I was reading a recent post by a new favorite blogger of mine {@oliviarink} and it got me thinking…

She talked at length about feeling conflicted with her two lifestyles {blogging in the fashion world and being a Christian woman} and trying to find the balance between the two. As you can imagine, blogging can feel very self-centered and superficial…especially if you aren’t using your platform to talk about more than just the clothes. As a full-time blogger, she’s dedicated her life to creating these beautiful images and wearing stunning outfits while building a substantial following — likely of women who see her aspirational images and want to emulate her life or dress like her. But, she spoke frankly about feeling conflicted as a Christian woman because of course her faith is just as important {if not, more important} than her “frivolous” career.

Listen, I get it. And to take it a little further, I started thinking about how sometimes our occupations can be complete contradictions to our outside lives. Or, maybe they’re not necessarily a drastic contradiction per se but maybe when you clock out at 5pm, you feel like the job you’re leaving doesn’t align with your personal values and beliefs. Maybe you’re so ready to walk out of that door everyday because your job really doesn’t represent who are you as a person. Honestly, I think about this often. Maybe not to this extreme but I do think about how what I do for a living {and now, the fact that I’ve added another “superficial” creative outlet into the mix} might be viewed like I don’t care about other people and don’t value giving back to my community. Advertising has long been seen as an industry of people that just want to sell you shit you don’t need. Images of men in sharp suits on Madison Ave pitching ideas on how to sell cigarettes or sugary candy to kids come to mind. Be honest, don’t these negative thoughts pop up sometimes when you see a new commercial on TV? Or when a banner ad appears on your screen while browsing your favorite site?

I’ll be honest, Marketers DEFINITELY spend a lot of time trying to sell the masses things that they may or may not need. But I’ve also worked on brands that care about the community and take their social responsibility seriously. Or maybe they provide a necessary service that we all need or at least something that makes our lives a little easier. So, I guess the title of this post is my basic point. You have to work to find the right balance. With my blog, I want to empower women through personal style. Eventually, I’d like to start officially styling clients and helping them feel better about themselves. I want to be a resource for people, not just a face on their phone screen. And with my job, I try to find that balance by helping the people around me and being a good manager and mentor. Hopefully, my career progression will serve as inspiration to another young woman of color trying to make it in this business and maybe my advice can help someone take the steps necessary to succeed. I can only hope that I leave a positive lasting impression on the people I come in contact with everyday. I pray that my life is an example of hard work and dedication with a focus on showing UP and showing OUT {in all aspects of life and in the best possible way}.

So, tell me, how do you find the balance? Is this something you struggle with or are you working a job that centers around making the world better and helping people along the way? Tell me everything. And thank you so much for reading. xoxo - Ash

P.S. If you care about the clothes (which is likely why you’re here!), here are the deets.

Hat: Forever 21

Chambray shirt and leopard belt: Target

Skirt (it’s actually a dress): Presava Boutique

Boots: Nine West

Coat: Zara