Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Margaret Smith.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Mary Margaret. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I began Simplydarlings after my husband and I took a trip to Europe. When we came home, I was full of inspiration and excitement, having just been around so much culture and European fashion. I wanted to share with people all the travel tips and tricks we learned as well as what I wore and packed. I started the blog talking about travel and have incorporated my love for fashion and styling clothing as well. My inspiration for the title is based on the verse Song of Solomon 4:7, “You are all together beautiful my darling, there is no flaw in you.” I want my blog to be a place where women come to be uplifted and encouraged. I hope to help women gain confidence, not only from the clothing they wear but also from their inner beauty. I want the Lord to use me in a way that builds up the inner beauty in those around me, so other women will know they are altogether beautiful based on characteristics such as kindness and compassion. The cherry on top is that they look amazing in the outfit they put together and they feel great about their style. My hope for this blog is to share things I enjoy about life with others and be a site women enjoy visiting and leave feeling refreshed and renewed.
In the midst of blogging, I am also a full-time nurse at the children’s hospital in Atlanta. It is a balance, but I enjoy both blogging and being a nurse so much that neither really feel like work. My goals coming up include more variety on my blog, expanding into more travel and home decor. I was just able to attend New York Fashion Week and it was an incredible experience! I love travel and coming home so full of ideas and ready to dive in and make my blog the best it can be!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My biggest obstacle has been having another full-time job. This comes with time management issues, balancing schedules, often feeling overwhelmed and struggling to take a break. I really have had to have some reality checks with myself and set limits. This was something I knew I would struggle with from the start, but honestly, it has gotten easier as my blog has grown. It is easier to step away because I know the DM will be there tomorrow and this time with husband, friends and loved ones won’t be there forever. The women that follow me are incredibly encouraging. One day I was feeling down about not having enough hours in the day for posting, keeping up with DM’s and had to work a 12 hours shift at the hospital. I got on my stories and was 100% real about how I was feeling and told everyone I was going to be delayed in getting back to questions and comments and the response I got was overwhelming. I am still responding to DM’s and it was over three weeks ago. There was so much love, support, and encouragement from women, acknowledging that we all struggle with time management, we are all busy and they understood and love me! Originally I thought blogging and being a nurse would be a huge disadvantage; however, I am finding it has taught me so much about myself and how to really set my priorities.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Simply Darlings – what should we know?
My business specializes in taking articles of clothing and sharing multiple ways to style them. I am known for finding affordable pieces and everyday basics. I enjoy styling new trends and encouraging women to step out of their comfort zone. I also work with different brands and inform my audience of my honest reviews of products. I specialize in fashion and lifestyle blogging and have filmed tutorials on skin care products, makeup application, and different hairstyles. I am most proud when a woman sends me a picture of herself pulling off an outfit she never thought she could and she feels and looks amazing. I re-share other women on my stories all the time because I truly believe in women supporting other women. It is the only way we will all succeed! I believe as an influencer I am set apart by the fact that I am a nurse and blogger. I try to post very practical things for everyday women, I am real about what I struggle with and will always try to relate with women and build them up on a daily basis.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
There are two qualities that are most important to my success. The first is that I genuinely love blogging. I enjoy connecting with women, sharing fashion tips with them and seeing them apply it to their lives. It brings me such joy to hear from women when they felt great in an outfit or tried a new braid and got a ton of complaints. The second characteristic is that I don’t take things too personal. There are sometimes that women can be ugly and will make comments that I really could let affect me and bring me down, however, most of the time I just let it go. I think coming from a nursing background and taking care of sick children three days a week really has allowed me to see the bigger picture. I understand that sometimes people just have a bad day or are feeling bad about themselves and just bring others down in the midst of that. Honestly, I just want to kill them with kindness and be the bigger person. These are qualities that I try to share with other young bloggers all the time, you must be confident in who you are and what you stand for or everyone will be able to influence you and you are no longer the influencer.
Contact Info:
- Website: simplydarings.com
- Email: simplydarlingsblog47@gmail.com
- Instagram: simply_darlings
Image Credit:
KVCPhotography.com
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