and just like that, it's been a year of the boss aesthetic! here are five (and a half) things i've learned:
1. a love letter to instagram. this might be the biggest surprise of all! before starting the blog i was very active on instagram but had a private account, so while i liked photos and commented on images of my friends that was about it. since starting my @thebossaesthetic profile my mind has been blown by the power of instagram. it is a creative community unlike any other. i have made friends through instagram, i have gotten clients through instagram, discovered artists, and really found the DC creative community. i have also found that because i am always looking for beautiful images to share on instagram, i am looking for beauty and interest all the time! i am seeking out beautiful street art i see people share, i'm styling my home with a little more care, looking up more often, and generally taking more moments to pause and appreciate beautiful things i find.
2. the power of just starting. since starting this project i have been amazed by how many people have shared that they have an idea, a blog they want to start, a project on their mind. here's my advice: just do it. just start. it's the hardest part, i promise.
3. karma is a beauty. if you put energy out there, it will come back to you. putting yourself out there - your ideas, what you think, things you love - is a powerful thing. so many friends and acquaintances in my life knew i loved design, but after starting the blog things kind of shifted. i started getting texts and emails and tags on instagram: "saw the coolest art exhibit, take a look" "have a really creative friend you should meet" "isn't this store design beautiful?" it's amazing how much you get back when you start putting a little something out there.
4. the importance of focus. the hardest part post-launch has been consistency. i find that one of two things is often happening: 1) there are weeks where i'm feeling way to busy or tired or just uninspired and 2) there are weeks where i see a million beautiful and interesting things and want to share everything! for the first, i have tried to make sure i have *a lot* of posts stockpiled for rainy days. and being able to pull from those has been important, especially recently. for number two, i have found it helpful to go back to a mission statement i wrote when i was brainstorming the blog. if it relates, post it! if not, just enjoy it, maybe add it to pinterest and keep on moving.
4.5. focus, again. i decided from the beginning that the goal of this blog, this project, was to catalogue and share my perspective - on design, on beauty, on business. i decided to focus on that - not partnerships or monetizing or making it a full time thing. and that's been helpful to remember! i think deciding what your project is and, importantly, what it isn't, is one of the easiest ways to to stay focused and keep it going.
5. things they are a' changin. when i started the blog i was at a job that was not the right fit for me. it was very 9 to 5 and really, very not creative. my business mind needed more of a challenge and my creative soul needed more inspiration. and for a time the blog served as a way to feed that. i got projects and met new people and started to build my own brand. and then framebridge happened. and it is so much of a good thing and all consuming and a huge challenge for my business mind and a hugely filling experience for my creative soul. and so, i find myself coming to the blog with a lot more to say but no time to say it. so, here we are a year later and i am really thinking about what the next stage of the boss aesthetic will be. it will likely have to do with sharing more about all of the cool creative stuff i'm working on at framebridge but what form that will take is still tbd. if you have suggestions let me know. if not, stay tuned! i think it's going to be a fun year ahead over here.
xx
claudia