my website, but a risk I am taking is the exposure of personal data collected.

Reflecting today, I think it’s challenging to keep everything private once you own a mobile device or some computer since these devices run a constant background cache of data and personal information. It’s something that can’t be avoided unless you decide to go deviceless. Think of it now, TVs and smart homes do the same. It is just the way technology runs today, but it also reflects our responsibility to how we use these devices and what we choose to share and install.

Reference:

Pod Academy. (2016, May 3). Digital Breadcrumbs: The data trail we leave behind us. Pod Academy. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from http://podacademy.org/podcasts/digital-breadcrumbs-our-data-trail/

Report Analytics. (2017). PNG Tree. photograph. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://pngtree.com/freepng/report-analytics-audit-business-data-marketing-paper-blue_4772977.html.

Cafe Hopping Diaries – Catch 122

Enjoy this video of my friends and I trying out Catch 122 in North Vancouver for the first time!

A Little More About Me

It’s been about a month since I’ve started my content creation journey with this blog, my Instagram, and my TikTok all under my “Life With Ainah” brand.

With that said, I thought I’d take the time to share a bit more about myself. I posted this on Instagram a couple of days ago and wanted it to have a space on my website as well.

“

hi friend! i’m ainah. by day, i’m a communications student, content manager, freelance designer, & aspiring content creator. but these are all labels and positions that anyone can associate with me on a surface level basis.

to dive a little deeper, i’m a follower of Jesus. i have and continue to struggle with anxiety and comparison — so having a platform to talk about beauty and intentional living doesn’t just run skin-deep around here.

more than just sharing my fave make-up products, i hope to bring light to how knowing my worth in Christ has brought me a confidence that no product could ever grant me. and more than journaling prompts and routines, i hope to share how the peace of Jesus has equipped me to live a wildly intentional life even when worry plagues me.

i also love coffee and cafes and the people in my life — so you’ll be bound to see some reels of places i visit, my memories, and recommendations here.

thanks for being here i’m always down to make new friends and connections here on instagram — so please feel free to reach out if you want to talk!”

With care & joy,

Ainah

Costco? UnderRated.

In general, shopping is a struggle.

Whether it’s grocery shopping, clothing shopping, furniture shopping, or anything else, it’s a struggle. Running from store to store for the greatest deal can be exhausting. Some stores are so far from one another, they are not in the same vicinity. It can be so time-consuming!

For me, shopping and running around used to be the worst.

Until I started going to Costco.

Costco has seriously been a lifesaver.

When I moved out, I thought I couldn’t possibly shop at Costco. At Costco, you buy in bulk. I thought it would be WAY too much for myself and my partner. But wow, I was wrong.

Costco has not only saved me money but time!

I sometimes laugh at myself thinking about my newly found passion for Costco. I used to say to myself, I will never get excited about grocery shopping or buying furniture. But, here I am.

I am now that person who will buy clothes at the same store I buy my groceries.

Food-wise, my partner and I eat a ridiculous amount of food. I used to find it a real challenge to keep the fridge and cupboards stocked. Shopping for food at Costco has made a world of a difference. We buy fruit and vegetables, meats, crackers, cheese, and bread!

I know, you may think, wow food must spoil. But surprisingly enough, we have yet to let food go bad. Keeping in mind, we do cook a lot of food that involves throwing everything in the fridge into a pot and calling that dinner, but still, we eat it.

Shopping at Costco has allowed us to save money on food and allow us to buy more luxurious items with our savings. Sometimes we even buy organic!

Grocery shopping at Costco also equals free samples, so that’s always a win.

Clothing-wise, Costco has some great deals. I have found great clothes for everything. I have bought a layering jackets for hiking, everyday walking socks, and blouses for work. Who cares about the name brand, if it’s quality, I’d say it’s perfect!

Furniture and fun items are something else. For instance, I went to Costco this weekend and I found the cutest Christmas snowman to add to my décor. The snowman is so cute, he is holding a little lantern. The funny part about buying my little snowman is I originally went in for groceries… Oh well, it was a deal.

Honestly, Costco is an adventure. I used to think I was too cool for Costco, but now I’m thinking Costco is too cool for me.

The ONLY struggle with Costco is that you may come out with more than you bargained for. But honestly, that’s part of the fun. If you are struggling with shopping, I recommend trying a store like Costco. Make grocery shopping fun!

Costco? UnderRated.

A person posing with a shopping cart full of food outside of Costco — A person posing with a shopping cart full of items outside of Costco

Social Media Detox? UnderRated.

Technology is addicting, especially when it comes to social media. It is hard to go a day without logging in or checking in on various websites and platforms.

An interesting feature on my cell phone and laptop is screen time. My cell phone and laptop notify me of how much time I spend on my screen and the time allocated to each application

When I think about my screen time, I find it almost alarming. I find in the summer and on vacation, my screen time is so minimal. However, I find in my day-to-day busy life, I am on my screen for significantly more time. When I feel stressed or overwhelmed, I find I gravitate to surfing the web and scrolling on social media as a distracting tactic, allowing me to procrastinate my time.

As I was thinking about my screen time in more depth, it brought me back to a time when I had no wireless internet on my phone. Back then, I was not ever able to check social media platforms unless I was at home or a place with wireless internet. I did not get internet on my cell phone till my second year of university when I needed the internet for work.

After considering my current screen time, I decided I was going to do a social media detox.

I have done a detox unintentionally before or have done one when I was away on vacation. I have done several days without my cell phone and connection to the “real world” as I love backpacking and hiking trips, where for obvious reasons, there is no cell service. However, I have never done a detox with social media and technology while in town.

Before completely going cold turkey on all social media, I had to think of a plan. I knew before I started, I needed to do this within reason. For instance, I knew I needed access to my email and phone calls for work purposes.

However, everything else I decided I was going to cut back.

For my cell phone, I decided to temporarily delete all social media applications, such as Facebook Messenger, Instagram, Snap Chat, Visco, and YouTube. For my computer, I decided to limit my access to only my work email and SFU’s canvas page.

I decided to pre-emptively let some people know that I was planning on disconnecting my phone and computer usage so that they knew the best way to get a hold of me was through calling. From there, I just went for it.

Originally, I wanted to try a week or 5 days, however, based on my decided timing, I could only really allow for 3 days. So, I decided to try it on the weekend.

It was quite weird. I found I would look at my phone as if something exciting was going to happen. I slowly realized, without social media platforms I did not need my phone throughout the day, except for school and work.

The first day was okay. I didn’t feel like I was not missing anything. On the second day, I was quite curious to know what was happening with everyone. By the third day, I had gotten semi-used to it but was still wanting to scroll when I was supposed to be doing my email for the day. I felt like I was able to see how much I typically gravitate to looking and scrolling on my phone.

It was an interesting experience. I found I stayed busy with my day-to-day chores and activities. I found myself checking my phone less and less as I got used to having no social media access on my phone. I found I was able to get my work done a lot faster and concentrate my time more effectively. I enjoyed that aspect as I was able to have more free time.

Moving forward, I decided to limit my social media time on my phone and laptop. I have set up a setting that only allows for half an hour each day of social media time. That way, when I am scrolling or looking at social media it hopefully makes my time on it more intentional rather than just passively scrolling.

A cell phone screen showing the different options to limit and track the type of screen-time on a cell phone. — A cell phone shows 3 screen options to limit and track the type of screen time on a cell phone.

Overall, it was a nice break from social media, even if it was just a couple of days. I found it was harder to be cut off when I was in town compared to when I have done it in the past on vacation. However, I feel like it was a good time to reconsider how much time I wanted to spend on social media.

Personally, a social media detox allowed me to reflect on my time spent on social media. I was able to re-evaluate how much time I spend on it and how I want to change it. I think was a great experience. I found it not as intimidating as I thought.

Disconnect, try it out!

Social Media Detox? UnderRated.

10 MINUTE ROUTINE TO GET YOUR HEART PUMPING

It is so important to stay active and keep your heart healthy especially during such tough times living in a pandemic. Exercise boosts your mood and overall health! Here is a quick workout routine to get your body moving and feeling strong!

You’ll need:

Water (very important)
A towel (optional, I usually let the sweat just drip!)
Energy (make sure you are well fuelled)
Very little space (easy to do anywhere!)

The Routine:

30 Seconds Jump Squats
30 Seconds High Knees
30 Seconds Jumping Jacks
30 Seconds Touch Drop Squats
30 Seconds Squat Twists
30 Seconds Squat pulse
30 Second REST

Repeat 3 Times

Paris Outfit Guide

Some of you may know from my Instagram but I was just in Paris with some of my friends. I was super stressed out before I went because I wanted to make sure I had the perfect Paris outfits. I didn’t want to look like a slob while everyone else looked like they could walk in Paris Fashion Week if they needed to. I was there for 10 days but I didn’t get a picture in every outfit, so I will be showing you a few that I managed to capture!

Outfit 1: Versailles

Shirt: Aritzia

Blazer: Aritzia

Pants: Agolde

Belt: Gucci

Shoes: Dr Martens

Purse: Gucci

Outfit 2: Day at the gardens

Sweater: Autumn Cashmere

Coat: Aritzia

Pants: Aritzia

Purse: Gucci

Outfit 3: Shopping

Sweatshirt: Acne Studios

Pants: Aritzia

Shoes: Air Force 1

Purse: Givenchy

Outfit 4: Mirror pics

Top: Aritzia

Pants: Agolde

These were some of the outfits that I wore in Paris! Keep an eye out for a “What to do in Paris” post. I had so much fun on this trip and am so grateful to experience this with my friends!

sofia

Brunch places in Vancouver.

Brunch is a very popular weekend tradition and there are plenty of options in Vancouver. Many Vancouverites love having brunch right before they go hiking and enjoying outdoors.

1.Cafe Medina

This place is famous for its Belgian waffles. They also have many savory Mediterranean dishes. It’s always very lively and busy there. Anyone can find something they like!

2. Boulevard

A fancy, fine-dining style brunch that tastes as good as it looks. Stuffed Nutella French toast is a must-try!

3. Jam Cafe

Jam Cafe is famous for its pancakes. They also offer various bowls and gravy coops, that taste amazing. The lineup to get in might be crazy, but it’s worth it!

4. Earls Ambleside Beach

Earls Ambleside Beach, located in West Vancouver at Ambleside Beach. Designed in a ‘West Coast meets California Beach’ style-a perfect location to enjoy the brunch while enjoying an ocean view. They also offer a brunch happy hour!

5. Catch 122

It’s designed with brick interiors and located in Gastown. Has so many great brunch options. If you need a filling brunch but still want it to be classy, then this is a great place to brunch with your friends.

Spring/ Summer’19 accessory

In the warm season, accessories are the key part of any outfit. There are no girls who would not like accessories. They easily complement any look and make it more catchy and stylish. An accessory can be minimalistic and modest, and sometimes you can choose something that is bright and emphasizes attention. When selecting accessories, you need to rely only on your own taste and style.

Large and expressive earrings are the most practical accessory for the warm season. The most popular are earrings in geometric shapes and earrings with pearls, large beads, and other details.

Beads, chains, and necklaces are other essentials for summer and spring. They fit perfectly into any style- classic, office, ethnic, as well as everyday. Bright, contrasting beads in bold colors, of various sizes and materials, are most popular. Also, the warm range of colors such as red, coral or orange, and pastel colors are great for the warm season. And of course black and white colors remain in fashion.

Headbands and straw hats are also the perfect accessory for the warm season. There are so many different options of hats in a market that anyone can find the one the one that perfectly fits them. Headbands are the most elegant and sophisticated accessories. They can be richly decorated with stones and glass beads or more practical options for every day will be voluminous printed nylon rims.

My Top 3 Influencers For Style Inspo

Do you ever wake up feeling some type of way, wanting to look good but have no clue where to start?

Well, if that’s ever the case, I’ve got you covered! These are my top 3 influencers to turn to whenever I’m feeling fashionably uninspired.

#1. Kicki Yang Zhang

This Berlin-based Chinese girl is changing the game of fashion and style. She is fearless, fun, colourful, and doesn’t take herself too seriously. On top of that, her Instagram feed is so on point. Everything is so visually pleasing, and colour coordinated. So if you ever feel like you don’t have enough colour or art in your life, just check out Kicki’s Insta!

#2. Yourgirlneens

Yourgirlneens’ full name is Nina Huynh. She was raised in San Francisco, and now li
ves in Vancouver, BC. The first unforgettable thing about her is her beautiful pink hair. On top of that, her style is ON POINT! Puffy jacket, bucket hat, thrift items, she could pull of anything! Nina’s instagram includes mostly her styles and things that she is working on. But if you want to really get to know Nina, you got to check out her youtube channel. It has lots of different content, from lookbooks, to Q&As, to Vl
ogs, to challenges, and more! Her video editing skills is amazing, and so is her boyfriend!

#3. Song of Style

Aimee Song is one of the most elegant ladies out there. She is classy, flawless, and living her best life. Whether you are going on a date, or attending a gala, or even packing for Europe, whatever it is that you are planing on doing for the day, you could find some inspirations from scrolling through her Insta feed. Aimee was actually one of the first fashion influencers that I’ve ever followed. I remember how proud I was about her Asian heritage, and how I felt i finally had someone more relatable to myself to be inspired from. She also has a fashion lifestyle blog if you are looking for more of her and her style!

Who are your favourite fashion influencers? Comment below and share with me!!

The post My Top 3 Influencers For Style Inspo appeared first on Heyy, Jessie.

Dr Martens.

They say fashion comes full circle and it’s entirely correct about Dr. Martens boots. Dr. Martens shoes allow perfectly to adopt to every individual’s style. Their outstanding durability and comfort make them ideal for street fashion.

Dr. Martens began life in the 1960s originally as a modest work-wear boot that was even sold as a gardening shoe at one stage. Going from a workwear item to a fashion staple, the practical shoes have become a regular sight during fashion week. These iconic boots have been a wardrobe staple for decades, and I don’t think it will change anytime soon.

They are perfect for any weather- you can wear them when it’s snowing, raining, or sunny. They perfectly complete any outfit. There are so many different styles of Dr. Martens you can get- platforms, chelsea, oxfords, ankle boots, and many others. You can wear them with jeans, leather pants, skirts, dresses- they complete every outfit and make everything look so much more interesting and unique. I am sure that the popularity of Dr. Martens will never fade.

15 Things that I am grateful for

I am grateful that I am breathing.
I am grateful that I have a healthy and functional body that allows me to do whatever I’d like.
I am grateful that I have a roof over my head.
I am grateful for dance and everything that it has helped bring into my life.
I am grateful for my mother and everything that she has done for me.
I am grateful that I have enough money in my bank account to never starve.
I am grateful that I have friends in my life that support and understand me no matter what. They make me feel belonged and loved. (If you know you know)
I am grateful that I am living my dance dream at the moment. Being a part of the 247 fam has brought me nothing but joy.
I am grateful for all the resources that I have access to for my learning in life.
I am grateful for the city I live in, a place full of opportunities. I am exactly where I need to be at this moment.
I am grateful for the sunshine
I am grateful for all the ‘mistakes’ ‘failures’ that I’ve ever encountered, and how they have led me to where and who I am today.
I am grateful for every connection that I’ve made living this life, even the ones that I no longer hold onto. Every single person has contributed to my growth in some sharp or form.
I am grateful that I am overwhelmed at the moment. That means I am being challenged, and I am powerful enough to push through. Because the universe only hands me what I can handle.
I am grateful for this moment, right now.

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Peer Review 3 – The Honest Skincare Guide

If you’re interested in skincare or new to skincare and wish to get honest product reviews and recommendations, tobi’s routine is the place for you.

Design and content

Tobi uses the Savona Theme which has a minimalistic and chic design. I like that she uses a simple design where there aren’t many distractions, my focus goes directly to her content when I clicked onto her website. There are plenty of white spaces to balance out the heavier focus. It’s comfortable to browse through her website, not only because her content is interesting, but there’s also a unity of design present on her website. The colours she used on her website is mainly black and white, even for the photos she picked, they are all in white backgrounds. This makes the whole blog looks harmonic and clean due to the consistency of colour. The only colours that appeared on the website are the photos of the beauty products. This allows the content to stand out and it’s the first thing that catches my attention when I read through her blog.

Tobi’s blog is user-friendly. She clearly listed out the categories in her main menu, which is very accessible for users. There are search, recent posts, recent comments, archives and categories on the sidebar. I could easily navigate and search for a particular post.

Content

Tobi always includes an excerpt, so readers will know what the post is mainly about before clicking into it. Reading through her posts, she always includes some skincare tips and her experiences, it makes readers feel relatable. I like that there are three related posts on the bottom of each post which I think can make the website more engaging and attract readers to stay longer on the website.

Audience

Tobi’s blog is a place for people who are interested in skin care and are looking for honest reviews. She shares good recommendations for products that are suitable for young girls and don’t have specific skin concerns. There are plenty of beauty bloggers out there but I think what Tobi did to stand out from the crowd is that she includes her first-hand experiences and reviews for her audiences.

Many of the beauty reviews on YouTube are usually sponsored content, viewers thus don’t know whether the products are really that worthy or are that just for the sake of earning money, as many influences nowadays rely on ad revenue to keep their blogs/channels going. In one of the weekly readings – The Toast Is Toast: Literary Humor Site Shuts Down Over Ad Revenue Woes by Shelby Carpenter, she mentioned that online revenues have a huge impact on both big and small sites. Using ads is one of the common ways for websites to reach their target audiences. Reading the ad-free tobi’s routine, I know that all her content are truthful and reliable. When influencers nowadays rely on ad revenue for a living, they do not enjoy the autonomy that Tobi enjoys, where she can write about anything she likes.

Last week, we had Monique Sherrett from Boxcar Media TBC sharing about marketing, monetisation, audience and analytics. She talks about the SMART objectives and the customer journey. I will share about my customer journey as a visitor to Tobi’s blog.

Awareness – I know about this site because of PUB101. I think it would be great if Tobi can include her social links on the blog as well, such as Instagram and Facebook. I think it will increase the site traffic if she includes her website in any of her social networks. I’m sure people are interested in beauty product reviews!
Engagement – There aren’t many comments on her blog posts but I can feel that Tobi is working hard to connect with her audiences. She uses “I” and “you” quite often in her blog post, like in the What’s exfoliating, she reminds audiences about the cautions of using scrubs. The way she writes make readers feel like we’re close to her, even if we don’t really know her in person. I think this is a good way to interact and bring her readers closer to her life and style.
Retention – I definitely had a great first experience and I will definitely return to this website in the future. Keep it up!

Overall, it is a website worth visiting and I look forward to seeing more beauty tips from Tobi!

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Best app for editing photos.

VSCO is one of the best editing apps which also allows photo sharing like Instagram. There is no public criticism, you are still able to follow and be followed other users to see can’t see that. You can also share other people’s photos.

You can use so many different presets and standard editing tools to create perfect images. It has a huge range of editing tools which are very easy to use. Exposure, color, sharpening adjustments, and adjustable filter strength. It’s a free app but with an annual subscription, you can get more than 100 filters. VSCO also provides a built-in camera app with advanced manual controls. I recommend this app to everyone who doesn’t want to spend a long time editing photos but wants to achieve a perfect outcome!