Episode 5 – Show Notes – The Mental Health of Bloggers | Mental Health Awareness Month

One thing not enough people talk about is the mental health of bloggers. In this episode, I’m discussing it along with what I do to cope.

The Mental Health of Bloggers

Today, I want to talk about the mental health of bloggers, and the importance of staying mentally and emotionally healthy. I want to cover a few things related to this topic because it’s so very important to me.

Interestingly enough, my own mental health is why there was a gap in my podcasting release schedule. Even though I’m new to the game, I had planned to release a new episode every week for 10 full weeks, at least in this first season of my show.

But, last week, I just could not bring myself to record.

Due to some personal issues, I simply made the tough decision to not even try and record. I now understand why so many podcasters tell people that if they’re going to start their own podcast they need to record several episodes ahead of time.

This way if they wake up one day and don’t feel like recording or they can’t record for some reason, they still have something to release on their scheduled day. Even though I did a lot of research and I had read that little nugget of wisdom from many experts that I admire, I was naive in believing that I could commit and just record once a week anyway.

How hard can it be to record and release a single episode I thought?

Well, when you’re dealing with anxiety and situations beyond your control, and there’s a pandemic going on, yeah….it can be really hard to record and release weekly.

Needless to say, I will be doing things differently by the time season two rolls around. But I digress. Let’s get back to the subject at hand, shall we?

The month of May has been designated Mental Health Awareness Month. According to Wikipedia, “Mental Health Awareness Month began in the United States in 1949 by the Mental Health America organization (then known as the National Association for Mental Health)…Its purpose is to raise awareness and educate the public about: mental illnesses, such as the 18.1% of Americans who suffer from depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder; the realities of living with these conditions; and strategies for attaining mental health and wellness. It also aims to draw attention to suicide, which can be precipitated by some mental illnesses. Additionally, Mental Health Awareness Month strives to reduce the stigma (negative attitudes and misconceptions) that surrounds mental illnesses. ”

My father committed suicide in December 2016 – just two days after Christmas. I don’t tell you this because I want pity, I tell you this so you can understand taking care of our mental health is so important to me.

My dad struggled with mental health problems all of his life, and many of the issues that plagued him, I see in myself. Witnessing his struggles lead me to leaving home as early as I could, and committing to trying to be as positive as possible for the rest of my life, despite everything he displayed.

In the days after his passing, I doubled down on that commitment to try and be more positive, and always look for the light in life. I know how easy it can be to sink into darkness, and fall down the rabbit hole of negativity…

And, I gotta tell you… being a stay at home blogger – it can be damn lonely. In fact, that loneliness, and solitude from the outside world can trigger many of my mental health woes.

Several of my bloggy friends have told me they struggle with mental health issues too. Interestingly enough, I’ve heard it said that creative people fight the most with inner demons. Depression, anxiety, feelings of low self-worth, lack of confidence – the list goes on.

Maybe you can relate.

So what can we do about it? While I’m certainly not a mental health professional and I would never claim to be, I can tell you things I’m doing to try and improve my own mental state.

What I Do When I’m Lonely

I go out and find friends. Okay, so it’s not as easy as going to the store to buy eggs, but when you put in some effort, you can find likeminded people to chat with.

The first place I look is Facebook.

There are literally thousands of Facebook groups for virtually any hobby or interest you can think of.

I love to craft so I joined a bunch of crafting groups.

I love blogging, so I’m in several blogging groups.

I love cooking so, okay…you get the idea.

What I have found in these groups, is that there are several people in them who just want someone to talk to as well.

Another place I look for bloggy friends is networking events and conferences.

I’ll be the first admit, this was easier before coronavirus. But I like to think we’ll get back to having live events soon.

I have met some of my favorite people in the whole world at live events.

The trick with these is to have some questions prepared ahead of time so you can engage with people.

And, don’t try to show off. I’ve learned the hard way that asking more about them than talking about yourself is the best way to go about meeting new people.

Finally, I look in my own backyard.

During the stay at home orders, I found solace in our neighborhood’s dog park.

I found a few women with adorable little dogs and I started looking forward to bring my mutts down to play with them every day.

It gets me away from home, and into nature. And, the conversations that ensue are enjoyable.

In a pinch, if I’m feeling really lonely, and can’t go out, I’ll call family members or friends on the phone just to chat about everything and nothing.

This image was on the top of the Google search results page for “Mental Health Awareness Month” and they had a statement that said Public Service Announcement.

When you click “More info” you are directed to the CDC

What I Do When I’m Feeling Anxious

I have really bad anxiety sometimes. To the point where if left unchecked, I’ll have a full-blown panic attack and be pretty much useless for several hours if not the entire day.

Lately, I’ve been obsessed with two things to help me through it.

The first is guided meditations. I love them. My favorite app for finding amazing guided meditations is Insight Timer, but I’ve also found some pretty good ones on YouTube.

The reason I used guided meditations in lieu of just trying to meditate on my own is that I have trouble with my mind wandering, and the guided meditations make it easier for me to focus on relaxing and let the world go.

When I can’t access a guided meditation for whatever reason, I’ll sit silently and just repeat the word release over and over again to myself. It may sound silly, but it was a trick I picked up I think from Brendon Burchard years ago, and in a pinch, it’s really helpful to me.

The other thing I do frequently is what I call my word vomit sessions. I open a Google Document in Chrome and I will turn on the voice typing feature and I literally just start talking about everything going on in my head.

I don’t set a timer, though some of my bloggy friends have recommended that. But, I just sit there and talk out everything I’m thinking at the moment. I don’t censor myself, and I don’t try to have any rhyme or reason. I literally just word vomit all over the document.

Within a few sentences, I already start feeling better in most cases. Other times, I’ll have to sit there for a while and just keep word vomiting until everything is released from my brain. Occasionally, I’ll re-read what I’ve written because good ideas for my business or blog posts I have to write will end up on the page. However, more often than not I will instead release it all, and then not read it again.

I keep this word vomit document on my computer and I’ve dated each entry. Who knows? Maybe one day I’ll go back and read it all and it will make for good material for my memoirs. Then again, it might sound like the ramblings of a person who doesn’t have all their crayons in the box. I’m not sure.

Other Things I Do When I’m Feeling Anxious

Meditation and word vomiting are my favorite things to do when I’m feeling anxious, but other things I do to calm myself down include, but aren’t limited to:

— Going on long walks – I call it pounding pavement. When I’m incredibly anxious and can’t stop fidgeting, sometimes I’ll throw my sneakers on and walk until it hurts. I sometimes won’t even bring my dogs. I’ll just walk and try to focus only on the scenery around me and let go of everything else. I make a point to look at everything I see and really think about it so that whatever is making me anxious is not the focus.

— Taking a long shower – I’m talking the kind where you just stand in the water and don’t even actually soap up. Have you ever done that? There is something about the hot water just flowing that soothes me. I would take more baths, but our bathtub is small and because of that, it doesn’t give me the feel I want from a bath.

— Cooking – I love to cook. But I hate doing it unless the kitchen is spotless, and my husband agrees to clean up after. When I’m feeling anxious I’ve been known to make incredibly elaborate meals just to have something to keep my mind busy, and off of whatever is making me anxious.

— Do a craft – I love working with my hands and creating something from nothing. Lately, I’ve been pretty obsessed with some Dollar Tree craft groups I found on Facebook. The members come up with some of the most creative crafts I’ve ever seen and they mainly use products from the dollar store to make them.

Facebook Groups for Dollar Store Crafts:

— DIY Dollar Tree Crafts

— Dollar Tree DIY Projects

— Dollar Tree Projects & Money Saving Ideas

— Take naps – I know – this one isn’t possible for everyone, but when I’m so anxious that nothing else helps, I go take a nap. I’ve recently found a great trick for falling asleep quickly. Here’s the video that explains the trick:

What I Do When I’m Feeling Sad

One of the first things I do when I’m feeling sad is pray. Whatever you believe in doesn’t matter, but for me, praying helps me a lot. I often will begin by saying something like, “Spirits show me another way.” Or “Spirits help me transform this sadness into love.”

Often times when I’m feeling sad there is a feeling of being unloved under the surface. When this happens, I just pray to feel the love that I know deep down is in my life. I remind myself of my husband who loves me, my family and friends, my dogs, and so on and so on.

Other times, I just have to love myself and tell myself it’s safe for me to feel loved. It’s safe for me to be happy.

One thing that helps me when the sadness is just unwavering is to search for comedy videos, memes, photos, and even clips on TikTok. I keep a file on my computer called my smile file. It’s filled with silly images that make me laugh. And, when I’m in a rut, I’ve been known to open it up and go through the images and laugh until I cry.

Speaking of crying. Sometimes, when I’m feeling sad I will give myself permission to just be sad and cry it all out. I’ll go into my bedroom with a box of tissues and simply cry until I have no more tears left to give. It is often cathartic. But, while doing it, I do my best to not let my mind wander to more things to be sad about because then it becomes that much harder to come back from a downward spiral.

Many of the things I do when I’m anxious I’ll also do when I’m sad.

Another thing that helps me a lot is called Emotional Freedom Technique, or EFT. It’s also commonly referred to as tapping. I’m so not good at explaining how EFT works, but you can learn more about it here. For now, the Reader’s Digest version of tapping is that you tap on pressure points to relieve stress, anxiety, sadness, etc…

I first learned about EFT from Denise Duffield-Thomas and she is incredible about transforming one’s thoughts about money. I’m sure she’ll come up on this show again soon because her trainings around money have really helped me to not be so afraid of making a living doing what I love.

One of the best resources I’ve found for tapping videos is Brad Yates on YouTube. Brad has videos on tapping through everything from anxiety to debt to unemployment to mending a broken heart. I highly recommend checking out his YouTube channel.

What Does Mental Health Have to do With Blogging?

Now, you might be wondering, what does mental health have to do with blogging? Well, if you’re like me, when you aren’t in a good headspace, you can’t be creative. Work becomes difficult. And everything just feels like you’re trying to run through mud.

Like any job, it’s hard to be a productive blogger when your mental health is suffering. Though buzzwords like self-care only became the popular thing to discuss in what feels like just the last five years or so, it really is important to take care of ourselves.

One of my favorite sayings in the whole world is “You can’t give from an empty cup.” Though I often fight it, I’ve been trying to remember and commit to this sentiment over the last several years because it’s so true.

If we are supposed to put our oxygen masks on first in a dangerous situation, it stands to reason that we must fill up our own cups first if we hope to have anything to give to others. It’s taken me a long time to realize that minding my mental health is not selfish. It’s about making sure there is enough of me to give to myself and others. It’s about making sure I’ll be here when people need me.

Other Things I Recommend for Help with Mental Health

To wrap up this episode, I want to share a few more things I recommend to help you with your own mental health journey. Some of these are things I can honestly tell you I still struggle with, but hey, I’m a work in progress.

First, get enough sleep. As adults, we should be aiming for between seven and nine hours of sleep a night. I will tell you that this has been a serious struggle for me in recent months. I’ve actually been sleeping in a broken pattern where I’ll pass out for a few hours, work, and then pass out again. I’m working on this one y’all.

Second, be mindful of what you put in your body. I’m horrible at this one, but what we eat has been proven to have a direct effect on our minds and hearts. We need to be eating a healthy, well-balanced diet to perform at our best.

Third, and this is a huge one for me is to seek counseling. I hate that the idea of therapy is still so taboo. I am proud to share that I’ve consulted with and sought help from multiple counselors or therapists. We don’t make a big deal out of going to get a physical with our primary care physicians, and we shouldn’t make a big deal out of seeing a therapist or counselor either.

I can honestly tell you, without a doubt, I would be in a much darker place today had it not been for some of the amazing mental health professionals I’ve spoken with over the years. And, there are resources for you if you can’t afford one.

When my dad passed of suicide, I couldn’t work for several months which meant that my income didn’t exist during that time. Here where I live, a nonprofit provided me with free counseling to get me back on my feet. They even helped me handle the financial blows that I dealt with as a result of being out of work.

If you take nothing else from this episode, please take care of your mental health and seek help and guidance when you need it. And don’t be ashamed if you need more help than others. I’d rather everyone go to a therapist and get help with their mental health problems than read another family member, friend, or acquaintance has taken their own life because they couldn’t cope.

It may sound cliche, but the world really does need you. You are loved. I love you. And, I want to see you succeed and thrive.

Conclusion

I hope this episode was helpful. It was meant to be inspiring and break away from the stigma that so many people feel about discussing mental health. I’ll be the first to tell you that I know I struggle with mental health issues and I’ll never shy away from seeking help for those issues.

We all deserve to be here, and we all have a mission and a purpose. But to fulfill that, we have to take care of ourselves first. Alright, that’s all I have for now my bloggy friends.

Until next time, may your page views be high, and your bounce rate be low.

Thank you so much for listening, and I’ll catch you guys next time.

Additional resources for mental health:

— How to recognize symptoms of entrepreneur burnout and what to do

— Lonely blogger? Find friends in the blogosphere.

— Blogger burnout? Try these tips to reignite your passion.

— National Alliance on Mental Illness

— National Alliance on Mental Illness Video Resource Library

— CDC – Mental Health and Coping During Covid-19

— Mental Health America organization

How to Write a Blog Post

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Your business needs a blog, and you need to learn how to write a blog post. I can help!

Today, anyone can write a blog post, but writing a blog that will make visitors want to read and share the content is quite challenging. Fortunately, writing a blog post with great content requires no degree in creative writing.

There seems to be an infinite number of guides and tutorials on how to write a blog post, but the most important aspect for the best blog post is providing engaging and valuable content that readers will find entertaining and useful. With that in mind, here is a brief guide on how to write a great a blog post:

Craft an intriguing headline

In order to get visitors to click and read your content, you should start with an interesting title. The title should draw the reader in, giving them the impression that they need to read this post to learn something important.

Keep the readers interested with a good introduction

The title gets the reader’s attention, but the intro keeps them on the page. A good introduction tells the reader exactly what to expect when they finish reading the post. You could promise to solve a business or personal problem, make a statement that is relatable to them, or ask a common question. The goal is to make your website visitors keep reading in order to get the answer or solution.

Go straight to the point

People don’t want to sit reading a bunch of rambling before the point is revealed. Refrain from babbling, delete the fluff and keep the reader engaged as you get to your point.

Address the users directly for a more personal approach

In order to create a personal connection with the readers, you could use, us, we, you and I. Write the post like you are talking directly to readers.

Write the same way you would speak

It is a good idea to use an informal writing style and conversational tone when writing a blog post. Simplify convoluted words and avoid using long sentences. Also, break the complex ideas to simple and understandable concepts and do not try to impress the readers with difficult vocabularies.

Keep the paragraphs short

Most online readers have a short concentration span, they will skim or skip all long paragraphs. Therefore, keep all paragraphs around five to seven lines.

Use subheadings

Subheadings make it easy for readers to absorb information and skim the content of the page by breaking up the long text with subheadings.

Use visuals

The use of images in a blog post increases clicks through rates, shares and links. Using images, graphs, charts and videos facilitates better transmission of data and information while enhancing user experience.

Include a strong closing paragraph

A closing paragraph, also known as a conclusion, sums up the content of the post and discusses key points to note emphasizing what the readers should learn and how they will benefit from it.

Proof read and edit the post

In order to build and maintain credibility, blog posts should be free of spelling mistakes, grammatical errors and unreliable statements. Neglecting to proof read prior to publication can destroy the reputation of a blog.

You may have noticed I didn’t give a word count. This is because there is no clear cut answer. Some experts believe that your blog posts should be no longer than 300-400 words because this is approximately how many words can show up at one time on a computer screen. However, others feel that you should write longer posts for better clarity and to give more information.

My take is your post can be as long or as short as you think it needs to be to answer the question or give the solution to the problem you promised your reader you would address in the intro. Over time your readers will tell you if they think you are writing too much or too little, and as you become more comfortable with writing you’ll settle on a length that you are happy with.

After you write your first post, you should create a writing schedule and editorial calendar so that you can give your readers a regular set of new content. But, we’ll save that for later. For now though, I hope this has given you a pretty decent grasp on how to write a blog post.

4 Tips for Blogging Time Management

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Creating a blog can take a lot of time and energy. Hopefully, these 4 tips for blogging time management help you get things done faster and more efficiently.

Blogging Time Management – 4 Tips for Efficiency

1. Create a Blogging Schedule

While it is impossible to stick to the same routine every day, it is very important to come up with a rough weekly blogging schedule that you can adhere to. Even when daily activities seem to be working against your daily blogging, strive to create a window of time for working on your blog content at least once everyday. At least keep it on your daily to-do list even if you’re unsure where you will fit it in each day. If it’s not on the to-do list it will quickly fall completely out of mind.

2. Avoid Distractions

If you run your own business, distractions are inevitable. However, if you are serious about wanting to have a blog on your website, you need to make sure the time you finally take to write your posts is uninterrupted. Turn off the cell phone ringer, close your email and facebook and just focus on the task at hand.

3. Keep a Record of Blogging Ideas

To be a successful blogger, you must learn to write down any blogging idea as soon as it pops up. However, this does not mean that you should write the entire blog after an idea comes up. It means that you should take note of that great idea and try to incorporate it at some point. This will save you time in coming up with new ideas when you sit down to work on your post.

4. Develop a Content Calendar

Setting an intention to write daily is one thing, but creating a content calendar is another. This is a time saving tactic because it will help you layout your plan for the month or even the year all at once. Instead of having to go back and forth determining when the post you want to write should be published, you’ll already have a rough idea as to what topics you would like covered for any given time. Knowing the topics you want to cover in advance can also help you while you’re brainstorming ideas for your posts.

In conclusion,

While blogging is meant to be fun and enjoyable, it’s easy to spend far too much time if you don’t have a strategy in place. Hopefully these tips will help you create your content a little faster. If however, you find that it’s just taking too much time to write blogs for your site, I invite you to hire me to do it for you instead! I’d love to work with you. Hit me up in the DMs on Twitter.

Episode 4 – Show Notes – 10 Ways to Make Money As A Blogger

Most bloggers never make money from their blogs. That’s why in this episode, I’m covering 10 ways to make money as a blogger indirectly.

10 Ways to Make Money As A Blogger

What’s up you guys?!? Famous Ashley Grant here, and today I want to talk about how to make money as a blogger. One of the common misconceptions about blogging is that you can just start one day and then make a boatload of cash. Now, believe it or not, this actually is possible. But it’s the exception and certainly not the rule! There are some new bloggers who hit the virality jackpot with their very first post and start making money right off the bat. Again though, these folks are MAJOR OUTLIERS… for the rest of us….

We have to get a little creative if we plan to make money as a blogger. And the truth is we may never make money from our blog itself. In fact, according to Blogging.org, 81% of blogs never make more than $100 directly from their blog over the blog’s lifetime. That’s why many bloggers who are making a full-time living actually are doing it indirectly.

What You Need to Know to Make Money as a Blogger

Before we completely dive in, there are a couple of things you need to know about trying to make money as a blogger. First and most importantly, is that it’s going to take work. If you plan on using your blog as a get-rich-quick scheme, then this episode definitely isn’t for you, and I recommend that you go ahead and skip it.

To Make Money as a Blogger Directly

  • You can add affiliate links and Google Adsense to start monetizing right away – even doing this though, you won’t make a bunch of money right out of the gate
  • You’ll need to figure out your niche – the bloggers that make the most money have a niche – in fact, a lack of a solid one is what has prevented me from hitting it BIG
  • You’ll need to add LOTS of QUALITY posts
  • You then need to start getting eyeballs on those posts and even that might not be enough

It might get frustrating at times because if you are like most of the bloggers I know, you’ll have days/months, maybe even years, where you’re not making as much money as you would like.

You might not make “real” money for months or even years – maybe not EVER 🙁

It has taken some bloggers years to make more than a few hundred dollars from their blogs

Pro Jon Morrow of Smart Blogger worked 80-100 hrs a week for the first several years, and even now usually puts in at least 60 hours – but he makes $100,000 a month now on his blog! I recommend you read his guide on how to make money as a blogger – HOW TO MAKE MONEY BLOGGING (FREE GUIDE FOR 2020)

Image via Problogger

To Make Money as a Blogger Indirectly

1. Email marketing

If you’re smart you’ve started growing an email list — and that list means you have potential income opportunity. I’ve told you guys before, that I’m really bad about this. I don’t have an email list, even though I know I should.

Think about what product or service you could sell to your email subscribers. Whether it’s your own product or someone else’s for which you get a cut of every sale, you’ve got a chance to get paid.

Recommended reading if you want to use this method to make money as a blogger:

2. Podcasting and YouTube

And again, this is not get-rich-quick. Sure, with YouTube you could go viral, and suddenly be able to make an influx of cash. But, like with blogging, this is the exception and not the rule.

If you have a strong speaking voice and think you could reach a broader audience, podcasting might be a good fit for you. While some people believe that it’s just as hard to build a podcast following as it is to build a blog following, others believe podcasting is more appealing in our fast-paced society because no one takes the time to read anymore.

As for YouTube, people love watching videos, so why not leverage that platform to make a little cash? Of course, you will need 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watched hours before you can monetize with Google Adsense, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start making money right away. Product links, affiliate links, and links for your services can all be added to your description box!

You could simply read your blog posts to your viewers, tell your viewers about your blog posts, or show what you are writing about. For example, if you have a cake decorating blog you could create videos of you decorating cakes. Craft blog? Create short how-to clips. When you have enough source material, edit the clips into a full-length video that you can sell.

Recommended reading if you want to use this method to make money as a blogger:

3. Speaking Gigs

Depending on your message and your blog’s niche, you could start making money from speaking at various engagements. Say you’ve got a knack to describing how to build the best chicken coops; you might just be able to land a speaking gig at a farming conference.

Note: In lieu of cash, some speakers are paid with tickets and hotel reservations for the conferences or expos they’re participating in. That’s as good as cash to me, baby. Am I alone in that? Tweet me at @AshleyisFamous and let me know.

Recommended reading if you want to use this method to make money as a blogger:

4. Books

Develop a large enough knowledge base and you’ve got the opportunity to organize and distribute your knowledge in book form. Thanks to the joy of online publishing platforms like Kindle, Lulu and others, you don’t even need a publisher. You could also sell your book as a PDF downloadable directly from your website. Of course, you’ll use your blog to promote the books you create.

Recommended reading if you want to use this method to make money as a blogger:

5. Hosting Workshops – live and virtual / Teaching Courses

It’s been said that it takes as much effort to write a book as it does to plan and sell a course. Why not do both? Take your lessons from your book and create videos with visual elements and combine them with group coaching to walk your students through every step of what you know. Bonus points if you get an outside sponsor to help subsidize your costs. You get more bonus points if you film everything that happens at the event and then sell the digital sessions. Ah, multiple levels of income potential from one event — it’s a beautiful thing!

Recommended reading if you want to use this method to make money as a blogger:

6. Consulting Gigs

As a blogger, you have set yourself up as an expert in your chosen field. You could become a consultant in your area of expertise. You might even look into consulting about blogging (although if you’re not making any money at it, you might want to give that potential income stream a pass until you are). Of course, some topics are more profitable than others, but if you’re interested in giving one-on-one advice there might be someone out there willing to pay you for your time.

Recommended reading if you want to use this method to make money as a blogger:

7. Social Media Management

As a blogger, you’re already learning how to use Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. This is a valuable tool that many business owners are looking for. Perhaps you can manage their social media feeds for them and get paid while you do it!

Recommended reading if you want to use this method to make money as a blogger:

8. Creating Digital and Physical Products

I’ve seen bloggers create everything from journals to planners, custom aprons to lipgloss, essential oil blends, spice kits, budgeting planners and so much more. You can easily create digital products with just your laptop and have them ready to sell as fast as you can create them. While physical products will take more time and resources, you can certainly develop those and make money too.

Recommended reading if you want to use this method to make money as a blogger:

9. You Could Land A Swanky Nine to Five Gig

Perhaps the skills you have learned from running your blog make you a perfect candidate for a new “real job.” Your blog might be the ideal resume. Should you choose to go back to the dark side 9-to-5 world, you could keep building your blog on the side while bringing in a steady paycheck. If that’s how you want to roll, more power to you!

What are your favorite ways to make indirect blogging income? Please tweet me at @AshleyisFamous and let me know because I’m ALWAYS looking for additional revenue streams!

10. Ghostwriting and Freelance Writing

Now, before you tell me you’re not a writer, take a look at the number of posts you’ve written on your blog. If you’ve formed coherent thoughts into complete sentences, you’re a writer my friend. Maybe not a good one, but a writer nonetheless. With the decent portfolio your blog posts comprise, you can find yourself some freelance writing gigs — becoming a ghost blogger like me or pitching magazine, newspaper and website editors to write content for their outlets with your own byline.

Recommended reading if you want to use this method to make money as a blogger:

More Resources I Recommend If You Want To Make Money As A Blogger

— How Much Do Bloggers Really Make?

— Blogging Bullsh*t: Why Do Bloggers Keep Lying About Money?

— How to Make Money Blogging

— How Bloggers Make Money Blogging

— How to Make a Full-Time Income From Your Blog

— Make Money Blogging

— Can You REALLY Make Money Blogging? [7 Things I Know About Making Money from Blogging]

— Can you still make money blogging in 2020?

Ideas To Promote Your Blog for FREE – Episode 3 – Show Notes

Ideas To Promote Your Blog for FREE

Does organic traffic feel elusive? If so, you need new tactics. In this episode, I’m sharing 10 ways to promote your blog for free!

Episode 3 – Show Notes

This episode is all about tactics for promoting your blog and driving traffic to your website for free. Ashley shares 11 tips, including guest posting on other blogs, participating in blogger roundups and link parties, doing joint giveaways, using your email signature, getting media coverage, writing for sites like Medium, strategic use of social media, getting interviewed on podcasts, interviewing experts yourself, networking online, and speaking at summits and conferences.

Ashley explains each traffic-building strategy in detail and emphasizes the importance of promoting your content everywhere possible and connecting with others in your niche. She wants to help bloggers grow their audiences organically without spending money on advertising. The episode is filled with actionable tips bloggers can use right away to increase visibility and get more eyeballs on their websites.

Here are the most important timestamps for this episode on promoting your blog:

1:35 – Ashley introduces her 10 best ways to promote your blog for free.

2:41 – Ashley explains how guest posting works and why it’s her #1 favorite traffic strategy.

4:17 – Ashley talks about participating in roundups and link parties to tap into new audiences.

5:09 – Ashley covers doing joint giveaways with other bloggers.

8:45 – Ashley suggests using your email signature to promote your blog.

9:27 – Ashley talks about different tactics for getting media coverage as a blogger.

11:59 – Ashley recommends writing for sites like Medium to establish expertise.

13:02 – Ashley stresses the importance of strategic social media use.

15:45 – Ashley explains how guest podcasting can drive new traffic.

17:20 – Ashley talks about interviewing experts and quoting them.

18:33 – Ashley suggests networking online through groups.

20:40 – Ashley does a quick recap of all 11 free traffic-building tips.

Let me know if you need any other important timestamps highlighted!

Read all 11 ways to promote your blog for free here!

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The Not So Wild World Of Ghostblogging – Episode 2

The Not So Wild World Of Ghostblogging Blog Header

Welcome to Episode 2 of the Bloggy Friends Show where we chat about The Not So Wild World Of Ghostblogging.

Episode 2 of the Bloggy Friends Show Notes

In this episode of the Bloggy Friends Show titled “Ghostblogging,” Famous Ashley Grant discusses her experience and insights into the world of ghostblogging. She shares how she got started, the challenges she faced, and the opportunities it presented. Ashley emphasizes the importance of being a good writer and learning the client’s voice. She also talks about the benefits of ghostblogging, including the ability to work from anywhere in the world. Ashley offers advice on breaking into the industry and highlights the significance of having writing samples, or clips, to showcase your skills. Overall, this episode provides valuable information for those interested in pursuing a career in ghostblogging.

Tune in on YouTube instead:

How to Become a GhostBlogger

What’s up, everyone? Famous Ashley Grant here, and welcome to the ghostblogging episode of the Bloggy Friends Show. Before I dive into today’s content, I just want to thank everyone for their reactions to my first episode. I was so scared to release this podcast. For years I’ve wanted to do an online show you guys, and every time I started to write an outline or record audio, I would just tuck it away and push it to the side. It’s why I released the first episode on April Fool’s Day, honestly. I want to release weekly episodes on Fridays, but I chose a Wednesday for the inaugural episode just so it could fall on April Fool’s.

I figured if it sucked I could just say it was a joke. Ha!

But so far, everyone has been so supportive. You all have been so awesome with your messages, comments, and words of wisdom. I know I’ll probably keep being scared for a while. But, I’m going to keep trying and powering through the fear because I have big plans for this show and future projects, and my goals aren’t going to accomplish themselves. Anyway, I just wanted to share how much I appreciate the feedback, and let you know that I’m going to keep going and keep chasing my dreams. I’m grateful to have such amazing people in my corner rooting me on.

Alright! Enough of this sappy show of emotion. Let’s get into today’s content. Shall we? I want to talk about ghostblogging. Ya know? This episode is going to serve a little bit as a time capsule in a way because right now in 2020 we’re living through a pandemic. Something that was never even on my radar.

Because of miss coronavirus, so many people are losing jobs or having to transition their 9 to 5 jobs into stay at home work. Many entrepreneurs I know are still working, but even they have taken pay cuts and had struggles as a result of these insane times. I’m incredibly grateful that I’ve worked from home for more than a decade. Sure, I’ve had a few 9 to 5 stints here and there, but for the most part, I’ve been a work from home writer.

As the workforce has been changing, I’ve gotten questions from people about how I’m still earning a living, and how they can do it too. So that’s what I want to talk about today. The not so wild world of ghostblogging.

What is a ghostblogger? Odds are you know what a ghost writer is, but just in case you don’t — a ghost writer is a writer who pens content on behalf of another individual, in their voice (or as close to it as possible when you don’t share a bloodline, and might never even have met in person) and with their byline. Ghost blogging is very much the same thing, only instead of writing books, pamphlets or press releases, you write blog posts on behalf of someone else (i.e. the person who pays you and strokes your fragile self-confidence by telling you how amazing you are).

I focus strictly on blog posts. Both short and long form, but blog posts only nonetheless. Why did I choose ghost blogging?

As I mentioned in the last episode, I got into ghostblogging in January 2014 when it literally landed in my lap. A lady I had met asked me if I would be interested in writing her blog posts because her writer was quitting, and she didn’t have time to produce her own content. Because I was losing work at the time, I jumped at the chance.

That first year was a whirlwind of chaos and learning curves. I had to learn the client’s voice, and then as I gained new clients, I had to learn their voices too. It ended up being an amazing year though, and I earned enough to go on my first vacation in years. We went to Thailand, and while we were there I realized that I could turn this into an amazing business working from anywhere in the world. Though my name wasn’t on the blog posts, I was making good money, and I knew I could keep working on my own blog in my free time.

I’ve ghostwritten books and press releases and landing pages too. But blogging always ended up being my favorite type of content. That’s why I started turning down offers for other work, and focused mainly on ghostblogging.

Since that first year, I’ve gotten a lot of questions about how to get into ghostwriting. I thought this would be the perfect time to lift the curtain and tell you everything I know about breaking into the world of ghostblogging.

For starters, you need to be able to write a blog post. There are plenty of places to learn copywriting, and with practice you can fine tune your process of researching and writing both short form and long form pieces.

You have to be a decent writer. You wouldn’t go to a hairstylist who gets lots of complaints online that they don’t know how to style hair, would you? Wait a minute – Am I the only one getting flashbacks to the movie Grease when Frenchy accidentally mismatched the colors and turned her hair pink in beauty school?

I can suddenly hear Frankie Avalon singing Beauty School Dropout…

Just me? OK … moving on!

Back to the importance of being a decent writer; notice I didn’t say the greatest writer who ever lived (that’s why we have editors). Imagine you and another person are being chased by a bear — you don’t have to be faster than the bear, you have to be faster than the other person who is also being chased by the bear. It’s the same with writing. All you really need is to be better at writing than the person you’re writing for!

The number one question I get from people thinking about becoming a ghostwriter is “Do I need a website?”

To this I say, no. Not exactly. But what you do need, is clips. You need some kind of proof that you can write.

Interestingly enough, when I start ghostblogging, I did not have a “traditional” or “typical” writer’s website. Sure, I had clips of pieces written, but not an actual website.

In fact, my first ghostblogging client found me because she saw stuff I had written in the newspaper and in local magazines.

But, how can YOU break into ghostblogging? In other words, How can you prove you know how to write without a website?

  • Write on Medium.com
  • Write on other people’s blogs. This is called guest posting and I plan on doing an entire show about that in the future
  • Write on your own blog
  • You could even write mock posts on Google docs that you can share with potential clients. The main key is to write something on a platform that gives you a link that you can send to someone who asks for clips.

I get it! Building a writer website can be time-consuming, and most people looking to break into ghostblogging want to start working right away. Building a website can take significantly longer than you might have time for. So, if I was starting over again today, and couldn’t build a website…here’s what I would do….

Create a Facebook fan page and call it something simple like Ashley’s Ghostblogging Business – these are FREE!

Write a post, or a few posts on Medium.com about the type of content you want to be hired for.Yep, I’m talking niches people. The cool thing about blogs is there are LOADS of topics…so you can set yourself apart by becoming an expert in one topic and get lots of work in this area.

When I first started ghostblogging, I was writing almost exclusively for travel agencies. I got really good at knocking out posts quickly because of how many assignments I had in the travel niche. And, the best part? I started learning how to come up with blog post ideas because I had written so much about travel in a short period of time. In one year alone I wrote more than 100 posts on travel. It’s crazy when I think about how much I have grown since then.

Start thinking about what topics interest you. Odds are there are businesses related to your topics. For example, if you love jewelry, perhaps you could work on blogs for business owners that run Etsy businesses or homemade jewelry. If you’re all about fitness, perhaps you could write for a personal trainer or even a gym franchise. Maybe you could talk until you’re blue in the face about homeschooling – there are virtual business owners that need writers to post about that too!

If you can’t find businesses that are related to your topic exactly, are there ones out there that interest you just enough? Probably! The possibilities are virtually endless.

But let’s get back to my “what I would do if I was starting today” scenario…

Once I had a Facebook page up, and a few posts about the topic I want to write about published on Medium.com – I would then:

– create a Paypal account if I didn’t already have one

– create a contract for clients

– decide on your pricing strategy

– get on Canva.com and develop some graphics announcing that I’m a writer for hire

After the business side of things was handled, I would start going about finding my first clients.

You need clients if you’re gonna make any money, am I right?

Where are these potential clients, you ask? Everywhere, my bloggy friend! They are online, offline, and they might even live next door. In fact, they might not even have a blog yet.

Odds are you already know someone (or you know someone who knows someone) who needs a writer. To start, I would go to my current network of friends and family. I would share my clips and ask them if they know anyone who would need a writer for content like this.

If I didn’t get any bites, I would start searching for businesses I’d like to work with. I’d grab my local chamber of commerce directory, join networking in person and online, join Facebook and LinkedIn Groups and basically tell everyone and their brother I’m open for business. All the while, I’d continue writing on Medium and other platforms about the topic I want to ghost blog about. I’d share the posts on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn with a simple message that said something like “I you need content like this, DM me”

Now, I’m going to let you guys in on a little secret I don’t think I’ve shared anywhere else. When I’m in a pinch for client work, and leads are drying up, I go to PR and Marketing Agencies. Here’s the thing – all of their clients need content and they know it. They can have in-house staff do most of it, but sometimes they will bring on outside contractors to knock out the work that much faster. That’s where people like me come in. This allows them to get the job done, look good to the client, and I get paid. Everybody wins.

Most of the work I have gotten has been via referral, but when I really need work, I often will go back to the list of agencies I haven’t pitched yet and throw my hat in the ring. More often than not I get a message back that they don’t need anyone right now, but that they will keep my information on file because they like to have a pool of writers. Follow up when you need more work, and reach out to new places as often as you can. You never know when a pitch will yield work – it could be immediately, or it could be far down the road. That’s why you have to continue pitching yourself.

I will tell you I also have gotten work on sites like Upwork and Fiverr. Now, listen. I know these websites get a bad rep, and yes, there are a lot of jerks on there looking for cheap labor. BUT! You can actually secure work on these platforms, you just have to be careful. Still, I agree that these platforms are more of a last resort than where you should begin your hunt for clients.

Other places I have found writing gigs have been on job boards, by attending conferences, and even by being a guest on radio, television, and other podcasts. In fact, one podcast I was a guest on yielded more than $400 in a single day. I got to promote my business, and landed an easy $400 while providing content to the podcast host. It was a wonderful experience, and I have since been on other podcasts getting my name out there. Again, you never know where your next gig will come from, so you have to keep marketing and promoting yourself.

One place some of my writing friends have found success in landing gigs is Facebook Marketplace and in Facebook groups where you can “sell your content.”

If you’re like me and hate putting on anything but yoga pants, you’ll likely want to look for most of your clients online. Believe it or not, I’ve never met 90% of the people I’ve worked for. We literally handle all of the elements of our business online. It’s awesome!

I love ghost blogging as a business because I get to make my own hours, and work at my own pace. I negotiate my rates, and then do the work and get paid. It’s truly been the most fruitful work of my writing career.

Let’s talk about what to do once you land your first client. You’ll first negotiate and agree on the terms of your writing gig. Save your emails and get everything in writing. If they want to chat on the phone or via Skype, that’s fine, but do yourself a favor and send them a recap email of everything that was said and get confirmation so you can ensure you are on the same page. You may want to get a contract in place as well to protect both you and the client.

Before you write a single word for them, agree to details like the date of delivery, whether or not your fee includes a re-write, whether the tone will be friendly or professional, the keywords they want included in the post, approved places for research…and so on.

You also need to agree on the method of payment, and how invoicing and payments will be handled. Some writers I know charge non-refundable deposits up front, and others charge the full amount once the job is done. You have to decide what works best for you.

After everything has been agreed to, it’s time to get to work. Here’s my suggested workflow for writing assignments:

Step 1 – 

Get the topic the client wants along with the keywords they would like you to include in the post. If they have any research they have already done on the topic, go ahead and get that from them as well.

Step 2 – 

Remember, only AFTER agreeing to terms, topics, word length, etc… should you start writing. Now it’s time to start researching your topics

Want to understand jet lag so you can ghost blog for travel specialists? Fly to Thailand, like my husband and I did earlier this year. It’ll make you a better blogger.

If you’re writing for a photographer, you’ll need to research their photography style and website and the photography topics they want to cover in their blog posts extensively so you can write with authority. With their byline on the post, their reputation is on the line. I suggest going after clients who need the type of content you already know about. It will make your life much easier.

When I started writing for travel agents I had to do a ton of research that might not have taken so much of my time if I’d initially known more about the travel industry than how to book a ticket online. After years of working with and ghostwriting for travel agents, I’m still learning and doing quite a bit of research — but at least I have a better grip on the subject. My industry-specific know-how now helps me assist in coming up with post ideas and knowing where to go to even begin the research process.

Step 3 – 

Write the post by the date you said you would and send it to the client either as a Word document, a Google doc or in the body of an email (how you submit your work will depend on what you and the client agreed to ahead of time) i personally prefer Google Docs because I can access them anywhere with WiFi and both I and the client can add comments directly into the document for edits and ideas

I have to take a quick moment here and reiterate something of great importance. Always meet your deadlines! Trust me, the fastest way to lose your blogging clients is to be late and/or drop the ball completely. If they want a post every Friday by 5 p.m., you better make sure they get their posts every Friday by 5 p.m.! Bonus points if you’re early because then they really know they can rely on you.

Here’s the thing, in the past 13 years I’ve written a lot of content. I’ve also been an editor and a manager and someone who hires and fires writers. Nothing irks me more than a writer who can’t meet a deadline. Especially if they don’t communicate with me that they will be late with a good reason. I personally have blacklisted writers who can’t communicate, follow instructions, or meet deadlines. I don’t want that to happen to you. So, just please, communicate with your clients and be on time. Okay, end rant.. Back to my suggested steps for your workflow

Step 4 – 

Rewrite the piece if necessary. This may be needed a lot in the beginning as you learn your client’s voice.

Remember, the whole point of ghostwriting is to allow your client to take the credit. If they would never use certain quotes or say certain things — like “dude” or “awesome” or “put a pin in it” — you’ll need to adapt to their way of writing. For example, one of my clients hates the phrase “not so much” and another doesn’t like any references to tofu in her healthy eating blog posts.

In the beginning, you need to interview your client thoroughly to learn how they talk and what they want to get out there to their readers. Both your credibility and your profit margin shrink every time you have to revise a draft because the voice is off.

Step 5 – 

 Invoice the client for the work provided.

Add terms and conditions for when you want to be paid. Set this precedent in the beginning so there are no surprises. For example, every invoice I send out states TERMS: NET 30 days, and past due amounts are subject to a $10 or 10% late fee whichever is larger. Because I’m clear on this, there isn’t a surprise when a late fee invoice is submitted.

Now for the hardest part about being a ghostblogger… well, at least it is for me.

You have to keep your work a secret.

If you can’t handle keeping mum about what you’ve written, ghost blogging might not be a good option for you. I sometimes have trouble with this myself because I’m one of those vain writers who can’t wait to tell everyone about my latest work (surprising, I know), but unless your client is OK with going public about using a ghost blogger, you better keep your mouth shut. In fact, don’t be surprised if you have to sign a nondisclosure agreement, which means you could face legal ramifications if you don’t keep quiet about your work!

The truth is ghost blogging requires a lot of work, but when you’re willing to put in the effort you can develop a pretty decent stream of income before you know it. So, the question now is what are you waiting for? Get your clips together and start looking for work today!

That’s all I have for today’s episode. I hope this was inspiring and gave you a glimpse into being a ghostwriter. Thanks for listening, and Until next time, may your page views be high, and your bounce rate be low. 

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Bloggy Friends Show Episode 1 – Show Notes

Welcome to the Bloggy Friends Show-YT Thumbnail

I’m so excited to have finally launched my Bloggy Friends Show! Join me on my journey and let’s be bloggy friends!

Welcome to the Bloggy Friends Show!

Who is Ashley Grant?

Ashley, who goes by the tongue-in-cheek moniker “Famous Ashley Grant,” first got started in journalism in 2007 when she was in college. Her first paid writing gig was for the Tampa Bay Times in 2008.

In 2009, Ashley was given the nickname “Famous Ashley Grant” by a hotel concierge she knew. She thought it was hilarious and decided to lean into the silly name, even ordering business cards with it.

Ashley has made her living as a freelance writer and ghostwriter since 2009. She loves writing for others but also hopes to build her personal brand and become “internet famous” under her own name some day.

What will the Bloggy Friends Show be about?

The goal of the Bloggy Friends Show is to “inspire, educate and connect” with other bloggers.

Specific topics Ashley plans to cover include:

  • The realities of blogging after you launch a blog
  • Ghost blogging
  • Promoting your blog
  • Making money blogging
  • Interviews with other bloggers

Ashley wants the show to celebrate the blogging community and create a space where bloggers can learn from each other. She coined the term “Bloggy Friends” to refer endearingly to her fellow bloggers.

Watch the episode on YouTube instead:

Welcome to The Bloggy Friends Show Episode 1 – Show Notes

What’s up, everyone? Famous Ashley Grant here and it’s my sincere pleasure to Welcome you FINALLY to the bloggy friends show. I’ve been talking about starting this show for years now. Though I can’t quite say What it is exactly that has prevented me from starting it, a series of events in the past year has led me to realize there’s no time like the present 2 just launch it already.

I know one thing that has held me back has been the fear of putting myself out there, especially considering that most of the work I’ve done in the past 6 years didn’t even have my name on it. I’ve been a Ghostwriter since 2014, but long before that is when my writing career actually began. But I’m getting ahead of myself

In this first episode, I thought it would be a good idea to introduce myself, share how I got into blogging and explain the origin story of my silly moniker that I’ve been touting since 2009. I’ll also share what my hope is for this show and what future episodes will look like. so let’s Dive In!

In 2007 my very first written piece was published under my name in my university’s newspaper. I was working towards my journalism degree, and getting clips was required for one of my classes. A few short months later my first paid piece was published in a local Tampa paper called TBT which stood for Tampa Bay Times.  I have to say from that very first piece in February 2007 in the University of South Florida Oracle newspaper, I was hooked. For me, there was nothing quite like having your name displayed and a story you had written being visible for all of your peers to see. then when I got the gig with the TBT I was on cloud nine and convinced that I wanted to be a writer for the rest of my life.

Fast forward to 2009 and I had several writing gigs under my belt, I was writing stories for various news outlets both online and in print. About that time, I was covering a lot of local Tampa events and at 1, in particular, I met the guy who would give me my moniker Famous Ashley Grant.

His name is Ron McDougall, and at the time he was known in Tampa as Ron from the Don. He worked for the famous pink hotel in St. Petersburg, the Don Cesar as a concierge. Needless to say, conversations that ensued with him were always entertaining and I quite enjoyed chatting with him.  One night when I was covering a story as I walked into the room he blurted out “ oh my God! It’s the famous Ashley Grant!”  I thought it was hilarious and I couldn’t stop laughing. That night, he cemented it by calling me that multiple times and introducing me to several people as the Famous Ashley Grant. I can hear him now saying to people, “Do you know the Famous Ashley Grant?”

When I got home, after a little too much white wine I confess, I accidentally ordered business cards with that name on it. When they arrived, I busted out laughing but realized that I couldn’t exactly return them. So I thought why not, I’ll just hand them out and see what happens.

Incidentally, I started introducing myself as Famous Ashley Grant, and it was the first year that I made full-time income as a writer. As the momentum picked up during that year I got excited and so I bought the domain thefamousashleygrant.com and decided I was going to keep using that name because every time someone met me and I used it they would either laugh or they would roll their eyes. But the key was they would never forget. And that became essential for me to get more work.

Slowly but surely maintaining the level of work that I was getting became a little bit harder because anytime advertisers would pull out the first people to go would always be Freelancers which is what I always was. A freelancer. Come 2013 I was making significantly less income and begin looking for other opportunities. Then, in January 2014 ghostwriting literally landed in my lap. Suddenly, getting gigs was easy again, as long as my name wasn’t on the byline.

So I’ve been doing that while also trying to get more gigs under my own name ever since. Of course, I continue to try and get internet famous enough to make full-time income as Ashley Grant, but in the meantime, I’m truly loving how many clients I’ve helped to get their story and content out there for their businesses.

So there you have it. That’s the backstory of how I got into blogging and how I got my moniker. Now you might be wondering, why call this the bloggy friends show? The truth is, the life of a writer can be a lonely one. A while back, I started calling my friends who were writers and bloggers my bloggy friends. I liked the idea That anyone who was a friend of mine had a special title of being my bloggy friend, and I often will say “let’s be friends” to people as I hand them my business card.

What will the show be about? I wanted this to be a show about bloggers, for bloggers, by a blogger. it won’t be about how to start a blog though. In my opinion, there’s plenty of posts, podcast and vlogging episodes, and articles about blogging.

So what I want this to be is a place about the wild world of blogging after you launch, or even after you’ve been around a while. I want it to be a place to hang out and learn about bloggers that are actually doing this and read their stories. I want it to be a space to learn about the latest news that could impact your blog, revenue, and business. But most importantly, I wanted to be a party to celebrate the coolest people in the blogosphere, and celebrate all the amazing things they are doing online. The goal of this show is to inspire, educate, and connect.

I plan to release 10 episodes or so per season as podcast, and in the first 10 episodes it’ll just be me jamming I’m blogging. I want to talk about ghost blogging, promoting your blog, making money, and things like that.

Then later, I’d love to do a series of interviews with bloggers, vloggers, podcasters, and even brands all with the theme of connection and becoming bloggy friends! So that’s what you can expect from me and the show. I do ultimately hope to share episodes and other clips that didn’t quite make sense to make a full podcast episode out of on YouTube as well. Without further ado, let’s jam on all things blogging!

I’m working on a proper website and social media handles for this show, but for now, you can find me as FamousAshleyGrant.com and as Famous Ashley Grant across social media. Let’s be friends! I’d love to connect with you. Until the next episode, may your page views be high, and your bounce-rate be low!

Subscribe to the Bloggy Friends Show – Google Podcasts | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music

9 Ways To Stay Happy and Healthy During a Pandemic

Happy Healthy During a Pandemic Head In Clouds

We’re in a time of wild uncertainty. Businesses and schools closing due to coronavirus, people hoarding grocery and toiletries – it’s enough to make even the calmest of individuals feel a little anxious. But, there are things we can still control. With that in mind, I’m covering 9 things to do to stay happy and healthy during a pandemic. 

Now is not the time to panic. In this post, I'm covering 9 things to do to stay happy and healthy during a pandemic.


9 Tips to Stay Mentally and Physically Healthy While You’re Stuck at Home

Being on lockdown during a pandemic should not be an excuse to let go of your body and engage in an unhealthy lifestyle. If you have to stay indoors longer than usual, it is even more essential to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Boost your immune system, anyone?

By staying on top of your behavior when you are stuck at home, you can prevent yourself from developing things like diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and muscle atrophy. 

Studies have shown that people who do not maintain a healthy lifestyle when stuck at home often find it difficult to resume normal activities after the home period is over. Going back to work may prove challenging. So if you are going to be stuck at home, for whatever reason, here are some tips to help you stay healthy:

1. Eat healthy foods

You’d be surprised at the things people eat when they are stuck at home. (**Casually puts down my fourth snack cake**)

It’s fine to eat junk food once in a while, but going on a junk food bender during a lockdown can cause you many issues. So take some time and plan out your meals and snacks. For every 90% of whole, healthy foods, you can reward yourself with 10% of feel-good fare.

Happy Healthy During a Pandemic Colorful Food

2. Get physical

Most people mistake physical exercise for being something we do to look good. It’s much more than that! Exercise helps the body release stress, clear the mind, and it is good for the heart as it gets the blood flowing. When you are stuck at home, exercising can boost your sense of wellbeing and prevent you from suffering from dangerous health conditions like depression and anxiety. 

What’s that? You need help with working out at home to stay happy and healthy during a pandemic? I’ve got you!

8 Daily Home Workout Habits to Stay Happy and Healthy During a Pandemic

Set a daily reminder

Working out from home can be a disheartening task especially if you are used to the electric atmosphere of the gym. That is why it is important to come up with effective ways of sticking to your exercise routine regardless of where you are. 

You can still stay motivated to exercise during a lockdown. Start by setting a daily reminder and staying true to it. You can start the day off with a 20-minute exercise. This is a great way of remaining focused for the rest of the day.

Join and follow an online workout program

There are specific exercises that are limited to the gym and are impossible to try out at home. For example, the kind of exercises that require lifting weights, machines etc. 

If you do not have the right equipment to carry out weight-lifting exercises you can try other forms of free weight exercise.  

There are many free apps and websites that can teach you alternative home-based exercises that can be easily carried out with no equipment or even websites that show you how to make your own home equipment using materials available at hand.

Continue with some of the exercises that you do at the gym

While some exercises you do at the gym are impossible to do at home, there are still a few that you can continue doing from home. Continuing with some of your gym exercises from home can help keep you motivated to exercise. It is also a great way of forming a lasting workout habit.

Happy Healthy During a Pandemic Woman Doing Yoga

Keep a record of your progress

Keeping a record of what you have achieved or what you are achieving will assist in keeping you focused. You could record your weight the first day you begin exercising and keep a log as you continue with your workout routine. Losing weight can make you realize just how effective exercising from home is and hopefully keep you at it. 

Avoid exercising alone whenever possible

Accountability is another way of ensuring you do what you plan to do. Find someone you can exercise with at home or that you have to answer to online and hold each other accountable. 

You can set goals or commit to exercising daily for an hour or so. It will all depend on what you both agree on and what you can do. 

Have a variety of exercises

Varying exercises can help keep you interested in the workout schedule. It can also get rid of the boredom that you may otherwise face if you remain idle.

Make working out a priority

Making sure you stick to your workout schedule in a pandemic requires that you make working out a priority.  We all have top priorities and staying safe during a pandemic is one of them, therefore, exercising routinely should also top the list.

Put on proper workout attire

When working out from home it is important that you wear proper workout attire. What you wear should be the same attire that you would wear when going out to a proper gym. Wearing proper workout gear will tune your mind to that activity and make you feel, and experience exercise the same way you would in a normal gym.

3. Read books

With online streaming sites being so popular, it is easy to get stuck on the couch and binge-watch tv shows. However, people tend to forget the negative impact of long hours watching tv on the eyes, back, and intellect. In order to stay healthy when you are stuck indoors try and incorporate some books in between your tv shows. Taking time off the screen and moving images can do you a lot of good in as far as your eyes are concerned. 

4. Feed the mind

Maintaining some level of intellect is another way of staying healthy when stuck at home. There are many ways of keeping your brain active during a lockdown. You could play strategy and logic games that require you to think. You could also enroll in an online course or join forums that discuss highly intellectual topics.

Meditate

Meditation is an excellent way of relaxing your mind and having a much clearer perspective on things. Meditation is a relaxation method that you can begin practicing right away. If it is something that you are practicing already, continuing with it is worthwhile. Try clearing your mind from negative thoughts and focus on one thing that is positive. Do this every single day for at least 30 minutes without any interruptions. 

Play brain-stimulating games

Brain games or games that challenge the intellect will not only keep your kids mentally sharp, but it will also keep them competitive and entertained. Compliment your children when they complete a level or stage to keep them motivated and feeling proud. Encourage them when they fail to complete a certain level the same way you would encourage them when they are doing their homework. 

Avoid negative people

No matter what happens in the world, negative people will always look for ways to blow things out of proportion. That is why avoiding negative people in supposedly perilous times is the best thing to do. If you are told to stay at home and cannot avoid those sharing the house, you can encourage the people around you to remain positive. While it may be impossible to make sure everyone stays positive, you can always bring up something positive to talk about. This will change the atmosphere.

Amp up your happy thoughts

Thinking happy thoughts may not be easy right now. But you should try to focus on happy things as much as possible. If you cannot think of anything that shifts your mind from the bad news that is being broadcasted everywhere, let your imagination run wild with the best-case scenarios. You can achieve this by envisioning where you will be or where you want to be when all the madness is over. Think about the number of people who have overcome or who are overcoming the same situation you are in, look at your photo album and rekindle the happy memories.

Filter information

Avoid bad news whenever you can. Do not focus on the kind of information that will not help rectify the situation. Pay attention to material that gives advice on how you can overcome or guard against being affected by the worsening of the pandemic. Filtering information can also mean changing the subject when it is brought up countless times.

5. Take care of your mental health

When one is stuck indoors, they risk developing mental health issues, especially if they are alone. Taking care of your mental health is an absolute priority when you are locked down. You need to maintain contact with friends and family if you are going to be stuck indoors for a long time. You do not necessarily need it to be physical contact, video chats, texting, and phone calls can do just fine.

6. Find a project

Happy Healthy During a Pandemic Craft Supplies

Having a sense of purpose can play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy attitude when stuck at home. It does not even have to be a big project. Just a simple project with results can work wonders. You can embark on a simple project like redecorating your room or something a bit more challenging, like DIY (Do-It-Yourself) projects. Need some ideas? Here are a bunch for kids and adults to stay happy and healthy during a pandemic:

Creative & fun family activities you can do at home

Origami

Origami is an ancient Japanese art that involves folding paper to make different kinds of shapes like animals, plants, etc. It is an engaging form of art that anyone can learn. To learn origami, all you need is some white paper, color pencils, scissors and glue. You can easily follow tutorials on YouTube together as a family. Depending on how competitive your family members are, you can also have Origami contests after you have mastered several shapes. 

Recently some artists have gone on to add some led lights to the paper shapes to give the artwork some beautiful light and color scenery. To kick things up a notch, add colored led lights and display the forms in the house.

Indoor camping

Indoor camping is another fun activity for families. It is easy to set up, and everything you need is usually already available in the house. You can turn the living room into a camp out space, turn off the lights, and take turns telling scary stories while roasting marshmallows on a portable burner.

Make short movies

Depending on how many people are in your family, you could write and create short video clips that you record using your smartphone. The idea is to have everyone participate in the whole movie-making process, including writing the script, picking the wardrobe, and acting it out. Keep the dialogue short so that you do not have to memorize a lot of words. It is even more fun if you turn the whole house into a movie set.

Who knows? It could be good enough to put on YouTube and get internet famous!

Treasure hunt

A treasure hunt is another way of having fun as a family. To make it enjoyable, have one person set up the hunting clues and divide the rest of the family into groups. The hunting clues should cater to all different age groups of the family so everyone can actively participate.

Indoor Olympics

Organize your own indoor Olympics as an entertainment for goofy and hyperactive family members. Create ten competitions that you can do indoors. The activities have to vary in nature and difficulty so that everyone can enjoy and participate. Assign points according to ranking at the end of each event. The winner of the tournament is the one with the most points at the end of all activities. Ideas for activities include eating competition, cup golf, bucket ball, song lyrics, etc.

Play family “Master Chef”

Depending on the resources you have in the house, another very fun activity you can engage in is a cook-off. Just like the TV Master Chef, divide into teams and compete in creating an entirely new dish using a chosen set of ingredients. To make it more interesting, write down the different ingredients on a spin wheel and take turns to spin the wheel to select the ingredients.  Use only the selected ingredients for the cook-off!

Turn your home into an Art Gallery

Get the inner artist out of every family member by organizing a home art festival. Everyone must participate and use his creativity and imagination to express his artistic side by painting, drawing, googling or making a collage with old newspapers. At the end, stick all the masterpieces on the walls to create your own family art gallery!

Revamp your family photo album

Remove the “digital” dust from your old photos kept on your computer and start a fresh family photo album. This can be a fun activity to do with the family as each family member reminisces the good old souvenirs. Revamping your digital photos will also be a good opportunity to clear up duplicates and irrelevant pictures, freeing up valuable space on your computer or cloud storage.

Try online games

You can also try playing online games with your kids or let them play with their friends online. However, keep a close eye on the kind of games and activities they choose to play online. 

Let your kids help with the household chores

Household chores are yet another activity, aside from games, you can engage with your kids.  Teach them or ask them to give you a hand with the chores and make it interesting. They can help prepare their favorite meal, help set the table, and help clean the house by dusting the furniture. They can also help with washing or folding the laundry. Some kids love it when they do something that their parents encourage or ask them to do. So, give it a try! 

Help your kiddos cultivate their talents

It is true that every dark cloud has a silver lining. Even during a pandemic, your kids’ talent can be improved. You can take advantage of the situation and find ways of improving or even discovering your child’s talent. For example, if your child is an aspiring artist encourage the artist in him or her by buying color books, pencils, and crayons. You could also go the extra mile by visiting reputable art galleries online and explaining what each photo symbolizes, where and when the painting was made, and what inspired the artist to produce that particular painting.

Pamper yourself

It is ok to indulge yourself in hard times. Researches show that doing something pleasant for yourself can be very therapeutic, and it’s a great way to stay happy and healthy during a pandemic. So if you are stuck at home anyway, take some time every day to pamper yourself. It does not even have to be anything fancy; simple things like taking a bubble bath, surrounding yourself with scented candles, and meditating can be just what the doctor ordered.

Happy Healthy During a Pandemic Woman In Bath

Plan a vacation!

Just because you can’t leave the country doesn’t mean you can’t plan a vacation. This simple activity can give you joy and hope. Start planning for your future getaways; Research on possible destinations and activities which you could do at that destination. The positive feeling that comes from planning the next event can be beneficial in avoiding the feelings of doom, which often accompany a pandemic lockdown.

Learn a new language

While you’re planning your vacation, start trying to learn the dialect of the place you want to visit. Learning a new language is a fun activity to engage every member of the family. Since it is a new language, everyone will be on par and can start together. Just agree on the language and get it going. There are so many learning apps and free online tutorials available that you cannot miss this opportunity! 

7. Improve yourself

When you are stuck at home, you could use that time to improve yourself. Learn a new skill that will help you get ahead when you eventually return to the world. Educating yourself will remove the unhealthy feeling of being “stuck” and replace it with feelings of finding a new purpose.

Take a new course to learn new skills or to improve existing skills

During the pandemic lockdown, you can use some of the extra time to educate yourself by learning new skills or by enhancing some of your current skills. Improving yourself can be very useful in getting ahead after the pandemic when things go back to normal. It is also a perfect way to block out crazy thoughts and feelings of doom that invade the mind during a time of isolation.

8. Help others

Being helpful to other people while you are stuck at home can do wonders for your mental health. There are many ways of helping other people that you can try. One example would be to help older people do online shopping.  Another example would be to take some time to listen to other people’s problems (although not too much to avoid being depressed yourself). You can dispense services directly linked to your profession, which can also help you stay fresh and sharp for when you eventually return to your work.

Check-in with loved ones via texts and video calls

Check on your friends and family regularly. With video is best! Letting them know you care helps you, but it also helps them. We all need to maintain a feeling of connection to stay mentally healthy right now. Maintaining at least virtual contact will significantly reduce stress levels as well.

9. Keep your immune system strong

Boosting your immune system is critical if you want to stay happy and healthy during a pandemic. Here are several ways to boost your immune system right now:

Eat nutrient-rich foods.

Nutrient-rich foods such as beans or lentils, whole wheat foods, and foods high in fiber should be on your grocery list.  The best thing about such foods is that they can be prepared in various ways and they can be mixed with other foods. You not only enjoy your meal, but you get the complete nutritional benefits as well. 

Eat more fruits and vegetables. 

Fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of high-nutrient foods that will keep you healthy during a pandemic. There are many concerns that may arise when it comes to the best ways of consuming your fruits and vegetables, such as safe ways of washing and preparing them. 

Nonetheless, this is not something that you need to worry too much about. Experts say that there is no need to panic. Continue washing your fruits and vegetables the same way you always do. There is no need for using sanitizers to wash your fruits and vegetables like most people assume.

Stay Hydrated

Drinking lots of water will keep your body hydrated and will drain any accumulatio of bacteria or viruses in your mouth or throat. Avoid drinking sugared or soda drinks- the sugar will only contribute to dehydrating your body. 

Maintain a good hygiene 

Happy Healthy During a Pandemic Washing Hands

Washing your hands thoroughly or staying clean is a great way of ensuring perfect health. You are advised to wash your hands for 20 seconds with soap or using an alcohol-based sanitizer. Staying clean also involves focusing on keeping your house clean and getting rid of clutter. Make sure you emphasize cleanliness to your kids and help them clean up. Let them tidy up their rooms and arrange their toys every night before going to bed. 

Avoid physical contact or touching your face

Health professionals advise that you should avoid touching your face during an infection outbreak. This is because touching your face can lead to major infections or the spread of viruses and bacteria which can affect your immune system. Minimize contact with others as well to prevent risks of contamination. 

Get quality sleep

Amid the constant negative news around, people tend to stay awake, worrying or watching the development of the pandemic. Remember that sleep is essential to help the body restore and regenerate itself. So try to sleep at a decent time with at least 7 hours of good quality sleep. You will wake up feeling rested and to face the challenging day.

Natural supplements

Natural supplements have proved time and time again to be effective in boosting the immune system. Natural supplements like ginger, essential oils, lavender, coriander and more have proven healing and immunity-boosting properties. Vitamins also help to supplement the body’s daily vitamins and minerals intake and prevent you from easily catching an infection and falling ill.

We will get through this

Stay informed, but also take care of yourselves. We will get through this and hopefully come out stronger and wiser on the other side. I’m praying for the world, and it is my hope that these ideas to stay happy and healthy during a pandemic are helpful to you. If you like this post, please do me a favor and share it. Until next time my bloggy friends. Much love to all of you. 

Aladdin The Musical Makes Wishes Come True

Aladdin The Musical At Straz Cast Ensemble 2

Thanks to the Straz Center, I received complimentary tickets for the purposes of review to “Aladdin The Musical”. This has not impacted my review and all opinions below are my own. This post may contain affiliate links. Thank you for your support!

I love the Disney classic movie Aladdin. I have for as long as I can remember. Who can forget the iconic Robin Williams playing the role of Genie, and stealing the show? It came out when I was 8 years old, and I remember wearing that VHS tape out watching it so many times while growing up. Remember those?!? VHS tapes. Ha, now, I feel old!

I learned all the lines, and know every song by heart. And I would annoy my mom singing the tunes at the top of my lungs. I can almost hear her saying, “Ashley, are you going to say every line out loud, or are you going to let me hear the characters say them?” I was obsessed.

Then, when they brought the cartoon to life with the hit feature starring Will Smith earlier this year, I fell in love with the story all over again as an adult. I guess you could say I’m a sucker for a rags to riches story! And, the Genie? HELLO! Will Smith did a phenomenal job in the role.

From the moment I learned about Aladdin The Musical reviews started to pop up in my social media feeds about that sang its praises. As soon as I heard it was coming to Straz Center in Tampa, I put it on my Tampa Broadway Bucket List! I just HAD to see it! So you can imagine my excitement when I was granted my wish of seeing the show right here in my own back yard. Read on to learn what I thought about the live musical version of one of my favorite stories…

Aladdin The Musical At Straz Cast Ensemble 1
image source

Aladdin The Musical – What Straz Said About It

Discover a whole new world at Disney’s ALADDIN, the hit Broadway musical.

From the producer of The Lion King comes the timeless story of ALADDIN, a thrilling new production filled with unforgettable beauty, magic, comedy and breathtaking spectacle. It’s an extraordinary theatrical event where one lamp and three wishes make the possibilities infinite.

See why audiences and critics agree, ALADDIN is “Exactly What You Wish For!” (NBC-TV).

Aladdin The Musical At Straz Cast Ensemble 3
image source

Aladdin The Musical – My Review – (Warning! Spoilers ahead!)

Now, in my defense, if this review really has spoilers, clearly you’ve been living under a rock because how can you NOT know the story of Aladdin?!? Then again, I guess there are some differences between the films and the play. But, I digress… Alright, now – guess what I thought of the show tonight? Yep, you’re right! I LOVED IT!

I loved it so much I rushed home to write this review to share with all of you that I think everyone should see it. It was such a wonderful date night for me! Don’t tell anyone, but I even shed a tear or two from how much I adored watching the play.

From the opening number to the very last beat, I was tapping my toes, and singing along to every song that I knew. #sorrynotsorry (I at least tried to sing them as low as possible as to not annoy the other theatergoers. I think my mom would be proud that I didn’t sing too loud this time ha!) I was excited to hear new songs, but I was incredibly grateful that all of my favorites were in the score.

The show opens with the song Arabian Nights. And, the costumes were just as exciting and colorful as I hoped they would be. We meet the Genie for the first time in the first number, and then Aladdin, and later Princess Jasmine. All of my favorite characters (less a monkey) were in the show. Though I missed Abu, I appreciated that for the most part the musical stayed true to the story I first fell in love with.

There were some obvious tweaks here in there because, well, you can’t exactly include everything from the cartoon or even the full feature film in a live stage show. But, they came darn close while still capturing the magic and amazement of both films in my opinion.

Read the full synopsis of the Aladdin here.

Can we just talk about those sets for a moment?!? They absolutely took my breath away. This was especially true for the Cave of Wonders set. WOW! WOW! WOW! The gold, the shimmer, the pyrotechnics! It was just incredible. All of the sets were wonderful, but that Cave of Wonders was the highlight I wasn’t expecting. But I was there for it!

One thing that really tickled my fancy was all the magic and humor they added to the play. It was so much fun. Aladdin disappears and then reappears in one illusion, there are wardrobe changes that happen in the blink of an eye, and flowers appear out of what felt like thin air. It was just non-stop entertainment that dazzled and delighted me in a way I can’t even explain.

And, of course, the Genie steals the show in this production too! They could not have picked a better actor to portray him! He was soooooo good. And I laughed my face off.

Seriously, this show is great for the whole family and I highly recommend it! It’s perfect that it’s here during the holidays because it truly felt like Christmas as I watched this fun play tonight. I would definitely watch it again, and I sincerely hope I get to someday once more very soon!

Aladdin The Musical At Straz Lamp
image source

Aladdin is playing at The Straz Center now through January 5, 2020. To see all the shows playing at the Straz, click HERE!

*Source for feature image

Fiddler on the Roof – A Review

Fiddler On The Roof Header Image

Thanks to my membership in the Tampa Bay Bloggers and their partnership with the Straz Center, I received complimentary tickets for the purposes of review to “Fiddler on the Roof”. This has not impacted my review and all opinions below are my own. This post may contain affiliate links. Thank you for your support!

Fiddler On The Roof Cast
Image courtesy of Straz

I’ve had a bucket list of shows I’ve wanted to see on Broadway, or even on tour, for years. Fiddler on the Roof was certainly one of them. So, when I learned that I had the chance to watch it, I couldn’t wait. I had a yummy burger at the cafe on the water at Straz, and then settled into my seat honestly not knowing what to expect. All I really knew is that everyone I knew that had seen it said it was amazing.

In fact, one of the women in line with me, as I ordered my burger, said it would be her fifth time watching the show that night. WOW! Before we dive into my thoughts, here’s what Straz posted about Fiddler:

Fiddler on the Roof – What Straz Said About It

Audiences across North America are toasting a new production of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF!

Rich with musical hits you know and love, including “Tradition,” “Sunrise, Sunset,” “If I Were a Rich Man,” “Matchmaker, Matchmaker” and “To Life (L’Chaim!),” FIDDLER ON THE ROOF is the heartwarming story of fathers and daughters, husbands and wives, and life, love and laughter.

Tony®-winning director Bartlett Sher and the team behind South Pacific, The King and I and 2017 Tony-winning Best Play Oslo, bring a fresh and authentic vision to this beloved theatrical masterpiece from Tony winner Joseph Stein and Pulitzer Prize winners Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick. Featuring a talented cast, lavish orchestra and stunning movement and dance from Israeli choreographer Hofesh Shechter, based on the original staging by Jerome Robbins, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF will introduce a new generation to the uplifting celebration that raises its cup to joy!

To love! To life!

Fiddler on the Roof – My Review – (Warning! Spoilers ahead!)

The thing that struck me the most in watching the play, was how many of the songs were familiar and yet I never knew why. For example, Matchmaker –

Matchmaker, Matchmaker,
Make me a match,
Find me a find,
catch me a catch
Matchmaker, Matchmaker
Look through your book,
And make me a perfect match (Lyrics source)

Growing up, I’d heard this song a few times. I didn’t know where it was from. Or this one –

Is this the little girl I carried?
Is this the little boy at play?
…
Sunrise, sunset
Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly flow the days (Lyrics source)

And finally, one that I knew the tune, but didn’t know the original words…

If I were a rich man,
Yubby dibby dibby dibby dibby dibby dibby dum.
All day long I’d biddy biddy bum.
If I were a wealthy man.
I wouldn’t have to work hard.
Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum.
If I were a biddy biddy rich,
Idle-diddle-daidle-daidle man. (Lyrics source)

Admittedly, the reason I knew the tune for this song is because of Gwen Stefani’s “If I Was A Rich Girl”

Fiddler on the Roof - Gwen Stefani Rich Girl
Image source, and where to buy the song

Sure, the song is not the same, but the tune is very similar, and hearing the origin of this bop was certainly entertaining to me. Have you ever wondered where songs come from? I certainly have, and it often fascinates me to learn the inspiration for some of my generation’s biggest hits.

I can honestly say, my favorite thing about the entire play was the music. I loved the songs more than anything. I am obsessed with music, and truly feel that it can make or break a play, or movie. Just me?

I also could genuinely feel the feelings the people playing these characters were exuding. You could feel the nerves of the father, Tevye, when he decided to let his two oldest daughters marry for love instead of money. You could feel the pain as he cast aside his third oldest for marrying outside of his faith. You could even feel his anger when things seemed to be going awry and the God he was praying to was not granting him a reprieve.

Read the full synopsis of the Fiddler on the Roof here.

If nothing else, this play will make you grateful for everything you have. It will also make you appreciate your family, and the freedoms that you have. Dare I say it might even give you some insight to win family members don’t understand children making untraditional choices.

Fiddler On The Roof Daughters
Image courtesy of Straz

Overall, I felt the play was acted out very well, and the music was phenomenal. Though the storyline itself absolutely broke my heart into a million pieces, I think that was the point. You were supposed to feel upset at these people living poor lives, and ultimately being removed from their homes at the end. After all, change can’t happen unless people feel something is wrong. And you sometimes have to put it right in their face to let them see the truth.

I’m grateful for the fact I can say I’ve finally seen Fiddler on the Roof, and can cross that one off my musical bucket list. Luckily, the list is growing so I still have plenty more shows I can’t wait to see. I’ll have to share a post soon of all the shows I still want to see. The one on the top of my mind right now is coming to Straz next month – Aladdin. Dying to see that one y’all!

Until next time, I just want to say thanks for reading. I’m the luckiest girl in the world that I get to do what I love for a living. And, may we all continue to enjoy our lives, and the freedom to make things better if we want to.

Fiddler on the Roof is playing at The Straz Center now through November 10, 2019. To see all the shows playing at the Straz, click HERE!