Why am I starting over?
I started c'est la belle vie in February 2010, just a few months into my freshman year of college. It started out as a journal of college life, then slowly evolved into a fashion blog, which then evolved into a lifestyle blog. I've loved blogging since then, but for the last year I found blogging to be a stressful, frustrating thing that wasn't life-giving anymore. When I sat down and thought about why, I realized it was because I was constantly comparing it to blogs I loved and admired--and constantly falling short. Because of that, nothing I created was good enough which, made me fall into the temptation to imitate bloggers I loved, which meant that I wasn't creating things that I loved. Rather, I was attempting to fit into trends or styles that weren't my own. SO. West Coast Whimsy is about starting fresh! I want to create things that come solely from me, and that bring me joy. I want to document my life just the way it is, not how I want it to look.
Why 'West Coast Whimsy'?
As a western Washington native relocating to southern California, I love the west (best) coast. I also love the idea of whimsy, of loving the silly, simple, strange little parts of life...of things that are unnecessary and perhaps frivolous, that serve only to bring joy and oddity to life. After weeks of combining words and ideas I love, the title 'West Coast Whimsy' was born!
While having mostly the same content as c'est la belle vie, this blog will be just straight up better. I'll still focus on style, photography, recipes, and other lifestyle pieces--but I am coming at it with better quality, more original ideas, and a newly formed perspective on life. I've grown immensely as a person in the last year, and I can't wait to share that with you. Also, I am moving to SoCal which will bring all sorts of new things!
So, thank you for being here. I'm so stoked to start fresh and share what brings me life; what is me. Thanks for following along!
xo, Charity
ps: a big shoutout + thank you to my wonderful boyfriend for helping me design the header & more for this blog! he's da best.
How exciting! I am so thrilled to hear you are learning a lesson I too am learning: Be true to YOUR dream and YOUR passion. Don't compromise it for the sake of success or what you think others want/need. Jon Acuff has some awesome things to say about that in his book Quitter. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to hear where you go with this and what you are doing in California. Keep in touch!!
you've always been one of my very favorite bloggers. i'm so excited about a fresh start for you because, a. i'm obviously invested in your happiness as a person if i follow your blog, and b. because you never fail to inspire me! your photography is gorgeous and encourages me to look closer at quiet moments, that i sometimes feel too busy to observe and enjoy. while it's validating to hear that you too have struggled with comparison and feeling less-than-enough, i know how damaging those feelings can be. it seem like the time off has helped you find happiness and courage to do the things you love, instead of the ones you're supposed to love.
ReplyDeletei can't wait to see what the new blog brings!
xo nicole
writeslikeagirlblog.com
Can't wait to see where this takes you! Looking forward to it! And even more so to the fact that you'll be in CA! You're right, this is totally the best coast ;) I wish you all th every best <3
ReplyDeleteXOXOXO
I love this so so much. AND IT'S SO GREAT THAT YOU'RE MOVING TO CALI. I'm really excited to read all those new home/new discovery posts. I think starting afresh is a wonderful idea. Shedding the old insecurities and restarting how you mean to go on. You have a gift of capturing the whimsy in life and for showing us readers all the quiet beauty of the west coast, so this new blog is really pretty spot on. Good luck with it all!
ReplyDeleteyou're so beautiful.
ReplyDeleteand yay for the new blog.
im a personal west coaster for life.
can't wait to see your new start in southern california!
K