We live in a world full of numbers. 

Numbers of followers,
sessions, and likes. Bounce rates, engagement rates, and analytics. It’s easy
to feel swallowed up by the metrics produced by the double tapping of our
screens.

The seas of numbers
make it very easy for us to compare one another and make our blogging
journey feel daunting at times. 

I personally have struggled with not letting
the numbers of likes and followers define my value as a blogger, content
creator, model, and writer. So I’m thankful for my community of fellow bloggers
has helped me realize my value. Today I’m encouraging you to think about the
people and the relationships behind the numbers and screens.

I’m asking you to think about community over competition. 


Why should we choose
community over competition?


We all know what it
feels like to start from nothing. 

We know what it feels like to feel like
we’re just trying to get our businesses, blogs, and instagrams from the ground.
We know first-hand how difficult it can be to brainstorm new content or launch our e-commerce sites.

We also know that we
could not do this alone. 

It takes a friend who agrees to shoot for you as
you get your blog off the ground or a friend who tells you they believe in you
to help you get to the next step. Our
friends and our community have helped us stand up our blogs and businesses.


Our community can also help us learn the ins and outs of
blogging. Our community can help us all develop our brands and our businesses. We
can be even more creative if we choose to collaborate and build a community. 

How has community
over competition helped me?


Community has helped
me create great content.

The community of Seattle bloggers is incredibly talented and
collaborative. One of my favorite projects I’ve ever done so far is the We
Are the Northwest Project. Allison Wagner from West Coast Aesthetic and Jenna Bechtholt founded
the project. These two ladies invited me, Ribicca from Amro Menor, Bailey from Hot Dress Hot Mess, and McKenna from
Modern Mosaic to create this
project. 

I absolutely loved being a part of a project that showcased the
diversity and depth of the Seattle blogging community!

Community has helped
me believe in myself, especially when I’m feeling down.

Again, it’s easy to get caught up in the numbers and feel
like the content you’re producing isn’t good enough. My blogger friends have
been so kind and supportive when I’m feeling low. 

I was once questioning why a
major brand I partnered with would choose me to work with when I don’t have
tens and thousands of followers. My girlfriend stopped me and reminded me that
it’s because of who I am and the content I create that sets me apart. She
reminded me to not discount myself.


Community has helped
me embrace my voice and truth.

Aside from the outfit posts, I never thought that embracing
and sharing who I am with you on Emma’s Edition would ever happen. I never
thought that I would talk about my failures, my identity, or even embracing a
growth mindset on this blog. Even as I feared rejection, my blogging friends
have been so supportive and always encouraged me to continue to be authentic.


Here are a few ways
to build up our community:


It starts with
friendships.

My blogger friends are amazing, creative people. Our
interests in fashion, career, and photos are more than enough to unite us. If
you meet someone at a blogger event or even admire a fellow blogger, I’d
encourage you to reach out to them. Don’t be afraid to ask them out for coffee!

Support One Another

To make a friend you have to be a friend. If your friends need
advice in approaching a brand, give your advice. If your friends need some
ideas on content, help brainstorm with them. If your friends are feeling down,
remind them of their value. Strong friendships help build a strong
community.


Celebrate Your Wins
as a Community

At times, the blogging and fashion industry can feel so
challenging at times. So if one of your friends lands a major campaign, celebrate
it together. That win means brands are looking at the Seattle market
and seeing true value in this community. This means that magic and creativity
are being made in our city. We really do rise together.


Why I wrote this blog
post:

Earlier this summer, Kelly from Shop Rollick asked my friend
Giulia and I to shoot for her website and social media. We had so much fun
working with Kelly and our photographer Amanda! After the shoot, Giulia and I
were talking about how important it was to focus on community not
competition. 

Kelly started Shop Rollick less than a year ago, Amanda is
shooting outside her full time job, and both Giulia and I also blog outside our
full time jobs. We are all women striving for success in our fields.


I believe we all will
succeed – especially if we choose to support one another.


Here’s to choosing community over competition.

Photos: Amanda
Meinhardt

Models: Me & Giulia Dugo from Palm Trees and Pellegrino

All clothes featured in the post are from Shop Rollick: website & instagram.

Love,

Emma