New Year, New Who?

I have gone back to my roots...this is the EXACT blog platform I first started back in 2012. CRAZY!! I guess its proof that I have been blogging (or trying) for a LONG time...like before blogging was even really a thing HA! If you look far enough, you will see just how awful my outfits and photography skills were...eeeeshhhh. I have come a long way!

My blog platform for the past 3-4 years was with another website, but it was hacked, so I have sadly lost all of my content from that timeframe. It makes me sad to have no way of regaining those posts and photos, but Im just going to let it go and embrace the nostalgia of this platform instead. It was fun to look back on where I began and get to revel in the growth and evolution of my style, photography skill & technology from 2012 to now.

So, I guess this is me just saying hi and re-introducing myself on the first day of 2019.

::Hello, Im Alaxandra from The Wild Inspired::

This year, I would really like to spend more time blogging. More specifically, I would like to talk openly about mental illness, physical health, spirituality and just any real-life things that happen. I had always become so fashion-focused, and that isn't the only part of me that I have to offer. I've had life experiences and lessons that others can learn from and/or relate to. So, this "new me" won't necessarily be anything new...it will simply be about me FINALLY being true to myself, and opening myself up to be more authentic & vulnerable. Plus, of course fashion too! 

Also, in case you missed my post on IG, Im re-posting here...

I wonder if I have always felt this way, but this year ‘Happy New Year’ feels empty. Looking over the past 365 days, I tend to take out the baseball bat and beat myself to death over the things I didn’t accomplish, instead of seeing what I did. 

This year was one of the hardest years of my life (and Ive had some seriously hard years). Each moment of fear, each challenge, loss and heartbreak left me more broken than the last. And there were moments that I felt I had nothing tangible to grasp onto. The support of my loved ones, at times, truly wasn’t enough. And it hurts to admit that. 

In reality, my biggest accomplishment that I can see at the moment was the fact that I actually survived this year. The fact that I found a devotion and daily practice in meditation, prayer & yoga, may have actually saved me. Had I not found that, I don’t think I would have made it through. 

I know that I tend to ebb and flow through negativity often, and I think others can relate. I have always been extreme in perfectionism when it comes to my expectations of myself, which annoyingly puts me in a state of procrastination (with almost everything). It’s a dark hallway, I can never seem to fully find my way out of. But I have been forcing myself lately to move out of that negativity and into the light. I have been putting so much effort into just DOING instead of obsessing over the perfection of how to do it. This is not easy for me, but I fully know from experience that my negativity breeds more experiences and thought processes that are negative. This is something I learned years ago, but this year was willing to really see about myself.

Since yesterday, I have been avoiding thinking about or looking at this past year. Instead I have been feeling badly for myself, comparing my life to others’ lives and really getting down. So this morning I made myself a promise: I will sit down today and I will look over the past year of my life. I will write down what I have done that is great, and in a gentle way, also write down where I need improvement.

And come to think of it...just from writing this post, I’m realizing what my New Years resolution will be for 2019...

Put down the bat, and pick up a feather.

(Photography by the wonderful Lindsey Cole)

Fashion Focus: Sometimes I feel as if I need new items for every special occasion in life. And truth is, I just can’t afford that...not even the lowest prices can justify spending for no reason. So, what do I do?... I shop my own closet! 💃🏻 all of these items are super old...one is even vintage! (Sometimes holding onto specific items is good). I had this gold strapless tube dress which I used as a skirt, a sheer sexy top that was a hand me down, and this embellished bra which is vintage from when my mom was my age. The bit of sparkle in the bra with the gold skirt and a red lip made me feel like a Holiday Mermaid 🧜‍♀️ 

During Christmas time, it’s easy to get buried under the weight of spending too much. I learned long ago that the stress just isn’t worth a new item that I’ll wear once. If you can’t afford something new, but want to still look good, re-purpose what you have. It takes a little bit of creativity and thinking outside of the box, but it’s fun! Send me pics if you have done something similar ❤️

Much love,

xx Alax