Slow Fashion, Slow Love

Photographed by Skye Tan 

Recently, I was asked to consider how I approached the balance between my professional life and personal life. What follows is a brief mediation on how I try to think about my life more holistically. I hope that this message is helpful.

Admiringly yours, Jen

In both the cultures of contemporary business and romance, there is an underlying message that what we have is never enough. Popular media constantly reminds of what we lack through marketing, swipe left consumption, multi-tasking, and numerous articles that focus on ‘the art of…’ (whatever it is we should buy next). The onslaught of 'impressions' distracts us from our clarity of purpose and disconnects us from ourselves and from others. The pressure to constantly grow a business or to chase love is unnerving because both pursuits become addictive. 

When there is darkness, a contraction, or a needed pause, we think that we’ve failed in our pursuits because of this paradigm of ceaseless growth. We feel badly about not accelerating, superseding, or rapidly achieving aims beyond a pace that is organic, which is to say, healthy. Through this flawed lens there's such a strong pressure to identify with a romanticized version of what is considered successful. Finally when the light and expansion returns, we often don’t appreciate the value of polarity or the magical range of feeling. We struggle to understand where we have been and who we are becoming.  

There should be ease in love and work. This alignment feels innate to us when our actions are aligned with our values.  

We can nourish our professional and personal lives by being present and patient as we dedicate ourselves to small details and significant decisions alike. We can approach the unknown with curiosity and build productive patterns. We can take responsibility and give precision to our thoughts and desires.  

In my professional life, it’s been an introspective time to create value in holding space for myself, my intentionality, and continuously refining my big ‘Why?’. I began my business with questioning my own values and of finding the necessary courage to enter a crowded market place to offer unique product and to engage with an audience in a meaningful way. In this journey, I am becoming a woman who shares vulnerabilities, who is comfortable with my her own pace, and mindful and she undertakes her greatest pursuits.