Sundaze 78

Are we all warm and cosy? Yes? Then, let’s begin another week of Sunday reading.

I couldn’t possibly write a diary post without noting the intense weather situations we’ve had in England this week. We’re nothing if we can’t complain about the weather! A combination of the ‘Beast from the East’ and Storm Emma means that, temperature-wise, we’ve had highs of -2°C and near constant snow since Monday. I’ve been sneakily wearing Uniqlo HeatTech tops underneath all of my outfits in a bid to look somewhat normal while we power on through! I couldn’t recommend them enough, in case you were wondering, so lightweight and comfortable.

On Monday, my Dad came along with me to the gym to train and we had so much fun! I’m actually switching to a new gym as of this weekend, so wanted to make the most of the last few days of my David Lloyd membership and guest passes.

We hit up a pretty great upper body workout (worked on my arms, back and chest on the machines, free weights, cables and a bit of cardio too!), and it was so nice to spend some extra time with him too. Parents are amazing.

On the note of fitness and all of that garb, I’ve just finished up writing the next edition of my newsletter – the Daisybutter Coffee Club – and it’s a fitness edition! I’ve brought in my first ever guest editor for it and can’t wait to hit ‘send’. My guest editor Grace is a Disney YouTuber and fitness Instagrammer who went to my school, and her fitness journey and transformation is genuinely inspiring. Subscribe here to receive the next newsletter as well as a FREE workout plan that we’ve devised exclusively for you!

Um, so I’m 27

I’m 27!! It was my snowed-in birthday on Friday and I feel almost exactly the same 😉 I feel a touch more relaxed though, on account of giving myself some deserved time off work and having a film night in with my sister, a delicious tapas lunch with my family and some always-so-bloody-perfect time with Harvey. We had to cancel my birthday surprise because we got snowed in, but it was good anyway. I also wrote a bonus post on Friday full of the things I hope for within this age and it might have been my most grown-up one to date. Keep an eye out for an upcoming birthday month giveaway, too! Thank you all, also, for the ever-sweet messages on here, Twitter and Instagram. You’re the best.

Thoughts on Vero and thoughts on Instagram

One of the most discussed things in the community this week was probably that around Vero, a new(ish) social media platform that has piqued the interest of several bloggers. In short, Vero is a platform that honours of-the-moment posting with no algorithm, simply the option to share six types of content (Photos, Links, Music, Movies and TV, Books and Places).

It doesn’t come without its’ controversies as there’s some talk around their CEO, but it’s worth noting that the app is hoping to trade on a subscription-based model, hence no ads throughout the platform. I’ve been really enjoying it all: it ‘works’ outside of my usual social media channels and I find myself naturally gravitating towards it during downtime. You can find me by searching ‘Michelle Chai Daisybutter’ on there.

Whilst I’m here, I wanted to share a quiet note on Instagram. We hear day in and day out the trials and tribulations of the ‘algorithm’ and how it’s out to get us but this year, I’ve finally found a great middle-ground for enjoying Instagram, growing it organically and not letting it get the better of me. I post thoughtfully created photos that I take time to edit and write captions for, whenever I want to. Honestly? I personally don’t see a benefit to posting at optimal times. I’ve assessed my analytics (I use a business account) but don’t reap the benefits from tactically posting according to previous reports. Plus, the algorithm means the time thing doesn’t really matter. What I’ve found is that you truly have to understand your audience – the existing one and prospective followers – and create content and a somewhat cohesive grid that resonates to them. It works differently for everybody: for example, while flatlays are great for some people, they don’t translate well to my audience. Just a few thoughts on that app everybody loves to hate and hates to love.

A new video!

Although I don’t regularly post videos or class myself a YouTuber, I’ve uploaded two new videos to my channel this year. I’m creating a 1 Second Everyday video time capsule this year, and thought it’d be nice to share monthly edits of them over there. In time I might share videos again, so please do subscribe if you’d like. I have a small video list consisting of cruelty-free beauty updates, bullet journal talks and flip-throughs, handbag collection updates and phone demos that are all on the cards ‘once I have time’.

Links I’ve Loved

  • Of course I couldn’t share this link round-up without including Victoria’s incredible collaboration with accessory label Strathberry. That girl is absolutely killing it at the moment and it’s a pleasure to see! Have you picked a bag up?
  • Sara wrote a post about the ins-and-outs of Vero and it’s a great read if you’re yet to convert to the platform.
  • My girl Gem shared a really handy post full of energy-rich foods to incorporate to your diet. When I first went vegetarian, I really struggled with my diet and it was an eye-opener to research where I could get all of my essential nutrients from. This post would have been amazing to me then, and in fact it is still really useful!
  • Ella’s post about how to get a mortgage when self-employed is one that I’ve bookmarked to my browser, it’s that good. Full of useful tips, I’m already implementing a few of them for my own home-buying journey this year.
  • I seriously can’t get over the beautiful words in this post titled ‘In The Pauses’ over on In My Sunday Best.
  • Cold weather aside, I’ve absolutely been reaching for warm comforting food. This Pinto Squash Stew recipe at Naturally Ella was delicious! Batch make it and pop in the freezer for emergencies.
  • My girl Sophie finally shared her gorgeous kitchen tour! Isn’t her space just incredible?!
  • A continuation of my above thoughts on Instagram, Sophie popped a post up all about engagement and questioning how we utilise that aspect of social media. It’s great food for thought.
  • Last but not least, I adored this cruelty-free make-up routine on Into The Gloss.

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