We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Maricia Johns a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Maricia, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you tell us the backstory behind how you came up with the idea?

I loved magazines, newspapers, anything that talked about women’s health, fashion, careers, and more. As I got older, the magazines stayed the same or became too old. They weren’t talking to me anymore. So I decided there were a lot of women like me who wanted to discuss things that pertained to us. So I created “thisisyourbestyear” which is for and about women of a certain age–proving you are never too old to do you. We are valuable.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?

When readers engage with something that is written on the website, or through social media, it makes me happy. I feel that I have created a space for women of a certain age. I am proud when other creators submit information for my readers to share.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

One of the biggest lessons I have had to unlearn as a lifestyle blogger is the idea that everything has to look perfect to be valuable.

The backstory behind that mindset came from what I was consuming. Social media made it seem like everyone had it figured out.

I care about quality and creativity, but I no longer chase perfection. I focus on connection, honesty, and content that is true to me.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Building a reputation in the lifestyle space didn’t happen overnight; it has been the result of consistency, authenticity, and an understanding of my audience.

The lifestyle niche is very saturated, so I quickly realized that trying to be like everyone else would not set me apart. I focused on being real.

I stayed true to my niche while allowing room to evolve. Lifestyle blogging covers a wide range of topics. As I have grown, I have adapted and refined my content without losing the core of who I am.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thisisyourbestyear.com
• Instagram: @thisisyourbestyear
• Facebook: @thisisyourbestyear
• Linkedin: @thisisyourbestyear
• Youtube: @thisisyourbestyear
• Other: Threads–@thisisyourbestyear
  Facebook Group Page–@thisisyourbestyear