My Year In Review 2016 & Eco-Update 5

Another year coming to a close and here's a recap of what 2016 was like for me followed by my top blog post for the year.

THE GOOD: Vegan Bruh & Kimberly Elise Feature

I started a new Vegan Bruh feature. A feature that highlights a black male perspective on what it's like being a vegan. The feedback has been pretty positive and I'm excited to see where it goes.

A rep from Kimberly Elise (a website dedicated to natural beauty, wellness, and healthy living) reached out to me to review her natural hair book Curly Halo. I also had one of my recipes featured on Kimberly Elise's website.

THE BAD: When Collaborations Go Wrong

Me: Once it hit me that I was dealing with someone who is DISHONEST

Some of you may know that I played a MAJOR role in getting black minimalists twitter chat established and as of April 2016, I'm no longer a part of it. You can read about how it all started here. I'd be lying to myself if I say I wasn't hurt by this experience. Access have been taken away but the one thing that wasn't taken away is my VOICE.

What upset me the most is the fact that when we first spoke on the phone that I initiated, I made it very clear that we communicate EVERYTHING with each other regarding the direction we wanted to take it. That would have been the perfect time to say what was needed to be said and also give me the option if I wanted to move forward or not. But nah... BETRAYAL was a much better option. When I saw how the tone of the messages/texts I was receiving went from friendly to un-friendly, I knew somebody was no longer going to be a part of it. Guess who the lucky person was? It's a lesson learned and I'm sure I'll look back at this one day and say THANK YOU!

I learned that you can be in the same niche, have common interests, collaborate on each others blog, and still be used for their own personal gain. I've read articles and joined in on countless chats about finding your tribe, trusting the process, and so on. I did all of that and here I am with an amazing update on how it all turned out. This won't discouraged me from collaborating again because I still believe in doing that. I'm just more wiser with who I collaborate with.

MY GREEN THUMB: Growing My Own Herbs

I started growing my own herbs. I started out with chives, basil, parsley, and oregano. *Sigh* the only herb I'm having success with is basil. But I'm going to try again with the others.

GREEN BEAUTY: Switching To All Natural/Organic Makeup

I make my own skincare products. I've been doing so for a few years and I haven't bought any commercial products since. Once I started having some success with it I decided it was time to start using all natural/organic makeup products. It made sense for me to do so.

After I cleared out my makeup bag I made the transition. Starting with my lip products. You can check out My Lipstick Story where I start the commitment to seeking out quality non-toxic cosmetics.

CLUELESS TRAVELS: Cruisin'

I took a cruise earlier this year and I think I'll be doing more of them. This was my second time and definitely worth trying again. I have a few upcoming trips planned and I'm looking forward to some of the destinations.

To all those who made fun of me, used me for their own personal gain, and told me I ain't sh!t. I thank you for the "encouragement". I'm not perfect and I'm a work in progress. I've hurt people and people have hurt me. To keep this cycle going is exhausting. This is a journey and there has definitely been some major bumps in the road. But I'm still standing.  

Here are the top blog post by category for 2016

Features:
Green Light- Addie
Vegan Bruh- Amahl

Clueless Reviews
My Transition To (Almost) All Natural/Organic Makeup

Meatless Dish:
Smoked Carrot Dog

Health News
"Clueless" Health Benefits Of Cloves

My (Clueless) Hair
Cuban Twist Crochet Braiding

DIY
Terrarium Herb Planters

Uncategorized
How I Went From Having Multiple Credit Cards To One

Running
Fit Foodie 5K

My Favorite Post
My 52 Week Money Challenge Experience (Join me via Twitter for a 2017 version of this challenge) Here's what you can expect

The Journey STILL Continues.....