Hey there, friend! I’m sitting down with my iced coffee to chat about the month of September. I’m a few days behind on blog content (because I’ve been so inspired to create new stuff for y’all) and like September’s ‘Candidly Kristen’, October took me by surprise! I missed doing these ‘candidly’ chats to just be really real and recap the last month.
When the calendar hit ‘10/1’ I realized there’s only 3 months left of 2018! Can you believe it?! I spent some time checking out my ‘2018 Goals’, and I’m pretty proud of how things are shaping up. I just passed 50 books read in 2018, too!
RELATED: September Book Review
Being a last-semester-senior, I probably spend more time on my blog that I ‘should’, but blogging/YouTubing/being ‘Kristen Shane’ is such a huge part of me that I don’t regret all the work I put into this. It doesn’t feel like work! And this is what I love to do. This blog is my creative outlet, and this rose-colored-corner of the Internet is honestly where I feel most like myself. That’s so beautiful. And it makes my heart happy to hear y’alls responses to things I’ve been working hard on creating, like my recent pink-toned-Insta-feed and my college vlogs/videos.
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Candidly Kristen – September Coffee Chat
- September Blogging – From such a great month of blogging in August, things slowed down slightly in September, but really only slightly! I published 8 new blog posts and 9 new videos! And I love every minute of it. I’ve been working on balancing YouTube and blog and Instagram, but I think it’s coming along well, and I really appreciate your sweet comments about my new videos! I’ve been pushing myself outside my comfort zone, especially with the videos & vlogs, but it’s been really fun!
- Top September Blog Posts & Videos –
- Why I Left my Sorority
- Day in My Life: College Vlog (my first vlog!)
- Fave Products – I’ve been finding some new beauty & fashion faves so I wanted to share a few. I found the best pair of denim shorts ever. I’ve worn these nonstop this month, no shame. And also, the perfect natural pink lipstick in the shade ‘Bare Affair’!
- College Life – Another month down is another month closer to my graduation… It’s still so wild to me. It feels like college has just flown by, but I’m also excited and ready for the next chapter (even if I don’t quite know what that is yet). It’s been an adjustment this semester with my class schedule and more free time, but it’s really stressful to be applying for jobs and law school and all the ‘adulting’ things.
- Endings & New Beginnings – This technically happened in October, but I’m including it in this coffee chat so I can start fresh. This week, I made the bittersweet decision to close the doors to my Etsy shop (for now). I explained more about this decision over on my Instagram, but it’s not something I’m dwelling on. This isn’t the end of Etsy & me, just the end for now! But with closing the store, I finally started my photography page on Instagram, which is something I’ve been considering for a while and I think I mentioned it here at some point. I gave up all the reasons why I ‘shouldn’t’ and just did it. Life’s too short to live in ‘what ifs’.
- Candidly… September was still challenging mentally / spiritually, but I made progress from August. I know I say this all the time, but I’ve been learning to allow myself the space / rest / time I my body needs. We’re capable of incredible things. But I’m a pro at pushing myself harder than I need to and constantly running the race of not feeling ‘enough’. I feel like at the end of every ‘Candidly’ post I talk about how many big goals I have, but the same feels true now. With my college graduation on the horizon along with a whole new chapter, there’s so much uncertainty in my life right now. I really don’t know where God is going to take me next. I know it’s going to be awesome, but it kinda feels like I’m a kid learning to ride a bike who just got the training wheels taken off. It can be so so difficult to trust God’s plan. But I constantly remind myself that’s literally what faith is. Trust in things not seen. It seems scary and uncertain now, but I know something great will come from this. He’s never ever failed, and He wont’ start now.
RELATED: Let Go & Let God – the Bible Habit We Need to Quit

As always, you can catch up with me on Instagram and YouTube and follow along for exclusive content and more honest updates through my Newsletter below. I truly hope October is treating you well. Blessings, friend! Cheers to a new month and new beginnings.
October 24, 2018
I absolutely love that we have such different styles but I’m still in love with your content! Youre an amazing creator and provide others like me with inspo every single day. I appreciate it so much, keep up the great work girl!
If you’re ever interested in checking my work out and possibly collabing together, I would be so honored. Let me know!
xxo Bri