I had a message the other day from someone telling me why they were no longer reading my blogs or watching my videos (thank you for that by the way). The reason? I’m no longer relatable.
They said they used to love my Primark hauls and beauty posts but they can’t afford to go away to nice hotels or on holiday therefore I’m being unfair. Because I share my weekends away, trips abroad and nice meals out I’m no longer ‘a relatable blogger’, and it got me thinking…
What actually is a relatable blogger? And what exactly makes a blogger ‘attainable’?
If I have a mortgage that renders me ‘unattainable’ to those who are renting and limited on what they can do with their place. My home style and renovation posts? Un-relatable.
I don’t have children – so that renders me ‘unattainable’ to those who have kids and can’t drop everything and get away for the weekend or spontaneously do something in the city. My weekends away/anything spontaneous that requires little planning? Un-relatable.
I love food and happily spend my spare money on meals out – so that renders me ‘unattainable’ to those who don’t love food as much and would prefer to spend their spare money on something else. My fancy restaurant reviews? Un-relatable.
I love to travel and I save and save to enjoy my luxury holidays – so that renders me ‘unattainable’ to those who would prefer to spend their savings on something else or can’t afford to go abroad every year. My travel posts? Un-relatable.
Everyone earns different salaries. Everyone prefers to spend their money on different things. Should we be censoring ourselves and our own lives just because someone else may not be able to do the same thing right now?
I’m not rich. Everything I do I save for – cut back on some things to afford others, it’s how I’ve always been brought up and how I’ve always been. I can’t afford to eat at Michelin star restaurants every weekend but I like to have that meal out as my birthday present, my one birthday present, because that’s what I enjoy. I find deals for nice hotels away, book them when they’re on offer for a little getaway and some ‘me time’. I shop at Primark for most of my clothes but I have a Michael Kors handbag on my arm that I worked my little bottom off so I could save up and buy and treasure. I wait for holiday prices to drop and shop around to get the best options that fit with my budget.
We work DAMN hard for our money so we can spend it how WE want to.
This job sometimes enables me to visit amazing hotels and beautiful parts of the world so I can inspire others through my writing, filming and photography and you know what? I LOVE IT. Getting to test out top quality hotels and trips without spending money? It’s one of the best parts of my job and you can’t tell me you wouldn’t jump at the chance if you were me. But this doesn’t mean you should be going away EVERY weekend or jetting off on hundreds of holidays a year. Hell, non of the stuff I write or talk about means you SHOULD do anything.
But what it does do is enable me to show you more choice, more options and to widen my views so when I give an opinion about a place I can talk from a lot more experience about what else is out there and if it really is good value for money. And if you are planning weekend away or a holiday there’s even more inspiration for you to read through and watch.
As bloggers we’re in a catch 22 – we have to be relatable and inspirational all at the same time and sometimes those two don’t go hand in hand. But at the same time, press trips aside, it’s my life so why should I censor it or the things I choose to do with my money? This blog moves with me and flows with my life, my lifestyle right now and that’s how I like it. Sometimes in life we have more freedom, more spare change, other times things happen and we may have to cut back – but it’s not fair to judge others because of where they’re at in life right now.
I’ve always enjoyed and always have spent my savings and my hard earned money after the bills on the finer things in life like good food, spa days and holidays in the sun, that’s just me and that hasn’t changed. Some people spend thousands a year on nice cars, designer shoes every month, cigarettes, golf memberships – it’s all relative. I hope to one day have children which means that my spare money will mostly be reserved for the tiny humans and family days out so I’m enjoying all the spa treatments, boutique hotels and adults only holidays while I can. If you have the opportunity to do it all whilst still paying your bills and saving for the bigger things then you go glen coco.
I’m just a young woman living out her dreams one day at a time. Sometimes my weeks are filled with glorious adventure, sometimes they’re spent sat at home, no makeup, just doing my thing. It’s of course your choice who you decide to read or watch and your tastes will naturally change over time, but before you blame the blogger or vlogger for ‘no longer being attainable’ have a think about what that actually means, and if in reality it’s just that your lifestyle no longer fits in with theirs.
We’re all different and that’s what’s makes the blogosphere and the world a great place to be but at the same time that’s exactly why as a reader you shouldn’t expect every blogger to fit in line with your expectations of ‘attainable’
Remember, no two lives are the same and you can’t please everyone.
xax