West Coast Aesthetic is turning three!
I can't believe I clicked "publish" on September 1st, 2014, the day of my first public blog post. It seems like a lifetime ago and here we are in September 2017 and I am about to press publish on a blog post acknowledging three years of blogging...wow!
West Coast Aesthetic as many of you know, started out as a design based blog that was a creative outlet to help me fall back in love with the field of design. I was a recent graduate from design school and interning at an agency where I was feeling burnt out, uninspired and unsure that this career path I had built up in my head since I was under the age of 10-years-old wasn't the one for me. I'm going to get a little sappy, but blogging saved me, creatively. Here's three reasons why:
West Coast Aesthetic brought me out of my shell | Blogging taught me I could publicly share my thoughts, feelings and creativity and be supported. It made me feel confident in sharing content that was so personal to me and my overall aesthetic.
West Coast Aesthetic provided me with a creative outlet | Blogging has been a pastime that I look forward to every day that has never once felt boring or like a dreaded chore.
West Coast Aesthetic introduced me to the best community of people | Before I moved to Seattle, I launched West Coast Aesthetic and was AMAZED by how many people took the time to reach out to me to connect. Over the years, West Coast Aesthetic has introduced me to some of the most incredible individuals and brands - some of these people are even some of my best friends to this day!
West Coast Aesthetic has grown so much over the last three years into a blog that revolves around fashion, design, travel, lifestyle and career. As I've grown, it has grown with me, it's bittersweet really. When I look back on my blog, one thing I'm thankful for is the fact this blog's mantra has not changed: CREATE. CONSUME. EXPLORE. And I hope for as long as I'm blogging, it will never change.
So what is create, consume and explore on a higher-level?
Create. Create a life you love, learn what fuels your creativity, find your creative outlet.
Consume. Consume the world and moments around you. Let it be your biggest influence.
Explore. Explore your goals and your passions, be willing to explore yourself.
So, what does create, consume and explore mean to me? Well, let me tell you.
CREATE. The past three years I've found what creative outlets inspire me and fuel my creative fire. I've also learned how important creating a positive and community-driven atmosphere is to me. Blogging behind West Coast Aesthetic, creating Seattle Creative Brunch for local creatives and providing freelance services have all been ways I contribute and create and I hope to pursue even more creative outlets the next three years!
CONSUME. When people ask me what my biggest influence is as a creative, I always say it's the people around me and it's so true! Lately, I've been letting my blog be more fluid in when I post and what I say, truthfully this is a result of letting myself be consumed in where I'm at in the moment. Letting the world and the amazing people and moments in it influence, inspire and consume me has made me a better creative.
EXPLORE. The past three years of blogging I'm learning more about my strengths, weaknesses and boundaries. I'm exploring DAILY what makes me happy and inspired and I hope this exploration never stops.
Lastly, I want to thank YOU! Thank you for reading, engaging, asking questions, commenting and just taking the time to check out West Coast Aesthetic whether it is for the first time with this post or if it was three years ago when this blog launched. I'm thankful for each and every single one of you for supporting me, challenging me and loving me through this journey and I'm excited to see where the next three years take me! xo