Photo credit: Désirée from Désirée Photography
My not so secret is out: I've always been an oversharer.
My thoughts bubble inside my head and feelings pound in my chest in a way that is so powerful, it's hard not to get them out. I've always felt this innate need to share not only for my own selfish reasons, but because in those moments of sharing, I've found that there is a beautiful vulnerability that helps form connections with other people. Powerful moments and connections are formed when we have the bravery to open up.
Creating was a part of my being for as long as I can remember. My mom loves to tell stories of taking me to the Hallmark store when I was maybe two or three. I would pick up the cards and pretend to read them, and instead, end up making up stories for all who would listen. Writing, sharing, and make believe are just part of who I am.
In the 8th grade I created my very first Youtube Channel. This was long before digital content was monetized, and way before posting silly, cringeworthy videos on the internet was cool. In fact, they made you anything but. I remember being teased and picked on relentllessly at school for the vlogs I was creating, with music videos and silly skits I would spend hours editing together in my basement. A few went viral. A few are still somewhere in the great ether of internet explorer uploaded media. I beg you not to go digging for the sake of my own embarrassment.
In 2011, I launched a blogspot blog called Sparkling Serendipity. It was essentially my corner of the internet to talk about the fashion trends I liked, investigate and dissect my personal life, document hopes and dreams, and complain about boys. It was my digital diary.
I blogged religiously until I was in college when suddenly, my writing muscle stopped flexing. Maybe it was because I was an English major spending more time writing and analyzing the work of Kafka and Dostoevsky. Maybe it was because I founded a national organization that I poured all of my free time into. Maybe it was because it was a major part of my life where I struggled with my mental health and had a hard time putting my thoughts into words.
But I stopped.
And I've missed it.
So when the COVID pandemic began, I started to really think about what was important to me. What was I doing? What was I not doing? What had I not made time for that I should have been,
The answer was simple: creating.
Photo credit: Désirée from Désirée Photography
Creating for me is a buzz. It is like electricity from my heart to my head to my fingertips. I light up watching the final product of a video or putting my thoughts on paper and having them encapsulate exactly how I felt in that moment. I've been a longtime creator, scrapbooker, and writer. It's how I connect with others and how future me connects with my current and past selves. It's my hobby and brings me joy.
But it's not just the writing for me. It's the sharing. It's the connection. It's the "I feel that way too" comments, the 'I bought the dress you linked and got engaged in it" comments, or simply the "this made me happy" comments that has made all the difference to me. It was a community of like-minded people that can focus on sharing slivers of their life digitally that I missed.
But I had stopped making it a priority in my life.
Late in 2020, I found out that my inactive-for-almost=four-years blog had become archived. It was finalized. No posts would ever be added to that journal. The book had closed. And I felt...sad.
Photo credit: Désirée from Désirée Photography
It was in that moment I knew I had to start sharing again.
So, for the last ten months, this blog has become my secret project. It is the early morning work with a cup of coffee on Sunday mornings. It's the late at night after a long day of work way to unwind. It has been plotting, planning, and building my little corner of the internet where you can like pink and politics, weddings and independence, and hopefully receive a little bit of connection in a world where we are more and less connected than ever.
I would like to say that it's my birthday gift to us. It's a place where we can talk about Taylor Swift theories in the same way we talk about registering to vote. Where we can share the cutest trends for fall and how to make your home feel cozy and also share struggles with mental health. It's the place on the internet where no one will ever get bored hearing you talk about your wedding. It's sparkly and wonderful and complicated and simple. Just like us.
On my blog, you will find a miscellany of all the things that make up my life: fashion, beauty, business, books, writing, and all things lifestyle. You'll find snippets of my life, an online, digital scrapbook of my world. It's my thought and feelings and emotions laid out honestly, pen to paper, with an essence of the spirit of the 13-year-old girl who overshared.
My goal as a content creator is to provide you with authentic, high-quality content that reads like advice from a best friend over a cup of coffee (or a glass of rosé, depending on what you need that day.)
Photo credit: Désirée from Désirée Photography
Some of the most influential relationships I have in my life are the ones that have come from the magic of the internet. Being able to connect with people you otherwise might have only passed on the street is the most incredible kind of serendipity.
My goal is to be a space where you feel welcome, where you connect with a person on the other side of the screen no matter how far away you may be, and hopefully, a spot on the internet that makes you feel a little bit more sparkly.
So, if you're looking for a new internet BFF, I know where you can find one.
Your internet BFF,
kylee
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