Shit101– What You Should Really Know

There are not too many people in this world that I can say keep me so avidly (social media-ly) entertained, yet there’s one person in particular that instantly comes to my mind who has managed to do one hell of a good job at it. Her name is Natallia Nemes, but also goes by her popularly acclaimed blog– “Shit101“. What makes Natallia (and her blog) so eye-catching, addicting, and absolutely amazing is her special ability to constantly resonate with readers, fans, and simple bystanders with social commentary that seems so plain and obvious, yet are ones that we so often don’t bring to the forefront of our minds. With hilarious statuses, quotes, or blog posts that really put life into perspective and make you laugh and realize how minuscule some of the things we really freak out about really are, Natallia to me is the modern day Carrie Bradshaw meets Ghandi– giving us words of wisdom with a side of a Cosmopolitan.

Having the honor of chatting it up with Natallia below, see why she so deservingly is featured as today’s Inspiration.

Fashionlaine: What inspired the making of Shit101?
Natallia Nemes: I moved to NYC after graduating college and hated it! I gained a lot of weight, started to dabble a lot with drugs, and then fell into bulimia. After that, my father passed away and I decided to start fresh and move to Los Angeles at 26 to pursue a TV hosting career. Turns out LA wasn’t as nice as I thought she would be to me. I found myself in an abusive relationship, homeless, had my heart broken by “Prince Charming” and then thought I hit my breaking point when my mother and sister both became addicted to alcohol.

While all of this was going on, I was waiting tables to supplement my income. I would talk to people about my life and for some reason people opened up to me and told me about their dirty little secrets. After a year of people telling me I should put this “shit” in a book, I finally had the courage one day to write my very first post. Many posts later, I continued to get the same response online from people all around the world. What I discovered was that we are all the same. We all struggle in life. But there is no heads up, much less a funny cartoon based book that gives you entertaining, relatable stories that incorporate life lessons. So now I am making one.

FL: I absolutely love what you always have to say! How do you come up with the topics you decide to write about as posts or tweets/ statuses?
NN: I write the Shit101 blogs about what I am going through that week. Or on the flip side, if I hear a re-occurring “issue” being discussed by several random people, I usually go with that. (That is, only if I have gone through a similar experience and have something to say about it looking in hindsight.) For me it’s always about taking a “mental shit”. It’s so important to get rid of the bullshit from your body and replace it with silly, fun, uplifting reminders about what life is really about…happiness, fun and love.

As far as the Shit101 social media posts, I think of it like taking a daily dose of mental/emotional vitamins. There is so much bullshit out in the world that brings us down, creates fear, sadness and unworthiness. So anytime I see something or feel a need to respond to something I’ve heard randomly while out in public, I post it.

FL: Many (me included) look to you as a source of inspiration. Is there anyone you look to as inspiration?
NN: First off, thank you for a shout out! That puts a smile on my face and helps to keep me going on the days when life decides to give me a spanking. (Anyone reading this, you have a homework assignment…whoever inspires you, reach out to them today and let them know it!)

As far as people that inspire me, that’s a good question. I’m inspired by many people but if I have to narrow them down here are my top four: 1) Brooke Burke. I’ve always loved her, even back on “Wild On!” She’s beautiful, smart, sexy and a down to earth person who is a mother of 4 and a successful entrepreneur. 2) Kim Kardashian. I used to hate her until I started to pay attention to her following and accomplishments. She’s so intriguing to me. She been able to keep her demographic so captivated that it’s caught Oprah’s attention. It’s ground breaking if you think about it. 3) Lisa Ling…the sexiest, smartest TV journalist there is out there. 4) Bethenny Frankel. I love the way she’s put herself out there, doesn’t make excuses for who she is and has gone after what she wants with no apologies. It’s extremely motivating.

FL: Shit101 is all about giving advice to people through your own experiences. Has there been any good advice you’ve received from someone else?
NN: My father past away when I was 26 and my mom is a struggling alcoholic, so most of the advice I’ve gotten was through reading books when I was trying to work past my own demons and struggles. The ones that created huge impacts for me were Dale Carnige’s “How To Win & Influence People”, Dr. Pat Allen’s “Getting To I Do”, and “The Seat of the Soul” by Gary Zukav. I also am a HUGE fan of YouTube. Anytime I need inspiration or advice, I YouTube random people like Drake, Sophia Vergara and Oprah to hear what they have to say about their life and journey. Every story has a lesson. All you gotta do is listen. #Shit101

FL: Is there a favorite post/ status/ or tweet that you’ve written that has really resonated with you?
NN: Don’t get lost in the bullshit! #Shit101. It’s so easy to get caught up the things that don’t really matter and give away your happiness. Whenever I am feeling “lost”, I try to ask myself, “is this worth my (frustration, anger, sadness, etc)?” If the answer is “no”, and usually it is, I go and do something to celebrate the fact that my life is good instead of needing the negativity.

FL: Is there a topic that you’re still interested in writing about that you haven’t already?
NN: Of course! There are so many life lessons to talk shit about. 😉 Relationships, happiness, money, and health are all things that I’ve touched on but there are so many more stories and life lessons to have show and tell about hence why “The Shit They Should Have Taught You In College” is going to be a never ending book series.

FL: On top of being very witty and creative, you have great style! How would you describe your sense of fashion?
NN: I’m a Gemini so I have several different personalities which is reflected in the way I dress. I’ve also moved around a lot; Florida > North Carolina > Spain > New York > California….all of which have created what I like to call “layers” in my style.

“Classic”- Lipstick, high heels with a good mani/pedi, big earrings and a sexy yet classy dress.
“Tom Boy”- Baseball cap, lipstick, earrings, white t shirt, daisy dukes.
“Beach Babe”-  Lipgloss, earrings, animal print bikini, sun hat, flip flops. (Protect your skin bitches! #Shit101)
“Hippie Chick”-  Sweet and simple, summer dress, and fur boots
“Wanna Be Model”- Skinny jeans, high heels, lipstick, aviator sunglasses and a baseball cap.

But the most important thing anyone can have when it comes to having great style is a rocking a genuine smile, wearing confidence, and accessorizing with happiness. I found that whatever makes me feel most beautiful that day is what always looks best on me and I always get the most compliments in. The way I look at it is, we all have to get dressed in the mornings, you might as well be the best version of you.

FL: Which came first—the book or the blog? And what can fans expect from the book?
NN: The book came first. I started flirting with the idea while waiting tables. I researched and interviewed publishers about the book and their feedback? Get an audience. So I began writing the blog and grew my social media presence, which aided in helping me define my demographic, their needs and make me a better writer. Fast forward to four years later and countless hours of banging my head up against the wall trying out how to write a book, and now it’s almost done!

What to expect from the book: “Sex In The City” meets “Family Guy.” A lot of well placed curse words and a cartoon telling stories about all the bullshit we experience in life. At the end of each chapter, there are “Cliff Notes.” A cheat sheet on how to deal with bullshit and takes steps to change it. (see book cover below)

FL: What do you and Shit 101 have coming up that fans can look forward to?
NN: Once the book comes out, I have plans to launch “School Supplies” aka Shit101 merchandise: t-shirts, an app, toilet and tissue paper line, as well as greeting cards. (Is it me or do the majority of greeting cards suck? Where are the ones that say “Fuck that guy! Turns out he’s a married, lying, cheating bastard. You deserve better than that. You got lucky!” Or “Congrats on getting fired! That job sucked balls anyways.”) There is also major interest in turning the book into a TV series or movie. So watch out! This shit will be the next Family Guy before you know it! #FuckYeahBaby #Shit101TakeOver2014

shit101Shit101 Natallia Nemes