Hi Courtney! What’s your blog name?
Doing Twenty Something.
Where do you live?
Houston, Texas.
Tell us more about your blog, Doing Twenty Something.
I started Doing Twenty Something in 2016, a year and a half out of college, as a single girl living in Nashville, TN. After two out-of-state moves, a promotion, and a little heartbreak, I decided to share what I was learning in this entirely new season of life and adulthood. I felt this immense pressure to figure everything out on my own, and social media made it look like everyone had their lives totally dialed in. It turns out, no one did. I wanted to create an authentic space full of honesty and encouragement, where sisters could come just as they are and be reminded that they don’t have to do life alone.
Is there a unique story behind your blog name?
I named my blog Doing Twenty Something because that’s literally what I was, and still am, doing. I am learning how to “do” this phase of life; graduating from college, starting a career, getting married, I was just trying to figure it all out and wanted other women to know they weren’t alone in navigating this season.
What people don’t realize about blogging is….
It takes intentional effort! You don’t magically wake up with a perfectly curated blog one day. The writing, the editing, adding code to your website, there is so much that goes on behind the scenes.
What are three things you wish you knew about blogging before you started?
- The importance of consistency and networking.
- How to develop your own aesthetic.
- Also, all the backend technical pieces like analytics and adding HTML code, that is confusing and time-consuming!
What’s your favorite blogging memory or highlight?
The first About Me section I ever wrote for my blog back in 2016, I remember saying that there might be no one other than my mom that reads this blog. Fast forward a few months and I realized that people in other countries were coming across my blog posts. Fast forward a few years and I am now getting messages from people, oftentimes people I don’t even know, who are opening up and sharing their hearts with me because of a blog post I wrote. That is such an amazing feeling. I feel so thankful that the Lord has given me the right words to share and I know that even if just one person gets something out of my content than I am doing my job.
Give us your best tip to staying on top of the blog work/life balance?
Plan out your time, and don’t be afraid to say no. Give yourself time for career work, time for blog work, and time to just say no to technology and spend a few hours unplugged.
Instagram or Twitter?
Instagram.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
The Bachelor.
What’s one product you can’t live without?
Burt’s Bees Chapstick
Coffee or tea?
Tea.
What’s been your favorite post you’ve written or worked on?
I did a Wedding Wednesday series shortly after I got married and did a post on my Top 5 Wedding Money-Saving Secrets. This post took hours to create and I remember feeling like this post was the most “professional” looking blog I had ever put together. It was also the first time I ever offered step-by-step, easily applicable tips to my audience before, I felt excited and like what I was providing was true of value to future brides.
What’s your favorite blog-related app?
Lightroom.
Who’s your favorite person to follow on social media?
There are so many great influencers! But I love Mallory Ervin and Jenna Kutcher.
Books or Podcasts?
The older I am getting, the more I am getting into podcasts. The Goal Digger Podcast and Dave Ramsey are two of my regulars.
Favorite place to shop?
Free People.
