Kayla Benda, Author at Oh, Hello Living

Turning 32 | Romanticize Life with Me Vlog Ep. 13

I turned 32 a couple of weeks ago now and I’m still warm and fuzzy from it all. I take my birthday way too seriously. There was a particularly traumatic birthday in my teenage years where no one showed up. So I’ve grown to put a lot of stock into the day. Things don’t have to be over-the-top by any means. I don’t think I’m a particularly over the top kind of person to begin with. But the day matters regardless.

And my birthday this year was perfect. Friends, no fuss, lots of food. It was simple and perfection. The entire week was quite something really.

I’ve been making these romanticize daily life with me videos for a few months now and have yet to formally post about it on the blog. So here’s episode 13.

My Breakup with the Planner Community: A Discussion

I don’t know how to articulate this feeling exactly, but I’ll just say it and we can work from there. I feel like I’m not part of the planner community anymore. Blame it on COVID or grief over my father unexpectedly passing, it just feels like there’s the great divide between me and the planner community. I still plan. I know others are still planning. But the party went on without me and I’ve never been good at being fashionably late.

Go Wild is happening again and I’m honestly shocked people are going. And that shock kind of shocks me. Why wouldn’t people go enjoy their hobbies and passions? The world seemed to move on and I’m still stuck in 2019.

My sticker business is basically non-existent anymore. I started focusing on other things like my retail businesses, but the demand for stickers left almost in tandem with my supply of new designs and products. I still make stickers for myself multiple times a week, but I no longer see the point to creating new products for a crowd of crickets when other aspects of my life are more financially viable.

The new Erin Condren 2024/25 planners are launching soon and I’ll be purchasing one because I still love them, but all the hype and PR around them completely passed me by. I’m shocked it’s that time of year already. I’ve since been watching some really great preview videos to choose which planner I’m going to get. Which might have spurred this sudden urge to dust off the blog and rant a bit…

I guess I’m just feeling nostalgic. Missing who I was back in 2019 before I lost my father and gained 50 pounds. It’s like I see the planner community outside my window and they’re welcoming still and absolutely present, but I just don’t feel like I can join them anymore. I feel different. I AM different. My planners are still the same. I still decorate and purchase stickers from Wonton in a Million, but I’m on the self-imposed outskirts.

Am I ok with that? Do I want to open the window and jump back into the community? Or is my time up and I’m just holding on to the golden days of yore? It’s no longer second nature to turn on a camera to film about my planners or bring out my phone to snap a photo of a spread. Maybe I just need to come to terms with it? Maybe I’m just lamenting my woes for attention…

Or maybe there’s one other person who feels the same way. Some monumental shift in themselves away from a community they were once so entrenched in. My love and passion for planning hasn’t changed, but the rat race for views and PR samples has. I had my 15 minutes of fame and appreciated every millisecond of it, but I think it’s time to accept the person I am now and how she engages (or rather doesn’t) with a community she once so dearly loved.

10 Ways to Grow Your Newsletter This Year

Whether it’s a goal for this year or something you’ve just been meaning to work on, a newsletter is a great way to keep in touch with your customers/readers. It keeps them informed about your products, services, company news, etc. Here are ten ways to grow your newsletter and ensure that it reaches as many people as possible (in no particular order).

1. Make sure your newsletter is valuable.

The most important thing is to make sure that your newsletter provides value to your readers. This could include useful information, helpful tips, exclusive offers, or interesting content. If your newsletter is valuable, people will be more likely to read it and share it with others. Make it worth their time. I find that a lot of my readers don’t want to come to this blog every couple of days to see if anything is new. So collecting all the recent content into one email makes it way easier for them to catch up.

2. Use an eye-catching subject line.

The subject line is the first thing that people see when they receive your newsletter, so it’s important to make it attention-grabbing and compelling. Use action verbs, numbers, and keywords to grab people’s attention and entice them to open your newsletter. Make it fun. Show your personality. And use an emoji because life’s too short not to.

3. Optimize your email for mobile.

More and more people are reading their emails on their smartphones, so it’s important to make sure that your newsletter looks good on mobile. Use a responsive email design that automatically adjusts to different screen sizes, and make sure your text is easy to read on a small screen. This is something I forget to check constantly and is a goal for this year.

4. Include social sharing buttons.

Make it easy for your readers to share your newsletter with their friends and followers by including social sharing buttons. These buttons allow people to share your newsletter on social media with just one click, which can help you reach a wider audience. Plus make sure you give them a way to engage with you on other platforms. Include all of your various social links.

5. Segment your email list.

Not all of your subscribers are interested in the same things, so it’s important to segment your email list and send targeted newsletters to different groups of people. For example, you could send a newsletter with product updates to your customers, and a newsletter with industry news to your partners. I tend to write about a wide variety of subjects, so segmenting my list can help make sure people see what they actually want to see.

6. Make it easy to subscribe.

Make sure it’s clear and easy for people to subscribe to your newsletter. Include a sign-up form on your website and promote your newsletter on social media and in your email signature. I’ve put my sign-up for everywhere. Including a button at the bottom of this post.

7. Use eye-catching images and design.

A visually appealing newsletter is more likely to catch people’s attention and keep them engaged. Use high-quality images, compelling headlines, and an attractive layout to make your newsletter stand out. Take a look at the newsletters you find yourself opening and reading. What are they doing that you enjoy and what would you change?

8. Personalize your newsletters.

Use personalization techniques such as the recipient’s name and personalized recommendations to make your newsletters more relevant and engaging. Most importantly, share your story and voice. If someone has subscribed, they probably like you or what you have to say. Don’t shy away from being yourself or your brand in newsletters.

9. Be consistent.

Something I definitely struggle with, but is super important to maintain an engaged audience. Have a regular newsletter schedule that readers can come to expect.

10. Include a clear call to action.

Your newsletter should include a clear call to action, such as visiting your website, making a purchase, or signing up for a free trial. Make it easy for your audience to take the next step and follow through on your call to action. Oh look…a button…why don’t you click that and sign-up to my newsletter?

No matter what social media platform is currently popular, email won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. So create an engaging newsletter and work to continue to grow your audience. It’ll take time, but you’ll gather a list of people who are interested in your conent. Trust me.

How Do You Declutter When Your Significant Other Isn’t Into It

Waiting for “spring cleaning” never seems to work for me. Once the holidays are over I start to feel that decluttering itch. Decluttering your home can be a daunting task, especially if your significant other isn’t as enthusiastic about it as you are. It’s important to remember that decluttering is not just about getting rid of things – it’s about creating a more organized and functional space that you can enjoy. Here are some tips for decluttering when your SO isn’t into it:

Start small and focus on one area at a time.

Don’t try to tackle your entire house in one day – it will be overwhelming and may discourage you from continuing. Start with a small space, like a closet or a drawer, and work your way up to larger areas. This is also a great way to show your SO that this is something important to you.

Involve your significant other in the process.

Even if they aren’t as excited about decluttering as you are, try to involve them in the process. Ask for their input on what to keep and what to get rid of, and explain the benefits of decluttering to them. It’s important to meet them where they are though. A lot of people keep things from a scarcity mindset. They may not need it now, but what if they need it in the future. It’s vital to be open-minded and understand where your SO is coming from.

Set aside dedicated decluttering time.

Schedule specific times each week or month to work on decluttering, and stick to them. This will help you stay focused and make progress, even if your SO isn’t always available to help. Be open to trying different methods based on what appeals to your SO. Maybe you turn all the hangers around to see which clothes you wear or put everything you want to get rid of in a box and write a date to get rid of it. When that date comes, if neither one of you can remember what’s inside, it’s easier to get rid of.

Don’t get rid of things without their consent.

It’s important to respect your SO’s belongings, even if you don’t think they are necessary. If there are items you want to get rid of, talk to your significant other about it first and come to an agreement on what to do with them. What works best for me and Alex is to have clear spaces that are “our own.” We respect each other’s space and don’t project our personal desires onto them.

Use storage solutions to keep things organized.

If your SO has items they want to keep but don’t have a designated space for, consider using storage solutions like bins, baskets, and shelves to keep things organized and out of sight. This one is probably the biggest one for me and Alex. We have agreed on a number of “question free” bins that each of us gets. You can put anything you want to save in them, no questions asked.

So if you’re feeling the decluttering bug like I am, but your SO isn’t too keen on it, try these tips. They may never be 100% on board for a variety of reasons, but it’s important to communicate why it matters to you and find a common ground where both of you can be content. Happy decluttering!

5 Reasons You Should Take an ASL Class in the New Year

Whether or not you make resolutions or are more of a new year to-do list person like myself, consider adding learning ASL to your list. American Sign Language (ASL) is a rich and expressive language that is used by millions of deaf and hard of hearing individuals in the United States and around the world. Taking an ASL class can be a rewarding and enriching experience for anyone, regardless of their hearing ability. Here are five reasons why you should consider taking an ASL class:

ASL is a beautiful and unique language.

With its own grammar and syntax, as well as its own cultural norms and values, ASL is a language like no other. Learning it can open up a new world of communication and understanding. I greatly enjoyed reading and learning about the deaf community and their unique culture.

ASL can improve your communication skills.

Sign language requires you to use your body, face, and hands to convey meaning, which can improve your overall communication skills. It can also help you develop nonverbal communication skills, such as body language and facial expressions, which are important in any form of communication.

ASL can improve your cognitive abilities.

Learning a new language has been shown to improve cognitive abilities such as memory, concentration, and problem-solving. It can also delay the onset of age-related cognitive decline. Which I’m all about. Keeping up with all these changes in technology is hard enough as it is.

ASL can open up new career opportunities.

In the United States, there is a high demand for qualified ASL interpreters, particularly in the fields of healthcare, education, and social services. Taking an ASL class can help you develop the skills and knowledge you need to pursue a career as an interpreter or in a related field. I’ve always wondered what it would be like to interpret plays or concerts. Now I know it’s a lot of hard work but something I’m honestly still quite interested in pursuing.

ASL can help you connect with others.

By learning ASL, you can connect with the deaf and hard of hearing community and better understand their experiences. You can also use your new language skills to communicate with friends and family members who use ASL, or to make new connections with people who are interested in the language. Alex and I ran into our completely deaf ASL teacher a few months after our class. We were able to communicate with her and her friend and even helped transport a desk to their apartment. We would have never been able to help them if we hadn’t taken the class.

Overall, there are many compelling reasons to take an ASL class. Whether you’re interested in the language itself, the cognitive benefits, or the potential career opportunities, learning ASL can be a rewarding and enriching experience. Plus it’s fun to sign to Alex across a crowded room and know exactly what each other is saying.

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