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When you ask a blogger what inspired her or him to start a blog, each individual will have a different answer. Many will say they wanted a creative outlet apart from their current job. Others will say they love fashion and connecting with people of similar interest. Some started as a way to make additional means. A few will say that they never dreamed it would become a career, that they started as a hobby. You can simply say that no one was hiring you, so you made a path for yourself. My answer to this question; is a combination of all of the above, but specifically it’s for the reason that I can group all of my interest into one place. I can talk about whatever my heart desires.
If you have been following me closely for a while then you know that this is my 3rd blog that I have created. The first one was during the Tumblr days, before the words blogging and influencer was even created. When I used it mostly as an online journal as a form of self-expression. My second blog developed after my roommate told me about a girl named Kendi who documented her outfits every day and that I should do this as well. After taking a look at Kendi Everyday, I instantly knew this was what I was meant to do. My second blog was launched and I was thoroughly enjoying my new hobby. I started following other bloggers who were popping up, which is how I discovered a brand new company called RewardStyle that turned your hobby into a business. I quickly joined the platform and started to monetize my posts. Unfortunately I couldn’t stick with my blog because of my current job. Remember, this was a time when Vogue venemently degraded bloggers and brand partnerships were unheard of. So my blog was put on the back burner, only to be updated once a month to keep my creative juices flowing.
A part of me regrets the decision to have my blog take a back seat; something I really wanted to invest my time in. Where would I be now? What would my life be like if I launched it to a bigger audience? I was purposefully making sure it was kept under wraps. What kind of opportunities would I have been able to have? But I am a big believer in that things happen for a reason and at the right time. Once I had the courage (and the finances) to quit my job and take the leap of faith in starting my 3rd blog, everything seemed to click. I am appreciative of the time when I wasn’t allowed to blog as it showed me how much I wanted to do this, how passionate I was about this venture. I had the knowledge, tools, and foundation to step further into Blush and Blooms once I started. I am grateful that the other two never worked out, because I wasn’t ready for it. It was not the right timing. When I started Blush and Blooms it was a saving grace of a dark period in my life.
I started Blush and Blooms in 2014 when I was battling depression. My blog was the only light of a future that I saw. The only thing that got me out of bed…. because I spent most of 2014 and 2015 in bed unless I was blogging. It was therapy for me. It was the only thing that made me feel worthy. The little moments of happiness I felt while I was blogging showed me that I was still in there. That the happy, bubbly girl that I am was still me, still a part of me. I have had episodes of depression throughout high school, college, and in my 20’s but this was darker than anything I have ever experienced. It was a darkness I couldn’t control or get myself out of. Blogging kept me from drowning. And this time I was determined to make it my career.
I came out of my depression sometime in early 2016. I moved back to New York and was ready to take my blog full speed ahead. Like any venture, there are moments when you feel like you are becoming an overnight success, days when you feel like a complete failure, and days where things are progressing slowly. I took it all in stride and have been grateful for each moment. I appreciate each win and I appreciate each failure because no matter what was happening, I knew I would continue on. So blogging became my creative outlet, my career, my chance to be my own boss and create something on my own, my connection to others of similar interest, my source of happiness. Then the pandemic hit or should I say 2020 arrived.
This year has been nothing but crazy for us all. We all know the tragedy of a year it’s been. Every one of us has had to make adjustments in our lives one way or another. It’s been a rollercoaster that we desperately want to get off. I would be lying if I said blogging has been easy during this time period. It hasn’t. Brand partnerships were canceled or postponed. Engagement has been a weekly teeter-totter. I feared for my finances and my future. If you think I have it figured out, I am here to tell you I do not have a clue. I am taking this day by day, trying to navigate the current state of blogging. Part of me feels guilty about continuing to post pretty images and clothing when the world is on fire. Then the other part of me does not want my part of the internet to be filled with sadness. So I made the decision a few months ago to continue on my path of sharing things that I love. That maybe I can be the source of happiness for someone during this tumultuous time. There is so much clutter, too many voices, too much hatred and toxicity that I do not want to take part in. I want my blog to bring joy to those that follow it. Of course I will still share dark moments, mistakes, and failures. Those are just as inspirational as the moments that propel me to a higher level. I could easily scream, kick, yell at every setback in my life, every absurd thing that happens in the world, any wrongdoings that are done to me. But I know what it’s like to live in the darkness and I refuse to see life through that lens again. I choose to only see love. To see the someone helping their neighbor, a good samaritan, the beauty in art, music, and dance. The joy that fashion brings to me, the inspiration home decor has on me, and my passion for fitness; that is what I want to share, what I want people to feel when they stumble upon my blog. I am not turning a blind eye to what is going on in the world, nor do I want you to ignore what is happening. I will share what I feel is right, what is needed; how you can help with COVID research/patients, how you can make a stand against injustice, etc. What I want is to help people to escape the madness for a few moments and feel the light, feel joy. My reasoning to blog is to make others happy. To be the reason someone smiles today. To feel inspired or joy.
I’ve been reading a lot about how emotions have a vibrational effects. One persons attitude can change the course of someone else’s energy. We subconsciously pick up the vibrations others give off and we can choose how we want to feel. If someone is having a bad day, you will feel their negative energy. But it is up to you whether or not you want to let this energy affect your day and your mindset. When you choose joy, when your vibration is love, than those around you also feel joy and love. And it trickles, like the butterfly effect, onto the next person. A good deed is passed along, a smile is shared, laughter is contagious, and feel good vibrations are magnetic. I want to be the cause of joy, not the source of pain. My reason: I am blogging for those that need light in their life, like I did all those years ago. I hope that when you read my blog post and see my Instagram, it makes you happy and that happiness is passed on.
