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  • Love on the Fields: Our Romeo and Juliet-Inspired Love Story and Mountain Top Proposal

    Who wants to hear our proposal story? Of course you do, that's why you're here! So gather around, friends, and let me tell you about the time my sneaky partner, Tazz, proposed to me. It all went down on a sunny day in February 2017 when we were living it up in Japan. We'd been dating for four years, and while we had looked at rings, I had no idea what Tazz had in store for me. But let me rewind and tell you about how we first met in 2012. Picture this, it's Tazz's 24th birthday, it was a sweltering hot day in the fields, and Tazz was sweating buckets. But then, like a mirage in the desert, he spotted me in what he called my disco pants (a.k.a. my hi-vis), and his heart skipped a beat. Unfortunately, I couldn't remember his unique name when I tried to find him on Facebook, but thankfully Tazz added me, and our Facebook messaging began. Despite our five-year age gap, I felt immediately comfortable talking to this man. We spent three months working together during harvest, stealing glances and shy smiles from tractor to forklift. Our love story had a Romeo and Juliet vibe but without the tragic finale, as our families ran competing businesses. Despite the hurdles and challenges, we clung to the deep connection that initially brought us together. But like all good things, our time together ended when Tazz left for England for nine months. When he returned, he knew he had to have me (I mean dah), and he followed me to Melbourne, where I was studying at Deakin (which he adamantly denies). Fast forward four years to our 2017 Japan trip, we had been exploring and having one of the best holidays we'd ever experienced from exploring Tokyo city, Disneyland, the Golden Pavilion, Universal Studios and snowboarding, not to mention falling in a creek, but that's another story. As soon as we arrived at Mt. Fuji, I was excited to see that we would be staying at a swanky hotel instead of roughing it at backpackers like we had been doing the entire trip. I'm all for being one with nature, but a girl needs her luxuries too! And don't even get me started on the incredible (and naked) onsen experience. We decided to hop on electric bikes and explore the region. But leave it to me to ruin the romance by throwing a rock in the water and scaring my man off while he was scouting for locations. Oopsie! Even after a long day of activities, he was still determined. He suggested we take a gondola ride up Mt Kachi Kachi for a breathtaking view, and boy, was he right! The scenery was so stunning that I almost forgot about my aching legs. But Tazz wasn't satisfied with just a good view. He wanted to hike higher up, away from all the people. My first thought was, "is he crazy?" but he gave me that encouraging speech, "When will you ever be here again to see this view?" And I couldn't argue with that. As we were taking in the gorgeous scenery, he proposed walking even higher up the mountain for an even better view. I couldn't believe it, was he a mountain goat?! As we walked through the forest, Tazz asked me to turn around so he could take some pictures of me walking away, nothing out of the ordinary, but when I turned back around, I was met with the sight of Tazz on one knee, holding out a ring and asking me to marry him! Despite not being able to see past my tears and being speechless for a moment, I managed to ask, “Really” to which Tazz said, “Yes” tearing up, I then realised this was for real and managed to get out, “Ok” to which he replied, "Thank you". The moment was special, and it will forever remain etched in my memory. But the surprises didn't end there, friends. Not that it's about the ring but boy, Tazz had picked out the most gorgeous ring for me. Even though we had looked at rings together, he picked the perfect one all by himself and managed to keep it a surprise. I absolutely adore it to this day. So, that's the tale of how Tazz dropped the knee, and I said "ok" and our love is still burning hotter than a habanero pepper even after all these years. As always, until next time, keep shining like the sprinkle-covered donut you are, and do-nut forget to love and appreciate every curve, freckle or stretch mark on your beautiful body. Your self-lovin' sista, Brooke 🍩✨ Instagram

  • Instagram vs Reality: How Social Media is Faking Us Out

    Buck up buttercup, tits up, heads up, and let's fuck it up because we're about to get real real on how fake social media can truly be. Last year I was featured on Medium.com sharing the truth behind social media pictures, and I thought it was time for a refresher! Let's face it. We've all been guilty of scrolling through our Instagram feeds, ogling over pictures of our favourite influencers, celebrities, and even friends, wondering how the bloody hell they manage to look so good and have a perfect life, all the time? I mean, seriously, do they have a personal glam squad following them around 24/7? Or are they secretly blessed by the gods with flawless skin, perfect hair, and a killer bod? Well, bestie, I hate to burst your bubble, but the answer is absolutely not — respectfully. They are not perfect because no one is! The truth is, social media pictures and even videos these days are not an accurate representation of reality. They are often heavily curated, filtered, and edited to portray a certain image that fits with the persona the person wants to convey to the world. Let's be real, who would want to show up real, raw, vulnerable and unfiltered? Well actually A LOT of people, and if you're not seeing that in you're feed, it's time to reevaluate who you're following sis! The problem with being filtered The problem is this can create unrealistic beauty standards that are impossible for people to attain. We start to compare ourselves to these seemingly perfect images and feel like crap when we don't measure up. We start to believe that our worth is based on our appearance and that we're not good enough unless we look like a supermodel or the perfect airbrushed photos we're bombarded with on the daily. But here's the thing friend, we are all unique and beautiful in our own way. We don't need to conform to society's narrow beauty standards to be considered worthy or desirable. We need to work on embracing our quirks, flaws, and imperfections and realise that they are what make us who we are. So the next time you're scrolling through social media and start to feel bad about yourself, remember that those pictures are not a true representation of reality. They are just carefully crafted images designed to project a certain image. Instead, focus on loving yourself for who you are, flaws and all. Because that's what makes you, you, and there's nothing more beautiful than that. Until next time, keep shining like the sprinkle-covered donut you are, and don't forget to love and appreciate every curve, freckly or stretch mark on your beautiful body. Your self-lovin' sista, Brooke 🍩✨

  • Spilling the Tea on MAFS Australia's Vanilla Vibes: Lack of Diversity and Body Positivity

    Ok, guys and gals, grab your tea and popcorn because we need to spill the tea about Married at First Sight Australia Season 10. And no, I'm not talking about the cringe-worthy moments or the love triangles. We're here to talk about the lack of diversity, body positivity, and the show's overall realness. Let's get real here, MAFS season 10 is as diverse as a vanilla ice cream cone mid-winter. I mean, with a population of over 25 million people, Australia isn't exactly lacking in diversity. So why is it that the show's producers can't seem to catch up with the times? We're living in a world where diversity and representation not only matter more than ever before, but it's what viewers want to see! Instead, what we get is tokenism. From where I'm sitting, a small number of individuals from minority groups are thrown in for the sake of appearing diverse while not addressing the larger issue of underrepresentation. And, let's face it, tokenism is not just problematic, it's downright lazy. It perpetuates the idea that diversity is just a box to be checked off rather than a crucial aspect of representation. While we're on the topic of representation, let's talk about something I'm personally passionate about — body positivity. Many reality TV shows have been called out for their lack of size diversity, with most only featuring conventionally attractive and slim contestants. Sending a harmful message to viewers that only certain body types are deemed acceptable, desirable or worthy of love. And let's be real, this is not only damaging, but it's also so last century! Enter Amber, size-inclusive designer, model, creator of the global movement @nonairbrushedme and my good friend. She's been a vocal advocate for size diversity on reality TV and in the fashion industry and is not afraid to speak up. Amber says shows like Married at First Sight, are responsible for showcasing a range of body types, "I believe that true diversity and representation on reality TV shows can have a positive impact on society and break down harmful stereotypes. "It's time for producers to step up and embrace all kinds of diversity, including size diversity, and give everyone a chance to see themselves represented on screen." But it's not just about representation on TV. Amber has experienced firsthand the lack of diversity in the media industry. Despite being a trailblazer in promoting body positivity and diversity, she's faced numerous obstacles in her career due to systemic discrimination, which is not only frustrating but downright unacceptable. According to Amber, who appeared in Farmer Wants A Wife Season 10, she was sent home after the first episode because of her size. She claims that the producers couldn't see past her size 16 frame and eliminated her on behalf of farmer Nick, who seemed interested in her during their initial meeting. As a mental health nurse, Amber knows how damaging unrealistic body standards can be. She's seen patients with eating disorders and other mental health issues brought on by media portrayals of "perfect" bodies. That's why she took matters into her own hands and created a global movement in @nonairbrushedme, an Instagram account with over 200k followers that's all about supporting women and promoting authentic beauty in every form. It's a safe space for people to be themselves and feel supported. But she' didn't stop there! Amber is also the founder of @nonairbrushedmemgmt a modelling agency that is inclusive of ALL women! From being a follower of NAM to now being a part of the NAM family and regularly sharing diverse and inclusive content on the page to help others — I have seen first-hand how seeing people from all walks of life can change how we think about ourselves and our worth. It's a game-changer, and it's time for more people to join the movement towards diversity and inclusion. As someone who has experienced the transformative power of diverse content, I cannot stress enough how important it is to see yourself represented on screen. Representation matters! Listen, I don't pretend to think that the relationship success rate of these shows has an excellent track record, but regardless, it's time for producers to embrace all forms of diversity and allow everyone to see themselves represented on screen. Let's make reality TV actually realistic for once! It's time to get some diversity up in here and show everyone that love comes in all shapes, sizes, and colours. Only then can we break down those tired old stereotypes and make TV something that truly represents the real world. I'm curious to hear your thoughts. Let me know in the comments below or head over to my Instagram — Should Amber and I go live on Instagram to discuss the tea in real time? Until next time, keep shining like the sprinkle-covered donut you are, and don't forget to love and appreciate every curve, freckly or stretch mark on your beautiful body. Your self-lovin' sista, Brooke 🍩✨

  • Let's Get Real! UGC is Your Brand's Ultimate Wingman

    Let me let you in on a little secret that's, well, not so secret anymore... User Generated Content (UGC) is like the ultimate wingman for your marketing efforts. It's authentic, trustworthy, and can help you score big with potential customers. Consumers these days are extremely savvy and as a digital consumer myself, I can vouch for the fact that in this climate, we want to save our pennies. Meaning it takes something extraordinarily relatable and engaging to capture my attention and pull at my purse strings. Enter User Generated Content... But what exactly is UGC? Think of UGC like getting set up on a blind date by a friend. Sure, you could go on a date with someone you found on a dating app, but when your friend vouches for them, you're more likely to give them a chance, right? Same goes for your brand. When potential customers see real people raving about your products or services, they're more likely to give you a chance Plus, UGC is like having a personal cheerleader for your brand. When you encourage your customers to share their experiences with your products, you're creating a community around your brand. And who doesn't love feeling like they're part of the club? It's a budget no brainer Not to mention, UGC is a cost-effective way to create content for your brand. No need to shell out big bucks for a fancy photoshoot or influencer collaboration when you can use UGC to showcase your products in a real-life setting. UGC often includes multiple jobs for the price of one collaboration! UGC creators are a one-stop shop for brands with collaborations often including: Researching Scripting Hair and makeup Sourcing trending music Filming on brand and trending content Photography Recording voiceovers Editing Revisions So, if you're not already tapping into the power of UGC, it's time to make a move. Trust me, your potential customers will thank you (and you might just score a second date!). Where do I sign? Ready to join the UGC revolution and take your brand's marketing to the next level? Then head over to my content creation page to see some examples of my work or check out my Instagram profile and let's make some magic happen! Whether you need captivating social media content, inspiring blog posts, or a model who celebrates body positivity and self-love, I've got you covered. Let's collaborate and create content that truly resonates with your audience and showcases your brand's unique personality. So what are you waiting for? Let's connect and start creating some amazing UGC content that will help your brand stand out from the crowd. I can't wait to hear from you! GET IN TOUCH

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