, ,

Welcome to Lifelog! I want to share a bit about me so that you can get to know me! Be sure to connect with me on Instagram ​@lifelogliving​ so we can be friends!

Age: 28

Birthday: June 17, I’m a gemini! ✌🏾

Height: 5’6″?? I haven’t been measured in years haha

Do you have any siblings? Yes! One older brother, he’s my everything! ***Don’t tell him, it’ll go to his head…. he’s a Leo

Cake or pie? Pie, all the way! Any kind, but I love sweet potato! I’lll be releasing my recipe for the holidays, so stay tuned!!! 😋

Coffee or tea? Tea, my favorite thing to do is curl up in a blanket and read those tea bag tags that have words of wisdom on them, so cute!

Left or right handed? Right, but when I was younger I thought I could write with both. I told everyone I was ambidextrous ahaha

Apple or Android? Apple – it’s all I own haha

Can you whistle? Yes

What’s your favorite sign? Love me another Gemini….but Sagittarius!! Two of my best friends are and we fit so well, I’m drawn to them! Buttt I also love Virgos, Leos, Capricorns, and Aries!!

Have you ever played any sports? I used to play everything! But I always loved basketball, volleyball, tennis, and track!

What’s one thing you refuse to eat? Listen, I love pretty much everything, but I won’t touch ketchup…it’s way too sweet for me

What was your favorite tv show as a child? That’s So Raven

What was your go-to Halloween costume when you were younger? Ok, I was one of those kids who was afraid of EVERYTHING, so I opted for cheerleaders, mimes, and a girl scout for many years. As I got older, I loved this blow up clown costume, which I should have been afraid of! Since high school, I always go for objects. I have been a bag of jelly beans, a Starbucks coffee, a deer, and a gumball machine, which are always pretty fun!

Do you know any twins? One of my best friends is a fraternal twin, there are ___ sets of twins in my grandma’s siblings, my grandpa is an identical twin, and my dad is an identical twin (I tell everyone, I think they are so cool)! ***P.S. If I don’t have twins, I’ll be in complete shock 🙂

What is a phrase or word you always say? “Awww, that’s precious!” or “Oh, Man!” ALL THE TIME 😅

Do you usually remember your dreams in the morning? No, I’m terrible at remembering dreams 🙁 but I wish I did!! If I do remember my dreams, it’s usually something totally ordinary. Like I’ll be grocery shopping or taking a test…

What’s a weird habit you have? When I walk outside, I count how many steps I take between the cracks of a sidewalk, I’ve done that since I was little!

Do you prefer a bath or a shower? I love baths lol but some people give me the weirdest looks! I always shower before and after a bath haha, it’s more for the relaxation time

Do you enjoy dancing? Oh, honey do I! I used to be in show choir and colorguard, so I miss choreographed dancing, but I bust a move wherever I can!

Favorite Movie: Hmmm, if I HAD to choose one, it’d be Kiki’s Delivery Service, buttttt since no one is stopping me, I’ll list my top 6……..or so!

  1. Kiki’s Delivery Service
  2. Bride Wars
  3. Christmas With the Kranks
  4. 21 & Over
  5. TIE: Booksmart / Theater Camp
  6. In The Heights
  7. Moana
  8. Barnie’s Great Adventure
  9. ……OK I’ll spare you and stop there.

What did you want to be when you were younger? An architect or a fashion designer

Does your name have a special meaning? Ericka means “ever powerful” I used to be annoyed about my spelling because everyone always spelled it wrong, but I love it!

Things I love to receive? attention (lol jplay) I love recipes and cookbooks, magnets, good ol’ quality time, quotes, jewelry, and blankets / sweatshirts (something cozy!)

If money were no object, what would your next birthday look like? I would fly all my family and friends first class somewhere – ideally to Disney World for a week or so and then probably to Hawaii or somewhere in Europe and we’d eat A LOT!

What are your favorite things to do with friends? I love to play board games, travel, and entertain with friends!

What do you do in your free time? I shop, draw, read / write, and craft!!!

Favorite travel destinations outside of the U.S.? London, England | Dublin, Ireland | Podgorica, Montenegro | and Paris, France

Favorite travel destinations inside the U.S.? Honolulu, Hawaii | Chicago, Illinois | Savannah, Georgia | Los Angeles, California | Las Vegas, Nevada | and Orlando, Florida (to Walt Disney World #heymickey)

What’s your current obsession? I’m really into illustration – mainly fashion, food, and medical, I’ve been watching tons of videos on different styles and techniques!

What’s one goal you would like to accomplish this year? I plan to scale my business so that I can create a better financial future for myself and my future family!

I hope you had as much fun reading this as I had doing this Get To Know Me!

Now it’s your turn. I want to hear from YOU! Answer one of these questions, or all of them, or pick your own fun fact about you!! I can’t wait to hear from you, tag me on social media (Instagram) or dm me to connect!

Ericka | Lifelog Living

Wanna be BFF’s? Come say hey on instagram! ​@lifelogliving​ & ​@craftimarket

“Get to Know Me” Q+A

, ,

Welcome to Lifelog! I want to share a bit about me so that you can get to know me! Be sure to connect with me on Instagram ​@lifelogliving​ so we can be friends!

Age: 28

Birthday: June 17, I’m a gemini! ✌🏾

Height: 5’6″?? I haven’t been measured in years haha

Do you have any siblings? Yes! One older brother, he’s my everything! ***Don’t tell him, it’ll go to his head…. he’s a Leo

Cake or pie? Pie, all the way! Any kind, but I love sweet potato! I’lll be releasing my recipe for the holidays, so stay tuned!!! 😋

Coffee or tea? Tea, my favorite thing to do is curl up in a blanket and read those tea bag tags that have words of wisdom on them, so cute!

Left or right handed? Right, but when I was younger I thought I could write with both. I told everyone I was ambidextrous ahaha

Apple or Android? Apple – it’s all I own haha

Can you whistle? Yes

What’s your favorite sign? Love me another Gemini….but Sagittarius!! Two of my best friends are and we fit so well, I’m drawn to them! Buttt I also love Virgos, Leos, Capricorns, and Aries!!

Have you ever played any sports? I used to play everything! But I always loved basketball, volleyball, tennis, and track!

What’s one thing you refuse to eat? Listen, I love pretty much everything, but I won’t touch ketchup…it’s way too sweet for me

What was your favorite tv show as a child? That’s So Raven

What was your go-to Halloween costume when you were younger? Ok, I was one of those kids who was afraid of EVERYTHING, so I opted for cheerleaders, mimes, and a girl scout for many years. As I got older, I loved this blow up clown costume, which I should have been afraid of! Since high school, I always go for objects. I have been a bag of jelly beans, a Starbucks coffee, a deer, and a gumball machine, which are always pretty fun!

Do you know any twins? One of my best friends is a fraternal twin, there are ___ sets of twins in my grandma’s siblings, my grandpa is an identical twin, and my dad is an identical twin (I tell everyone, I think they are so cool)! ***P.S. If I don’t have twins, I’ll be in complete shock 🙂

What is a phrase or word you always say? “Awww, that’s precious!” or “Oh, Man!” ALL THE TIME 😅

Do you usually remember your dreams in the morning? No, I’m terrible at remembering dreams 🙁 but I wish I did!! If I do remember my dreams, it’s usually something totally ordinary. Like I’ll be grocery shopping or taking a test…

What’s a weird habit you have? When I walk outside, I count how many steps I take between the cracks of a sidewalk, I’ve done that since I was little!

Do you prefer a bath or a shower? I love baths lol but some people give me the weirdest looks! I always shower before and after a bath haha, it’s more for the relaxation time

Do you enjoy dancing? Oh, honey do I! I used to be in show choir and colorguard, so I miss choreographed dancing, but I bust a move wherever I can!

Favorite Movie: Hmmm, if I HAD to choose one, it’d be Kiki’s Delivery Service, buttttt since no one is stopping me, I’ll list my top 6……..or so!

  1. Kiki’s Delivery Service
  2. Bride Wars
  3. Christmas With the Kranks
  4. 21 & Over
  5. TIE: Booksmart / Theater Camp
  6. In The Heights
  7. Moana
  8. Barnie’s Great Adventure
  9. ……OK I’ll spare you and stop there.

What did you want to be when you were younger? An architect or a fashion designer

Does your name have a special meaning? Ericka means “ever powerful” I used to be annoyed about my spelling because everyone always spelled it wrong, but I love it!

Things I love to receive? attention (lol jplay) I love recipes and cookbooks, magnets, good ol’ quality time, quotes, jewelry, and blankets / sweatshirts (something cozy!)

If money were no object, what would your next birthday look like? I would fly all my family and friends first class somewhere – ideally to Disney World for a week or so and then probably to Hawaii or somewhere in Europe and we’d eat A LOT!

What are your favorite things to do with friends? I love to play board games, travel, and entertain with friends!

What do you do in your free time? I shop, draw, read / write, and craft!!!

Favorite travel destinations outside of the U.S.? London, England | Dublin, Ireland | Podgorica, Montenegro | and Paris, France

Favorite travel destinations inside the U.S.? Honolulu, Hawaii | Chicago, Illinois | Savannah, Georgia | Los Angeles, California | Las Vegas, Nevada | and Orlando, Florida (to Walt Disney World #heymickey)

What’s your current obsession? I’m really into illustration – mainly fashion, food, and medical, I’ve been watching tons of videos on different styles and techniques!

What’s one goal you would like to accomplish this year? I plan to scale my business so that I can create a better financial future for myself and my future family!

I hope you had as much fun reading this as I had doing this Get To Know Me!

Now it’s your turn. I want to hear from YOU! Answer one of these questions, or all of them, or pick your own fun fact about you!! I can’t wait to hear from you, tag me on social media (Instagram) or dm me to connect!

Ericka | Lifelog Living

Wanna be BFF’s? Come say hey on instagram! ​@lifelogliving​ & ​@craftimarket

“Get to Know Me” Q+A

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What time should I post? | If I don’t get enough likes, I’m deleting it. | Take a pic! | Is this ok to post on my main feed, or should it go to my spam account?

Our generations these days are camera-obsessed. While it’s fun to constantly be exposed to new content, it can be hard to stay on top of the trends. Here are 5 ways to boost your Instagram traffic, followers, and likes!

Make sure your image is clear and in focus

Tap your phone screen before taking the picture to make sure it is sharp and focused. This will also adjust the lighting and bring out your subject’s natural features.

Still not able to find good lighting? I suggest standing in front of a window or purchasing a mini portable ring light that clips onto your phone, computer, or tablet! I have one and it makes a world of difference in my photos and videos, plus it just fits in my purse – score!

Adjust brightness, contrast, and warmth before adding a filter

Natural light is everything. To enhance your photos, use apps such as Canva, Instagram, or your phone’s built in photo editing features to create attractive and appealing images. (Best part is, these apps are free, aye 🎉)

Captions

Do your research! If you think a good song lyric best fits your picture, use it and tweak it a bit to make it your own! {Ex. Drake, Beyoncé, Post Malone, Ed Sheeran, and Rihanna are very popular} Your caption should add value or relevance to your image but shouldn’t be so long that your followers scroll past without even looking. Along with this, limit the amount of hashtags you use, 1-2 is plenty, but hey, #DoYaThing

If you feel you need more, write out the hashtags you want to use in your phone’s notes app, then copy and paste them as a comment on your post! Save that caption prime real estate space!

Keep your captions short, sweet, and don’t be afraid to use humor, emojis, or other elements on your keyboard. If captions still overwhelm you…go without! Pull that diva influence from Beyoncé and let your picture speak for itself!

There are prime “like” timeframes

Think strategically. Before you post, keep in mind two things: your audience’s time zone and what time they are checking Instagram the most. Typically during the day, people are on their phones more at lunch time (11 am – 1 pm) and evenings (7 – 9 pm), this means more likes! Sundays at 8 pm and Wednesday from 5 – 6 pm are ideal. Since weekends can be hit or miss, consider saving the important posts for the weekdays. Beware of 3 pm, that seems to receive the lowest engagement, so if you want those likes, post earlier or later than the afternoon lull.

Take photos without posting them right away

Schedule your posts with various apps like VSCO, Hopper HQ, Later, or simply use the built in Instagram draft feature! This allows you to edit your photos and keep in on hand for when you decide to post.

There we go, 5 tips on how to maintain a trendy ‘gram aesthetic. Always keep discovering new people and brands to follow that you admire. You are building a personal brand, so your online presence should truly reflect what you’re all about!

Wanting to try out these tips and tricks for yourself?

Comment down below what tips you can’t wait to try out! I’d love to hear suggestions on the best ways to elevate your page!

Pics or it didn’t happen,
Ericka

Follow me on Instagram @lifelogliving to see these tips in action!

5 Essential Ways to Improve Your Instagram Feed

, , ,

What time should I post? | If I don’t get enough likes, I’m deleting it. | Take a pic! | Is this ok to post on my main feed, or should it go to my spam account?

Our generations these days are camera-obsessed. While it’s fun to constantly be exposed to new content, it can be hard to stay on top of the trends. Here are 5 ways to boost your Instagram traffic, followers, and likes!

Make sure your image is clear and in focus

Tap your phone screen before taking the picture to make sure it is sharp and focused. This will also adjust the lighting and bring out your subject’s natural features.

Still not able to find good lighting? I suggest standing in front of a window or purchasing a mini portable ring light that clips onto your phone, computer, or tablet! I have one and it makes a world of difference in my photos and videos, plus it just fits in my purse – score!

Adjust brightness, contrast, and warmth before adding a filter

Natural light is everything. To enhance your photos, use apps such as Canva, Instagram, or your phone’s built in photo editing features to create attractive and appealing images. (Best part is, these apps are free, aye 🎉)

Captions

Do your research! If you think a good song lyric best fits your picture, use it and tweak it a bit to make it your own! {Ex. Drake, Beyoncé, Post Malone, Ed Sheeran, and Rihanna are very popular} Your caption should add value or relevance to your image but shouldn’t be so long that your followers scroll past without even looking. Along with this, limit the amount of hashtags you use, 1-2 is plenty, but hey, #DoYaThing

If you feel you need more, write out the hashtags you want to use in your phone’s notes app, then copy and paste them as a comment on your post! Save that caption prime real estate space!

Keep your captions short, sweet, and don’t be afraid to use humor, emojis, or other elements on your keyboard. If captions still overwhelm you…go without! Pull that diva influence from Beyoncé and let your picture speak for itself!

There are prime “like” timeframes

Think strategically. Before you post, keep in mind two things: your audience’s time zone and what time they are checking Instagram the most. Typically during the day, people are on their phones more at lunch time (11 am – 1 pm) and evenings (7 – 9 pm), this means more likes! Sundays at 8 pm and Wednesday from 5 – 6 pm are ideal. Since weekends can be hit or miss, consider saving the important posts for the weekdays. Beware of 3 pm, that seems to receive the lowest engagement, so if you want those likes, post earlier or later than the afternoon lull.

Take photos without posting them right away

Schedule your posts with various apps like VSCO, Hopper HQ, Later, or simply use the built in Instagram draft feature! This allows you to edit your photos and keep in on hand for when you decide to post.

There we go, 5 tips on how to maintain a trendy ‘gram aesthetic. Always keep discovering new people and brands to follow that you admire. You are building a personal brand, so your online presence should truly reflect what you’re all about!

Wanting to try out these tips and tricks for yourself?

Comment down below what tips you can’t wait to try out! I’d love to hear suggestions on the best ways to elevate your page!

Pics or it didn’t happen,
Ericka

Follow me on Instagram @lifelogliving to see these tips in action!

5 Essential Ways to Improve Your Instagram Feed

, , ,

To wrap up my birthday week, I am sharing with you the advice, reflections, and words of wisdom I want to give to myself. Here’s to you! 🤍✨🎉

Dear Self,

You are you. And that is the greatest person you can be.

By now, you know that. But you also know that all the worrying about if you were “good enough, smart enough, tough enough,” the constant need to compare yourself to others and dwell over what “could have been,” and wanting to change things about you and who or what you’re interested in, just for the sake of being “liked” by others, is over.

Don’t change yourself to fit standards set by others, your journey is unique and the person you are is invaluable. Don’t let anyone stop you from becoming more of who you were born to be.

If there is something that is important to you, prioritize the steps you need to take to make it happen. No more excuses or reasons “why not”. Your time is too precious and your dreams are too valuable to not live your life how you want to be living, a life you will be proud of now and in 50 years.

Love with your whole heart, and don’t be afraid to take a chance! Nothing is guaranteed in life, the best thing we can do is put ourselves out there with the hope that good will come, rather than stopping ourselves from living, simply because of fear.

Be the first person to congratulate yourself after accomplishing a goal of yours, no matter how big or how small. If you aren’t the main person acknowledging the growth you have had, then it’s time for a shift in perspective.

You need to love YOU more than anyone else ever could. Before you worry about seeming conceited or self-absorbed, remember that we are only in control of ourselves and the message we want to put out into the world. Take care of those around you by first taking care of yourself and what you need so that you can feel loved, secure, and worthy. Then, spread that happiness and fulfillment to each and every moment with those you encounter throughout your life. Love yourself, the rest can come later.

Seek out the good, if you can’t find it, be it, make it! Remember that you are capable of more than you think or know. Find a hobby or something that you can spend time doing that keeps you questioning what is and creating what’s possible.

Welcome to adulthood. Another day in paradise, my friend.

Cheers to the memories, cherish them.
Cheers to the heartbreak, learn from it.
Cheers to the future, the greatest story that hasn’t been written yet.

Love,
Your Biggest Critic and #1 Fan

Wanna be BFF’s? Come say hey on instagram! ​@lifelogliving​ & ​@craftimarket

An Open Letter to Myself…And Whoever Needs to Hear It

, , ,

To wrap up my birthday week, I am sharing with you the advice, reflections, and words of wisdom I want to give to myself. Here’s to you! 🤍✨🎉

Dear Self,

You are you. And that is the greatest person you can be.

By now, you know that. But you also know that all the worrying about if you were “good enough, smart enough, tough enough,” the constant need to compare yourself to others and dwell over what “could have been,” and wanting to change things about you and who or what you’re interested in, just for the sake of being “liked” by others, is over.

Don’t change yourself to fit standards set by others, your journey is unique and the person you are is invaluable. Don’t let anyone stop you from becoming more of who you were born to be.

If there is something that is important to you, prioritize the steps you need to take to make it happen. No more excuses or reasons “why not”. Your time is too precious and your dreams are too valuable to not live your life how you want to be living, a life you will be proud of now and in 50 years.

Love with your whole heart, and don’t be afraid to take a chance! Nothing is guaranteed in life, the best thing we can do is put ourselves out there with the hope that good will come, rather than stopping ourselves from living, simply because of fear.

Be the first person to congratulate yourself after accomplishing a goal of yours, no matter how big or how small. If you aren’t the main person acknowledging the growth you have had, then it’s time for a shift in perspective.

You need to love YOU more than anyone else ever could. Before you worry about seeming conceited or self-absorbed, remember that we are only in control of ourselves and the message we want to put out into the world. Take care of those around you by first taking care of yourself and what you need so that you can feel loved, secure, and worthy. Then, spread that happiness and fulfillment to each and every moment with those you encounter throughout your life. Love yourself, the rest can come later.

Seek out the good, if you can’t find it, be it, make it! Remember that you are capable of more than you think or know. Find a hobby or something that you can spend time doing that keeps you questioning what is and creating what’s possible.

Welcome to adulthood. Another day in paradise, my friend.

Cheers to the memories, cherish them.
Cheers to the heartbreak, learn from it.
Cheers to the future, the greatest story that hasn’t been written yet.

Love,
Your Biggest Critic and #1 Fan

Wanna be BFF’s? Come say hey on instagram! ​@lifelogliving​ & ​@craftimarket

An Open Letter to Myself…And Whoever Needs to Hear It

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Wanting to be more productive, but feel like you just simply don’t have time? Here are 5 tips on how to do more with the time you have!

ONE | Wake Up Earlier
I know, “shocker,” but this is a sure fire way to tackle some extra lines off your to-do list. Waking up an extra hour a day, allows you to take time for yourself and collect your thoughts. You’ll start your day more relaxed, and no one will be the wiser!

TWO | Make Categorized To-Do Lists
Sit down, make individual to-do lists by category (school, work, home, family, dinner, etc.) Write them in a planner – this is your cue to get a planner if you don’t have one – and set alarms or calendar updates in your phone. This takes away some of the stress of having to remember everything, just check your sources for what your daily schedule should consist of.

THREE | Set Designated Times for Your Tasks
Pull out that handy dandy planner or calendar to jot down time periods for your day.

ex. From 1 – 4 pm, I will research apartments in my prices range and email 3 offices to schedule showings.

We dreaded this as kids, but there’s a reason it always worked. It allows us to make plans from a general top down view and only requires minor adjustments as the day goes on.

FOUR | Check in With Yourself Throughout the Day
Are you still on track to complete your tasks? If yes, great, I knew you could do it! If not, ok, how can we complete the rest? Is it truly a lack of time, or are you starting to feel burned out? Is that next episode of your latest tv binge calling your name a little too loudly?

Take time to assess how you will get everything done and what is more important. Make a priorities list and accomplish those tasks with strict deadlines so that you can end your day feeling less stressed.

FIVE | DO IT!
The best way to get stuff done is to get stuff done. I can’t even begin to tell you how many things have been scratched from my to-do list and tacked onto the next day because I simply neglected to complete them. If the task is important enough to you or kissed by an immense sense of urgency, just do it. It’s cliche, but you’ll thank yourself later!

There we have it, folks! 5 Simple Ways to Be More Productive in A Day! Follow these techniques and you’ll be able to brag to your friends in no time!

5 Simple Ways To Get More Done in a Day

, , , ,

Wanting to be more productive, but feel like you just simply don’t have time? Here are 5 tips on how to do more with the time you have!

ONE | Wake Up Earlier
I know, “shocker,” but this is a sure fire way to tackle some extra lines off your to-do list. Waking up an extra hour a day, allows you to take time for yourself and collect your thoughts. You’ll start your day more relaxed, and no one will be the wiser!

TWO | Make Categorized To-Do Lists
Sit down, make individual to-do lists by category (school, work, home, family, dinner, etc.) Write them in a planner – this is your cue to get a planner if you don’t have one – and set alarms or calendar updates in your phone. This takes away some of the stress of having to remember everything, just check your sources for what your daily schedule should consist of.

THREE | Set Designated Times for Your Tasks
Pull out that handy dandy planner or calendar to jot down time periods for your day.

ex. From 1 – 4 pm, I will research apartments in my prices range and email 3 offices to schedule showings.

We dreaded this as kids, but there’s a reason it always worked. It allows us to make plans from a general top down view and only requires minor adjustments as the day goes on.

FOUR | Check in With Yourself Throughout the Day
Are you still on track to complete your tasks? If yes, great, I knew you could do it! If not, ok, how can we complete the rest? Is it truly a lack of time, or are you starting to feel burned out? Is that next episode of your latest tv binge calling your name a little too loudly?

Take time to assess how you will get everything done and what is more important. Make a priorities list and accomplish those tasks with strict deadlines so that you can end your day feeling less stressed.

FIVE | DO IT!
The best way to get stuff done is to get stuff done. I can’t even begin to tell you how many things have been scratched from my to-do list and tacked onto the next day because I simply neglected to complete them. If the task is important enough to you or kissed by an immense sense of urgency, just do it. It’s cliche, but you’ll thank yourself later!

There we have it, folks! 5 Simple Ways to Be More Productive in A Day! Follow these techniques and you’ll be able to brag to your friends in no time!

5 Simple Ways To Get More Done in a Day