Renewed Focus for 2018

ALL IMAGES KEITH V FISCHER
SHOT ON LOCATION IN TODOS SANTOS, MEXICO

JEAN SHORTS, HUDSON | KNOTTED TOP, COSTCO | SHOES, VINCE CAMUTO | BAG, CHANEL | HAIR, CIVELLO SALON

When you’re sick with the flu, you end up spending a lot of time with just you and your thoughts for hours and days on end. For someone as Type A as I am, this type of thing drives me nuts and I quickly resort to utilizing that time in bed as effectively as I can, flu not withstanding.

You’re probably thinking, “But Cindy, you need that time to rest up and get better.” Not to worry, I definitely spent a good 24 hours just sleeping... my body wouldn’t have any of it otherwise. 

Once I felt well enough to put two coherent sentences together, and my thumbs were once again able to type on my iPhone, I started to assemble some thoughts as to how I wanted 2018 to go down. Well, at least some of the initial thoughts I have in my head. 

If you haven’t figured out by now, I write a lot of my blogs through my iPhone. For some reason I’m able to better articulate my thoughts through my thumbs on a phone than through my keyboard on my MacBook. Maybe it feels more informal, like I’m writing an email rather than a full blown dissertation. 

Thankful for 2017

Anyway, back to 2018 planning. It’s a clean slate - and it’s an opportunity for me to do whatever I want with it. Before I can look ahead however, it’s worth a look back. If I consider what I’ve done in 2017, I’m so thankful for the many opportunities working with amazing brands across the globe. In particular, discovering social brands that I would have never come across before and being able to tell their stories that align with my own values. 

I set out in 2017 to focus more on health and wellness. I believed that there was a niche for the intersection of style and wellness and I still do, to this day. 

New for 2018

For 2018, wellness will play an even bigger role in my blog and I can’t wait to share what’s to come. In fact, it will be the integral thread that weaves through other key topics for 2018, like food and travel. Mmmm... food. My love for all things food and wine will be significantly amplified this year, and my travels will provide opportunities to sample fare from many places around the globe and I can’t wait to share my experiences with you. You honestly can’t have one without the other, so I feel Food and Travel go hand in hand.

What about Style - Fashion and Design?

And where does Style fit into all this? I will continue to write about style and fashion as those topics are considered my “first loves,” but they’ll also be integrated into my travel and wellness themes. I’ll attend Fashion Weeks here and there but they will no longer serve as the core focus of my blog.

Why, you ask?

More and more throughout the past year, I have felt the internal tension of conspicuous consumption and how that measures against happiness. In fact, to be honest, I often feel that they’re inversely correlated. In other words, the more new things you have the less satisfied you are. It doesn’t equate to happiness or that you’re more stylish. It just means you’ve spent more money and collected more “stuff.” And the highs I experience with a new purchase these days are increasingly short-lived. If anything, it feels more like a sugar crash. You get an adrenaline rush from that amazing deal you scored, only to second guess yourself as soon as you come home. 

Have you ever felt this way?

I’ve become so conscious of this that I’m starting to shed the “stuff” and think about things that bring real joy and satisfaction like travel, spending time with my family, my friends, my community and perhaps most importantly, myself. 

Life Goals 

I recently finished a book (gasp - can this be true??!) titled “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck” by blogger Mark Manson. 

In the book, Manson talks about life goals. You know - the checklist of things that you hope to do in your lifetime - otherwise called a bucket list. Most of us may think of some big, hairy audacious goal like “to become a millionaire when I’m 50” while others may have something focused more on personal development like “learn how to speak Italian.” 

Look closely at your list - do you have anything that’s related to being able to acquire a material item showing you’ve reached some level of success? Like “Buy a Ferrari” or “Buy a House.” Sound familiar at all?

Now what happens once you’ve bought the fancy car? Earned the fancy house? The euphoria you get may be immense but is it really helping you grow as a person? No, because they’re things and checks in boxes. Once you’ve earned them, it’s a check in the box, and there’s nothing for you to gain further. 

“Learning How to Swim” on the other hand is something that you can continually work on and improve throughout your life, no matter how great of a swimmer you are. 

So the net here is that things offer us very little value, and the topic of Fashion and Style is heavily centred around the acquisition of things - whether it’s the latest accessory, handbag or pair of stilettos. They don’t offer any meaning nor help you with personal growth in any way. 

Don’t get me wrong, I love pretty things. But there are lots of pretty things already in my own closet and in consignment stores. Most of the pieces in my wardrobe that have garnered the most compliments are second hand. 

So what I’m hoping to do more of in 2018 is use a bit more creativity with my editorial shoots and leverage what I already have in my closet. Not everything has to be new. Unless you’re a millionaire there’s no way for you to do that without breaking the bank. As they say, Trends come and go, but Style is forever. 

I’d love to hear your thoughts about my new direction. What do you think? What do you want to see more of?