A big, happy hello to those of you who read my blog posts regularly, and a huge welcome to any new faces! I've seen that over the last few blog posts my views and visitors have grown; I want to say thank you to all of you that have stuck with me as I've grown this blog into what I want and to all of you who are joining the journey. I appreciate you all so much and you make my heart so happy.
I've been a little bit stuck on what to write lately. Being stuck at home with not much to do has really brought the creativity out in me in other aspects- I've been taking more photos for Instagram (as I'm sure a lot of you are so tired of seeing, I'm sorry!), I've been playing around with my makeup and skincare, I've been drawing! But I just haven't found anything very interesting to write about. So today I thought why not give you guys a bit more info about me, why I started blogging, and just a little bit about life lately.
My name is Sonya Ricker! I'm the face behind What Sonya Says, and I have found a lot of joy in writing this little blog of mine. Every post I publish is something that I think is important, read-worthy, and fun! I've been in love with writing ever since I was in elementary school, and I fell even more in love after reading my first Harry Potter novel. When I was younger I wanted to become a best-selling author, and I would write short story after short story in the hopes that I'd get a million dollar plot. While I still hope that one day the inspiration will strike me, I'm now more of a reader and casual writer than a hopeful-one-day-author.
I'm in love with beauty and fashion. Although I'm by no means a pro at it, I find a lot of joy in trying out new foundations, getting my eyebrows just right, and perfecting a winged eyeliner in one try. I've always been into clothes, but it wasn't until I went to college that I was really able to express myself more with fashion. I think when you live in a small town, it's hard for people to see you deviate from what is considered the norm. I think it's so fun to find new clothing stores to shop from or to find a great sale, and I love sharing these things with you all!
For the past four years I've followed so many bloggers/influencers on Instagram, and I thought it was so cool how they built a brand and name for themselves just by talking about things they are passionate about! I've always loved makeup and clothes, and I've always been interested in fitness but hadn't really gotten super into it until last year. For a while now, maybe two years or so, I've been wanting to start blogging. I thought it would be a unique outlet to combine my passion for writing with my interests in beauty, fashion, and wellness. I finally took the plunge last winter, and I'm so glad I did!
I think a lot of people think it's silly to consider blogging as a "big step" or "scary". And I completely agree, it is silly to think of it that way. However, there's something about putting yourself out there completely, of taking steps to build something for yourself, no matter how small or slow the growth is, that is kind of frightening. There's the fear that others will judge you or that they'll put you down; it comes with the territory, honestly. I think for the most part though, those that judge you for what you're doing just want to do the same thing but don't know where to start or were just as scared as you were to try.
Since starting What Sonya Says, I've had so many people ask how to get started, what to talk about, how to promote it, etc. If you all are interested, I will definitely make a blog post about it. I just think it is the sweetest thing that so many of you want to create your own outlets, your own Instagrams! You all should definitely go for it!
I've been super interested in testing my Instagram and blogging analytics. I've been trying to grow my social media platforms a lot more recently, and it's very cool to see which Instagram posts do well and which don't, to see which blog posts get the most views and the ones that tank. I think when you're growing a brand, it's hard not to get consumed by the numbers, the likes, and the engagement. I've been trying my hardest not to get wrapped up in it, but rather enjoy the growth I'm seeing by interacting with other cool creators on social media and posting things I like and am proud of. I know it must be annoying to see me post all the time on socials, but at the end of the day it's so fun to share with you all and I enjoy the new faces it brings!
I am so grateful to all of you who read my posts, who dm me saying you love my blog, who ask for my opinion on anything, etc. It's so kind, and I'm so glad that I'm slowly but surely building a little community of likeminded, awesome people!
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