Intro

What’s a blog without a fresh introduction?

When converting from Wildflower in Louisville to Wildflower in LA, I wanted to ensure that I could utilize my growth and expansion as a person to incorporate new and exciting posts and/or projects. Leaving Kentuckiana and driving 2,100 miles across the country really does change a person, especially when the destination is Los Angeles. In the midst of all the doubts, trials, and passive-aggressive lectures, I knew in my heart that this was the adventure that I was needing. To anyone in question – after careful consideration, I am in full support of the decision to move to LA. There are definitely ‘this’ and ‘that’s to advise, but long story short, it is all worth it!

Being in LA for three months, I have learned the three key ingredients to a successful move/adjustment:

1. Friends will come with time. Growing up in Kentuckiana, I always had a few different friend groups that I could simply hit up and have plans with almost instantaneously. I was hardly alone or without plans, and this completely changed as a newcomer to LA. It took little time to meet people, but keep in mind that they are doing their own thing and will rarely be flexible or available spontaneously. Here, everyone has goals that they are trying to reach and friend groups already build, so trying to squeeze in between those will be difficult in the beginning. But, hang in there! As time continues, you will find your spot and this will be a finishing touch on the relocation adjustment.
2. Do your OWN thing! This is very important. If there is one thing that I have learned about LA residents (especially LA men), it is that they have their own lives and do not want to feel needed or depended on. If you present a plan to them, they are more likely to come along if you word it as “I am doing this, and you’re welcome to join”, than “Want to go to the beach with me?”. It may feel silly to think about it at such a broken down level, but since doing so, my ability to make plans and even friends has increased dramatically since implementing this small rule into my interactions. Try it!
3. Don’t forget why you came! At first, LA is a city of glitz and adventure, and seeing new sights is a must for every new resident. But it is natural over time to develop a pattern, and/or get discouraged: Wake up, work, go home, make dinner, Netflix, smoke with a friend, go to bed. In the Midwest, ruts are normal due to the unpredictable weather and lack of entertainment, but this is SoCal! The opportunities and new sights are endless, and if you feel yourself stuck in that familiar rut, drop what you’re doing and go see something new! Remember why you moved here, and do not forget the amazing feeling the city/mountains/beaches/new sights gives you. Bonus: everything in LA is no more than 30-45 minutes apart (in traffic) typically, so seeing something new does not have to mean driving/traveling!

You get the jist, I’m a Midwestern-raised girl embracing the high life of LA, but I want to represent something deeper than that. My goals for this blog reach further than with my previous, and this sentence from a classic literary piece sums it up:

“Sometimes I can feel my bones straining under the weight of all the lives I’m not living.” -Jonathan Safran Foer, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

In LA, there’s always something new to experience, someone new to meet, or something to be inspired by. Wildflower in LA is centered around Fashion, Photo, & Cuisine, but will now have a few new features! Rather than limiting topics to a few broad themes, I am going to be now featuring new topics, such as Hookah & MJ (for all you mutual tokers), Personal/Lifestyle (for those interested in my inner thoughts and selfies), Street Style (featuring fabulous strangers on the street), and Socal (traveling posts exclusively located within Southern California). More topics, more readers. More readers, more themes, projects, and opportunities.

Time to roll up my sleeves, grab life by the horns, and take this blogging thing seriously.

Stay classy, stay tuned.