Lifestyle: Annie Fay Blog

Badass Women (015): Chelsea Carney

8/25/2019

The following interview is about Chelsea Carney, a writer, activist, and woman in technology from Arizona.

Where are you from?

I’m originally from Phoenix, Arizona, moved to Honolulu, Hawaii, and I now live in Brooklyn, New York.

Where do you go to school and what are you studying?

I currently attend The New School in Manhattan and I’m studying Liberal Arts, focusing on two things: writing--my first passion (at The New School, I am in the Riggio Honors writing program)--and diversity and inclusion practices, which I hope to bring into my current career working in technology.

What do you hope to achieve with your degree?

I’ve worked in technology for years and it can be a very male dominated institution overall. It is rare to see female leaders, and even more rare to see female leaders of color. I want to help change that from the inside by becoming a leader in Diversity and Inclusion practices within technology companies, with the goal to tie a more diverse workforce to increased revenue. Additionally, I have always been a writer and a dream of mine is to publish a novel. I’ve actually just sent a manuscript out to literary agents, so now I’m in those exciting and debilitating query trenches!

What, or who, inspires you?

People who are authentically themselves and use that as a superpower to change society’s “normalized” dialogue. I am a feminist first and foremost, so women like Gloria Steinem, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Kamala Harris, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are incredible powerhouses. They are brilliant and unapologetically outspoken in their defense of women and people of color. But I don’t think it stops there. Tess Holiday and Jameela Jamil are also hugely influential because of their belief that all bodies are worthy of respect. Tina Fey, Maya Rudolph, Amy Poehler, and Mindy Kaling are weird and wonderful, using their comedy to create a more inclusive society. JK Rowling, who is fiercely loyal to so many underrepresented people, has such a strong voice - if you don’t follow her on Twitter, do it now! Other people that inspire me are Marlene Dietrich for flipping gender roles in fashion, Mae West for owning her sexuality at a time when sexuality was meant to be silenced, Ru Paul for being spectacularly beautiful inside and out and for giving the gift of acceptance to so many people, and all allies (like my husband) that are so supportive but also not afraid to change if necessary. My mother is also pretty spectacular because at almost 70, she is a gay woman that spent her life fighting to marry the woman she loves, currently works to provide refugees safe transportation to homes, stands up against gun violence with Moms Demand Action, and has fought through her own hard battles coming out victorious on the other side.

What is your relationship with beauty?

I love beauty. I wear makeup and I’m obsessed with fashion, but it’s a difficult line. I grew up in the 80s and 90s which was the era of eroticizing extremely thin body types. My grandmother and mother did not have good relationships with their bodies, so I grew up believing physical self criticism was a part of life. However I have always found so many different things beautiful, and as I grew up, that became a much larger focus for me. Our varying body sizes and skin color and freckles and scars and disabilities make us spectacularly ourselves, and since I believed that to my core when it came to other people, I had to begin changing the negative dialogue I had with myself. I deleted anyone I followed on Instagram that made me feel bad about my face or my body and instead began following anyone who believed in body positivity. I don’t wear makeup everyday anymore, and when I look in the mirror and catch myself thinking negative thoughts, I try to re-route the conversation to something more positive. It’s a difficult and long road, but I am starting to see changes in how I view myself which is in and of itself, empowering as hell.

What quote do you relate to the most, how does it influence your life?

“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” -Samuel Beckett

I love this quote, especially the words “Fail Better” because it is such a part of my nature. The only reason we exist (in my opinion) is to grow and evolve, using the lessons we learn to help the next generation grow and evolve themselves. I am a very goal oriented person, and if I don’t hit a goal I’m working toward, it can be devastating. However when I recite the words fail better, it reminds me to keep going because failure is part of our evolution as people. It’s what gives us strength.

If you could give advice to your younger self, what would you say?

Boys aren’t that important. Neither is having a thin body or being validated for your looks. Say the word “no” more. Focus on your own dreams and passions. Travel often. Live abroad. Move to New York sooner. Write every day and publish those things as often as possible. Love yourself and be easier on yourself, but don’t give yourself a pass either. Apologize. Don’t drink as much and do exercise more - not to be thinner, but to feel at peace. None of what you are worried about today will matter in the end because you’ll get it all, so just remember to love yourself above the boyfriends that don’t deserve you and the bosses who treat you like a decoration and instead, just have the best, most beautiful time. You and your journey are what matter the most. Oh, and call your parents more often because they love you so freaking much!

What’s one lesson you’d love to pass down to the youngest generation?

There is this brilliance within the generation below mine that I’m in awe of, but there is also a weird feeling of entitlement. Don’t get me wrong, I hope they get everything they want. But if they don’t, that’s okay too. Just remember that deserving something comes with hard work and growth and time. So ask for forgiveness more often than permission. Educate yourself. Travel as often as possible. Put down your laptops and cell phones and go walk outside in the woods. Just keep changing and eventually, you’ll get everything you need to be happy. It just might not happen overnight or even next year. But it will happen. Believe that it will.

What books have empowered or motivated you the most?

Hrm, this is a tough one. Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg is a good one for women in tech to start with, though I will say I don’t agree with all of it. Belonging by Nora Krug is a beautiful adult graphic novel about finding your place in the world, even when it’s difficult. Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellion by Gloria Steinem. Orange is the New Black (the book) was pretty great and really talks about the dysfunction of our prison systems. Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay. Any of Mindy Kaling’s books. A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway is what I read when I want to be inspired to write or travel. I’m a big F. Scott Fitzgerald and Oscar Wilde fan because of the way they incorporate metaphor. Pablo Neruda’s poetry speaks to my heart - if you haven’t read the poem Your Feet, do yourself a favor and do it now. And of course, JK Rowling lights a fire under me when I feel like my writing isn’t strong enough, because hers is so interesting and powerful.

What inspired you to pursue writing and activism?

I have an activist soul, and since I love writing, this seemed to be a perfect combination. I also think that writing and reading can be so empowering for people - it helps them find their place in the world - and if I can help someone else through writing, that feels like a huge win.

What message do you hope to convey through your activist writing?

I’m not sure if there is a unifying message in my writing, except that I hope my stories bring peace to someone else. I hope someone is able to read my words and realize they are not alone. Because when we’re not alone, we’re together. And together can be pretty fucking strong.

How does your passion for activism translate into your YA projects?

I honestly didn’t think it did for a long time, but now I’m beginning to realize that’s not the case. As much as I loved reading as a teenager, the characters always felt the same to me. Thin, pale, stunningly beautiful, but never knew it, with perfect men that came along and saved them. I wish I had read more books with women that were flawed so I didn’t feel so alone in the world. So I grew up thinking my flaws weren’t flaws, but the thing that made me unique. Young girls are inundated with images of the unattainable, and so instead, I hope they see themselves in my words. I’ve always written strong women, but now I’ve found that I want to write them as strong women who are okay being alone. Or as strong women who save their own lives. Or as strong women who are messy and complicated. I hope my characters can be a voice for young feminists or for women who don’t like their bodies or for young girls that are afraid of making mistakes. I want to write characters that are powerful in their own complex, authentic ways so that someone out there (hopefully) reads my words and feels validated for being exactly who they are.

What genres excite you the most?

I love YA and fantasy. I’m a teenager at my core that still hopes witches and vampires are real (Buffy the Vampire Slayer was my jam; also Harry Potter of course). I love thrillers and mysteries - Liane Moriarty and Paula Hawkins will have me for life. I’ll always be a sucker for an angsty, emotional love story (Emily Giffin and JoJo Moyes represent!), but I really adore weird and quirky characters like 500 Days of Summer or Freaks and Geeks. Give me an awkward love story any day. ...Now I kind of want to write a YA vampire novel that’s 500 Days of Summer meets Twilight. :)

How do your ideas come to you? How do you gather inspiration?

They come very randomly. And my writing is all over the place, so I switch between fantasy YA and contemporary or historical adult pretty regularly. My current novel, TO THE MOON (title pending), is about a grief-stricken young girl that ends up on a planet where everyone dead on earth is alive, so she is suddenly able to gain closure from the death of her first love. This one came to me during a difficult relationship in my twenties where I was thinking about breaking up with a boyfriend and trying to figure out all of the ways I could “go back” if the breakup wasn’t really what I wanted (Reader: I broke up with him and it was exactly what I wanted). I’m also almost done with a manuscript about three messy, complicated, stubborn women who live in different time periods, only to overlap at the end. These women are based on my grandmother, mother, and myself. In terms of ideas, it really just depends, but sometimes I’ll get a flash of an idea and write it down (like that 500 Days of Summer meets Twilight) or I’ll re-watch a movie from my childhood that I loved and think of some sort of weird re-telling. My cell phone and laptop are full of notes about “books I want to write” - some totally reasonable and kickass, and others that are completely illegible, much less writeable.

What lesser known organization do you wish everyone knew about?

There are these amazing websites that allow you to create a registry for giving. If you’re someone who has a lot and is creating a wedding or birthday registry, there are so many sites that allow you to tailor that registry toward helping someone else. It doesn’t even have to be the whole registry, but a small part of it. For example, for my wedding, we did a gift registry to children with heart problems and we provided money, clothing, and food to families where expense was an issue. I had a heart attack at 29 due to a rare condition, so this was really important for me. Also I love the hashtag #effyourbeatystandards. It can be incredibly empowering in a sea of Instagram hashtags meant to make you feel bad about yourself.

Is there a small way someone reading this can make a positive impact on the world today? What would you suggest?

Yes, absolutely! Share quotes or pieces of this that are interesting to you. If something resonates, tweet it, write it, read it to a friend. Use the good stuff and run with it because you never know who needs to hear something. And if something doesn’t resonate, that’s okay too. Argue about it. Just be informed and make up your own mind, with the ability to share your thoughts with other people and a willingness to listen to them too. Also, throw away your garbage and recycle. And if you’re one of those insane people that leave the cupboards open, for everyone’s sanity in your life, please close them.

What issues ((locally or globally)) do you feel are under-discussed and/or lacking a platform?

Representation in books and movies is so important! Write those characters that you wanted to see as a kid. My novel’s love interest is Jewish because my high school boyfriend is Jewish and my husband is Jewish and I’ve rarely read a YA with a jewish protagonist. Also I have to plug Diversity and Inclusion in business practices. If you’re running a company without these practices in place, you’re probably missing out on some badass employees and you’re definitely not representing your clients the way they deserve to be represented. Having a diverse workforce is the open door to those million dollar ideas you’ve never even thought to have.

Anything else you’d like to share:

Thank you to anyone that reads this, and thank you Annie for letting me be a part of your Badass Women series. In the spirit of authenticity, I’m struggling right now when it comes to writing. I’m sending my novel out to literary agents and it’s a very personal and difficult process, especially when rejection is a huge part of it. This reminded me to stop, breathe, and fall back in love with the journey. I am a badass woman and sometimes it’s nice to be reminded of that.

Where you can find Chelsea:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cmcarney_asada
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carney_asada31/?hl=en

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© Annie Fay Meitchik. All Rights Reserved. All content on anniefay.com is my own or credit is given when applicable, please do not use any of my images before contacting me above or @ anniefaymeitchik@gmail.com.

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Badass Women (014): A Retrospective

3/25/2018

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I think inspiration runs in a circular motion so here’s to hoping I can inspire all the incredible gals as much as they all inspire me. Badass Women is a series about capturing that positive energy and spreading it. Wanna help? Read about these cool girls and share their features with the women that inspire you!!

I started this series a year ago when I launched my blog. Over the past 12 months I have connected with over a dozen women from several different countries in a pursuit to promote female creativity and achievements through inspiring interviews. I have reconnected with all of these amazing girls to check in and see how their views and passions have developed and to share with you a special retrospective edition of the Badass Women series in celebration of the one year anniversary of my blog.

To view previous installations in the series click here: https://www.anniefay.com/lifestyle/category/badass-women

...and to collaborate with me or take part in the series you can reach me by clicking here: https://www.anniefay.com/contact.html

Dominga Silva Vicuña

I last interviewed Dominga in February 2017 ((before the blog was even launched!!)) To view the interview that started it all click here.

What is your relationship with beauty? Has it changed over the year?

Since I was a little girl, my mother taught me that you need to always be nice, you need to look good to feel good with you. She told me once that you need to work on your inside and your outside beauty, both are important. This year I started to use some face creams, and practice sports 3 time per week.

What is your best memory from the past year?

My trips!!

You have been traveling a lot this year, what has that experience been like? What have you learned from the world and the places you have been.

I love travel! When I was in The US I traveled a lot and visited many places in California and other cities like New York and Hawaii. This year I went to Europe for one month. I went to London, Edinburg, Amsterdam, Barcelona, and Madrid. I was visiting some friends!! It was amazing, I love visiting different countries and learning about different cultures. Before a trip, I always “study” about the places that I’ll visit, I make a list with the places that I want to know and I make an itinerary with all the things that I need to do in each day. In all my trips I learn many things, I learn about the history, the people, and the culture. I also practiced my photography. :)

Noëlle Reich

I last interviewed Noëlle in March 2017. To view her previous interview please click here.

What new passions have you discovered this year?

For me, this has been a year of learning to believe in myself and my abilities, and in the process of doing that, I’ve started to pursue passions that have excited me for a long time. I’ve been experimenting with film photography and different styles of writing. I’ve gotten more decisive about my stylistic choices involving everything from clothing to the mediums I use to make art. But I think the biggest passion I have discovered is a love for acting. I feel a lot and think a lot, so it’s been really cool to watch how that can be channeled into playing different roles. I’ve started in intensive classes, and showing up scares the hell out of me but also pushes me. I think it’s important to challenge yourself, because it proves that you are capable of way more than you thought. I’ll be challenging myself even more by my big move to New York coming up in June. My motto of the year is “life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all…” so I’m trying to live by that as much as possible.

What is your relationship with beauty? Has it changed over the year?

I think my relationship with beauty can be summed up by this: beautiful people are those who choose to see the best in others. A pretty face is a dime a dozen. What are you doing to impact the world? How do you make other people feel? I think it’s a bit extreme to say that ‘beauty’ as a concept is overrated, but I think it is when it comes to how we view ourselves. Maybe we should just spend more time looking for it in others and in the world around us.

Korina Day

I last interviewed Korina in March 2017. To view her previous interview click here.

What is your relationship with beauty? Has it changed over the year?

My relationship with beauty has possibly changed a bit. Moving to Big Bear really taught me that I do not need anything extra to lighten my looks, but just the colors of nature I am able to absorb instead. Keeping natural really allows me to focus on more important issues. Keeping active in the mountain also heightens my physical confidence to be able to tackle anything.

What is your best memory from this past year?

My best memory this past year was a time I have always loved; working at a sleep away summer camp. During this summer in Big Bear I was able to be a mentor to some amazing children and I created lots of friendships as well. While I was in such an uplifting environment, I met my new and current girlfriend and have continued to keep having some awesome moments.

Jenny Jimenez

I last interviewed Jenny in April 2017. To view her previous interview please click here.

What new passions have you discovered this year?

A new passion I’ve discovered this year is connections. As confusing or silly as that sounds, I really value creating meaningful connections and finding ways to be more intentional with people to build a more authentic connection. I am a huge people person. These relationships I’m referring to start with little kiddies I babysit. Seeing the biggest smiles from them when cooking their favorite meals, feeling the invisible magnets that always draw our hands together when walking on sidewalks, and sweet moments that create a closeness between us so they just want to sleep on my chest when they’re sick… this trust and love that I feel from them all originates back to one simple connection. It’s taking these connections we make and treating them like just planted seeds, caring for them, giving effort to seeing them grow and ultimately blossom to moments of authenticity and love. Although my youngest connections start with kids they spread out to many others: colleagues, friends, family and of course, lovers. Every relationship is different and requires different care, light, and love. But I’ve found that the fruits beared from these cared for connections are always the sweetest.

What is your relationship with beauty? Has it changed over the year?

My relationship with beauty is a choice to pursue everyday. I’ve decided it’s my choice to decide to see the traces of beauty weaved into my being and this world or to focus on the faults and failures—some days our relationship is great and some days are struggles. It ultimately depends on where I decide to set my gaze. Over the past year I think that my “idea” of beauty has altered and become more inclusive. More inclusive with people, places, and things like my grandma’s old lamp or the freckle above my left eyebrow.

Miranda de Moraes

I last interviewed Miranda in April 2017. To view her previous interview please click here.

What new passions have you developed this year?

I’m not sure where to begin. Through my internship with Food and Water Watch, I scored hundreds of petition signatures, contributing to the 6:1 Santa Barbara County passing of a resolution to ban off-shore oil fracking. In spearheading this campaign in the community, I realized my intense interest in environmental conservation and policy.

From studying abroad in Barcelona this past summer with numerous Syrian refugees, I was made aware of severe foreign injustices and became inspired to pursue international relations. I earned a certificate there in Content Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) rousing a passion in education and foreign language. From visiting eight different countries that summer, my cultural awareness broadened immensely and love of “the diversiform” blossomed.

I began the greatest job possible at the Isla Vista Food Cooperative, where I have been able to meet the most fascinating and enlightening people. From artists to gardeners to monks, I have been able to profit in every way from rewarding conversations contrived merely at check-out. The philosophy of this Co-Op has heavily impacted my life, encouraging me to seek out equality and connection in everything I do.

My spirituality developed immensely throughout the course of this year. Through conscious investment in introspective expansion, I have become that much closer to unearthing my root, my cause, my being. I grew obsessed with The Enneagram, a book about egos and personalities, a faculty that inspired intra-reflection. Nonetheless, I still cannot espouse such a diagnosis nor commit to a single philosophy, given we are ever-changing and commitment is limiting. Nonetheless, in understanding tendencies, I endeavor to expedite the quest to self realization, actualization, and liberation.

What is your relationship with beauty? Has it changed over the year?

The inherent idea of beauty is a uniquely human experience. As creatures sensitive to time, cause, and effect, beauty reveals itself to us through permutations in nature and society—frozen moments compiled in one ever-changing masterpiece; artwork exclusively perceivable to our human senses. From a positivist standpoint, beauty not only exists, but is accessible ubiquitously. I still believe this to be the case, but my definition for beauty, like my being, has cured and amplified.

With an “intellectualized” mindset, beauty is absent and the workings of the world just are. To think objectively must be taught—yet is the goal to become less passionate, less vigorous… less human? Are objectivity and insignificance inherently beautiful? No. Oblivion may be perfection, but beauty must be subjective. Only when socialization shatters can our warped minds truly unhinge and sincerely perceive what is gloriously intertwined: what is beautiful to our individual senses.

How has CAJU bedding grown/developed over the year?

CAJU has absolutely blossomed over the course of this year. I introduced several new products for sale, a popular item being CAJU sachets. Sachets are tiny, fragranced pillows meant to freshen-up & stylize cars, sock drawers, and backpacks—or even serve as therapeutic stress-squeezers.

I have remodeled tags to be hand printed with acid-free, vegetable-based ink from a nontoxic formula. Tag paper is FSC endorsed, 100% recycled from Green Powered Technology. With an exponential growth in sales this year, almost $100 has been donated to The Nature Conservancy’s sustainable efforts in Brazil!

Several months ago, the Isla Vista Food Cooperative hosted CAJU’s first ever Pop-Up Show, where tons of my handmade, fragranced, and sustainable products were sold. The Pop-Up Show did so incredibly that the Co-Op is planning to sell CAJU pillows, blankets, and sachets on shelves in store this spring season!

CAJU has received an exciting amount of attention from the community, such as the beautiful article for Her Campus by Sydney Patterson—just published a few weeks ago. I owe the ever-growing success of CAJU to the perennial support of my friends and family, and the constant inspiration and advice from all of you.

The future for CAJU is extremely promising. I plan on veering from purchasing new, vegan, locally sourced fabrics to invest in vegan, locally sourced reused fabrics from trade stores. By reconstructing fabric, I hope to combat fast-fashion, or fast-fabric in this context. I also hope to partner with a local lavender farm to begin infusing pillows not just with essential oils, but with locally grown potpourri as well.

Eileen Miller

I last interviewed Eileen in April 2017. To view her previous interview click here.

What new passions have you discovered this year?

New passions are all around new relationships and forming new friendships while savoring my old relationships.

What is your relationship with beauty? Has it changed over the year?

Beauty pretty much remains the same where I love the beauty of babies, people I love and admire , with perhaps even greater appreciation of the beauty of Morning skies, birds, the ocean and discovering unique beauty in all people. I look at people while working and I am struck by individuals' beauty and the colors they use in dress, accessories, hair color.

Nicole Merritt

I last interviewed Nicole in May 2017. To view her previous interview click here.

What new passions have you discovered this year?

Over the past year, I haven't discovered any new passions, but my love for writing has increased tenfold. All day long all I want to do is write, write, write. I have to remind myself that there are three (okay, four if we include the hubby) more important living beings that I need to be present for.

What is your relationship with beauty? Has it changed over the year

My relationship with beauty has evolved to me aiming to seek out eat out of every single challenging and less than pleasurable moment. Life is full of apparent beauty, yes, but I am working on focusing on the beauty that lies beneath the chaos, which as a parent of three seems to be my norm.

How has your blog grown//developed over the year?

My blog has grown immensely over the past year. At present, I regularly contribute to Scary Mommy, EverydayFamily, BLUNTmoms, Red Tricycle and The Good Men Project. I have also been published by Motherly, CafeMom, Elephant Journal, Sammiches & Psych. Meds, marriage.com and many others.

Baily Rossi

I last interviewed Baily in May 2017. To view her previous interview click here.

What new passions have you discovered this year?

Cooking! I'm still developing my skills and trying to do it on a daily basis, but I absolutely love making meals for myself and other people. I believe the process is super artistic and self-expressive, so if anyone is searching for a healthy, creative outlet, make yourself a meal! It feels so accomplishing to eat something delicious you've created.

What is your relationship with beauty? Has it changed over the year?

I wouldn't say my relationship with beauty has changed, but I have realized how much it shifts and changes with my perspective on life. Beauty seems to be something more trivial now, compared to other aspects of myself. Beauty too often dictates our self-esteem, and I think we should be working on much more important parts of ourselves.

Beauty is just a single part of our being; I'm working on appreciating my mind, my words, and my ability to help and relate to others. I think that's beautiful!

What have you been up to since graduating?

I just started substitute teaching at some local high schools, which has been exciting to say the least. I got into my top two graduate programs: UCSB and Boston University. I feel I'm at a deadlock in my life; I have to make this huge decision in less than a month and I really am not sure what is right for me. But, one day at a time! The answer will come when I am not searching for it.

Olivia Doan

I last interviewed Olivia in June 2017. To view her previous interview click here.

What is your relationship with beauty and how has it changed over the year??

My relationship with beauty is constantly changing, but the main overview has stayed the same. I will always feel strongly towards this subject and how beauty standards are focused on all the wrong things. In conclusion, I believe with ALL of my heart, that a pretty person is no one without the incredible soul within that makes them truly beautiful. Everything else is nothing. N-o-t-h-I-n-g.

Eileen Miller

Baily Rossi

Nicole Merritt

Olivia Doan

Miranda de Moraes

Jenny Jimenez

Korina Day

Dominga Silva Vicuña

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Are you a badass woman who deserves to be featured? Make sure to click ‘Contact’ above!!

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Badass Women (013): Emma Lawson

9/3/2017

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What is your relationship with beauty?

If I am to be absolutely honest, I see beauty in all things that are natural and spontaneous. I am a very spiritual person and I get happy and excited about the simplest things. For instance, when I wake up early enough to see the sun rise, I instantly get showered with positive energy and happiness. Maybe the most beautiful of all things is to see the people I love smile or feel their closeness to me. In those moments, I say a little prayer, an ode of gratitude to the Universe if you will – for giving me all these amazing things and granting me the ability to see and appreciate them. It may sound like a cliché but I do feel like beauty is all those little things around us we often overlook, things we forget to notice due to the forced images of what we are taught to like. Little things matter, don’t ever forget that.

What was the most challenging aspect of launching your blog? What was the most rewarding part?

Launching it wasn’t challenging at all because I’d known I wanted to do it. Keeping it alive, now that’s what the challenge was and still is. To keep the audiences happy, you have to stay up to date and you have to learn how to hear everyone’s opinion and somehow channel it into your next post. I, naturally, do have my target audience and I know (for the most part, at least) what my readers like but I always try to keep my heart and mind open for new suggestions, remarks, and ideas. My readers are keeping me alive in terms of blogging, and I love how powerful as a community we’ve grown together.

The most rewarding part is making connections with people all around the globe. So far, I’ve been lucky to connect with so many wonderful souls that have helped me understand different cultures, customs, life mechanisms, etc. Becoming as close as we did, we tend to travel a lot together (to Europe, especially) or just go visit one another.

Which of your blog posts are you the most proud of?

Again, I know I’ll sound like a cliché but all of my posts are like my babies. I am very proud of each and every one of them as I put my heart and soul into writing. However, if I really really really had to single one out, it would be this one. This post is one of the first ones I’ve posted, so I guess I’ve got a little beginner’s nostalgia attached to it.

What are you passionate about?

Writing! Ever since I was little, I’ve always found it soothing to write down my thoughts and feelings and turn them into a cohesive piece of writing. Obviously, things started out like they do with most kids - I first had a diary that quickly turned into a notebook of short stories, which I didn’t even realize were short stories until my mum read a few and was blown away. Once I was mature enough to realize how powerful words can be, I started focusing even more on making things work in my writing career. And while I do run a blog and I do understand that words travel faster when launched on the Web, I still prefer the written word on paper. I still carry a little notebook with me and always have a calligraphy pen at hand. And I write everything down – from ideas, plans and meetings to business goals, short stories or just random scribbles in the moment.

What advice do you have for young people looking to make a career out of blogging?

When you are a kid and you write, all you think about in that moment is that you’ve found a way to deal with the thoughts that you don’t understand. For you, writing is a method of healing. But, as you grow up, you become aware of the power those same words carry – and that’s when you realize how powerful you’ve been all this time without even knowing it.

With that in mind, I would advise the young talented writers out there is to never, not even for a second, doubt that their opinion matters; even if it happens that it doesn’t matter to a certain group of people, it will matter to some other group. Someone, somewhere, at maybe the hardest moment in their lives will read your words of comfort, wisdom, your personal experiences and start believing they are important again.

Inspiration is circular, just as life and love are. If you feel like blogging is your passion and what you want to dedicate your inspiration to – then, do it. Find your voice and stick to it. Do know that things won’t be easy and that you’ll have to go through a lot of obstacles before you make it, but it’ll all be worth it in the end. And you know why? Because one day you’ll wake up and realize that you’re doing the job that you love, that you are making a difference and that – guess what - you are getting paid for it!

Where do you feel most inspired?

Anywhere where I can have my peace and quiet. Even if it’s just for an hour – it’s my recharge time.

If you could pick a song to be the theme song to your life what song would you choose and why?

Ok, please don’t laugh but - I Believe I Can Fly by R. Kelly! What can I do, I am a positive, happy person!

What quote inspires you the most? How do you relate to it?

I have to admit that I am a fan of those motivational circular quotes and mantras on Instagram, Tumblr and other platforms, and I like to start my day with a different one, each time. Maybe, if I really had to choose one, it’d be the mantra behind “Namaste” - My soul honors your soul. I honor the place in you where the entire Universe resides. I honor the light, love, truth, beauty and peace within you, because it is also within me. In sharing these things we are united, we are the same, we are one.

Where you can find Emma:

High Style Life: https://highstylife.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EmmahLawson

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Badass Women (015): Chelsea Carney

Where are you from?

Where do you go to school and what are you studying?

What do you hope to achieve with your degree?

What, or who, inspires you?

What is your relationship with beauty?

What quote do you relate to the most, how does it influence your life?

If you could give advice to your younger self, what would you say?

What’s one lesson you’d love to pass down to the youngest generation?

What books have empowered or motivated you the most?

What inspired you to pursue writing and activism?

What message do you hope to convey through your activist writing?

How does your passion for activism translate into your YA projects?

What genres excite you the most?

How do your ideas come to you? How do you gather inspiration?

What lesser known organization do you wish everyone knew about?

Is there a small way someone reading this can make a positive impact on the world today? What would you suggest?

What issues ((locally or globally)) do you feel are under-discussed and/or lacking a platform?

Anything else you’d like to share:

Badass Women (014): A Retrospective

Dominga Silva Vicuña

Noëlle Reich

Korina Day

Jenny Jimenez

Miranda de Moraes

Eileen Miller

Nicole Merritt

Baily Rossi

Olivia Doan

Badass Women (013): Emma Lawson

What is your relationship with beauty?

What was the most challenging aspect of launching your blog? What was the most rewarding part?

Which of your blog posts are you the most proud of?

What are you passionate about?

What advice do you have for young people looking to make a career out of blogging?

Where do you feel most inspired?

If you could pick a song to be the theme song to your life what song would you choose and why?

What quote inspires you the most? How do you relate to it?

Categories

Archives

Badass Women (015): Chelsea Carney

Where are you from?

Where do you go to school and what are you studying?

What do you hope to achieve with your degree?

​What, or who, inspires you?

​What is your relationship with beauty?

​What quote do you relate to the most, how does it influence your life?

If you could give advice to your younger self, what would you say?

​What’s one lesson you’d love to pass down to the youngest generation?

What books have empowered or motivated you the most?

​What inspired you to pursue writing and activism?

What message do you hope to convey through your activist writing?

How does your passion for activism translate into your YA projects?

What genres excite you the most?

How do your ideas come to you? How do you gather inspiration?

​What lesser known organization do you wish everyone knew about?

​Is there a small way someone reading this can make a positive impact on the world today? What would you suggest?

What issues ((locally or globally)) do you feel are under-discussed and/or lacking a platform?

Anything else you’d like to share:

Badass Women (014): A Retrospective

Dominga Silva Vicuña

​Noëlle Reich

Korina Day

Jenny Jimenez

Miranda de Moraes

Eileen Miller

Nicole Merritt

Baily Rossi

Olivia Doan

Badass Women (013): Emma Lawson

What is your relationship with beauty?

What was the most challenging aspect of launching your blog? What was the most rewarding part?

Which of your blog posts are you the most proud of?

What are you passionate about?

What advice do you have for young people looking to make a career out of blogging?

Where do you feel most inspired?

If you could pick a song to be the theme song to your life what song would you choose and why?

What quote inspires you the most? How do you relate to it?

Categories

Archives

What, or who, inspires you?

What is your relationship with beauty?

What quote do you relate to the most, how does it influence your life?

What’s one lesson you’d love to pass down to the youngest generation?

What inspired you to pursue writing and activism?

What lesser known organization do you wish everyone knew about?

Is there a small way someone reading this can make a positive impact on the world today? What would you suggest?

Noëlle Reich