2015 in Review + Epic Canon Camera Giveaway

So I'll be honest and say I really had no idea how to write this post, what to say, and how to even begin to explain even a glimpse of what went on this year. I spent hours contemplating whether this post would be something I want to be truly honest with or a post I would just recap my public blog posts on. I read other creative entrepreneurs' year in reviews and every single one I read was the most inspirational and well-written review of 2015. Every single one was better than the next. I couldn't see how my year in review could compete with theirs. Then I realized, I may have not accomplished as much as some of these creative entrepreneurs who traveled all over the globe and made bank in hundreds of thousands of dollars, but I did have one heck of a year (whether that's good or bad)!



What Worked this Year

Work
I left my part time job in retail within the first three days of the new year. Best decision ever! I worked at that soul-sucking landfill for 9 months and just had enough. Sure, there were some good times and even some good people I worked with, but it was most definitely not a place for me.

Events in NYC
I spent a whole lot of time in NYC this year - attending conferences, going to the Video Games Live concert at the Beacon Theater, touring WeWork, and going to the HerCampus Fashion Show. I had fun and really felt like I was making connections through every conference and networking event I went to. I met lots of interesting people who do awesome work and overall, I felt in my own element. I was among people who were smarter and more successful than me. That is just mind blowing to me! It really is true when they say:

"If You Are The Smartest Person In The Room, Then You Are In The Wrong Room."

Family
I'm not going to lie - my family has made lots of changes this year. I met my parents' new spouses and as I continue to grow up I see myself taking on a more parental role for my two siblings. I said that this post will be honest and raw so here it is. My family isn't typical and no where near normal. But we're working on it.

This year we've had lots of fun memories going out for dinner, catching a movie, and even taking a couple trips to Dave & Busters. I hope to make more time next year for these family events.

Fluffy
In March of 2015, I met a little male holland-lop bunny we named Fluffy. He quickly became my little other half. He's the sweetest and most unique bunny ever. I never saw myself as a pet person, but this little cutie changed my life. Follow the little guy along on Instagram or check out some Fluffy the Bunny merch.

Business
Launching Little Eternities in August was super rewarding. In about 3 months, I launched the business, recreated the original website, started branching off into creating a course sector where I'll be teaching my students how to start their own businesses, perfect their business plans, and become digital innovators, and not to mention, I grew my e-mail list from 0-300. Next year, I can't wait to launch my courses and help people become successful too!

What Didn't Work in 2015

Personal
For years, I've kept my other half a secret online from my family, my friends, and anyone I meet online. I'm simply tired of it. So from now on, I'll be mentioning him and writing more about him publicly. I'm done with hiding such a huge part of my life. In 2016, I'm going to be completely honest and open. His name is Anthony. He was referred to as my best friend in a lot of my old blog posts.

Other Projects
I didn't even look at the fiction novel I started writing back in 2013 titled Within the Bindings. Although, I do not feel ready to take it on in 2016, I at least want to go back and plan how to publish it.

Fragrance Essence took a seat on the back burner while I took my web design business to the next level so in 2016, I hope to expand my inventory and increase sales.

It's Technologic will definitely be launched in early 2016 as a tech and business blog focusing on startups and technologies. I'm also currently looking for guest-post writers to introduce their own startups or share tech hacks. If you're interested e-mail zobia@theeternityjournal.com. I totally abandoned this project in 2015, but its coming back!

Periscope
I love periscope! I started using it in August and love the platform so much! My only regret is not using it regularly to speak towards what I do and share some design and business tips. So in 2016, particularly from Jan 1st to Jan 12th, I'll be doing a series called #12DaysofBizPlanning where I'll share tips on planning your business and how to setup for success in 2016. Follow along on Periscope, Instagram, and Facebook to get all the awesome tips and talk business with me!

Work
I'm working my way into taking on my businesses completely full-time. 2016 might just be the year.

Financial Goals
My goal is to make $70K in revenue and my follow-up goal is to make $100K. Let's see where 2016 takes me.

Community
My e-mail list this year could not be more important. Honestly this year, I was unable to really hone in on offering value and raw material to my e-mail subscribers. I created some free content and quite a few opt-ins, but I didn't receive the response I was looking for. I have yet to engage my audience and in 2016, all of my subscribers will get loads of free valuable information and actionable content pushing them forward in their own business endeavors. I can't wait for it! Want to be in on the action? Sign up for my free e-mail course and build a better business in 7 days.

Courses & Investments
This year I invested a whole lot of money in my businesses. I invested in software, courses from other creative entrepreneurs, and equipment to start launching courses and provide more premium services for my web design clients. I invested roughly $8K this year. What didn't work for me here is that after investing in these courses, I didn't get through much of the content and I hope to really focus on it next year.

Blog
Honestly, my blog is so outdated that I could not believe my last post was in October. I stopped blogging and I am going to change that in 2016 with more useful posts sharing my experiences as an entrepreneur and helping you build a better business!

Now Let's Talk New Year's Resolutions

Every year, you set goals to accomplish - hoping that by some miracle you'd actually get them done without lifting a finger. I'm sure you know what goals I'm talking about. Losing weight. Saving money. Working less. Enjoying life more.

Those are goals, yes. But they aren't specific enough to achieve.

Everyone falls into this trap. (Guilty) You give yourself this one big goal that's super broad and you never get around to even taking the first step to achieving it.

Days roll by. Weeks. Months. And then December 31st comes around and your left wondering where you went wrong.

Let's do something different this year and not make these broad goals. Let's make goals we can actually achieve. Let's set really specific goals that we can actually achieve by next year.

I'll give you an example.

I'm no longer telling myself that I'm going to succeed with my businesses. That's a super vague goal and quite frankly the outcome of it being accomplished isn't exactly all in my hands.

This year my goals are:

Make $70K in revenue from my businesses then take it to level 2 and make $100K

AND

Have 2 Successful Course Launches in January and April

I don't want to set a traditional New Year's Resolution. Instead, I'm creating a theme for 2016. My theme for the year is Take Action. I'm not going to sit around trying to expand my businesses. I'm going to ACTUALLY do it.

I encourage you to do the same. Don't throw yourself into the New Year's Resolution Trap. Ditch the traditional resolutions, make a specific goal this year and create a theme for the year!

That's a wrap!

Before I ask you what your 2016 theme is, I want to also thank you. Thank you for your support, thank you for continuing to follow along, and thank you for sharing your experiences with me! I enjoyed connected with y'all and can't wait until your businesses flourish in 2016!

As a thank you, enter below for your chance to win an awesome photography package with everything you need in 2016 to take better photos for your blog and business! Enter below!

Take a second and share your 2016 theme with me. What do you want 2016 to be full of? Let's encourage each other to get started and keep going!

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Why It's So Hard to Make Goals and Follow Through + #ShotsFromEternity

Quite often I find myself questioning where I am and where I am going. And, every time it happens, it comes at a strange time and in the strangest way. Yes, goal setting is important on a continuous basis (daily, monthly, yearly; etc), but no matter how hard I try,  I can never make goals and complete them by the time I said I would.

SO yes, I make New Year's resolutions and they stay unresolved.

SO yes, I tried those 30 day Instagram post challenges and have only made it through the first 3 days.

SO yes, I have said "This semester will be different. I will not procrastinate in ANY of my classes" and end up panicking an hour before an assignment is due, hand it in on time, and tell myself I won't procrastinate on the next one, but end up doing it anyway.

NO, this does not mean that I can't make deadlines or am incapable of doing so.

I believe it has more to do with the fact that I expect too much of myself and claim that I can resolve every New Year's resolution I make while posting consecutively on Instagram according to the theme of the day, and do ALL my homework days before it's due.

REALITY kicks me in the butt all the damn time and says "yes, you can pull all it off - JUST not for long" and laughs its evil laugh while leaving a haunting "you didn't get this done and you said you would" whisper in my head that I can not turn off even if I wanted to.

You know what I mean? That feeling of knowing you said you would complete a certain goal in X amount of time and when that time comes and you aren't even close to starting it - you feel bad - you feel like you've failed - and you begin to question if you can even knock a goal off of your list.

It hurts your self-esteem and it hurts your overall well-being. The number 1 person whose always on your side (you) has at that point realized that you can't do anything (again you) and convinces you to set another goal and throw you into the horrific process again.

Sometimes I have to really sit it out for a while so I can stop myself from going through this process over and over again.

Goals are important and setting them is a great way to guide you towards what you need to do - but, they shouldn't make you think that if you don't complete them you've failed. Plus, making too many goals can realistically prevent you from focusing on what matters most to you at a given time.

So let's break it down.

Make goals and make them often, but don't make too many for a given period of time and don't beat yourself down when you can't complete them. Trust me, you're doing the best you can.

Tweet: Make goals and make them often, but don't beat yourself down when you can't complete them. You're doing the best you can. #ShotsFromEternity

So here's my list of goals I hope to complete some time from now until the end of fall, but hey if I don't get a chance to complete all of them - they'll be projects I look forward to in 2016. And I encourage you to make a loosely timed list of goals of your own as well.

• Start and grow my e-mail list - It's pretty boring in my e-mail newsletter and I'm currently using MailChimp, but I'm heading over to ConvertKit soon! 
• Create an awesome and FREE e-mail course - Starting a business? Starting a blog? What would you like to learn more about? Comment below!
• Start developing my first paid e-course 
• Host my first free webinar
• Blog more often and consistently 
• Make at least $250 blogging 
• Update Little Eternities - with a fresher brand look and updated portfolio & service packages.  An awesome print and web branding package is coming along soon!

By the way,  I've started a hashtag on Instagram and Twitter - #ShotsFromEternity that ya'll can use when you are completing your goals, creating something AWESOME, or creating something that will make a difference or leave an impact. 

For example, did you finally try that pumpkin pie recipe you found on Pinterest? Take a picture and tag it #ShotsFromEternity because you accomplished something AWESOME!

OR 

Did you finally buy yourself a big girl/boy agenda in an attempt to organize yourself? TAKE a picture and tag #ShotsFromEternity. I am sure you'll plan wonderful things to come!

OR

Did your launch a business? Start a website? Write a book? ANY accomplishment big or small, tag it #ShotsFromEternity! 

I will be posting some of favorites on my blog and Instagram! :) 

Beyond that, keep making goals (but, not too many of them) and keep pushing yourself forward! Share your list of goals with me below! I'd love to know what you're working on!

Let's Get Workin'!

One of the things that is most important to me these days is finding an inspirational space to work. Between going to school full-time, working part-time, juggling my Fragrance business and web development business, creating e-courses to help entrepreneurs and bloggers start online businesses (more on that later) and of course blogging - it's extremely hard to find a quiet place to work that's inspiring and motivational.

It's extremely important for me too to be able to really sit down and feel relaxed while working because I'm constantly going from one place to another.

With that said, let me tell you about my current "workspace" at home. Let's just say it isn't the greatest. It's me in my room working with my laptop on my bedside table where I'm constantly distracted with my family around. It's not the greatest "workspace", but it's the only place I had within my reach to get some work done and unwind.





Enter WeWork.

I was approached by a WeWork community representative who spoke to me about discussing a particular message on my blog. She wanted me to talk about how workspaces should inspire you to not just create a living, but to create a life.

I was uber excited about this as this very message is close to my heart. Everyday, my whole motive behind my businesses and behind helping others create and develop businesses is to encourage myself and others to build a business and life they love.

The WeWork community representative gave me a chance to tour one of the WeWork coworking spaces to showcase how their company is making it possible for aspiring entrepreneurs, creatives, and innovators do what they do best in an environment that enables them to do so.






The beautiful 11 story building in Bryant Park, NYC is where I toured WeWork.

The whole building is designed to enable creative work flow and increase employee happiness. A few of the many things I loved about WeWork is that they offer private spaces for individuals and teams for rent as well as offer permanent office spaces, along with the perks and benefits of having your own space such as getting your mail delivered to their convenient Bryant Park address and discounts on dozens of business friendly services such as TriNet and Slack, and a snack bar so you can fuel up on coffee and fruit water.



My most favorite thing about WeWork, however, was the Motherhood room offered at this location. In a hallway between some spaces was a room dedicated to helping mothers work while taking care of their family at the same time. How cool is it that they added privacy just for Mothers to feel comfortable in their own work environment?!

Membership to a beautiful workspace like this also just starts at $45 a month. Inspirational workspace, co-working areas with entrepreneurs, businesses, and creatives, along with the added perks of having your own office for only $45 a month.




I loved my tour at WeWork and I was honored to work with the wonderful staff at this location. Everyone was friendly and helpful, I would definitely recommend joining WeWork!



Beyond that, I was so inspired by the atmosphere in this workspace that I sat down and wrote this blog post before I left the space! 

Why I Skipped Class to Blog Today

OKAY. Some of you might think, what are you doing? Go to class, it's important! While others might think, you skipped class to blog? WOW! You're awesome!

Honestly, I am glad you think I'm awesome, but for those who think I should have gone to class, let me break it down for you.

First of all, its Calculus. Being a computer science and finance major and economics minor, you can never seem to get away from math. But, Calculus, please keep me away from it. We are not friends.

While in class, I feel extremely lost and helpless. I wander off thinking of ways to improve my businesses and my blog. I think of everything besides limits and functions. I can do my homework after hours of frustration and pass the quizzes and tests, but I still do not understand the subject.

Regardless, this blog post is not about my Calculus class, it's about the fact that I am constantly at a crossroads for what I actually want to do because classes that I am required to take to graduate get in the way.

Someone pointed out to me that most people pursue a Bachelor's Degree in order to find a job and transition into starting a career, but that's not what I want  to do so why am I doing this?

I do not want to get a job or start a career. I'm an entrepreneur. I want to create jobs and careers for others. I want to be the business owner of xyz business and I've set out to make a difference.

Truth is, I'm scared. I'm scared to let go of learning and fully transition into full-time blogger and business owner. And how could it not be scary? The world is a scary place when you don't know what direction you're going in or where you'll end up.

My plan when enrolling at Montclair State University was that I would learn as much as I can about computer science, finance, and economics so I can start a software development company one day and eventually start a bank (my ultimate entrepreneurial endeavor) and along the way experience life as a college student, blog, run my businesses, make money and graduate feeling as if I have a good grasp as to what I'm getting myself into.

I skipped class to blog today because I need to get this out there. I need to understand why I feel this way and hope I'm not the only entrepreneur on the planet who feels this way. I skipped class because figuring out my ultimate life goal and defining a clear picture for it is far more important to me than attending my Calculus class. At least - that's how I feel today.

Have you ever found yourself at a crossroads between something you are required to do and something you want to do? Have you ever just wanted to sit down and think about where you're going and how you're going to get there?

3 Ways to Increase Your Blog Following + $250 Giveaway

One of the most important things that I learned about blogging is finding a balance between sharing glimpses of your personal life and offering something of value to your audience.

I absolutely hate it when someone says that blogging should be solely about your audience and that as a blogger, you need to write for them. On the other hand, I also hate it when someone says blogging should be solely about your personal values and stories and to disregard your readers' needs and wants.

There is a balance in blogging. Successful bloggers know that the medium between blogging about your personal life and sharing awesome content that your readers enjoy and can take something away from is the best way for you to feel authentic with your blogger voice and to welcome readers to keep coming back for more.

So here is a post that showcases three ways to increase your blog following and also showcases glimpses of my own life. See what I did there? I hope you find value in reading it and actually try it out as well! You know what else is something of value? Cash. How can you get some? Enter the $250 PayPal Cash Giveaway along with some extra goodies below!

Now, let’s talk resources for bloggers to grow their blogs and get a following!

Actively Be a Part of the Blogging Community
A lot of times people think that by setting up a blog and publishing it on the Internet, people will automatically find it and become loyal readers. NOT TRUE. Being a part of the blogging community plays a big part in what type of people find your blog (whether they are stay at home moms, entrepreneurs, business owners, lifestyle bloggers, or fashion stylists) and what type of people become your blog's targeted audience.

Now, once you start finding out what niche belongs into (there is always a niche to put your blog in and if there isn't, start one!) you'll begin to discover other bloggers who discuss similar topics or have similar blog aesthetics as yours, or share the same readers as your blog. These bloggers are a part of your community! Reach out to collaborate with them, sponsor them or ask to do a sponsor swap, and most definitely notice the different topics they talk about, the social platforms they use, and see what you can do better for your blog using their examples.

Beyond that, another great way to participate in the Blogging Community is by joining Facebook groups. Facebook groups are becoming the most popular way for bloggers to communicate and collaborate. Join one (or even three), introduce yourself, comment on others' posts, share some advice on what you know about blogging, make friends, and gain followers!

Something I do to actively participate is answering any questions or concerns other bloggers have regarding registering their domain name or finding a web host for their blog. Basically, I see other bloggers who need help getting started and because I have already been through it, I simply share what I did and in turn the blogger who asked the question becomes a reader of my blog and others in the group who see I have helped this person want to read through my content to find other helpful tips! It works and it's awesome so go do it!

Some great Facebook groups that I love and am a part of are:

Being Boss | #GirlBosses | Blogging Boost | Blog + Biz BFFs | Coffee & Creatives

Host a Giveaway
America's most favorite word is FREE (It's a fact, google it)! If you offer something for FREE to your followers, they are more likely to come back to your blog often and much more likely to stay loyal followers. Giveaways are a great way to collaborate with others and share the follower wealth!

Now there are mainly two types of giveaways. One giveaway is solely hosted on your blog and could be an individual or group giveaway usually run using the RaffleCopter widget. These giveaways are great when you are working with a specific brand, collaborating with other bloggers to giveaway a BIG prize, or when your sole purpose is to gain followers on a certain platform. For example, let's say you just started using Periscope (an app I absolutely love! - read why here) and you have only 2 followers, but your blog has 200 followers. SO you host a giveaway asking people to follow you on Periscope and in turn they get entered to win a Starbucks gift card or something. This way you will increase your following on these platforms and your blog readers will love the incentive.

The other type of giveaway which is pretty popular are Instagram loop giveaways. These giveaways are run solely on Instagram and loops several bloggers and business owners together to giveaway a costly prize such as a Macbook, Apple Watch, Beauty Products, and even PayPal Cash. These giveaways are a lot of fun and your Instagram following increases a whole lot in a short amount of time.

Plus, the more Instagram exposure you have, the more exposure you gain for your blog and these Instagram followers soon become blog readers so it's a win-win. Want to take part in said Instagram loop giveaways? You can sign up to be a host through this link right here. Buy-ins are as little as $14.50 so surely check it out!

Engage with Other Bloggers 
Many bloggers have several followers popularly known as "ghost followers" that do not comment on posts, engage with them on social media, or leave a mark in some way, shape, or form that tells the blogger that someone read their posts. For that reason, a great way to increase your following is by commenting on other bloggers' posts and engaging with them on social media. The blogger you are engaging with will surely notice your comments or interactions and comment back and/or check out your blog!

SO right after posting a new blog post, go over to a few of your favorite bloggers and comment on their posts and then go through the comments, visit at least 5 new blogs, and comment on their posts. This way you are getting your blog's link out there and also engaging with fellow bloggers and in turn get traffic back to your blog!

Do you know of any ways you can increase your blog following? Go ahead and share it in the comments!

The following giveaway is hosted by: Kristen | Abby | Stephanie | Erin | Selma | Crystal | Natasha | Ashley | Erica | Susan | Misty | Charlotte | Penny | Holly | Stacey | Alexis

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Summer Highlights

This week classes for the Fall semester have been in session. In which case my summer is over. In some sense, I feel that I have never really taken a vacation this summer. Don't get me wrong, I love working on my businesses, my blog, and of course freelancing, but I never got to take a break from my day job. This is mainly because I worked as much as I possibly could and didn't make the time to take a vacation.

In reality, I wouldn't know what a "vacation" is. What do "normal", "non-workaholics" do on vacations anyway?!

Even though I didn't take a "vacation" per say, I'd like to showcase some of my favorite moments of summer 2015.



The top left photo is a quick selfie taken after I completed one of my Periscopes. I love Periscope, it's my new obsession. If you don't know what Periscope is then you must live under a rock because this new social media outlet is AWESOME. I wrote about my experience with Periscope here. You might find this useful!

The top right photo of a MacBook Pro is me just showing off the first computer I have ever bought on my own.

Now moving on to the bottom right. This photo is for that time I took a beginner calligraphy class hosted by Scarlet & Gold (check them out, their beginner calligraphy class is FREE). It went pretty well!

Bottom right is just a photo of a greek gyro. Why? Because I ate out far too many times this summer than I can count and gyros are one of favorites.



If I told you that in the top left photo, I was trying to be silly, would you believe me? This photo was taken at the Smart Girl's Group conference this year (a conference I will review VERY soon). Again, it was a lot of fun.

The top right photo is of my mini lop bunny named Fluffy! He's the cutest and fuzziest little soul ever! I adore him and now you can too! Just follow Fluffy on Instagram! I have yet to formally introduce this little guy, but he will be introduced soon.

Bottom left - is a mini ad for my blog and web design and development company which I launched this summer! It's called Little Eternities and its selling like hotcakes. Are you or someone you love in need of a new blog or website design? Click on over here. 

Bottom right - Okay, for this to make sense, you must know that I am naturally a smiley and enthusiastic person even on my worst day. Although this is not my worst day, in this photo I'm just walking over to my office with a chai tea latte in my hand.

This summer has been focused on launching Little Eternities, working, and just making sure that all my business and blog stuff is in order so when the fall semester starts (which it has), I just sit back and accept new clients and orders.

What are some highlights from your summer? What's your ideal vacation? Comment and let's talk about it!

3 Ways to Use Instagram to Grow Your Blog or Business

Instagram has been around for quite some years now, but it has been being used as a marketing tool as of late. People use their Instagram accounts to not only make personal connections with their customers and clients, but to acquire new customers, clients, and blog readers.

It seems one of the first things people do these days to figure out what kind of blog, business, or person you are is by looking to Instagram profile. It has become essential for your customers, clients, or readers to browse through your Instagram presence so here are 3 Ways to Use Instagram to Grow Your Blog or Business and make that impression count.

Create a theme for your photos.
This is something I have seen a lot of successful Instagram accounts do. They use the same filters, same background colors, same fonts, and even the same type of subjects in their photos to create a particular feel for their account. This is completely intentional and they plan these photos ahead of time because they want to make sure their the photo fits in with their theme and the asthetic of their Instagram account.

A few bloggers in a Facebook group I am a part of questioned why "staging" their photos is more effective than randomly posting photos from their everyday lives and I have an answer.

It's fun to post photos from your personal life to share with friends, but often those photos seem to get attention from your circle of friends and family. A "staged" photo on the other hand - a photo that is planned to fit your particular theme will resonate with far more of your followers then just your circle of friends and family.

Here's my rule of thumb: If you post every day, throw in a wild card or two from your personal life in a week and if you post a few times a week, post one wild card. This way you're connecting with your friends, family, and giving your followers posts that resonate with your brand or business.

Use up to THREE hashtags in your photos.
Repeat after me. I will not EVER use more than three hashtags.

People have this perception that by loading up your captions with every hashtag that comes to mind will allow more people to find your Instagram posts. Not true. In this case, it's definitely better to look for quality rather than quantity. So instead of making up hashtags like #atmygrandmashousehavingdinner and piling it in between other useless hashtags, how about searching keywords that fit your image and looking for which hashtags have been used most frequently and picking from those?

Plus, by using hashtags of relevance to your photos, people will land on your Instagram page, then hop on over to your blog or business and that means more business and more readers!

Join an Instagram loop giveaway.
This is a great way to meet other bloggers, business owners, and acquire customers, clients, and readers. If you don't know what an Instagram loop giveaway is, here's a brief explanation.

An Instagram loop giveaway is a giveaway solely hosted on Instagram where blogs/businesses who have Instagram accounts, post the same giveaway image at the same time. People then enter the giveaway by liking the photo and following that person and then continue following a series of accounts which will lead them back to where they started. 

It's a lot of fun for the hosts and easy for everyone to enter! Plus, you get a ton of Instagram followers!

I have done a few giveaways before and they ran pretty successfully. I have gained 1,000 loyal followers and am super excited to be hosting more Instagram loop giveaways in the future! You can sign up to be notified when new giveaway opportunities are available as well as find out everything you need to know about Instagram Loop giveaways here. 

I hope you enjoyed this post! If you have any Instagram tips of your own, please share!

I Did my First Periscope...and it was AWESOME!

Periscope quickly became something I wanted to try after I downloaded it and saw a few business owners and entrepreneurs scoping. They were simply talking about their businesses while sharing their knowledge and answering questions which seemed pretty cool to me!

If you aren't familiar with Periscope, its a live video broadcasting app where people host "scopes" and broadcast video while viewers can chat and send hearts (the native periscope currency similar to Instagram hearts or Facebook likes).

I strongly recommend using Periscope! Here's why:

People came and checked it out as soon as I went live!
It was unbelievable to me that almost 30 people viewed my scope as I was recording it. Trust me. It does not feel the same as it would if you uploaded a YouTube and then you received some views. This was live and people were watching me raw and unedited! It was both exciting and nerve-wracking all the same!

People encouraged you to keep talking.
I invited my best friend to the scope in case no one asked any questions or sent any hearts and in case I was stuck and started to show how nervous I was, he would be able to change the subject for me. But, it didn't happen that way. Once people were there, they wanted to have a conversation and loved tapping the screen to encourage you to keep the scope going by sending hearts!




It was so much fun!
Everything was fun - everything from learning to get over the nerves (because you're being watched live by people you've never met) to answering questions by people you've never met. There are some things I could have done differently, but the learning experience was also so much fun! I can't wait to broadcast another one!

Definitely follow me on Periscope to get notified of my next live scope!

Have you tried Periscope yet? Are you nervous to give it a shot?

I've Set Up Shop for my Blog + Web Design Business

After a whole year, I have finally launched my blog and web design business that I like to call Little Eternities. The reason behind the name is that "Eternity" means something that is infinite and does not end in time and when you are creating a little space on the web (a blog or website), you are leaving behind a little eternity.

It might sound a little quirky, but I love the name and I am sticking to it. Plus, I am sure my target clientele will resonate with the meaning behind it too.



It's both exciting and overwhelming how far I have come with projects like this one.

But, if I'm being honest, I'm also a whole lot nervous and slightly intimidated by it.

I'm nervous because I don't how it is going to turn out. Will I be successful in sending this message through every aspect of my business? Will my clients enjoy what I create for them? Or will no one even realize my business exists?

Business is a whole lot of risk and it's not just because you're investing time and money. What most people don't realize is that you're also investing an enormous amount of wishful thinking which definitely takes a toll on your mental health.

What I mean by wishful thinking is the mindset that business owners have where they believe that EVERYTHING they do will have a wonderful turnout right away when in reality, the big wonderful turnout happens years and tons of thousands of hours of hard work after the initial launch.

This definitely takes a toll on your mental health because the results are out of your control and it becomes a constant battle between idealistic and realistic goals for the business that consumes you at every turn.

I'm intimated because I see all these great blog and web designers who design beautiful designs and I'm wondering how my designs compare.

And then I think, why do I keep comparing myself to other designers who have spent years developing their business when I've just started?

Regardless, I'm super excited for this adventure! Why don't you join the party? For a limited time get 25% OFF any pre-made blog template now until the end of September using code "LAUNCHPARTYSALE" in the shop!

Thanks for all your support everyone! You guys are awesome! I'd love to support you all as well! What are some projects or goals you're working on?

10 Things I've Come to Terms With

There are a lot of things in life you'll face in every part of your life. You'll feel out of place in a crowd, you'll have a bad day at work, you'll have to accept certain shows being knocked off the air, and your favorite products being discontinued.

Here are 10 things I've come to terms with:

I am not going to graduate college in 4 years. 
The reason being is because I am double majoring in Computer Science and Business Administration with a concentration in Finance and minoring in Economics. With these heavily weighted subjects and the fact I'm taking 6 classes every semester is why I've come to terms with it taking me longer to graduate.

Pumpkin flavored Iced Coffee is only served in the Fall.
Why Dunkin' Donuts must you take away the only thing that makes me happy?! But, I've come to terms with it, I swear. (Okay, maybe not completely...)

They cancelled that show Jane by Design on ABC Family.
I know it happened 2 years ago, but I've finally gotten over it.

I lost one of my favorite zebra print socks, but I still have the other to remind me it's gone.

Miley Cyrus was once my role model. NEVER AGAIN.

My most comfortable white capris no longer fit my waist. 
I'm not going to lie, I still keep it in my closet in case I ever become a size 0 again. EVER.

Public Transportation.
It sucks and everyone deals with it.

Paying for business services.
I've been running my Fragrance business for 3 years, but refused to pay money to business services such as storefronts, email marketing, and a business phone line because I did not make enough money to be able to afford it, but I've established a balance and am willing to pay for services that I have no experience in so I could do what I do best.

Going to work early and coming home late so I can have Fridays off.
This will pay off in the end, right?

Not eating Frozen Yogurt every day.
It's been my summer tradition since 2013 to have Frozen Yogurt on every summer day - rain or shine. Not anymore. Too much sugar = so not fitting into those white capris.

Right Place at the Right Time

In every business or entrepreneurship course I have taken, the instructor has always mentioned being in the "right place at the right time." 

Lately, I have been thinking about how this phrase applies to my own life and all the goals I have as an entrepreneur. 

It all started when I was watching episode 22 of season 4 of How I Met Your Mother the other day and it was titled "Right Place, Right Time."

The whole theme of this episode and one of the wonderful reoccurring themes of the show is the idea that the universe has a plan that's constantly in motion. That one day you could step outside and you're life could change forever. 

In the words of Ted Mosby, "All these little parts of the machine constantly working, making sure that you end up exactly where you're supposed to be, exactly when you're supposed to be there. The right place at the right time." 

It made me think of where I was at this point in my life and where on earth I  was going to go?

I know I seem like I have it all figured out, but perhaps I don't feel that way anymore and it has gotten me thinking really long and hard. 

People like me are constant warriors. We're warriors because we fight everything - we fight for what we believe in, we fight for our dreams, we fight for support, we fight those who try to tear us down, we fight the rules, and most importantly we fight ourselves (which is usually half the battle) because we know we can make change happen. 

But, even though those are conscious choices we make and actions we take. Somehow it's all part of a plan. A plan that slowly unfolds as life goes on. 

I just wish I could understand where all of this is taking me. Will everything I do today make me happy tomorrow? Where should I stand prepared so I can be there at the right place at the right time?

Am I the only one who feels this way? Any thoughts?

Summer is Coming to an End

Back in May,  I set out to do a whole lot this summer. I said I would (try) to have fun and not work 24/7, but I also said I would work on my web design business 24/7 which is an absurd contradiction. But, that's who I am. I can't help being indecisive about how I spend time. I've tried and I can't. I also set out to relaunch all my paused projects before the Fall semester starts the first week of September.

Summer is coming to an end and so it's only natural for me to try to revaluate my summer goals and see which ones I could actually achieve before August is over.

Instead of working on my web design business, I have been spending most of my time after work watching reruns of How I Met Your Mother. Something about the show makes me nostalgic of a time where I felt I was a great navigator in my own life. I wouldn't know how to explain it, but I know it makes me happy. Plus, I can't believe how many of these episodes I just overlooked...they're even funnier than I remember. I have also found that there have been blatantly obvious clues about who the mother is in the first few seasons. How didn't I catch them before?! I did, however start creating awesome templates which will be on sale soon!

I made progress on making my blog better. I just added my first media kit as well as advertising options so I can make better relationships with other bloggers. I would also be happy to swap a sponsorship ad or help you get the word out on your blog/business at no charge, just send me an e-mail! 

As for the fun part, it's not something I'm generally good at. Don't assume I'm a boring stick in the mud though. ANYTHING, BUT THAT!

I am pretty funny if I say so myself and I do enjoy working a whole lot. That's fun for me.

Sure, it's not what "normal" people think of as fun. Honestly, I wouldn't know how to have fun with my family on the beach or with my best friend at a movie. I would appreciate it, I just wouldn't enjoy it as much. Does anyone out there understand what I'm sayin'? 

Are there any goals you've set out to accomplish before summer comes to an end?

Essentials for a Conference in NYC

I have been talking about the Live Smart Conference in NYC quite a lot on all my social media channels as well as poking around the subject on my blog. It was truly a great conference and I can't wait to put up a post sharing all the details with you all soon! In the meantime, I thought I would share the essential items I packed in my bag everyday before heading out to the conference in NYC.

Eyeshadow trèStique | Lipstick Forever 21 {Similar} | Blush Sleek Cosmetics {Similar} | Sunglasses Kohl's | Notebook Target {Similar}

I love my trèStique eyeshadow crayon in pink pearl. It's so easy to apply that even I can do it! Plus, it takes less than a minute. I carry it around with me in case I need a touch-up. All of the makeup shown in this photo is fairly small in size so I carry it with me after getting ready in the morning in my pretty Ipsy bag.



For a conference, it's very important for me to take my idea notebook. This notebook was given to me by a pen pal I met while blogging and I've created so much with the ideas I've logged in here. Did you miss that post? Check it out here.  At the conference, I was super excited to be able to log even more ideas I have for future projects.

Of course I had to pack my favorite Guess wallet, a pen, a comb, and my business cards.

Last, but not least I most definitely need my sunglasses. I love this black and dotted pair from Kohl's. I could pair it with any outfit and while in New York City during this time of year, they definitely came in handy. Check out Salt City Optics if you're in need of a stylish pair of prescription sunnies (which always comes in handy while traveling!) Use the promo code 'SunEssentials25' to take 25% off all prescription eyewear this summer!

Thanks for reading about my conference essentials. What would you pack for a conference? 

P.S. Before Sunday ends, check out my advertisement options and get 50% off with code "SUNDAY". 

My (Near) Future Projects + $75 PayPal Cash Giveaway

Since the spring semester of my first year at college has ended, I have been worried that I am not picking up the pace and getting going with all that I have set out to do. Plus, I have been thinking of what that may actually mean or in better words, if it would be worth it? Are all the projects I have set out to complete worth my time and effort and how will it fit my overall mission? These questions are hard to answer for me and just thinking that I would have to cut a few projects completely or that I would have to hold them off until the time is right drives me insane.

This past weekend, I attended the Live Smart Conference in New York City and it really forced me to think about it. I will blog about my experience at the conference soon, but in this post I just want to share some of the projects I am sure about continuing with along with an idea of when these projects may be released.

Little Eternities Design Studio - Launching August 2015

Little Eternities Design Studio Etsy Shop - Launching this Winter

Fragrance Essence LLC (with new inventory and new brands) - Launching August 2015

It's Technologic (an old tech blog becoming anew) - Launching this Fall

These are projects I am sure about releasing, with my website/blog design business launching being of top priority. The rest of the month of July will be spent on getting everything in order for me to set up shop both at the design studio and Fragrance Essence.

With that said, here is an awesome giveaway brought to you by women behind The Blogging Elite:
Nina | Tiffany | Emily | Erica
Kirsten | Sarah
Dana | Erin | Leah
Elizabeth | Pamela | Jessica

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Do you guys have any projects you're thinking of starting? 

Links I've Stumbled Upon v.4

I have not posted a list of awesome links I've stumbled upon for some time. I love doing these posts because I often find a lot of useful information and sharing it with those who might find it useful too would be even better.  So, here are some interesting articles I discovered ranging from landing your dream job to money tips you'll surely want to read about. 

♥ Did you know Facebook changes it's icons depending on where you are? How cool is that?

♥ Want to get a job, but the company you're going for is not hiring? Try these tips and make a place for yourself!

♥ Productivity tips from extremely busy people.

♥ Here are hilarious e-mail signatures that people actually use.

♥ 26 Time Management Hacks You Should Know

♥ 7 FREE Coding Courses You Can Take/ Tools to Use

♥ Just for laughs, if you haven't seen pictures of this man who cut the stuff he and ex-wife owned, here it is. Everything from his car to his iPhone has been cut in half. It's hilarious!

♥ 6 Money Tips from Mark Cuban (Billionaire investor from ABC's SharkTank)

Until next time!

10 Things I CANNOT Stand

Those of you who know me outside the internet bubble know that naturally, I am a very enthusiastic and optimistic person. Those of you who only know me through the internet bubble might even feel the same way. My blog and social media posts might just come across with the same positivity that I exude in person.

Regardless, the way I deal with the non-positive is pretty much by ranting about it (not through social media and no I do not go around pointing people and things out, that would be rude!). 

Usually, I complain in the form of a conversation with my best friend and it usually starts out by me saying "You will not believe what happened to me today..." or "Why do blah blah always have to blah blah..."

Now those of you reading this are either charmed by the fact that I am being honest and others might just think I'm just complaining. Either way, I am sure you'll get a laugh or two out of this post. 

So here are 10 things that I CANNOT stand (in no particular order):

1. When people on the bus think sitting on the seat closet to the aisle is okay when the seat near the window isn't taken. NO IT IS NOT OKAY! 

2. When people on the bus sitting closest to the aisle turn on their side to allow another passenger to occupy the vacant seat instead of just moving over. Seriously? Why do people feel so entitled to things? It's public transportation.

3. Girls who wear skinny jeans with flip flops. Umm...did you leave your house without remembering to put on shoes?

4. When people question my intentions or decision making. If it's not effecting you directly, then please log on to leaveitalone.org. 

5. Working in retail is horrible. Take it from someone whose been there and done that. I cannot stand when customers are just rude to those trying to help. Try to be respectful, working in the industry is horrific enough. Keep that in mind the next time you're rude to a retail employee. 

6. When you pickup an iced coffee and it's either too much sugar, too much ice, or not enough sugar and not enough ice. It's not hard to pour ice, coffee, and cream into a cup and mix it. Not hard. 

7. When people overspend money on things they don't need and not have enough to pay for things they do. (Fact: About 75% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck.)

8. When people ignore you when you might need help, but are eager to ask for favors. It's a two-way street.

9. When you are running late and you can't find the outfit you set your mind on wearing that day and have to settle for whatever you grab (I end up running late a whole lot, is it obvious? #commuterprob$) 

10. When people who are ill advised on certain topics try to offer you advice on that topic.

What are some things that you cannot stand? 

Reflections on Small Businesses and Corporate Franchises

I have taken quite a few entrepreneurship classes over the past year. In high school, I took a class that spoke towards all aspects of entrepreneurship and I loved it. I was set on becoming an entrepreneur. My first semester of college I took two different entrepreneurship courses. One class focused on the type of a person an entrepreneur must be and how to spark imagination and creativity and act upon it. It was awesome! It expanding my knowledge on what entrepreneurship really is. The other course took ideas and turned them into proven business concepts. These courses excited me and motivated me to become the entrepreneur I want to be.

The other day, I was grabbing a latte at a Dunkin' Donuts near the train station after work. I've stopped by this location several times and every day I see the same employees with a smile on their face while serving customers with respect and I see customers returning the positive gratitude as well.      

I frequent many coffee shops, but this one felt special. I realized how more often than not, those that work in retail, fast food chains, and corporate franchises, either put up a front to seem positive and courteous or stay within their company's means without going the extra mile for customers. I understand it though, each location no matter what the company sells probably gets thousands of customers a day and going the extra mile for every single one, every single time must be hard.

But, when I realized how well this coffee franchise was doing in this location, I reflected on corporate franchises. What inspires these employees to exude a love and respect for their job that leaves each customer genuinely happy? They seem to be working even harder than other franchises to make a brand that is not even theirs more memorable without a reward.

In the entrepreneurship course that explored topics between the type of person an entrepreneur must be, our class had a discussion on what it means to be autotelic. From it's dictionary definition, having an autotelic mindset means to find a purpose within itself.

It's a hard concept to grasp and implement in one's life. Like anything, it takes practice to master.

Putting yourself in the mindset to feel as if you are fulfilling a purpose in everything you do keeps you mentally positive and determined to generate outstanding results.

When you own a small business and need to play all roles within the business; customer service, salesman, marketer, promotor, and the face of the company, it is very challenging to find purpose in everything you have to do to keep your business up and running and your clientele genuinely satisfied.

You have to work hard and it won't pay off until the very end.

My point is sometimes we don't focus on the wonderful energy people put into starting a small business or running a corporate franchise. It's not easy to feel purposeful in such competitive industry.

The next time you are served with a genuine smile and great customer service, remember to thank them for doing a great job! 

7 Things You Probably Didn't Know...

I am usually not one to link-up to blogger prompts created and shared by other bloggers. Sometimes I feel as if my answers/response to the prompts aren't as interesting as the others or if I may be repeating something another blogger has said which is usually the case if the prompt isn't personal. But, this time I discovered an interesting prompt two of my favorite bloggers linked up to so I quickly joined the party.

So here are 7 things you probably did not know about me.

- I have a weird dislike towards eggs. I love omelets and I love little pieces of egg whites in my vegetable fried rice, but I absolutely hate eggs boiled, scrambled or sunny-side up.

- I often get told that I talk too much and too loudly in person, but in my high school marching band I was known as a quiet band member who was switched from playing the trumpet (a loud brass instrument) to a euphonium (a low brass instrument) because my voice didn't project. Strange? Maybe.

- I worry far more than I should about how I am perceived by others. (I hope I am not the only one.)

- If you ask me if like country music, I would say "Heck, no! I'm more of an alternative/indie rock type of person!" and act slightly offended. The truth is, some songs that fall into the country genre happen to be some of my favorites. One I love listening to on repeat currently is "What I Love About You" by Logan Mize.

- No matter what happens on any given day, you'll find me smiling anyway. It's not a staged smile, I'm always exuding positive energy.

- My best friend's name is a secret, but it will be relieved soon and I cannot wait to share that all with you. (HINT: I'm not sure you're prepared for this).

- I hate the phrase "I'm busy" and I try not to use it at all. Everyone seems to use it as an empty excuse and even though I have been guilty of using it as well, it's not a good excuse and shouldn't be used as one. I get it. No one has time to commit to yet another obligation, but has hours on hand to post photos on Instagram and tweet nonsense.

I hope you learned more about me!

Is there something about you I probably didn't know? Leave me a comment! I'd love to learn more about you!

On Niches, Giveaways, and What I'm Up To

Blogging is something that needs to be attended to quite often. If you blog once in a blue moon when something worth blogging comes along, it's a hobby. If you blog a few times a week or even a few times a month routinely then you're a professional blogger. Lately, I have been neither.

Working full-time + (attempting to) restart my first freelance writer gig + fixing up my fragrance shop + officially launching my fully functional web design business + relaunching my tech blog has put me in a situation where I'd be lucky to even spend time with my family and loved ones let alone blog.

Miraculously, however, I was able to put in some time giving my blog a much-needed makeover. The theme is now black and gold and it definitely elegantly describes my little space on the web.

Speaking of, I also redesigned my personal website (ZobiaAlvi.com) with a much more professional approach.

I also decided (FINALLY) that the niche I will blog under will be business. I used to label myself as a lifestyle blogger, but at times that didn't make sense for me so I decided to label myself as a lifestyle and business blogger aspiring to be an entrepreneur.

In honor of my new found vision, I figured I'd throw in some giveaways on the blog to represent my seriousness in getting back into blogging.

If you have any ideas for a giveaway, are hosting a group giveaway, or would like to be part of a group giveaway, please share in the comments below! Thank you for reading this blog update, I hope I can pickup the speed soon and start blogging on a regular basis soon!

You Know You're Becoming a (Young) Adult When...

Being a college student is sort of a weird thing. You aren't really an adult yet, but you are no longer a teenager. You begin to take some responsibility for your own mistakes, financial obligations, and your overall well-being. This is where everyone begins referring to you as a young adult. After going through my freshman year of college (it's almost over!), I have realized that THIS is more true than I thought it would be and here are several reasons why.

You realize you can't stay home watching the Kardashians because you have to work and it only hurts a little.

In your spare time, you check your bank accounts and only shed a few tears.

You decide not to get Starbucks coffee because although you love ordering a "Grande Vanilla Frappuchino", it's too expensive to buy everyday and you opt for a medium iced coffee at Dunkin' Donuts.

Shopping is not as fun as it used to be because you have so much going on in such a limited amount of time each week that you only shop when you need to buy something.

You take at least four naps on a work day and six on a day off (And think that you deserve it too)!

11 PM becomes too late. (I used to be able to stay up ALL night :(  )

Your to-do list is more extensive than "Upload New Profile Pic." Now you're crossing off things like "Do Laundry", "Buy new Towels", "Hand in Paper by 5PM."

You (begin to) realize celebrities are just people too... weird right, who thought that would happen?!

You're lucky enough to sleep for six hours, let alone trying to get eight.

You become more social than usual and for the first time, you have some type of "young adult" confidence that you have no idea how you got.

Eating at McDonald's or Burger King is no longer a treat, but torture because you have forced yourself to see the reality of it. It's just fast food. I love Wendy's by the way. Anyone else? :)

You now worry about filing taxes. You gotta do it on your own now. 

Everything over $10 becomes expensive.

You have a drawer of receipts just because you said you would limit your buying and spending, but since you didn't...you have to hide the evidence. (Or is that just me?)

You no longer have fun dressing up in the morning, it's now a chore to make sure you don't wear the same thing twice in a week. YIKES!

You don't hate the young adult road, but you do not love it either.

Whatever your reasoning might be to look at yourself as a young adult, you are supposed to grow up through this sometimes questionable journey and make the best of it and enjoy the ride.

Fill in the blank: "You Know You're Becoming a (Young) Adult When...."

P.S. There's still time to enter the $250 Starbucks Gift Card Giveaway! Enter right here. 

$250 Starbucks Giveaway

I have been hinting at throwing a giveaway on my blog throughout a variety of previous posts. Since I decided to improve my blog this year after pretty much abondoning it while I was working on other projects and what not.

Regardless, it truly makes me happy to get back into the blogging community and the best way to do that is by hosting a giveaway with several other awesome bloggers. So, here's to spring, blogging, and the love of coffee! Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hosted by: Jenn's Blah Blah Blog // Simply Sinova // LABELTWENTYNINE // All That's Glittered // Memoirs of a Clueless Woman // Lush to Blush // The Eternity Journal // The Queen Life // Orange Marigolds // Parenting Healthy // Brewing Insights // K O T F W | Blog // Here We Go Again Ready  ♥ Giveaway organized by: Oh My Gosh Beck! 

Giveaway ends 5/8 and is open worldwide. The winner will be notified via email.

Are you a blogger who wants to participate in giveaways like these to grow your blog? Click here to find out how you can join a totally awesome group of bloggers!