Like every year, this year seems to have taken place at warp speed. Barely a moment to pause and reflect, barely a moment to take stock of where life is taking you.
Over the last month I have stopped to ask myself one question; are you headed to where you want to be? And it seems so many of you are asking the same question.
Every day I am again on Pinterest, seeking things that excite and invigorate my creative self. It is when I see so many of the quotes I’ve pinned being liked and shared around with gusto, that I realise we are all in the same boat. The boat that is trying to stay the course, to avoid the rocks and to often even find the map in the first place.
Do you remember where you were going, or has your map become dusty and torn, missing the ‘X’ your soul so deeply needs.
How easy it is to distract ourselves from what really matters, from finding ways to express ourselves or from having the bravery to express it in the first place. This is the 2015 I want us to have. I want us to find that part of ourselves that makes us better, that inspires and changes others for the better. That energises and fulfils us. That we have silenced for fear, for insecurity or for simply not knowing how.
Maybe it seems odd to you that as a lifestyle blogger, these are the things I care about; but truly it is at the heart of it all. I blog because I need to create. I blog so I can talk to you through all these different ways, about the things I find joy in and hope to share with you. I blog to find those who can expand my understanding of the world, my perspective and my appreciation of what we have. I blog to find others who give a damn.
There is strength in numbers you see, and the more we join our thoughts and experiences across this little corner of cyber space, the braver we become.
I lost my bravery for a while there. I began to think that no one actually cared beyond a pretty picture or a nice new dress. That everything I wrote or thought would only open me up to criticisms, barbs and antagonism. I forgot about all of the times you did care, that those of you who have been here from the beginning, understood the story and it helped you to tell your own.
Here, red lipstick is not just another fashion statement; it is a red badge of courage in a sea of grey. Here, the travel story of an afternoon in a Middle Eastern souk is not just another log, it is my hearts song. Everything I write for you, photograph for you and even hope to humbly share my skills through, is an act of bravery. It comes from a place that is uniquely me; my authentic self who believes in romance, dreams and the impossible.
And this is what 2015 will be for us. It is the year of living bravely, in which we shall take this journey together and find your long buried treasure map.
Now that sounds like a great plan for 2015! It’s all too easy to forget what we’re looking for in life when we think too much about how others are viewing us.
Katie: The distraction that is “life” hey? 😉 Happy 2015 to you! xx
Absolutely brilliant.
James B: Why thank you! 🙂 xx
So true, It’s easy to let others tear you down and make you question yourself, I know it’s happened to me a lot. Here’s to making 2015 the best year yet !
Jaede: 2015 is going to be a huge one! Here’s to (hopefully) not missing each other in the air and actually seeing each other in Vegas this year 😀
Candice, sweet lady, it truly feels like you took the words straight out of my mouth. I often think about how we’re innovators. We’re the first generation of bloggers and whether as a hobby or career, this is a new path in the course of human history. We jumped into with unbridled gusto and enthusiasm, but didn’t (for all intents) have a road map. Along the way we made some mistakes, but also achieved some pretty awesome successes. Things changed, we grew, and we discovered that it took an incredible amount of time, work, resources, and effort to keep not just afloat, but thriving. Now I think many of us are realizing that we need to let a bit (more) of the offline universe back into our world and strive for a better sense of balance all around and focusing, as you have so eloquently and wisely said here, focus on what matters and less on the perpetual noise we’re surrounded by these days.
With all my heart, I wish you an incredible, fun filled, gorgeous 2015 and can hardly wait to see what you’ll share with us here in the coming year!
<3 Jessica
Jessica: You know only too well everything I’m speaking of, all the way from the other side of the world! For those bloggers like you and I who have been doing this for a veritable life time in internet years, it is so important that we stay honestly connected to our world and community. Making mistakes is all a part of it, and I’m all too aware of those I’ve made over the years. It is through the expanse of this online community that many have come to my attention, in the same way that so many things I’ve taken for granted have taken on a whole new meaning. Although we still haven’t met face to face (we will one of these days!), I know your is one of the great friendships I’ve found here. Thank you for always taking the time to put your feelings into words. 🙂 xx
Thank you. I’m not sure how you knew that I needed to hear exactly that today, but I did.
Abbi: Thank you too! All the very best for your 2015. x
With so much noise and distraction in these fast-paced years thank you for this post! Reflection. Thought. And mindfulness is what I’m hoping 2015 has in store! Oh and also lots more opportunities to connect with such inspiring bloggers as yourself. Happy new year Candice and all the other talented creators out there.
xx
Jacqufruit: Mindfulness is the perfect way of expressing it. A state it is so hard to achieve with all our rushing around, self imposed pressures and clutter of things. I know we are at least in the same city, so lets make a date IRL soon. 🙂 xx
Candice, this is so beautiful and heartfelt – what a brilliant way to start the new year. Let’s do this! x
VegeTARAian: Thank you so much 🙂 Yes, let’s do this together! We know how hard it is to do this on our own, and how energising it is when people like us do IRL things. Let’s make more of it and remember no man, or blogger, is an island! 😉 Xx
This mirrors my own thoughts and feelings so strongly, I wish all of us all the bravery in the world. 2015 can be a big year of amazing things if we remember there’s a collective consciousness to tap into because we’re all hoping, striving and finding our bravery and that creates a beautiful time to live in. Xxx
Li Marie: Yes! We are the collective consciousness and we just have to keep remembering that when things seem at there most difficult.The more we all keep talking and sharing, the braver we will become. Here’s to making 2015 win for us all together. 🙂 xx
Thank you, I love this post. 2014 was about surviving for me and 2015 is going to be about thriving, but I still locating my treasure map! Yours was the first blog I started reading and you definitely inspired me to start sharing my stories and adventures. It took me a while to realise I wasn’t really a vintage fashion blogger, but then I found my own voice, my own creativity and it has been life-changing. This year I will be living and blogging bravely and boldly.
Cassy:2014 was a big one wasn’t it. So glad to hear you mad it through safe and now have better things to look forward to this year. It’s interesting what you say about being a “Vintage Fashion Blogger”, as I too never really know where I fit, and mostly I think we don’t really have to. We blog what is close to our hearts, which often has nothing to do with fashion, just a certain sensibility. Not having a specific box to fit into, may be the most liberating thing of all! Wishing you a marvellous 2015! xx
Fantastic writing!! Proof that you *are* brave and worth a lot more to us all than a great frock post. Thank you; I am going to ‘anchor’ your always-fabulous lipstick to feeling personally brave when I see it!
From Spain, have a great year everyone, wherever you are in the world; whatever your dreams.
Make them BIG!!
Ursula: Thank you so much!How wonderful it is to hear from a reader all the way over in Spain. May 2015 be a year of big wins for you too 🙂