I opened up an Instagram Live Story the other day and I was pretty shocked to see a blogger friend of mine bawling her eyes out for the world to see. She was surrounded by at least 10 packages that companies had sent her as gifts that day and she was literally sobbing into the wrapping paper. To be completely honest, I was a little weirded out and I'm still unsure exactly why she was crying, but from what I understood, she was crying from all the stress she encounters on a daily basis. She has about 100,000+ more followers than I have, but even on a smaller scale, I can tell you that this life is stressful.

The blogger life is a good life filled with presents and exclusive invites, but the pressure could kill you. There is so much room to compare yourself to every other blogger out there and ask yourself why you aren’t getting certain collaborations or magazine features. You stay up all night writing posts, editing pictures, engaging on Instagram….only to feel as if you’re getting nowhere. Your following isn’t growing and the bloggers who are clearly buying followers are getting paid 5x your rate. Companies are rejecting your proposals, refusing to pay fairly for your time, and some are even trying to sneak terms into your contracts. So, how do you stop from getting lost in the sheer chaos of this life and just enjoy this insane adventure while it lasts?

1. Remember why you started.
   You probably started your blog because of your love for clothes or makeup or food and you wanted to share that passion with the world. Go back to that place when you worked just for the joy of creating something beautiful and remember that it really never was about the money.

2. Remember your old successes.
   So you’re caught in a rut. It happens to the best of us. But instead of feeling like a failure, think about that time last month when your favorite magazine featured you on their website. Feels good, doesn’t it?

3. Remember all the friends you’ve made.
   After going to about 2-10 events a week for the past 2 years, you’ve probably made a few friends along the way. Think about all the fun times you’ve had together that were made possible from your blog. Maybe even reach out to one of them to get some perspective. Guaranteed, she will totally understand how you’re feeling.

4. Forget about everyone else.
   It’s easier said than done, but for just 5 minutes, forget about your friend who just scored a Madewell collab or that other blogger you saw got invited to coffee with Iris Apfel. Think about the fact that there are 5 packages from companies waiting for you when you get home from your fabulous event. If you would just focus on your own life, you would realize it really is a good one.

OUTFIT BREAKDOWN:
White Teddy Bear Coat: Ivanka Trump (c/o)
Black Dress: Zara
Black OTK Boots: Ivanka Trump (c/o)

Hair Credit: Olya Iudina
Photo Credit: Sophie Sahara

xx Esther