Let's Chat---> FAQ/Get to Know Me

Y'all know my favourite posts are chatty ones because I don't really have any structure per say...I just let it flow...lol..I am in such a good mood today so I thought it would be nice to answer some questions from my previous Chit Chat FAQ post. I got some questions via email and some from comments and social media. So, let's jump right into it...

What do you do for a living?
I work in the health and social care sector and my specialism is around policies, strategies. I also manage projects around these areas. I know it sounds so serious (which it could be) but I absolutely love my job and it keeps me really busy/challenged. In terms of my profession, I am a Pharmacist. I have learned so much from my job and I have become more confident than I could have ever imagined


What's your motivation in general for work, life and hobbies?
I find motivation for various things via different means but my one constant source of inspiration and motivation comes from my relationship with God. I find my motivation through prayers. I am also motivated to be the best I can be at my job because I know it affects people's lives and well-being and I would never want to make a mistake that could essentially have a negative impact in someone's life. For me,  that's the ultimate motivation for work and it also translates to my general lifestyle. With regards to hobbies, I have very few of them sadly but I ensure I carve out adequate time to indulge in them and I am sure you all know majority of my hobbies. In case you don't, they are blogging, writing (poems, prose, etc, anything at all), photography, travelling, reading, etc. I really want to add a sport hobby to this list this year but I don't know which to choose. Maybe swimming....

How do you find bargains and deals?
I already have two posts on shopping and bargains which I would link here and here. In summary, I always check out websites for discount codes and vouchers and I usually find one or more before I make any purchase. I don't know about you but I hate to pay full price for items because I know there are always discounts. I also shop in stores that are outside of London because I know I would find discounted items and deals. They may not necessarily be new season but they are usually good deals. I have an email address dedicated to newsletters so if I particularly want to purchase an item, I check through that email for any newsletters that have discounts. I also use Voucher Codes and O2 Priority moments which have amazing discount codes which make a difference.

Have you always lived in London?
No, I haven't. I only moved to London in January 2013 (oooh just realised it has been 2 years already!!). Before that, I lived in Manchester which is my favourite city in the UK because it holds so many memories for me and I always feel nostalgic whenever I visit Manchester. I attended Uni in Manchester (for my Masters) and lived there for a few years and met my boyfriend there as well so it is the most special city to me :-). All my other years before 2010 were spent in Nigeria where I was born and raised and I constantly miss home.


What's your favourite beauty brand?
It's so hard for me to choose because I love any product works for me but I have a few favourites. I love MAC products because I think they are amazing and they have a really wide range to choose from. For drug store, I find myself straying towards for L'Oreal and Maybelline which are really amazing. 

What's your favourite part of the  blogging process?
Generally, I love to blog as you already know but there are some blogging processes that are more tedious than the others. I think writing up the posts is one of my favourite blogging process/aspect and it's also the quickest for me. Taking pictures is the most creative of the lot and I love editing them as well. Adding links is definitely my least favourite and I have no idea why!! I am improving on that, I promise. Most of all, I love engaging with you my readers; you have no idea how happy I feel when I read your lovely comments.

What are your favourite posts to read?
I love to read product reviews but deep down, I think I like chatty posts about what people get up to. I just find it easier to connect with people that way and I know I don't really give away too much about my personal life on here but I think it's important to strike a balance to create a deeper connection with my readers. I am hoping to infuse some lifestyle posts on here.

Are there any products that have let you down?
Of course, there are quite a few products that have let me down and I have written a post about some of these products over here. As mentioned in the post, not all of them are not necessarily bad; they have just not worked for me. I think my most annoying purchase was the Collection Lip Butter in Cappuccino which feels so greasy and looks horrible on me.

What are your tips on blogging on a budget?
I recently wrote a post on here about this topic. Budgeting in general requires a lot of discipline and the same goes for blogging on a budget. As a rule of the thumb, I won't buy products on impulse if there are more than £10 and there are no deals/discounts at all. I buy what I would use and make allowance for a few frivolous purchases under £10 every now and again. I don't buy things for the sake of blogging because that's an absolute waste of my time and money. Blogging on a budget is quite straightforward; just decide not to buy anything new until you have written about all the products you are loving in your stash. I appreciate that it may have been used, you can clean it up and take nice photos or just do a tutorial or a comparison post. I am pretty sure many readers don't mind photos of already used products in fact many prefer to see photos of used products as it shows how the product works in reality. You can allow yourself a few treats under £10 if you are seriously on a budget and a proper treat, maybe once a month.

How do you deal with a writer's block?
To be honest, I have never run out of ideas for my blog posts but it does not mean I have not felt burnt out. Sometimes, I don't feel very passionate about writing and I just take a step back, relax and re-energise myself because I would rather not post than write a lukewarm/half baked post just for the sake of dishing out a blog post. What I usually run out of is Time and Good Lighting to take proper photos. Currently, I have a lot of draft blog posts that are due to go up but I have just not had the chance (and sensible lighting) to take nice photos but fingers crossed for the weekend. As mentioned earlier, I love to write and I draw inspirations from everywhere including magazines, fellow bloggers, family, friends, websites, myself, the list is endless. If you experience a writer's block, step back and take some time off and remember why you started blogging in the first place (or just read old posts; it always works for me). Blogging is meant to be enjoyed so you need to relax, reset yourself and launch yourself back when you are ready and remember your blog is your space and you are free to run it as you please. If you have run out of ideas, you can write on "blogging on a budget", "a writer's block", "blogging tips", "why I love to blog", "what blogging has taught me" ...the list is endless. Just don't stress too much and remember you don't have to post every day. That's it folks, I have so much to write but I don't want this to be a super rambly post so I am going to reign it in. I hope you have enjoyed this chitchat post and I would see you in my next....x