Happy Monday all!

So, if you are following on Snapchat (@sineaddeblogger), you’ll have heard all about my little rant today. I’m not one for a rant online but it needed to be done! The topic of discussion was the S word – Snapchat.

Bringing it back to basics

First things first I want to go back to when and why I started a blog. Last year I was sick, and landed myself in hospital. As a nurse, the patient experience is sometimes worse, probably because we know too much. After two surgeries I finally got home. I was told to take up to three months off work to re-cooperate afterwards. During this time I had a lot of time (too much time) to think. I learnt a couple of valuable lessons the main one being that life can be short, you have one shot and we need to make the most of it!

So I decided to bite the bullet and published my first review of a couple of beauty products bought from Penneys. I was SO scared mainly at what people would think but I could not believe the reaction! I continued to review products every week.

I then began posting a couple of snaps of outfits I had created. Eventually my best pal created the nickname ‘sinead de blogger’ for me (which was accidentally on a night out!). Then came the website and so on and so forth!

The last year has been a whirlwind, I moved to Dublin began a new job in a private hospital nursing full time (including day and night shifts). I’ve just completed a personal stylist course and was short listed on Xpose Vlogging competition.

Getting my name out there as much as I could I began going to events and moved more in to blogging and the PR industry in Dublin. I’ve learnt a lot over the past year meeting fellow bloggers going to events and I’ve also made a lot of new friendships. While blogging is a hobbie for me sometimes I can’t help but feel it can ‘take over’. In latter months in particular I felt myself under more pressure to post more frequently. This is due to growing numbers but also a lot of this is pressure I put on myself.

Due to my work hours (13 hour days) and my profession, it is not possible for me to get on to social media from one end of the day to the next.

The one platform I find most difficult lately is Snapchat, and what is expected of a blogger. As a result of Snapchat I feel writing is gone, there are not as much reviews to be read online instead it’s done verbally via Snapchat. I also feel that this app means people have to showcase a huge amount of their life be it personal or not.

Over the weekend I read an amazing piece by Aoibhe Devlin, who has quit Snapchat. Aoibhe has quite an extensive following, I admire her as a blogger even more for this. Aoibhe will continue to review and blog but not on Snapchat.

For me blogging is a hobbie, it is something I enjoy, it is something which one day I would love to expand on within my areas of fashion and styling. For those who ask me about starting a blog I always say go for it! It can lead you so many places and you meet so many inspiring people. I do however feel it’s good to bring it back to basics every so often, sit back take a few minutes and think about why you started. Remember if you are passionate enough about anything in life, that will shine through!

Happy blogging,

Sinéad x