Blogmas 2018 | Day 2 | Christmas Time Top 5 on my Playlist

Ah, the Christmas songs. Every year, around October, they slowly start to creep on over sound and PA systems as you browse through the clothing racks of your favourite shops. Love them or loathe them, we all have ones that stick out in our mind.

I’ve been ridiculously festive this year – I think planning blogmas back in October had an impact on that. But I found myself searching Spotify weekly for a list of Christmas songs to indulge a guilty pleasure – Christmas songs before it’s socially acceptable.

Over time you develop a list of favourites. I’ve grouped all of mine in a Spotify playlist at the bottom of this post. But I’ll give a low down on my top 5 first!

5. Do You Hear What I Hear by Carrie Underwood

A classic, really. I mean this is definitely a church song. Haven't you heard this song? Don't you love it? This my not be my all the favorite song, but I really live listening to songs that bring in the thought of Jesus.

4. I'm Getting Nuttin For Christmas by Shirley Temple

I love this song because it was sung in a child's voice. Adults  would find this to be a more boring song because of rarely hearing it. It’s cheesy, but has a good beat and is a lovely, feel good sing-along kinda song!

3. The Christmas Song by Justin Bieber

Kind of a guilty pleasure for me - this song always makes me feel warm during the Christmas season… I really love the rhythm of this song. It’s just really light hearted and cute.

2. Linus and Lucy by Vince Guaraldi Trio

I LOOOOVVVEEEEEEE the Peanuts!  So of course this song is in the top 5. I absolutely adore this song because for ne it''s just one of those things that make me think "how can a young child play something like this and have it  sound so great?" Also they have everyone dancing as a part of this song. I mean isn't that what Christmas is all about?

1. You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch by Thurl Ravenscroft

This song DEFINITELY follows the Christmas theme... This is a favorite of mine because I LOVE How the Grinch Stole Christmas - the book and the movie (non-animated version, of course). It’s definitely for the Christmas party sing-along!

So there are my top 5 Christmas songs. It’s by no means all of them. So,conveniently for you, I’ve put all of my favourites into a Spotify playlist for you to enjoy!

Did I miss out your favourite song? Let me know if I need to add anything to my playlist!

Blogmas 2018 | Day 1 | On the First Day of Blogmas...

Can you believe it’s DECEMBER already? WHAT! I guess it’s true what our parents used to tell us… time really DOES go by more quickly as you get older. The Holidays used to seem lightyears away from a child’s perspective, but now that I’m older it gets a little less magical. Realistic thinking starts to settle in as you begin your Christmas shopping in August and you have to actually start PLANNING when and where your holiday celebrations will take place, rather than following your parents around and just simply receiving gifts from Santa. As you get older, keeping the Christmas spirit alive gets harder. That’s why little things like hosting BLOGMAS in December are a must!

WHAT IS BLOGMAS?

I’m not SUPER into the Holiday season {WHAT?! How am I even HUMAN?! I know}, but every year I like to contribute to this season and spill a smidgen of Christmas cheer onto the blog, which results in a little thing I like to call “Blogmas.” Blogmas on Spreading the Bliss consists of daily festive posts from December 1st up until December 25th. Essentially it’s just a fun and creative way of doing a Christmas countdown from the beginning of December up until Christmas day! Some people choose to do “12 Days of Blogmas” or all 31 days in December, but I like to have a good middle ground and stick with the classic countdown until Christmas!

WHAT WILL I WRITE ABOUT?

Celebrating with you all makes me incredibly happy and, now more than ever, I’m going to need people to spread some Christmas cheer alongside me! I will be away from my family and life is a bit chaotic due to my recent move. But I have decided that this year will be a VERY special one, because I have asked a few of my beautiful blogger and influencer friends to get involved! We will be writing about ALL THE HOLIDAY THINGS. Everything from creative DIY and makeup to unique personal tales from all types of Christmases! So stay tuned for lots of wonderful festive posts that will surely hype you up for this Christmas season🎄

I can’t wait to spend the Holidays with you this year! I hope you find enjoyment and feel prepared for this season, I know I’m already getting excited. Make sure you’re subscribed to the Spreading the Bliss newsletter to keep yourself updated and aware on what’s happening on the blog this Christmas! And go ahead and give this post a big ol’ “ ❤️” below if you’re excited for this series. Happy Holidays, and Merry Blogmas to all!

Blogmas 2018 + 25 Post Ideas!

It’s the holidays!!! Thanksgiving is over and it’s officially the holiday season. Nothing against Thanksgiving or anything. I love Thanksgiving! But it’s no lie that I definitely love Christmas more. It’s just so much more magical and I always look forward to all the fun traditions.

In terms of blogging, I feel like I lack in holiday content around here. I admit I’m horrible some months/years at remembering to plan out and create holiday-centered content and it feels like I’m really missing out on some great collaborations and traffic because of it. there. So this year, I thought it would be super fun to participate in Blogmas.

WHAT IS BLOGMAS?

Okay so for those of you who don’t know what Blogmas/Vlogmas is, it’s 12, 25, or 31 days straight of holiday and winter-related content. I will be doing 25 days from December 1st to the 26th  (I have one previously scheduled sponsored post going live on the 5th that is not holiday or winter themed so that post will be the only exception to Blogmas!). Some may also do a ’12 days of Christmas’ sort of theme while others may go the full 31 days. I felt 25 days was the perfect amount for me so that’s what I’m going with.

You may see this trend a lot more on Youtube with Vlogmas. That’s how I became acquainted with the trend years ago. So many of my favorite beauty Youtubers would participate in Vlogmas and it always seemed so fun. So this year I decided to participate in Blogmas!

WHY AM I PARTICIPATING IN BLOGMAS?

As mentioned above, the idea of Blogmas/Vlogmas always seemed fun to me, but in addition to that, I feel like I’ve been in a little bit of a blogging rut recently. Moving cross-country threw me off a bit and it’s been a struggle to really get back to it. So I thought Blogmas would be a great way to get my creative juices flowing again. So in October, I sat down and brainstormed a ton of awesome content for you all and I’ve been working on it ever since. At this point, most of Blogmas is already typed up and scheduled out so I’m super excited!!

WHAT TYPE OF CONTENT DO I HAVE IN STORE?

I have SO much planned. As mentioned above, about 85-90% of December is already typed up and scheduled out for you all which is super exciting. I’m quite proud of myself for being glued to my computer in the month of November ensuring this is all set and ready to go (I can now spend December relaxing and spending time with family!). Here’s some of the content you can expect during Blogmas:

• How to deal with holiday stress
• Family-friendly winter activities in Springfield Illinois
• BLOGMAS 2018 – A LOOK AT BLOGMAS PAST (AND A ONE STOP GUIDE TO CHRISTMAS)
• Home holiday decor
• Holiday traditions to start with your little ones
• How to keep your family organized during the busiest time of year
• Stocking stuffers
• An Illinois Gift Guide
• and more!

I’ve also updated ALL of my holiday content from previous years so you’ll see those circulating through my various social media feeds as well this next month.

SHOULD YOU DO BLOGMAS/VLOGMAS?

I saw a few other bloggers bring up such a great point on this the other day so I felt I had to address it here as well. While Blogmas is supposed to be super fun and can be a great way to get your creative juices flowing, I think it’s something that cannot and should not be done on a whim if you want it to be successful. And here’s why:

When done incorrectly (aka on a whim), Blogmas can lead to less traffic, low-quality blog posts, a non-existent marketing strategy, and a very tired, overwhelmed blogger. I’ve been working on this for a couple of months now so there’s a whole strategy on the backend. I have a ton of social media already scheduled out, blog posts typed up, my email newsletters ready to be sent, etc. A strategy is key if you want Blogmas to be successful and an effective strategy cannot be made in an hour on November 30th.

Now, this doesn’t mean you can’t participate in Blogmas. You totally can! But if you want Blogmas to be a success and really drive traffic to your site then having a plan in place is going to help you tremendously. So if this sounds like something you want to do, I highly recommend getting started on Blogmas 2019 around August/September or so and really put everything you have into it!

25 BLOGMAS POST IDEAS

Want to try Blogmas for yourself? Here are 25 blog post ideas to get you started!

1. Gift guide for your spouse
2. Gift guide for your kids
3. Your holiday wish list
4. Your kids’ wish list(s)
5. Your favorite holiday movies
6. A holiday tradition passed down through the generations
7. A favorite recipe you always make
8. Your favorite winter beauty products
9. A recap of your Thanksgiving/Christmas
10. Winter/holiday activities in your area
11. Your home’s holiday decorations
12. Stockings stuffers for pets
13. A review/recap of fun holiday outings you do with your family
14. How you tackle holiday stress
15. Who do you celebrate the holidays with?
16. Your favorite Christmas memory
17. How to save money during the holidays
18. How you keep yourself healthy during the holidays
19. Your winter skincare routine
20. Gifts under $20
21. Festive makeup ideas
22. Tips to surviving Christmas shopping
23. Host a giveaway
24. Holiday date ideas
25. Ways to give back this Christmas

For updates on Blogmas, holiday sales, local events, tips for surviving the holidays, and more, be sure to sign up for our newsletter!

ARE YOU PARTICIPATING IN BLOGMAS 2018?

Corn Life Decal

I'm going to mix things up a little today. I’ve been talking about things from a farmer’s daughters point of view. Today, I want to use the college student viewpoints.

I’m sure a lot of people have seen an image similar to the one shown. So, as I am leaving the college parking lot, I saw a salt life decal. I’m thinking to myself, okay this person either like the beach, or was originally from the beach, I wasn’t sure. But now you live in Illinois which is hundreds of miles from the beach. The ‘salt life’ maybe your dream, although the ‘corn life’ is your reality.

People  have asked things like – what does corn life mean to me and what is corn life. Well to me it means being myself and growing plants like corn for a living. I love help plant and even harvest season, I am an all around farmer’s daughter and I couldn’t be prouder of where I live. Corn life is more than just living in the Midwest and knowing we grow corn. Its about getting close to family & friends, other farmers, watching them plant, knowing the ins and outs of production, and watching growth happen.

If you want a corn life decal, I couldn’t find any online meaning they would have to be made online. Thank you for taking the time to learn more about Illinois.

What does Corn Life mean to you?

What to Let Go of After High School

Since you probably just graduated high school, it’s time to let go of old habits and start fresh. College is time to start new, so with this being your last summer before college, clean up your life, end bad habits, and get ready for new beginnings! If you want to know more ways to let go after high school, look at this here!

Fake friends

Seeing someone every day, it is easy to call yourself “friends.”Even if there are some you don”t care about. When you walk across the stage, maybe you don’t see them again. Don’t hold on to bad friendships. Focus on your true friends and work to maintain those relationships throughout college.

Too cool?

In high school, it’s easy to think others are below you. Certain cliques or things you’re into just doesn’t seem cool. But when you go to college, knowing it’s okay to be excited about stuff, is perfectly okay. It’s a good thing to be passionate about things and you definitely should be! In college you get the chance to find out what you love and become passionate about them, not think you’re too cool to care.

Do you hate all your classes?

Senior year, you think your classes are supposed to be a total drag. It seems as if you aren’t really learning anything. In college, you’re taking classes that apply to your future career, which is really pretty cool. Plus, you (or your parents) are paying a lot to be there, so make sure you show up and show you care about it!

Closed off

Being in the same school for 12 years, you find it easy to close yourself off and be with people you like and things you enjoy. There’s never a reason to try new things. Let that go! Leave your comfort zone! I promise the results will be amazing. You will try so many new things and meet tons of new people when you go to college – don’t turn away anything for any reason.

Are you being rude?

I know when sharing a house with someone, it’s easy to become annoyed. But distance is a good reminder of the best parts of people and how much they care about you. Spend time with them because you will miss them. The saying that distance makes the heart grow fonder really does ring true here!

Fitting in

I never really fit in with everyone in high school, my four years I was in a wheelchair. So yes, it’s hard to leave the status quo in high school – mostly because you do want to fit in, and because you live at home. In college, there are different varieties of people, so you will find your tribe. You never have to pretend when making new friends. If you want to do something completely different, do it there are people who will still like you. Your college years are when you leave behind the social norms and do whatever you want to do (within reason of course!) Don’t let the fear of being “awkward or weird” stop you from being you and doing want you want.

Relationships

If you don’t want to be with someone but your afraid to break up because you would see them, break it off now. If you 100% dedicated to who you’re dating, break it off before the distance makes it worse. Not saying all high school relationships can’t survive the long distance, I’m saying it is hard and both of you have to want to make it work.

Study habits

You may have gotten a great GPA with little to no studying in high school. However, college is totally different. With a few exceptions, college classes require you to study to actually pass. You wouldn’t be able to skate by like in high school. Leave the procrastination and poor studying skills behind when you enter into college. Take this from me – I was a 4.0 student in high school and I thought it would be the same in college – those first few tests were a wake up call!

Moving on!

Well there you have it! Eight things to let go of in order to be a successful college student! Is there anything you can think of letting go after high school? Let me know below! If you want to check out 8 more things to let go of after high school, you an find that post here.

Prepping For a New Semester

Everyone knows there is a new semester about to start (being high school or college), it's time to start gearing up for the fall semester. I know some of y’all are probably counting down the days until your next break, but here are some tips to get help you with preparing for a new semester.

PREPARING FOR A NEW SEMESTER – 5 TIPS

1. Start getting organized -- I understand classes have not yet started, when they do stay organized. Print out your syllabus for each class. purchase your class books, buy school supplies, and write down all your assignments in your planner. 
2. Get back on schedule -- As classes are beginning, you don't want to be dragging your first week. I realize even for myself it is very difficult getting back on track after break but it's nice being able to do so.
3. Create a schedule for yourself -- If you're like me, not only are you involved in clubs or honors but you hold down a job. Make sure you write down  everything important (class, exam,  meeting, etc.) that way you know when you're going to have a busier day in advance.
4. Start working ahead or on reading --If you already have a posted syllabus work or read ahead for the semester, jump right in and be ahead of your game. I always felt better prepared for class if I read/worked on the material beforehand even if it's not feasible.
5. Mentally prepare yourself for the semester ahead -- The first week back to school is always exciting and overwhelming so get your head in the A-game and make sure you have the right mindset to start off the semester.

Hope that your semester starts off strong! Have a great Thursday, y’all.

How do you go about preparing for a new semester? Let me know down in the comments.

How to Prep for College When Still in High School

I'm 4 years out of High School, with graduation upon us, it's hard not to be nostalgic! My high school experience was okay between Art Club, Key Club, and doing about average in classes, but I missed out on a lot of opportunities that could have been really helpful in college.

How to Prep for College When Still in High School

For some background, I took some computer classes, honors (suppose they could be AP), and math classes to help move me along faster in my major, I wasn't completely unprepared. I also couldn't decide my major until mid-second semester, it helped I started at a community college. Pretty much, everyone's high school experience was totally different, but through my experiences these are all thugs I did or believe would help current high school students preparing for college.

Diversify your skills

Being in high school is the perfect time to try something new, you're not in a specific field and you have opportunities to take electives free. Even if You know what you want to do, major in your freshman year, diversifying your skills and experiences gives you more to add to your resume and maybe you find something your passionate about.

Like me, I knew I wanted to become a CEO of a big company my freshmen year, but there's many different areas I didn't even consider. Media, local, music, pretty much any industry you can think of. In high school I took music theory, art, web design, piano, and business alongside my required classes, and I still talk about my experiences in those classes and sports today during a lot of my interviews.

That leads me to my next tip…

JOIN A TEAM OR CLUB AND ACTUALLY INVEST YOURSELF IN IT

Don't just show up to practices, take the time outside of school to get better at whatever you're doing. Like me, what I'd practice outside of school were things I fell head over heels for, gained lessons/friends for life, and talked about in college essays or interviews.

Sports may not even everyone's thing, I enjoyed watching but being in a wheelchair I was unable to participate. When I was still able to walk fairly well, I played softball, karate, dance class; I played in outside leagues/classes but never felt like I loved playing. Competitive sports weren't my thing, but I didn't play sports in high school for health reasons.

Art club was about showing your artistic personality. When you spends hours and hours with people showing their personality and helping each other you make lifelong friends. I would recommend School clubs like this one to any student wanting to show their art and leadership skills.

As for the college connection, all my college essays were written about my experience with Art club and Key club. All those questions as in, "how did you handle times when you felt angry or upset?" are east to give details about when you have easy memories to access. Leadership questions were a piece of cake when you show it through your work or in a group.

LOOK FOR HIGH-SCHOOL LEVEL INTERNSHIPS

I never did this mostly because I didn't know they existed when I was in high school, really take advantage of these offers and go for it! Most of these internships require no experience, making them perfect opportunities to try something you maybe interested in at a professional level.

I'm not a good source to be versed in internships outside of writing and communications, do some googling and you'd find great resources. If you're going into a major like Communications or Journalism, I would definitely recommend checking out these programs:

• 2018 High School Internships
• Journalism Intern Jobs
• Communication Internships

START A PORTFOLIO

Not a lot of majors can do this, but if your work makes a finished product, save it! Add it to a folder (even if it's a online folder) or put it on a website then you'll be able to share it.

TAKE CLASSES AT YOUR COMMUNITY COLLEGE

It requires time and money, but I seriously recommend taking classes at the local community college while in high school.you don't have to repeat what classes you take which is really helpful when you're taking as many credits as possible to graduate in 4 years.

To be honest, the 4-year college versions of the classes weren’t very hard and offered a great buffer between my communications classes, but the real benefit of taking community college classes is that they’re shorter (6 weeks vs a semester), cheaper, and they free up time in your schedule for more interesting classes.

TALK TO PEOPLE AT YOUR PROSPECTIVE COLLEGES

If you know the college you want to go too, great! If not, learn as much as possible about the school's you're applying to before you accept. You don't learn much from the college website, and the best way to gain advice is asking the students who attend.

I would google the college bloggers who attend the college you're interested in, they would most likely have posts written to help you! I get emails every week from prospective AU students asking about how I like Tuscaloosa, what the workload is like, and whether I like my major, and I’m happy to help them out. Bloggers are super friendly and almost always willing to lend a helping hand!

START A BLOG

I’m a little biased here, although when I say starting a blog was one of the best decisions of my life. This blog has helped me pay my rent, meet incredible friends, and connect with companies I never imagined working with. It’s also the project I talk about in about every interview, and several recruiters have specifically told me they think that this experience diversifies me as a candidate! I’ve found several posts on starting a blog, so if that sounds like something you’re interested in, check these out:

• Why You Should Start A Blog In College (or high school!)
• How To Start A Blog
• How To Start Making Money Blogging

If you have any questions about my high school or college experience, feel free to ask in the comments or send me an email!