XoXo, Be Who You Want to Be | Desaray
As a fellow new blogger, I am always looking out for new bloggers to team up with. I started a series/category on this blog called Goddess Revelation(GR) to relate women and dream chasers together. To inspire and share wisdom with each other. Starting this series has been such a great blessing. I have been able to connect with so many different women from different cultures and walks of life. But, recently I came across a fellow blogger that captured my attention and she's more than a curly girl beaute!
Meet Desaray Nicole of Xoxo Pineapplegal blog. This Ohio native, who currently resides in Florida, is a full time student while enjoying her time being a nurse and helping those in need. Desaray's passion for sharing her knowledge and helpful tips that she has learned throughout her career in the medical field is an important aspect of her blog. As a lifestyle blogger, she hopes that health and beauty becomes just as important to her "Pinecrew" (as she likes to call her followers) as it is to her. After strolling through her blog, I couldn't wait to hit Desaray up and interview her. She took the time out of her busy schedule, while taking tests in school and has officially joined the "GR" universe. Checkout my interview below!
"I hope to inspire beautiful people like yourself! Yes, YOU" _ Desaray
Q&A
1. Were you named after someone? No, I believe my father just really loved the name Desaray.
2. Where did the idea of "XOXO PINEAPPLE GAL" come from? Well... I absolutely love pineapples and everything they stand for (welcoming, warmth, wealth & health) so, I knew I needed to have it in the title some how. I also have really curly hair so more than likely it was up in a “pineapple”...as you can see, it just kinda fit, lol. Now the “xoxo” part is funny.. has anyone ever heard of Gossip Girl? Well, I was obsessed and watched it all the time and I loved the ring of “xoxo gossip girl” lol. So, there you have it! XoxoPineappleGal!
3. What or Who inspired you? So, many people inspire me daily it’s hard to say just one. I really get inspired from my family they’re so hard working always going after what they want no matter what. So, if I have a goal, I go after it. I wanted to blog and inspire women and I went for it. I spent months creating and bringing my vision to life. Of course other hard working women inspire me daily. I love to follow women who are empowering, creative and live out their dreams.
4. What did you want to be when you were a child? I wanted to be a pediatrician! It’s so crazy because now as a nurse I want nothing to do with pediatrics lol. To each their own but it’s defiantly not for me.
5. What were you doing before you officially started your blog ? Well, I still am a full time student and I work as a Nurse. My blog is just something I enjoy doing to express my creative mind and to get a break from the nursing world sometimes.
6. When did you gain the realization that you wanted to go into a different field for your career? When I was in high school I had the opportunity to shadow different careers. After graduating I knew I wanted to be a nurse but for some reason went to study PT instead. I have no clue why I did this but as you can see - I found my love for nursing again.
7. What has been the hardest part in developing and maintaining your brand (blog) so far? TIME! I really don’t have enough time sometimes. It's a lot to try to run a blog, be a full time student, and work as a nurse. I know that I can do it, I just need to find a happy medium and at this point I haven’t yet. This is why I’ve taken some time away from writing.
8. What would you tell your younger self when it comes to where you are now in life? Follow your own dreams, be who you want to be and don’t worry about what others think!!!!! Ughhh, lets say this two times lol.
9. What do you want to be known for? For being me, being real, being inspirational, inspiring women to empower others and live out their dreams. I really love helping others and I hope that reflects on who I am when others think of me.
10. What have been 3 key points in branding yourself so far? Staying Consistent. Being Authentic. Having Patience.
11. What advice would you give to aspiring bloggers developing their own blog brand? Go for it!!! So, many people are scared to follow their dreams because they feel that there are so many people doing it already but no one is you.
Now for some fun questions.
12. How has the blogging journey been so far and will you do youtube as well? It’s been such a fun learning experience. I’ve even learned so much about myself and pushed myself in ways that I didn’t even think were possible. As far as youtube, I don’t think I’m into that at this point it doesn’t fit my vision for my blog.
13. What brand would you love to work with and why? All I ever wanted to do was work with SheaMoisture and I got that opportunity this year as a brand ambassador! Such an amazing opportunity. Although, another brand I’d love to work with is Drunk Elephant, I absolutely LOVE their products!
14. Do you have any goals left for 2018? YES! I still have four months to go, so, trying not to be too hard on myself about it.
15. How do you keep yourself motivated and positive?
I am all about my daily devotions! I make sure every morning I speak positive about my day and live by those words. Nothing is worse than a negative mind. So, I enjoy surrounding myself by positive words and people always!
For more info visit her site @xoxopineapplegal or follow her @xoxopineapplegal