blogging, Lifestyle

My 2023 Blogging Goals | Mind Beauty Simplicity

Hello everyone! It feels good to be back typing away on my laptop. I decided to take a slight posting break during the holidays to spend time with family & friends. I’m excited to announce I have renewed Mind Beauty Simplicity for another 2 years which means tons of content coming your way! If I’m being completely honest, I was debating on letting go of the blog because the blogging world isn’t quite the same as it was when I started this site in 2020. The pandemic allowed a lot of us to forgo our usual routines & views were up. But I decided blogging has been around for many years & it’s always evolving. I shouldn’t let changes in analytics get me down. My love for writing & creating remains so for now, I’m not going anywhere.

In typical new years fashion, I wanted to start with a blog post discussing my blogging goals for this year & possibly share a few life goals as well. I find reinventing yourself & your blog to be so important & I felt like as I’m nearing my 3rd year of blogging, it was time to make a few changes.

Digital Declutters

During the month of December, I cleaned up my desktop & blogging files & let go of pins & documents I was no longer using. I wanted to clear some space & make room for new content. I also decided to focus my attention on a select few of social media platforms including Twitter , Goodreads & Pinterest. I have came to the conclusion that these specific platforms are the most helpful overall. I don’t need to stress over algorithms & simply focus on sharing my writing. I think some platforms prioritize video & photos while as a writer, I want people to focus on my words. It doesn’t mean I won’t ever venture to other platforms later [ because there is creative growth within those]. I just find myself needing to take a step back & downsize how much energy & time I place on the internet. So, to keep up with my updates & posts – be sure you are following me on Twitter & Pinterest. And if you are a book lover like me, my Goodreads shares what I’m reading in real time.

Consistency

I hope to post at least once a week on the blog, but I’m also allowing myself needed breaks as I see fit. I believe in the concept of balance. I don’t want creative burn out to get the best of me. And I want to be sharing my best work. I don’t want to be posting just to post. So, to combat that – I want to share more guest posts & collaborations this year. So, if you are a blogger reading this & are interested in working with me, feel free to message me on social media. I’ve discovered daily post challenges like Blogtober or Blogmas aren’t for me. Instead, I like to still share festive content. Just not every single day for a month.

Views & Subscribers

I do hope to reach over 10k subscribers on my blog. Currently I’m sitting at close to 8k email / wordpress followers combined. And I would love to see my views increase slightly. But I also realize there are times in the year that are more popular than others. So, I don’t read into it too hard. I also like to see what my audience enjoys reading. Most of the time my intentional living & decluttering posts get the most attention. But I love that there are some of you who really enjoy my book content & reading wrap ups as well. Although my niche is very minimalistic living – I also love that I’ve been able to expand on topics of self growth, health & general lifestyle as well. It makes brainstorming content more fun!

Being More Authentic

I’ve struggled with authenticity some on the blog because I am hesitant to share too many personal details with my readers. But I do feel like there are times where certain topics like grief, marriage & other milestones to be very enlightening to some. So, I want to find ways I can be helpful with those discussions without being to specifically personal. I do have a few slightly more vulnerable topic ideas for this year so get excited!

Specific Goals For The Blog

Reach 10k followers on Twitter [ I’m currently at 6k ] by the end of the year

Hit 5k monthly views on Pinterest & gain 1k followers [ I’ve neglected that platform for a while ]

Gain more of a following on my Goodreads & share more book content on the blog

Life Goals for 2023

move into a new home

adopt a golden retriever puppy

get back into a workout routine / yoga

travel out of the country [ Europe ]

travel more in general [ other states, local towns etc ] experiences > things

Most importantly, I want to keep blogging fun! I’m excited to share even more content on intentional living, books & everything in between. I’m so grateful for my loyal readers & connecting with other creative souls. Here’s to another successful blogging year! Let me know in the comments your blogging / life goals.

-B

blogtober

What I Love About Halloween

Halloween is hands down my favorite holiday for many reasons. As a young girl, I would sit under this maple tree in our front yard & read books like Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark or Goosebumps. It wasn’t just the fall season I romanticized – Halloween has been like my Christmas. And here’s why…

It Conjures Up Wonderful Childhood Memories

Some of my best memories revolve around Halloween. From Halloween slumber parties with dancing & games to helping my dad carve pumpkins & watching It’s The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown & Hocus Pocus with my family ; we definitely had a lot of spooktacular memories. One of my favorite memories was going to this local pumpkin patch / garden shop & going through their haunted house. I remember dressing up in costume with my cousin & “helping” make the haunted house even better by scaring people as they walk inside.

A Stereotypical Dark Holiday Actually is Joyous

Although Halloween is seen as a rather scary & dark holiday, I find it to be very positive & joyous. I mean, who doesn’t love coming home with a sleeping bag full of candy? The nostalgic feeling of pouring the entirety on the living room floor & asking my brother to trade all the Reese’s peanut butter cups with me. Those were the days. The holiday allowed me to really bond with family & all sharing the similar love for the holiday. Even as we got older, my parents, brother & I loved going to our local historical town & get lunch or go to the local coffee shop & watch all the trick or treaters & elaborate costumes. I hope to continue this with my future family.

There Aren’t High Expectations

Other holidays like Christmas hold so many expectations & underlying stress. Halloween was never that way. We didn’t have to please anyone else & we could be as low key or extra as we wanted. If we wanted to just stay in & watch spooky movies, we could most certainly do that!

Dressing Up & Sparking Imagination

Being able to dress up like anyone we want ( to an extent) & be imaginative with our looks is one of the reasons I love the holiday. As I got older, my makeup game improved & started to really come up with elaborate looks. Especially when we started going to the Ren Fest, I loved doing multicolored eyeshadows, false lashes & gems on my face. I mean, you could do that on a regular day but I don’t think my 9-5 would approve.

It Fits Everyone’s Vibe

There’s something for everyone on Halloween. You don’t just have to love scary movies or gore to appreciate the holiday. I personally, am not the biggest fan of scary movies. I embrace the things I do enjoy & ignore the rest.

The Weather

Now, as a kid I used to hate having to wear a coat trick or treating. It would ruin the costume, you know? But overall – fall is my favorite time of year because I can be fashionable & I won’t freeze my ass off. The colors of the tees also help with the overall Halloween aesthetic. If I had to choose a season that best described me, I’d pick Halloween season.

Fall Activities

There’s so many fun things to do ine the fall. Last year, I shared my fall bucket list & those activities are still my favorites. Going to Ren Fest & drinking Meade, going to the pumpkin patch, eating apple cider donuts & going through corn mazes never get old. I also love going to haunted forests or houses & ghost tours in my local area. Roasting marshmallows by the bonfire, watching spooky flicks, & carving pumpkins. I also would LOVE to visit Salem one day. That is definitely on my bucket list.

Embracing The Spooky Side of Things

I’m the type of person who loved all things spooky 24/7 but Halloween is the one time of year where being weird & out there is kind of cool! If you believe in ghosts, this is the time of year to really immerse yourself in the history of things & stories. It’s fun to believe in the unbelievable.

Pumpkins Galore

Pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin spice lattes – All Things Pumpkin all the time! I love decorating our front porch with them, carve them in cool designs & just the aesthetic of it all.

Ghost Stories & Urban Legends

Like I said, embracing spooky season is so much fun. Reading about ghost stories and urban legends is something I personally enjoy. Whether you think these stories are fake or not, they are still entertaining.

-B

blogtober

How To Romanticize The Autumn Season

Happiness to me, means romanticizing your life no matter how extraordinary or mundane it may feel. And as you know, I lean towards enjoying the more simpler moments. Although, grand gestures & affairs may seem wonderful, those too can become old. So, we must look beyond the extravagant & appreciate all aspects of our days – because like the leaves falling off trees, we are forever changing & life doesn’t stop for anything. And whether you usually love or dread the fall season, here are a few ways you can romanticize the autumn season to your liking.

Wear Cozy & Warm Colors

There’s just something so refreshing about the brisk air & more blustery days. I very much enjoy cozying up in chunky knits & boots – or staying in & snugging up with blankets to a crackling fire. Even the tones of autumn that mimic the aesthetic of the falling leaves brings joy to my days. Adding a few burnt oranges or reds to your neutral attire can be a nice change.

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Embrace the Taste of Fall

The flavors of fall go beyond pumpkin spice – although I do love me some warm pumpkin bread as a snack. Crisp apples, pies, ciders & cinnamon anything are just a few of my favorites for the fall season. I’m also a huge fan of soups as soon as the temperatures reach the 60’s. There’s this cozy factor I hold onto with these tasty treats. Slow down & savor each bite as you become more present in such mundane actions.

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Watch Some Fall Classics

With a warm beverage in hand & cozy blankets to hold me tight – I treasure those slower & peaceful evenings on the couch with the fireplace going [ or atmospheric screen saver] or watching a comfort fall favorite tv show / movie. Some cult favorites include Hocus Pocus, Casper, The Nightmare Before Christmas or Harry Potter.

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Play Some ASMR or Screensavers To Add Ambiance

I don’t own a fireplace. Instead I’ll play the fireplace screensaver on YouTube while I get lost in a book. If you are looking for some meditation, ASMR videos are another favorite. Find ones that are Halloween or fall themed to add a bit of magic to the evening. I especially love screensavers of rainy evenings in haunted mansions, falling leaves or even spooky music playlists. If you are looking for some books to add to your TBR, check out this blog post here or here.

Take A Walk in The Leaves

They say the most grounding action is walking through nature. Bonus points if you are barefoot. But I love embracing my childlike roots & trudge through the crunching leaves during my strolls or hikes. Jumping in a pile of leaves could also be super fun & nostalgic. The fresh air & sunshine are what are bodies crave, even when it gets a bit colder. Spend a little bit more time outdoors & bring a book or your laptop to feel just a little bit more productive in the process. A change of scenery is always something that brightens my mood.

How will you be romanizing fall this year? What is your favorite part about this season?

-B