Tag: howto

  • 15 Pinterest Nails For Fall

    15 Pinterest Nails For Fall

    The best thing about the season changing is not the weather or daylight savings! It’s honestly the new vibes and colorful foliage that I look forward to in autumn every year. It’s the fall color scheme that truly gets me going! I like to incorporate fall foliage and earth tone colors in my outfits, makeup, and nails all the time now. Pinterest has become my go-to for all my seasonal moods, aesthetics, and inspiration for fun and festive ideas for beauty and outfit choices. Lately, Pinterest nails have all been all of the nail inspo for the fall season. There are some new colors, shapes, and designs that are trending to be popular this season. LET’S GET INTO THEM!


    Don’t ask for my mood, just check my nails. They say it all.


    Popular Pinterest Nails: Color

    Now, as far as colors go, there’s PLENTY for the girls to choose from; because of this, you may have difficulty picking one you will enjoy. Shades of brown, orange, red, purple, gray, and blue will continue to reign supreme for fall colors. I am in love and invested in the brown color scheme. I love me some chocolate! Caramel and coffee are popular universal colors to have in your palette. My searches on Pinterest have also indicated never rule out shades of white. Why? Cream, ivory, or coconut colors are great for creating nude and natural nail aesthetics. My general advice is to choose colors that will accentuate your personality and capture your vibe. 

    Popular Pinterest Nails: Shapes and Patterns

    Choosing my nail color and design will be easy- Said no one ever

    Choosing a nail color is not the only decision you’ll have to make during this process. Patterns and designs are ways that you can create signature nails to match your personality or vibe. It’s all in the details! If you’re looking to spice it up this season, there are certainly some different trends for you to check out. Ombre or duo tone nails (features two colors that are smoothly graduating into each other) are not new but trendy. Plaid nail art is ideal for outfit matching, especially with anything flannel.

    Find Pinterest Nails to Recreate

    It’s important to remember to pick patterns and designs that your nail technician will be able to replicate. Nail technicians will be creative with abstract, marble, and leopard print designs. If you do not have a regular nail technician, please make sure that your tech can replicate the design you’ve chosen. I use Pinterest to create mood boards to show my nail tech where my nail inspiration came from. Look at the board that I’ve started for fall! It has all sorts of ideas for the season, Halloween, and Thanksgiving.

    Nails are the #1 thing you can get into shape without exercising

    Nail color, design, and art are NOTHING without shape and length. Yes, girl! Your nail’s shape and length are important, too. It’s the first step in nailing the right aesthetic. How long will your nails be? How short would you like them to be? Do you like your nails square or oval? All shapes and lengths can be customized to any preference if you have communicated this with your nail technician. 

    I want you to nail it this season! Get fall-inspired nails from Pinterest searches if you are in need of some nail art ideas. Pinterest has you covered on the entire look! Piece your new nail art together by choosing from colors, patterns, designs, and shapes that you find on pins and boards. Halloween and Thanksgiving are just a jump, hop, and skip away! Set off your new season with some fun, festive nails.

    What is your favorite go-to color or design that you love to wear during fall?

    What are some colors or designs that you hope to try this year?


  • How To Start YouTube Channels & Earn Money

    How To Start YouTube Channels & Earn Money

    YouTube is one of the biggest video-based platforms on the entire world wide web. There are more than 37 million YouTube channels out there (2020 latest data)! So many people create YouTube accounts to watch new and trending videos that are uploaded daily by creators and vloggers. YouTube continues to be a popular platform that creators use to grow their brand or business, nurture video content for target audiences, and generate passive income online. If you’ve ever wondered how to start YouTube, this post is for you! YouTube users are subscribing daily to creators who provide relatable and valuable content! I recently developed a YouTube strategy to become more comfortable with creating video-based content and grow my brand. I have always felt that I’ve been ready to join the masses, but I had NO clue what my channel would be. What would I post?!

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  • Finding Friends: Black Women Sisterhood

    Finding Friends: Black Women Sisterhood

    Are you aging gracefully into your 30s and 40s but finding it hard to build new friendships or find a group of women that you can genuinely call your sisterhood? Do you get overwhelmed trying to establish genuine friendships and connections with women in your age bracket? Finding friends can definitely be challenging.

    You are not alone. 

    Thank you, Jody-Ann Buckle, for contributing this post to lifestylewithkris.com!

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  • How To Get Sponsored Posts On Instagram

    How To Get Sponsored Posts On Instagram

    Have you ever wondered how to get sponsored posts? Sponsored posts are advertisements created by a brand or business for a product/service. Companies are looking to work with content creators daily to reach consumers through sponsored advertising. Many Bloggers and Influencers use sponsored posts (also known as promoted posts) to generate more traffic and link clicks to their website or social media. Sponsored posts are just one of the ways you can create additional income online and monetize your blog.

    In the past, I worked with brand companies such as Amazon, Jenell B. Stewart’s DCU affiliate program, Influenster, and The Raw Dosage. I continue to work with businesses on collaborations through sponsored ads and partnerships. In this blog, you will gain insight into how sponsored posts work and how to get sponsored posts. Are you ready to generate website traffic and revenue for your website, blog, or social media? Let’s get started!


    Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Affiliate marketing is designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to brand websites. This is at no additional cost to you!

    Photo by Olya Kobruseva on Pexels.com

    UGC is Key to Sponsored Posts

    It is important to remember that when promoting a company’s services and products through sponsored posts, you are introducing your community to brands that they’ll be interested in purchasing from and learning more about how they can benefit from them. Brands are looking to reach communities and audiences through UGC, user-generated content. You want to collaborate with brands related to your niche to create the authentic, quality image and video content that brands are looking to use to attract consumers.

    For example, my blog is a lifestyle blog. I am inspired to create content around my interests and daily activities. I create brand awareness by sharing content from companies who express interest in reaching consumers with interests in many topics (beauty, health, wellness, finance, travel, food, etc.). I love to promote products and services that are relatable to my everyday life and my brand.

    How To Get Sponsored Posts With Influenster

    The bulk of my sponsored posts are from my collaborations with Influenster. Influenster is a product discovery app that allows consumers and influencers to try products for free; in exchange for an honest review of the product on your website or social media. By signing up and becoming a member of the Influenster community, I save money by not spending it on products, connected with lots of cool brands to establish long-lasting partnerships, increased traffic to my blog, and gained followers on social media. Let’s look at some of my favorite campaigns that I have been a part of so far:

    TurboTax Ambassador Campaign
    MAC Cosmetics Campaign

    Are you ready to land sponsored posts to gain website traffic and grow your business? Are you ready to land sponsored posts as a way to generate a source of income? It’s time to figure out what your next steps should be. Here are 4 ways that you can get started today:

    4 Ways To Get Sponsored Posts

    Start a Blog or Create a Social Media Account Now!

    Having a website is a no-brainer decision. It’s time to start building your online platform if you haven’t already. Online marketing is crucial for brands in 2021. I recommend beginning with a blog to share quality content that you know your audience will want to see. Do research. Learn. Apply what you learn! Establish what you want you think your niche should be and create good content. If you aren’t on social media already, the decision to join is something that you will want to make soon. It’s free to create an account on all popular social channels (TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter) and most blog platforms (WordPress, Squarespace, Wix, ). 

    Pitch Ideas to Brands

    If you have an idea for a sponsored post, it’s time to pitch that idea to the brand or business. Don’t let imposter syndrome set in! Pitching content ideas is one of the ways that you can start landing brand partnerships. Create a media kit before reaching out to brand PR to showcase yourself and your business. Most media kits contain:

    A list of services that you offer

    Statistics (website/blog stats, engagement rates, followers/subscribers)

    A bio (one for yourself and your brand biz)

    Network Within Your Niche

    Most collaboration opportunities come from networking and meeting other business owners and content creators. It’s time to get comfortable with the competition by getting to know them. There are opportunities out there for everyone! I have met some amazing content creators in online groups and through taking blogging courses. Blogging and Engagement Groups are great ways to learn about partnerships, sponsorships, and collaborations. Facebook has a wide variety of blogging groups for you to research and join. 

    Join Influencer Marketing Platforms
    how to get sponsored posts

    FREE DOWNLOAD

    Did you find this post helpful? Leave a comment below. Tell me your niche and what brands you are interested in collaborating with. 


  • Top 10 Reasons To Use Lightroom

    Top 10 Reasons To Use Lightroom

    There are many photography apps on the market these days, so I can only imagine that it can be hard to find one that you’ll enjoy. You might have found yourself asking, Do I need to pay for an app to get the best option? Do I need something to do quick edits? Do I also need to think about being able to store and organize my photos? Adobe Lightroom is a powerful photo and video editor for managing and processing thousands of stunning images.

    Thank you Tracey Jones for contributing this post to lifestylewithkris.com

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  • 10 Creative Post Ideas for Social Media

    10 Creative Post Ideas for Social Media

    You’ve started a business, you’ve created a brand. You’re ready to start marketing your business/brand on social media, but there’s so much overwhelming information out there. Everyone is telling you that you should post at least 3 pieces of social media content per week, post to your social channels every day, and create high-quality content, but where are you going to find inspiration to post interesting, engaging and relevant things to share with your audience? Here are 10 creative post ideas for social media that can work for you!

    Thank you Tracey Jones for contributing this post to lifestylewithkris.com

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  • Powerful Words of Affirmation For Success

    Powerful Words of Affirmation For Success
    positive words of affirmation

    Words of affirmation are short and powerful statements that people can use to promote positive thinking. They allow us to be in control of our thoughts and shape our realities. Individuals can repeat affirmation statements until they become new beliefs. I use affirmations to eliminate negative thinking and to help me navigate challenges that will make achieving goals easier, through the law of attraction. This blog post will provide insight into what affirmations are, what the laws of attraction mean, and how to incorporate these things together when motivating ourselves through self-care practices. 


    Every day, people are using affirmations to attract confidence, abundance, love, success, and happiness. Studies have shown that it is not uncommon for people to increase their happiness through a positive mindset. Plenty of people desire to be more successful in life and have found affirmations help combat negative self-talk and negative mindsets. After I started using affirmations, I found that I have a better outlook on what my purpose is and that I am worthy of attaining success. I’ve learned how to be gentle with myself by becoming more trusting and confident in my abilities to make decisions. Positive affirmations require regular practice to achieve long-term changes in your life.

    Related: How Letting Go of Negative Thoughts Changed My Life

    Words of Affirmation: The Laws of Attraction

    The Law of Attraction is the belief that positive thoughts will yield positive results in your life, career, health, or relationships. There are 3 Laws of Attraction that detail this concept: 

    1. Like Attracts Like
    2. Removal of Negative Energy
    3. The Present is Always Perfect

    Like Attracts Like is the law that similar things are attracted to one another. Although opposites can often attract, it is the belief that it is more often that like attracts like. What we think about and choose to believe is what we tend to do. People will use affirmations to think and believe positive thoughts to do the work needed to attract positive results. 

    Removing negative thoughts makes space for positive thoughts! This law of attraction is identified as “nature abhors a vacuum” and is the belief that if we remove negative energy and replace it with positive, we will create a space to attract new things. Ex: Decluttering your closet will allow you to make room for the new clothes that you just purchased

    The Present is Always Perfect if you’re looking to use this law to attract the things you want. Amid a challenge, it can be hard to see the good in bad things. It is never too late to change how you choose to respond to negative situations. Implement the use of affirmations whenever there is a desire to complain about something that isn’t going right for you. Look for ways to improve the present moment.

    20 Powerful Words of Affirmation to Attract Abundance & Success

    Related: Who Else Wants a Free 7-Day Gratitude Journal

    Now that you know about affirmations and the 3 laws of attraction, here are 20 affirmation statements that you can use to help you attract abundance, confidence, and success into your life. This list of affirmations that I’ve compiled consists of action statements that I’ve repeated throughout the year. Try saying them in the morning, to start the day or at night, before going to bed. Repeat affirmations daily and regularly (at least 10 times a day). Listen to yourself say each word, focus on them as they are leaving your mouth, and believe them to be true. 

    I hope that this post helps anyone interested in learning how affirmations work, and how to use them to attract success and happiness in their life. I have always encouraged positive thinking as a form of self-care and I believe it motivates people to meet their goals. What are some positive affirmations that you may say to attract what you want? 

    Let me know in a comment!


  • The Secure Guide to Filing With TurboTax

    The Secure Guide to Filing With TurboTax

    Thank you, TurboTax for sponsoring this post!

    Filing taxes is a stressful situation for everyone. Every tax season, American citizens are hopeful and excited about their tax returns. Some look for ways to ensure that they’ll receive as much money back as possible, some are prayerful that they will not have to owe the IRS anything, and some look for tax preparers or financial advisors to help them because they need professional tax advice.

    Whether you decide to go to a CPA or financial advisor, or you decide to do your taxes alone, you want to feel comfortable about the decision you make. TurboTax is the best solution for all your tax filing fears! I am an active and current TurboTax user. I have always had an easy, comfortable, and reliable experience with using their software. In conclusion, this post is your secure guide to filing your taxes with TurboTax.

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  • How to Use Instagram to Grow Your Audience

    How to Use Instagram to Grow Your Audience

    In the world of social media, Instagram is one of the most popular platforms out there. Users post pictures and videos daily for personal enjoyment, exposure, and business opportunities. For entrepreneurs, it’s important to reach your target audience, client, and/or customer for your business. This post contains everything you need to know about how to use Instagram for business. Anyone can grow an audience on Instagram! There are over 1 billion monthly active users, with accounts, defining their audience. 


    how to use instagram: five c's plan

    With The Five C’s Contingency Plan, you will be able to organically grow an online presence. You will be able to use this contingency plan with any Instagram algorithm. This Contingency Plan is a combination of strategies that I use regularly and simultaneously to reach new readers and subscribers to my blog, sell gratitude journals, and land brand partnerships. I used the 5 C’s Contingency Plan and reached over 60,000 accounts, receive over 400 new followers, and increase content interactions within 90 days in Q1. 

    What is the ‘5 C’s of Contingency Plan’?
    1. Connect
    2. Consistency
    3. Comment
    4. Commit
    5. Create

    Connect & Network

    Connecting with people can and will help you to grow your audience. You should be following more people and engaging in conversation. Get to know the competition, but do not compare too critically! Networking is an easy way to land new opportunities and business deals. Collaborations happen every day on Instagram. 

    Note: You should NOT be following “overwhelming accounts” that can trigger emotions like imposter syndrome or self-sabotaging doubt.

    Consistency Is Key

    Post consistently to your feed and Instagram stories. If you are inconsistent with posting, how will you truly be able to cultivate an audience? When will your audience know when or where you post? Everyone’s posting schedule is going to be different. Your posting schedule should be based on the peak days that you receive the most views. Using your insights and metrics, you will be able to figure out what is the best time for you to post your content. 

    how to use instagram: peak times
    My peak days of the week are Monday through Friday (9 am-9 pm). That’s a twelve-hour window for me to post my images and videos and maximize the views I receive during those times of the day. Although Saturday and Sunday are not the best days for views, according to my insights, I still find the best peak time of the day whenever I’m looking to post on the weekends.

    Enjoying this post? Check out more Social Media Tips & Tricks

    Comment, Like, Share

    I’m 100% certain that commenting and liking posts will help you grow your audience on Instagram. After you leave a comment on someone’s post, their followers can see your comment and now have the option to engage with you! This type of banter often leads to clicks on your profile, clicks to the link in your bio, and someone else learning more about you. I hold plenty of conversations with brands in their comments! I’ve also pitched to brands for sponsorship post opportunities via email just through conversations that developed in the comment section.

    Note: Pinning comments is good exposure for your business, and can be small examples of CTAs when guiding your clients to make a purchase or subscribe to a newsletter.

    Commit to Quality

    Commit to sharing quality pictures, videos, and graphics. Use Canva to create your graphics and use photo-editing apps like Lensa for brighter and high-quality pictures. Image quality is important to increasing user engagement and decreasing your bounce rate, which means more traffic and higher rankings! Commit to making content with value! When recording videos, try to find spaces in your home that will make great aesthetic backgrounds. Committing to sharing quality images will help you create content you know your target audience would want to see.

    how to use instagram: what to post

    Create The Content They’ll Love

    Always remember to create content with value when creating engaging content. When you’re ready to share the content that you’ve created, you’re going to want to create captions that will grab the audience’s attention. OMG, did I just make a scroll-stopping caption? Be sure to also include CTA (call-to-action) statements in your caption and use relevant hashtags. Additionally, if your post contains a product, tag the brand in the post and the caption. Ideally, it would help if you were using one CTA and at least five hashtags per post.

    You want to avoid asking your audience to do too many things in one post. Why? Your audience won’t know what you want them to do first and they will do the exact opposite of what you wanted. Lastly, do not use hashtags that are already being used by too many users or will cause your post to be shadowbanned. 

    Note: Shadowbanning is the practice of blocking a user or their content online from being seen or shared.

    There’s no doubt that when (not if) you incorporate the ‘5 C’s of Contingency’ into your social media strategy, you will begin to see an increase in your engagement on Instagram, new clients or customers for your business, new subscriptions to your blog, and more. Using these methods are ways that you will learn to navigate any algorithm and help you grow your audience! 

    What do you think about the ‘5 C’s of Contingency’ Plan and how will you use it to grow your online presence on Instagram?


  • How To Reduce Stress and Self-Care Everyday

    How To Reduce Stress and Self-Care Everyday

    Whenever I neglect to practice personal care, it has an effect on my anxiety and general mood. We all know that stress is not the easiest to manage and it’s easier said than done. How many of you have started one thing that you’ve gotten motivated to do for yourself, but did not stay committed to the journey? Have you ever felt defeated because of stress? Discouraged?

    How often is your mood affected by stress? It’s time to change your self-care habits! How to reduce stress? Certainly, you can manage stress. I’ve found that regular practice with these six self-care activities helps to improve how often I tend to personal care, how much I enjoy practicing self-care during each of these acts, and keep me motivated to meet my goals.

    how to reduce stress

    It’s almost like I’ve discovered a hidden message all within my mind, body, and soul, and I’m finally finding the courage to crack the codes. Yes, I am a full-time working wife and mother of one. Of course, my life is hectic! Most often, there’s too much on my plate (even though I’m passionate about EVERY thing on my plate). I’m sitting at the table trying to finish all of my food, but truth is, I am overwhelmed. Whenever I get like this, I have to remember to get up and relax. To lower my risks of burnout, anxiety, and depression, I engage in things that I enjoy to rekindle the balance in my life.

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