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Classy & Confused, Round 2

I’ve had an insane year. Like a become a part time fitness instructor, move to a new apartment, change jobs, lose a job, and get married type of insane year. When things started to get really crazy, I made the decision to take a step back from my blog, Classy & Confused. I realized I had been putting so much emphasis into wearing the right things and going to the right places, that I planned my life around creating content instead of creating content about my life. I can’t fully explain to you how tough it can be on your self-esteem when even the simplest things need to feel “picture perfect.” I felt really lost and also really terrible about myself basically alllllll the time.

Don’t get me wrong, I adored blogging and I loved what I had built in Classy & Confused, but it no longer felt authentic. Which sucks. I started to allow my value to be based off of likes and blog visits and I knew I needed to take a step back. I had let myself put more emphasis on my image than on my thoughts and words, which is something I never wanted to do. And then life got crazy and so many amazing (and terrifying) changes started hitting me and I wanted to share them all with you, but I just couldn’t. I felt like a fake. Imposter syndrome is a very real thing people! And I was suffering, hard.

So I when my blog came up for renewal and I was faced with the financial and emotional cost of what I had built, I knew it was time to step back and just live for a while. I truly believe that giving myself time away from my blog (and social media for a while) was one of the best things I could have done for myself. Even though it felt like a really rough breakup at the time, it gave me the ability to miss writing for myself and sharing all my favorite things with you.

Writing is one of my true passions in life and blogging is one of my favorite ways to express that passion. Classy & Confused feels like an old friend now, and I am excited to be back with her. I can’t wait to start sharing my sometimes classy and most definitely confused life with you again and I hope you enjoy every post along the way.

Always Classy & Confused,

MGW

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How to Make Money Freelancing

At this point in my life, I basically freelance full time. I also have a retail job (yay Lululemon) and a job working the front desk at a local barre studio (yay Barre3), but my main source of income is from freelancing jobs as a social media manager and blogger. Freelancing is something you can choose to do full time or you can use it as a side hustle. The beauty of it is you are able to choose what jobs you take on and how much time you devote to your freelancing ways. Right now, I have four clients and I would say they take up about 25ish (sometimes more) hours of my week. I am still taking on and looking for more clients (so if you need social media help, hit me up) and have started testing out ways to automate different parts of the job I do for each client to free up a little bit more of my time. Once I get a perfect system worked out there, I will let you in on all the tools I use (and the tools I don’t). 

But in this post I wanted to take the time to help you get your freelance on! 

First (and most importantly), you need to figure out what you are good at/enjoy doing. Are you great with social media? Do you have a knack for graphic design? Do you write great blogs? Can you create a working ebay or shopify store? Think about your skills and what you wouldn’t hate doing every day. If you are a great writer but hate writing, maybe don’t try to freelance based on that skill. If this is going to work for you, you have to enjoy it. 

Once you have an idea of what skill/services you can provide, you need to figure out how much they are worth. This is where Google comes in handy!! See what people offering your service are charging and what people looking for your service are willing to pay. Price can get tricky because at the end of the day, this is your time we are talking about. You can absolutely never get it back, so don’t sell yourself short. I think when you are starting out, it is definitely okay to charge a little less as you gain experience and a client base, but set your limits on how little you will accept and stick to them. 

Decide how much time you can give to your clients. If you only have an extra 5 hours a week and want to do some side hustling as a social media manager, don’t take on a ton of clients that you can’t really give your time to. I know that seems like common sense, but when you start looking for work, it is hard to remember how much time you actually have to give. Figure it out before you start your search. Really look at how much the clients you find need and then seriously ask yourself if you have the time to give it to them. 

Get the necessary tools of your trade. Don’t hire yourself out as a photo editor if you don’t own a single photo editing software. All I needed to start my freelancing work was my cell phone and my laptop. Depending on what you decide to offer, you might need more than those things. Make sure you have what you need, but also don’t go crazy with buying gadgets and software and supplies before you start to gain clients. Get the bare minimum of what you need and then add to it once you have some money coming in from your work. 

Make your intentions known!! If you have social media, make a post about what services you offer. Encourage your friends and family to share your post or at least let them know what type of work you are looking for so they can pass things your way. I know it can feel weird and embarrassing to put yourself out there in this way. It was one of the things I look forward to doing the absolute least. Buuuut it actually helped me get a client that I am so excited to be working with, so I’m thankful that I put my freelance status out into the world. 

Start looking for work. There are so many ways to try and find work. For my social media business I literally message small businesses on facebook and offer my services to them. It feels weird at first, but it has actually helped me gain clients and make connections I never would have made if I had just waited for work to come to me. I also use UpWork to find work! Their platform allows you to search for the exact type of job you want and how much you want to get paid for it. Fiverr is similar to this. To be honest, I haven’t had any luck on Fiverr and would recommend UpWork over it any day, but maybe it will work for you! You can also look for jobs on Indeed or Linkedin.

Once you start getting some leads, offer to send proposals! This not only helps you get a good idea of the scope of work and the time it will take you, but it gives potential clients a better understanding of you and your services. It is also hella professional. I use Canva (it’s free) to make my proposals. 

Don’t expect a yes from every proposal you send out. I would highly suggest taking the time to understand why a client said no. Were your prices too high? Were you not offering what they needed? Whatever it is, do your best to learn from it. 

I hope these tips help you land your first freelancing gig! If you need more help or advice, please reach out to me! This is uncharted territory and it can feel really lonely at first, but I am definitely here if you have questions or just need someone to vent to. 

Also, check out my top books for personal growth as you travel along this freelance journey! http://classyandconfused.com/2019/11/09/my-top-6-books-for-personal-growth/

Always Classy & Confused,

MGM

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My Top 6 Books for Personal Growth

So, I have started my own social media management company. I promise to do a full post explaining all that comes with that once I decide on a name. But until then, I wanted to share with you some amazing books that have helped me not only on this journey through freelancing and building a business (so crazy), but also in my life in general. I recently posted a picture of a book I had read on my facebook and I had a lot of people message me asking about it and saying they wanted to add it to their reading list! And while that book (Work Party) was a huge catalyst for change in my life, it wasn’t the only book that has helped me along. So here are my top life books and a few I plan to read next! Also, I love listening to inspirational/self-help books because then it feels more like a pep talk. If you aren’t an audiobook person, I would recommend giving it a try at least once! It really feels like a friend or advisor is speaking directly to you about how to pull yourself up and get your sh*t together.

Work Party-Jaclyn Johnson

So I was actively listening to this book when I made some life changes and I am 100% positive if I hadn’t been listening to it, I wouldn’t have been able to handle things the way I did. I started this book thinking, this isn’t for me, I don’t own my own business. But by the time I ended this book I was full time freelancing and realized it isn’t just for those people that decide to go for it and build a business or side gig. This book is full of great advice for women or millennials in the work force. It has sections on how to negotiate salary, how to move past imposter syndrome, and just how to have a “work party” every day and not hate your job or life. Jaclyn herself reads the audiobook to you and it feels like a close, but stern friend is helping you navigate both work and life issues.

Girl, Wash Your Face & Girl, Stop Apologizing- Rachel Hollis

Rachel Hollis is an inspirational powerhouse and both of these books will pump you up to be your best self. Between the two of them, Rachel leaves no self-sabotaging stone unturned. She leans into the imposter syndrome you might be feeling about any aspect of your life and helps you rise above the feeling that you (or your business) aren’t good enough. I cannot recommend these books enough and I can’t wait for her next one to come out!

Eat, Pray, Love- Elizabeth Gilbert

This one might be kind of cheesy and like a “duh” book to add to this list, but I really found a lot of inspiration in this book. While the other books on this list mainly speak to you, the reader, this book is just Liz taking you on her adventure to find herself. There are times in the book where I was so annoyed with her and times when I loved her and connected deeply with her. She truly shows you herself and I think that is an important thing to see when trying to figure out your own self. And yes, there is a movie, but I promise you, you will not get the same takeaway from the movie as you will actually reading (or listening to) Liz’s words.

The Universe Has Your Back- Gabrielle Bernstein

I am currently in the middle of listening to this book and have been using it more as a daily meditation/life guide than as an actual book to read for enjoyment. There are lots of points where Gabrielle encourages you to think of things and apply her words to your own life. I always pause the audiobook at these points and typically get lost in my own thoughts stemming from the prompt she provided. It really makes you think and look at your own life, which I think is always a good thing.

You Are a Badass- Jen Sincero

This book literally jostled me awake. It was the first self-help book I had really ever listened too and I came across it right after watching The Secret on netflix, which is all about manifesting the things you want in your life. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It is one of those books I want to buy for my friends and family and pass out at holiday events! If you are looking for a different perspective in your life, or are just looking for something that speaks into the positive perspective you already have, this is the book for you.

Have any good suggestions on what I should read next? Leave a comment below!

Always Classy & Confused,

MGM

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Free Google Home Mini with Spotify

Y’all, you can get a free Google home mini with your spotify subscription right now. Like even if you already have Spotify. I know, I know, sounds scammy, right? I felt the same way! That is until I got our new Google home mini in the mail. Want to get one too? Read on dear friends, read on!

  • Bop on over to Spotify’s homepage
  • Then you can choose to sign up (if you haven’t already) or click the “Get your Google Home Mini” link if you’re already a Spotify member
  • You’ll get a little code to redeem in Google’s online store
  • AND THAT IS IT!

I am adding some Google home items and compatible devices below in case you want to grow your sweet little Google home collection. Also, don’t wait on this deal! It will only go until supplies last.

Always Classy & Confused,

MGW

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Shop Classy & Confused

Some of my favorite things from Kate Spade right now

The makeup I use daily

All the funky fall clothes I have my eyes on

Brown boots for all the seasons

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Fall Winery Visit

Fall is so here! Nothing gets me hyped like friggin’ fall! I love the weather, the smells, the colors, the pumpkin spice, the cozy clothes, the food, and the excitement of Christmas being right around the corner. This past weekend, I went to a winery with a few friends to peep some leaves and enjoy an apple cider flight! It was perfect. The winery was cute (and packed!!!) and the cinnamon apple cider was delicious!

After that hardcore fall activity (we took pictures with pumpkins), I naturally thought our own home needed more of a fall makeover too. So I gathered together a cornucopia of seasonal goods to share with y’all.

I think these mercury glass pumpkins are so pretty and would look good as your decor year round. I also love fall, so I might be a little biased! 

I use trays on everything. We have one on our coffee table and on our dining room table. They just make everything look a little bit more pulled together, without you having to put in a lot of decorating effort. Just add a candle, a plant, and maybe a mercury glass pumpkin and you have yourself a perfect little centerpiece. 

I saw my mother in law wearing a sweater like this the other day and it just looked so dang cozy! 

A pumpkin colored turtleneck? Yes, please! This comes in other colors too if you aren’t feeling the pumpkin vibes. 

I love how warm and versatile cardigans can be! I think this one is the perfect mix of fall colors and would look super cute with a white tank top and some jeans.  

PSL jammies, enough said. 

Always Classy & Confused… and obsessed with fall,

MGW

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Xeomin Injections at Sedalia Aesthetics

I am a firm believer that if you don’t like something, you should try to change it. I can’t say I was always this way. I definitely have spent a lot of time thinking that things are just the way they are and we just have to hope for a change instead of actually make it ourselves (more on that later though). So, when I started to see this tiny wrinkle form in between my eyebrows I freaked out a little bit and wanted so badly to change it. I’m not afraid of aging, I just want to throw that out there. I didn’t make this decision out of fear or anything like that. I did it purely because I wanted to change it.

I know exactly how the aforementioned wrinkle was formed. You see, when I focus in on something, like really, really focus, I bring my eyebrows together so fiercely I could hold a dang piece of paper in the chasm I make. It is deep. It is intense. And let me tell you, it gives me the worst headaches ever. As a writer and a millennial in general, I spend a lot of time staring (squinting) at my computer or phone. It isn’t that I can’t see and need glasses, it’s just that I have a very serious focus face. I focus face when reading, I focus face when driving, I focus face when cooking sometimes because I’m not that great at it.

To sum it up, the focus face gives me a headache and worsens the wrinkle.
So, I started researching how I could make it go away (mainly because of the headaches). I tried blue light filtering glasses, mid-day head massages, over the counter pain meds, essential oils, and anything else I could think of. Nothing really worked and the focus face lived on. The solution that kept popping up that I was a little bit wary of was injections. Like Botox or Xeomin injections. And at first I was like meh, hard pass, I’m not old. But the more research I did, the more this seemed to be the solution I was searching for.

I read about injections for migraines and what could happen if you got these types of injections in your twenties. I watched video after video and finally made the decision that this was what I wanted to do.

I’m giving you this intro because I don’t want anyone to think I randomly saw a small wrinkle and the next day made an appointment to have my forehead frozen. I thought about this a lot before committing to having it done.

I started shopping around for prices and looking at the reviews of medical spas in my area. I wasn’t sure if I wanted Xeomin or Botox, so I wanted to find a place that offered both. My mother-in-law works at Sedalia Aesthetics in Sedalia, MO and I had gotten a facial and countless spray tans done there before. But, this is my face we are talking about here, so I still checked all their reviews before deciding that I could trust the owner, Michelle with the task. Michelle is an RN, which made me feel very comfortable (like if I pass out, she’s got me!!). We talked about my goals (buh bye focus face) and what would be best for me to achieve them. She chose Xeomin for me, which is very similar to Botox, but produced by a different company.

I didn’t need to do anything special before my appointment, I just showed up! We went into one of their private rooms and I sat down on the chair as she got everything ready. I told her I was a little nervous and she offered to play music for me. (Injectibles playlist coming later, for sure) She cleaned off my makeup around the area and sanitized it with a wipe. I then proceeded to move my hair and touch my forehead, so she had to sanitize again… whoops! Michelle had me make my focus face for her and then she got to work injecting the Xeomin. For anyone who is afraid of the pain, it is comparable to plucking an eyebrow hair. The prick kind of hurts, but the pain is gone very quickly. The entire process took maybe 2 minutes. It was so quick and easy! After, I got an ice pack to hold on the area and felt totally fine.

I did have a little bit of a headache as the day went on, but after sleeping, that is totally gone. Michelle gave me instructions for after-care which was really just don’t lay down for four hours and don’t work out. Something that was surprising to me when I started doing my injectables research was that you don’t see the results immediately. It can take a few days to see the full results, so I can’t give you any crazy before and after pictures just yet.

Even though it has only been a day since I got the Xeomin, I can already tell you I am really happy with my decision. I felt comfortable during the whole experience and know that I can reach out to Michelle if I have any questions or concerns. I am super excited to continue going to Sedalia Aesthetics and can’t wait to be able to share it with all of you!

Always Classy & Confused,
MGW

You can check Sedalia Aesthetics out online at https://sedaliaaesthetics.myonlineappointment.com/Home

Or on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/sedaliaaesthetics/

Link to my jacket https://amzn.to/31oJiOF

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Kylie Jenner by KKW Fragrance Review

So, I bought perfume online. Like I didn’t smell it at all, I just read the description and thought, sure, let’s try it! And I promise you, I am not this type of person. I like to heavily research any beauty product I buy and testing things out before I spend money on them is important to me. But the other day I spritzed my last little bit of perfume and knew I needed to start searching for my next scent.

I recently invested in the latest season of Keeping Up With the Kardashians because I love them and feel no other explanation is needed. After watching Kim live her life for a few episodes, I felt compelled to check out her fragrance line and see if maybe that was where I would find my next scent. The only issue was that I couldn’t actually smell before buying, I just had to trust that Kim Kardashian West had good taste in perfume. I am pleased to say that yes, she does.

My shopping criteria was something around the $40 mark and would be good for cooler weather. What scents are good for cooler weather? I don’t know, but I just felt like I would know them when I read them. After reading every single description on the KKW Fragrance website I came upon the Nude Lips. The Lips line are the Kylie Jenner and KKW Fragrance collaboration that I am sure you have seen all over social media.

Here is the Nude Lips description straight from the website:

VANILLA AMBER MUSK

INSTANTLY EXPOSED. TONE-ON-TONE BOUQUETS OF MAGNOLIA, JASMINE, AND PEONY ARE DRENCHED WITH WARM, SOLAR SPICES AND BARELY-THERE LILY OF THE VALLEY. MELTED TAHITIAN VANILLA IS LUMINIZED WITH SUPERFINE AMBER CRYSTALS AND SKIN MUSKS FOR THAT LINGERING ON THE SKIN FEELING.

OPENING: SOLAR SPICES, LILY OF THE VALLEY
HEART: NUDE MAGNOLIA, JASMINE, PEONY
FINISH: TAHITIAN VANILLA, VIBRANT AMBER, MUSK

The price was right at $40, which worked with my planned budget. I hoped over to Ulta (because, cashback!) and decided to just try it out. It just came and omg. I cannot believe how much I actually like it. I usually think that celeb perfumes smell kind of cheap and meh, but this is not that at all. I’ve compiled a list of five things I think it smells like to help you get an idea of this scent.

  1. A grown up version of Bath and Body Works Warm Vanilla Sugar. Like a sexier, I have more than $18 in my bank account version.
  2. Comforting. I think the vanilla and light floral notes are feminine without being overly feminine so it just smells warm and comforting. Kind of like a hug, but from Kim Kardashian West.
  3. Not over powering. This is the kind of perfume that knows it is great and doesn’t need to throw it in your face. If it were a woman, it would be the type of woman who is superior to you but instead of flaunting it, just tries to help you out and cheer you on.
  4. All the things from the description… at different times. At first you really smell the vanilla, but then as I keep getting whiffs of it, I start to smell more of the floral scents. It like legitimately has layers to it.
  5. Like a friggin’ bang for your buck. I will admit, the packaging is heavy. That is until I took the top off the bottle and realized most of the weight was in the top lip. Either way, I do feel like this is pretty reasonably priced for how much I love it. I will definitely purchase it again.

The bottle it came in is really cool and I actually love the look of the lips so much. I love when perfume can kind of double as decor and doesn’t look sad (or cheap) sitting on your counter or dresser. I am seriously so shockingly happy with this purchase and just really felt the need to share that with all of you.

If you want to grab your own bottle, I’ve linked the KKW Fragrances below. Also, if you want to get that cash back ($10 on your first purchase!!) here is the link to sign up! https://www.rakuten.com/r/MAGGER75?eeid=28187

Always Classy & Confused,

MGW

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St. Louis Wine Walk

I think girl time is insanely necessary. Nothing hypes me up like some time with my girlfriends! So, when Ballpark Village in St. Louis invited me and a friend to be VIPs for their STL Wine Walk, I jumped at the chance. 

I haven’t traveled to St. Louis in a few years, so this was the perfect excuse to make a weekend trip to the other side of the state. I picked up my friend Jess on Saturday morning (after a v. important Starbs run) and headed east! The drive really wasn’t as long as I had expected and we made it to our hotel with plenty of time to freshen up before walking to Ballpark Village. We were fortunate enough to get a great hotel with a view of the Arch that was also within walking distance to Bush Stadium.

Typical tourist pic with the arch

During our short time in St. Louis we managed to cram in the full wine walk (yeah, it is a lot of wine, you are correct), a trip to the City Museum (a few more drinks were had), pizza from Imos, and a ride on the mechanical bull at PBR in Ballpark Village (what do you expect after wine and cocktails?!).

City Museum
In the VIP Tent (so fun!) next to the stadium

I was really impressed with Ballpark Village and the variety of bars and restaurants they had to offer in the area! Best of all, it was all inside so we didn’t have to worry about the weather whatsoever! While I’ll always be a Kansas City fan at heart, I am definitely excited for my next trip back to STL!

Always Classy & Confused,

MGW

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Kansas City Mini-Moon

I have absolutely no regrets about deciding not to take a full honeymoon right after the wedding. My hubby completely agrees with that statement too. When we started thinking about where we wanted to honeymoon, it seemed like we couldn’t agree on anything. The honeymoon became a point of stress for us (me). We argued about it endlessly until I finally got so frustrated that I decided we just shouldn’t go anywhere. I will admit I made that decision out of spite originally, but now I am so happy we decided to just stay home. After the wedding we were both exhausted, we missed our cats and our home, and just wanted to spend some time alone, together. 

Neither one of us took a ton of time off work, which left us with just a few days to celebrate our nuptials. 

While we’ve lived in Kansas City for a couple years now, we haven’t really done all the “Kansas City” things. Having a minimoon in our city gave us a chance to really explore! It felt so good to wake up in our home on Monday morning knowing we would get to spend the entire day doing whatever we wanted together. We had no obligations or itineraries and it was amazing. We ended up sleeping in, grabbing coffee, and then heading to the Nelson-Atkins Art Museum to mosey around. Somehow, it was our first time visiting the museum! We spent a few hours marveling at the art and getting hyped about seeing work from artists we knew. (I’m looking at you, Monet.) After getting cultured, we headed to the Country Club Plaza for a late lunch at Gram & Dunn. This was another place that we had never been and it was exciting getting to experience new things in a city we both love. We spent the rest of our mini-moon time eating leftovers, watching Netflix, and playing with our cats. 

Even though it wasn’t some insanely insta-worthy trip, it was just what we needed. We both ended our staycation feeling refreshed and a little bit more ready to head back to the real world as husband and wife.

Always Classy & Confused,

MGW

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