Well with Arielle Lorre - 82: Talking Beauty Tips, Motivation, Dating + Relationships and more!

Episode Date: November 4, 2020

In this episode I take listener questions and talk about my best beauty and skincare tips; living in LA vs. NYC; current exercise routine; how to stay motivated with my lifestyle and commitments; a day in the life; and modern dating and relationships.   www.blublox.com with the code BLONDE for 15% off your order www.FXChocolare.com with promo code BLONDEFILES for 20% off your first order www.publicgoods.com/BLONDEFILES to receive $15 off your first order www.Nurish.com to take a 5-minute assessment and receive a supplement recommendation tailored specifically for you!   Produced by Dear MediaSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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Sovoo-Ur Sonderger Go to your Reisadviseur Orsonicars.combe The following podcast is a Dear Media production Hey, welcome to the Blonde Files podcast. I'm your host, Ariel Lorry, and I'm here to talk all things wellness. From how to achieve optimal health and well-being to the best beauty tips and everything in between, no topic is off limits.

I know there is so much information out there, so I'm here to help you navigate it all and live your best life. Thanks for listening. Let's get into it. Okay, welcome to the show. It has been a minute. since I've done a solo episode, so I figured it was time. My life really has not been that exciting because of, you know, the thing. But I have to say that getting away to New York for a few weeks was so needed, so, so, so needed. Wow. By the time this airs, it was like a month ago, and I'm going again in a few weeks, so that's great. But I just really needed space and time alone and different weather and see my family and just like break out of the house, you know? And I got to meet a bunch of you guys out and about. So that was amazing and hilarious. Shout out to Taylor.

Taylor came up to me when I was eating with my husband and parents at Fairfax and said she was a big fan and whatnot. And like as an afterthought turned to Chuck and said, I mean, you're great too. It was just so funny. I was dying. He thought it was adorable. Usually it's people coming up to him. So that was very life affirming. Thank you, Taylor. But anyway, yeah, it was just such a good break. I just felt like I was breaking out of California. Like I was doing something wild and crazy. I know that people have been traveling as some restrictions have lifted, but my husband has not been down, probably because he's more vulnerable and he's back to work now on six shows. So he can't really go anywhere. But you guys know my love for New York. It was so nice to be there. And it just makes me

appreciate L.A. so much more. And I had you guys send in questions for this episode and quite a few people asked me about the differences between New York and L.A. and why I like one over the other, if I like one over the other and all of that. So I don't know. if this is interesting or relatable at all, but so many people asked me. So I don't know, maybe people are just kind of curious if they don't live in one or the others. So I do have to say, I think part of it is a grass is greener thing. I just want to be wherever I'm not and I want what I don't have or I don't want what I do have and I want different and all of that. That is my baseline. And as you know, I make a conscious effort to be present and to be in gratitude and just try to appreciate

right here right now, but it's still kind of in my nature to be dissatisfied. So when I'm in L.A., I want to be in New York. And when I'm in New York, well, I guess when I'm in New York, I also want to be in New York, but I do miss L.A. So I usually get to a point when I'm ready to come back. But as for differences, L.A., if you haven't been here, it's just, it's like a caricature of a place. It's so different from like quote unquote normal life in other places. But when you're in it, you lose perspective. And it's like, yeah, for sure, I'm going to wake up and I'm going to meditate with my crystals and do a sound bath for an hour and then go to yoga. And then I'm going to go get my macha and my vegan, grain free, gluten free, sugar free, soy free, salt free, oil

free, air muffin. And then I'm going to go see my spirit. guide and then I'm going to go hike and then go get some Botox and then I'm going to go get a green juice and then I'll meditate again and then I'll get my mushroom coffee at Airwan and you know, blah, blah, you get it. And at the end of the day, you've spent nine hours in your car. So I know people are listening like probably thinking reality check. People live in L.A. and don't do that. And I'm actually one of those people right now because all I do is school, which is a totally different tangent, but you get it. I mean, they don't call it la la la. land for nothing. It's just so easy to be here and to kind of detach from reality. Also, and this is a

totally separate issue, but there's so much pressure here to look perfect. And that can really mess with your head. And I don't notice it until I leave. And I talk to one of my friends who's a plastic surgeon, who's elsewhere in the country. And he always calls me out when I'm like spiraling down into a rabbit hole of like needing to get a facelift or something. And yeah, some of this is clearly my own stuff, but this is just my take on it. And conversely, New York, at least to me, is just more real. You just walk outside and you're like, in the middle of life, anything can happen. I love walking everywhere. People don't look like clones of one another. And I'm probably biased based on where we live in the city. But there's just kind of this feeling of like diversity and

everyone is in it together. And there's kind of a camaraderie, like with completely. strangers because you're all doing it together. So that's that, that's my comparison. I know not relatable, but so many people asked. So Q&A time. So this is going to be totally random and probably jumping all over the place to different topics. But since I mentioned aesthetics, I am going to start with beauty questions first. So somebody asked what procedures I do for anti-aging. And and my skin care. So when I got sober, let's just say I did not have a youthful glow. Just put it that way. I never protected my skin from the sun and I smoked and drank and did drugs. And it was just not pretty. So skin-wise, first and foremost, sun protection, SPF every day. I use LTA MD. And then I also use tinted

moisturizer with SPF, either juice, beauty, stem cellular CC cream, or Laura Mercierge oil-free, whatever it is, tinted moisturizer. Of course, Botox also did wonders. And currently, I make sure I'm using exfoliating acids. So glycolic and salicylic a few times a week, at least, I used prescription tretanone, which was a game changer for texture and tone. I am no skin care professional, but I really, I mean, every dermatologist, every skincare expert has recommended it to me, and I finally took the leap during quarantine when, like, I could go through that kind of rough patch, and, whew, I am glad I did. So good. And then I also use a variety of serums. I got off moisturizer and exclusively used serums. So that has all been huge for me. Procedure wise, I've been

pretty conservative. I'm doing fraxil soon and clear and brilliant. But other than that, the only laser I've done is profound RF, which is radio frequency microneedling. It's great for tightening. But the main things at this point, honestly, are SPF, staying hydrated, good sleep, which is not happening for me right now, and it's showing. Tretanoin, exfoliating, and serums. Okay, there were a lot of questions about a day in the life and how I balance everything

and productivity hacks. So to be totally honest, it's been a lot. And most days, I feel like I'm drowning. But then I do well in a test where I get good feedback from a professor and it's worth it. But right now, it's just, I'm in the middle of midterms. I'm waking up at like 4.30 every morning, stressed out. And I'm just probably trying to figure it out like you are. But what I try to do is wake up at 6.3. 30, meditate and do my morning readings. And all of that takes me about 20 to 30 minutes, 15 to 20 minutes for meditation, 5 to 10 for reading. And admittedly, I check my social media. Sorry, it's like checking my email at this point. And it's a bad habit, but I have bigger fish to fry, you know? So I do all that. Then I work out. And as far as workouts go, this is surprising to some people, but I'm doing BBG again.

I know hell has frozen over, but the new zero equipment program is amazing. I just, I found old BBG to be too repetitive and a lot of jumping. And this format is different. So it's fun. And people have asked me how my body is responding. And I have to say very favorably, that's not why I'm doing it. But it's interesting because before when I was running around all day, every day, I really could not handle high-intensity exercise on top of the running around. I was just so depleted of energy. You know, it showed in my body. I was inflamed. So that's when I got really into Pilates. Now, when I'm sitting, like 85% of the day, I need somewhere to just dump all my energy. Otherwise, I get so tense and anxious. So I find that really exerting myself in the morning feels so good.

and actually I feel much leaner now than I've been in a while. So that's the key, though, anyway, when it comes to working out, right? We have to find something that we enjoy and just do that and do that because then we'll keep doing it. But I will say, I usually don't really feel like doing it. I know it's going to make me feel good, but I usually start to come up with excuses and all of that. but there's like a sweet spot. So like 12 minutes into the workout, then I start feeling like doing it. Then I start to feel into it. So I just show up and I get it done. So if you feel like you have the energy but you're just kind of making up excuses, just do it and you will get into it at some point. I am logging 12 hour days in front of the computer again. And you know I would not dare do it without my blue blocks. Seriously, there are. have been a few days here and there where I don't wear them for whatever reason, and I really feel the eye strain and the effects of that as the day goes on. So blue blocks is the leader in all things light therapy. They make my favorite glasses that you see me wearing all the time, which are

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get shopping help with our damn goods episodes where we review the latest products hitting store shelves to let you know what's actually worth your money. Listen every Wednesday to Breaking Beauty podcast. So I work out, I shower, then I get to work and I am still trying to find the best way to balance everything, but I try to really heavily load up my Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. so that Thursday, Friday, and the weekend isn't like so, so intense. So I spend like three to four hours a day on my math class, sometimes a little more, maybe two hours a day on biology, sometimes more, a couple hours a day on Instagram work and the podcast. And then I do my English lit writing at night. So I do like two hours after dinner. Every day is different, but that's most

days. And I also make sure I get a long walk in there, if possible, like 45 minutes to an hour for sanity. A lot of days that doesn't happen, and it's like 20 minutes, but I really have to get outside, get some fresh air, and just move around. So that's my day, more or less Monday through Friday. The weekend, I make sure to see friends, but I'm also doing homework or catching up on workwork than too. It's just a little bit lighter of a load because I really try, like I said, to like really load up my Monday through Wednesday. So I just have to remind myself of my goals because it does get super tedious and right now I'm in the absolute thick of it and it's hard to imagine that it's ever going to be over. I am finding that my second meditation in the afternoon,

which is part of TM, which is what I've been doing for a few years now, really, really helps to reset my brain. It keeps me from feeling too overwhelmed and it's just, life-changing. I won't get into it because I've done podcast episodes on it, but that second one is like, who, I live for that. So people have asked about productivity hacks, and honestly, I don't really have any. I just for some reason feel like I have the work ethic right now to sit down and focus, and I don't think it's some great thing all the time. I'm seeing a lot of perfectionism, and I'm not giving myself a break, so that's something that I'm working on. I always think of this quote from Elizabeth Gilbert. She called perfectionism fear in a fur coat or fear in a fancy coat or something like

that. And that's pretty much what mine is. It's fear that if I get anything less than an A or fear that I don't do something for work perfectly, that I will somehow lose everything I'm working for or regress to the person that I was. And it's not rational, but it's there. So anyway, I digress. I just, I'm not trying to sound like I'm so amazing because I have a work ethic. A lot of it is perfectionism and I think some of it is kind of overcompensating for my life before I got sober. But then there is also good in it, of course. And, you know, I'm an adult.

So I've learned how to work. But anyway, okay, so to this point, people asked about how I find motivation or stay motivated. And I guess this is twofold because some people were referring to. to work or school and others were referring to my lifestyle. But I guess the answer can kind of be the same. And this is something I dive deeper into in an upcoming episode with Emily Sky. But as far as motivation, I don't find motivation. If I'm looking for motivation, I'm going to be looking for a long time. My husband kind of alluded to this too on his episode back in April. Like if you're looking for inspiration, good luck. No, not going to happen. I pretty much act as if and then the

motivation finds me somewhere along the way. I live a pretty healthy lifestyle because I want to feel good and I have goals and ambitions and I work hard because I want to accomplish things for me, for nobody else, but I want to accomplish these things for myself. And that's probably part of the reason why, you know, this is sustainable. If we're doing things for other people or trying to follow a certain lifestyle to look a certain way or doing something because we think we should, it's not going to last. It's not going to feel good. It's not gratifying. It's not sustainable. I really do feel like I have the somewhat unique experience of almost having lost my life to drugs and alcohol. So that definitely has, I don't know, galvanized me to live a certain way, like,

with meaning and purpose. And I think that carries over into a lot that I do. But I think anyone can kind of access that through gratitude. Like, what are you grateful for? Your life, your health, your mind, your body, the ability to think and move and exist. We can all find things that we're grateful for. So tap into that and let that fuel everything that you do. It is so much easier said than done, but it's there. So, okay, what was the question? I'm so far off in the weeds here. Okay, staying motivated. That's right. Action. So just action. Do the action and the motivation will come versus waiting for the motivation to take the action. All right. Do I have. You have a days when I'm not bothered to do anything. If so, what do I do? Yes, I do. They are few and far

between these days. I wish I had more, but I am not one to turn down a day of doing absolutely nothing. So when I was in New York, I went to dinner on a Friday night late, like dinner was at nine, got home at midnight, which, you know, for me may as well be like 5 a.m. And the next day, I literally did not get out of bed until 1 or 2 p.m. And when I did, it was only to like move to the couch. And I ordered food. I watched sex in the city reruns because they never get old. I know I'm a basic bee. And then I went to bed at like 9 p.m. It was heaven. We need those days. I am a proponent of those days. I mean, it's great to get out in nature and, you know, be one with the world and all of that. But I think we equally need to just tune out sometimes and be completely useless. Okay, I'm going to venture into

dating. People always ask me about this. And I am the absolute worst person to answer anything about modern dating or dating at all because I have an extremely limited experience with it. So my thoughts on modern dating culture, because that was part of the question, are like, holy shit, I cannot even imagine. And I think I'm very secure, but I would be reduced to nothing if I was participating in that right now. I mean, maybe that's a little extreme. But I hear my single girlfriend's stories. And I'm like, what? My friends are catches. They are gorgeous, smart, funny, successful. And they have these brutal experiences. So maybe it's not a totally accurate portrayal that I have in my head, but I don't know. It just sounds scary. I mean, I guess conversely, you have tons of people meeting online and getting married and all of that. So it definitely does work. It just seems like it would be very hard to commit in this day and age when you constantly have access to really anyone and everyone. So when I was out there in the jungle, as this person put it in their question, I have a

had the added layer of being pretty newly sober, which in some ways was hard, but ultimately it worked to my benefit, I think, because even at a year or too sober, I was pretty confident and self-assured and I knew what I wanted. The thing for me was I had a hard time discerning what I didn't want. So I would date someone who was the whole package and then some extra things that were not so good. And I wasn't sure if I should just adapt to accept these things or if I should end it, is always really hard. I dated this guy that was great on paper. He was gorgeous, successful, and he was also a narcissist. And I had to have my close friends and confidants be like, Ariel, this is actually not okay and not how somebody should act. And he's not the last man

on earth. So if you end it, you're not going to die alone. And that's the hard thing, right? I think there's this pressure. None of us want to be alone ultimately. So it can be really hard when you feel like you can't stay in it because you're not 100%. Like isn't 90% good enough? I don't know. I think in some cases, I'm sure it is, but it depends what those deficiencies are. And I was talking about this with my girlfriend recently. And we were talking about like whether you get everything from one person. And she said no. Most people. probably don't get everything from one person. And that's so much pressure to put on that person anyway, right? But are you getting the important things? So like make a list of the most important

things to you. And if you're getting those, but not necessarily getting maybe, I don't know, loves to eat salmon every single night for dinner, you're good. So anyway, back to the original question. I think at the end of the day, we just have to stay true to ourselves. Like we know, we know if something is working or not. We know if we're getting everything we need or not. We know. Don't settle. And I'm not saying the cheesy, like, don't settle for anything less than butterflies. Because just wait until you get married. But don't settle just because you're afraid of being alone. And when I wasn't having luck, in my dating days, the guys just wanted to, like, party and mess around. I just had faith that there was somebody out there for me. This episode is

is sponsored by Nourish by Nature Made. They are the number one pharmacist recommended vitamin and supplement brand. Nourish offers a monthly subscription service that is both convenient and customizable to make sure you are getting the proper vitamin intake. Backed by 45 years of science, Nourish removes the guesswork from you trying to figure out what supplements are right for you. Nourish packages are personalized and delivered right to your door. Their convenient subscription service can be adjusted, paused, or canceled at any time. Packs are

customized to your needs and they are affordable. On average, it costs less than $2 a day to get your nourish vitamin intake. So visit nourish.com, that's n-U-R-I-S-H dot com, to take a quick five-minute assessment and receive a supplement recommendation tailored specifically for you. So let's see. The final part of the question is, do I believe what is meant to be will be or do I believe in creating what will be? That's interesting. In general, I very much believe both. So when it comes to life, I totally have faith in something bigger than me. But I also believe in action. Taking action, making a move, hard work, being decisive, going for exactly what you want, all of that. when it comes to love and relationships, I don't know, I believe the universe or whatever you want to call it conspires with us to bring people together for sure. I believe in people being meant to be together and that I think some people are just perfect for one another. And I guess I believe in fate to a certain extent. I mean, some things are just entirely too serendipitous to be anything else.

else in my experience. But there are also a thousand little choices and decisions that lead up to those serendipitous moments. And I think that sometimes people who are meant to be together don't end up together and they find somebody else and that works too. But I don't know. I guess the best thing we can do, I think is be honest with ourselves, honor ourselves and our truth and follow that. and then whatever is meant to happen will follow. Okay, I get this one a lot, and it seems like everybody knows somebody who struggles with addiction or alcoholism. We all seem to be like one degree of separation away from it. So I'm going to do my best here without much context.

So somebody asked how to best support a family member or loved one with addiction. So I'm assuming this means someone in active addiction, but I'm not sure. So I guess I'll just cover both active addiction and recovery. So I mean, I don't have groundbreaking advice here, but sometimes people just need to hear from somebody who's been through it. So if the family member is in active addiction as painful as it is, I think in a lot of cases, you have to just focus on taking care of yourself and let them hit their bottom unless they are willing to get help. So I want to make clear this is not any kind of medical or professional advice. Please don't sue me.

Please consult with professionals if you're in this situation. But at least in my experience, I mean, I personally was not ready for recovery until I was at my absolute rock bottom. And everyone's rock bottom is different. Some people, it's just that they are tired of their shit, pardon my language. And for other people, it's really bad. So it's really wild. Honestly, I was as much an alcoholic at the age of 19 as I was when I got sober years later. And I always say this, but I wasn't an alcoholic because of how much I drank or did drugs. I was an alcoholic because of what alcohol did for me and how it was different for me than it was for other people. And I say this all the time, but I think it's important for people to hear. This stigma of alcoholism or addiction only happening to people who are like drinking around the clock or, you know, doing tons of drugs and not holding a job, homeless, whatever.

That is just not accurate, as I'm sure you all know. So, you know, I certainly got to that point in my life, but only because all of the times that I flirted with recovery over the course of 10 years, I was just in such complete denial that I was an alcoholic. I blamed everything else in my life for my problems and thought that I just had to like, I don't know, detox from how I was drinking to then be able to resume drinking and drink like a normal person. So all of my family's vain attempts to help me, the treatments I went to, the outpatient programs, eventually detox facilities, I may as well have had like earmuffs on because I just was not hearing the message that I needed to hear. I was not willing to look at

alcohol being the problem. I was not willing to consider giving up alcohol, any of that. So I was so lucky that my family was there at the point that I did hit bottom to intervene and get me the appropriate medical care and then get me into treatment so that I could be removed from my environment long enough for the fog to clear, long enough for me to start working on underlying issues, and to finally hear a message of recovery that landed and ultimately changed my life. So I am a proponent of treatment, but it's tough because usually the person has to want it. So it's hard to say what the right thing is to do, given any situation, because they're also different. And I think if the topic has been broached and the person is completely resistant,

to getting any help, they're not done. They're just not done. They haven't experienced enough consequences. They haven't hit their bottom. So if they are open to help, then I think the best thing to do is to get them the help and then leave it alone and again, help yourself or connect them to somebody who has resources or whatever. Alcoholism and addiction don't just affect the person who's suffering with it. It affects all of those relationships. And oftentimes there's just so much pain and resentment and trauma to unpack. So if the person is now in recovery, I think the best thing you can do is just ask them how you can support them. Some people might just want to do their thing and keep it separate. And others may want you to participate in their recovery in some

way. I know for me, my family came to my family weekends at rehab and they worked with their own therapists at the same time. Sorry, Mom and Dad, if you're listening. But I don't think it's a secret at this point. And so we all got help and learned how to move past the hurt and the pain and the trauma of the past. And then they took interest in my recovery and they actively participate in my recovery still and support me and did their best to learn about alcoholism and all of that. So it's been great. But I'm sure there are some people who just wouldn't necessarily want that. So all of this is to say, I guess, if you're able to have a conversation with your loved one or the person struggling. And if they're an active addiction or alcoholism and don't want help, you just have to

help yourself and just kind of let them run their course with it, which is so, so hard. I know how it is. I've, you know, I've been in this situation. And it's really, really tough because it's really hard to watch somebody hurt themselves. So if they do want help, there are many options. as far as treatment, outpatient programs, therapy, of course, 12-step programs everywhere. And if they are in recovery now, just ask how you can support them. If you are not in the know about public goods, well, you need to get on it. They are the one-stop shop for affordable, sustainable, and healthy household products, from home to personal care to pantry staples, all in one place.

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in marriage. How do I carve out me time and not feel guilty? It's kind of funny because pre-sobriety, of course, my relationships were so toxic, but I was so, so codependent. I made whoever I was with my higher power. I relied on them for my happiness, my sense of security, my self-worth. It was so, I was just so entangled and so over-dependent and reliant on these people. So conversely, in sobriety, I found that I'm actually super independent and I just don't really want to be smothered in a relationship. And when I met Chuck, I mean, he's married to his work, first and foremost. And he's insanely busy. And I was too. And so it just kind of worked out that way. And, you know, it's not that we live separate lives, but we have our own passions and our own lives and we

support each other in that and encourage one another. And I mean, one of my favorite things about him is his drive and passion. I like that in people. And he would say the same thing about me. I think in our podcast, he said one of the things he loves about me is that I am in his words. And he would say, indomitable. So all of that said, I have a lot of independence as it is within the relationship, and it seems to work that way. And, you know, he always says he would never want to get in the way of my dreams and goals. And if anything, he's my biggest supporter. So ultimately, it comes down to, like, how are we spending that time when we are together? How are we showing up for one another? And honestly, there are days, like currently when I'm doing school all day and have to do it

night and have a million other deadlines and he comes home from work and I want to keep doing my thing. I'm, you know, in the momentum and I have to make a conscious effort to put my stuff down, spend time, have dinner together, ask him about his day and his work and, you know, it's cliche, but with us, I guess it's quality time over quantity time because of how much we have going on. So, as far as guilt, I don't think we should ever feel guilty for taking care of ourselves and feeding our souls first and foremost because that's what makes us able to show up for other people. Anyway, so I hope I answered that. Okay, someone asked about my success story both in life and in social media. I mean, there's still so much I want to achieve, but it really has come down to a lot of hard work, staying true to myself.

and humility, honestly. I think it's still humility if you're saying that you have humility. But with social media, I started my account during a time when it just seemed easier to get noticed. And you guys know it was primarily a fitness account. And I posted tons of before and afters. And those are still huge when it comes to engagement. And at the time, they would get reposted and outlets like People magazine and Daily Mail would

pick it up and Kayla Edzinez would repost. to her like tens of millions of followers. And so I just got tons of exposure that way, a lot of growth that way. And I actually archived all of those pictures because it's just not what I'm about anymore. And it can be frustrating, though, because that kind of thing is still very much what performs with the algorithm, which, I don't know. That's a whole other issue in itself. But anyway, I had all that exposure. But honestly, I think the success that I've had in social media has come from just being honest, being vulnerable, and being myself, and having a story, sharing my story.

People really connect to that and being fallible and all of that. And I was also really consistent in the beginning. I posted a few times a day, so that helped too. Now I think it's different. I think it is harder to build a following because of saturation and because of the algorithm, like I mentioned. But it's not impossible. I think you just have to diversify across multiple platforms and have a real purpose. Know what your purpose is. And then, of course, having a cohesive brand visually is super important to me. I've always had a very specific eye. I know how things want to look. And I have people

that work for me that carry that vision out across the podcast, Instagram, my website, my newsletter, Pinterest, Facebook, all of that, my graphic design stuff, all of that. I feel like in this day and age, people are really cognizant about who they follow and who they listen to and who they watch. And we are craving this authenticity that we've completely lost in the era of social media. So it's important to bring that into whatever your content is about. And while I do think it's harder to grow, I think that there is kind of this unique opportunity now to build a following by your story, through your story, by connecting with. other people authentically. In life, again, my greatest successes have come from growing through my absolute most painful, challenging moments and taking those lessons and that growth with me

to better myself and to try to help other people who are going through the same thing. So my story and my hardships are very much a part of my personal life and my professional life and my little platform. And so again, drawing from that human experience. and that fallibility and using it to connect with other people has been the key to all of this. And then I did get a question about how to make a living as an influencer and if it provides a financially viable living or if it's just a creative outlet. So I don't want to get into specifics too much because it's a sensitive time and it can be a little absurd how lucrative it can be. But I didn't know that you could really make money with this until I had about 100,000 followers.

And I was like, wait a second, I can make money with this. But now I have management on the social media end who secures brand deals, which are usually, you know, multi-month deals that include a few infeed posts and a few Instagram stories or a real or TikTok or blog post. And these packages are much better than doing a one-off kind of transactional deal. and I don't really do those anyway. It's just better for the brand. It's better for engagement. It's better for return on their investment to build a relationship with the content creator and their audience instead of just doing like a one-off transaction. And I truly only do collaborations with brands that I use and love. And then on the podcast and advertisers buy spots in the show. And so that's how to make money there.

So honestly, I'm lucky because I have my managers at Neon Rose and the team at Deer's, media who handle all of that so I can just focus on creating the content. But if you're just starting out or you're a micro blogger, there are some great influencers to follow that help with monetizing your accounts. Maddie James is one that comes to mind, but I'm sure there are plenty if you Google it. So on that note, I have no clue how long I've been talking for, but my producer has advised me to keep my episodes short. So I think I'm going to stop there. And as always, Thank you for listening and I will talk to you guys next week. I hope you enjoyed that episode.

If you liked it and if you like the show in general, please take a second to rate, review, and subscribe. It goes a long way and it's actually the best way to support the show. Also, if you want to see more about each episode, you can head over to The Blonde Files podcast on Instagram. I'm always posting about, each episode there or over on my personal page at Ariel Lori.