I’m closing in on a milestone very soon as I should have 400 blog posts by February. I’m aiming for 500 later this year. I started this platform in November of 2019 (under a different name) and have developed a passion for writing. My friends enjoy my work and I’ve blogged about lifestyles, Toastmasters, and fashion. I’ve also done food reviews.
We hit a bump in the road when COVID happened in 2020, health issues sidelined me in Spring 2021, and mental health issues as well as a lack of technology led to regression in 2022 after a period of growth in Fall 2021.
2023 may just be my most complete year yet for this platform. I thank my cousin for providing me with a laptop and her support as she too has her own blog.
Without further ado, here are the main topics that I will be focusing on in this blog going forward.
Fashion—My Instagram handle is James the Outfit Slayer. I am nonconforming in my fashion and being confident out in public has not come easy. I’ve really had to earn it and not worry about everyone’s opinions or what they might say. Look for pictures of me posing in my amazing fashionwear when I’m out and about or by myself at home. I’m starting to become more confident, however, after a 2022 that saw me take one step forward and three steps back.
Food—My eating out reviews began in July of 2021 and became a big hit. I took a step back last year to work on my mental health issues and to get comfortable with my work schedule at Giant Eagle. I plan to relaunch “Stylish and Hungry” in February with two or three visits a month to restaurants to research them and a give a review of my experience and my meal. I hope this helps you if you decide to eat at the establishment I’ll be reviewing.
Self-Care/Self-Love–There’s different ways to go about this. Sometimes, we need to recharge our batteries and give ourselves a self-care day. Jonathan Van Ness of Queer Eye fame is all about that self-care and also giving yourself some self-love. For example, one way I’m taking that on is by putting on moisturizer and taking care of my skin. I haven’t become consistent with it every day but I’m starting to get there.
Learning self-love has helped me in the rebirth of my non-binary journey. I almost gave it up last Spring because I felt I was getting no support whatsoever. Starting a new job at the end of 2021 was needed but, in the beginning, it initially brought a culture shock with it. I wasn’t sure how to handle my new overnight schedule and didn’t know how to make time for myself. By the second half of 2022, I was able to right the ship and get back on track.
I’ll continue to find my own self-care definition throughout 2023 as I make time to address those needs. Good time management is key to good self-care. So far this year, I’m feeling a lot better about myself than I did in January 2022. Self-love has definitely helped make a difference as well.
Stylish 🍒 