Trust The Timing Of Your Life || Jord Watch Collab

For as long as I can remember, I've wrestled with the tug-of-war between my vision of the life I see for myself and where I am. To add fuel to the fire, introduce social media. It was 2012. I'd just started a new job as a social media editor for a magazine, and seemingly in the blink of an eye, I was thrown into the very competitive world of likes, comments, and follows. Over the last few years, I've marveled at the progress of guys and girls whose style ranges anywhere from huh? to outright fab, their ability to make blogging a full-time entrepreneurial endeavor, and most impressively, their commitment to seeing it through year after year.

I can think of a million and one reasons why I've teetered back and forth about going all in. For starters, I think working too closely to an industry can sometimes put a stain on it. In the case of social media for example, people can buy followers, pay for likes, pitch campaigns, the list goes on... *To be clear, everyone has a groove that works for them, the caveat, is that I've had several conversations with aspiring bloggers who are benchmarking their progress against this person and that person's success and so often, their perceptions of these successes inherently draw from assumptions void of details we simply don't have any way of knowing, which is why it's so important to do you, and trust your magic.

Secondly, I'm super visual, and it has been a JOURNEY to bring this site up to speed aesthetically. Finding cost-effective solutions to get The Coffey Break just how I wanted it has been a labor of love. This is the first time, ever haha, where I actually have every design element I would have wanted to feel confident about giving this thing a real push.

Lastly, it really just came down to time and place. My filter for just about anything or anyone is authenticity, and I hold myself to that same standard. If I can be totally transparent, I have a confession: I honestly just didn't want to feel like I was mimicking what everybody else was doing, and for the longest, I had a really hard time figuring out how to go about that.

I love, fashion, but I also love food. I love love love making video blogs. I'm cheesy, and I can't get enough of sharing the inspirational stuff. And you know what? That's my groove, and I'm finally at peace with that. Two years ago, I could have said that, but I would have felt torn. Now, I don't care. Build whatever it is you see for yourself and the right people and opportunities will be drawn to you plain and simple. I'm a little bit of everything, and this space I've created is built to reflect just that.

Around the time of my aha moment, I was about to move to New York, and out of the blue, I receive an invitation to consider partnering with JORD Watches for their spring campaign. Two things stood out to me as opposed to other companies that have reached out. 1. The follow-up --I could tell it was a real person. He was great btw. 2. The timing couldn't have been better. I was looking for a cool watch, and I actually really liked one of the watches he sent.

A friend of mine, who happens to be a freaking successful blogger, no hype, once told me that regardless of how good an opportunity may seem he only partners with companies he feels a genuine connection to, and I think that a great filter to use in this industry. It's that intentionality piece that makes all the difference.

I was talking to a friend yesterday, and we were discussing the concept of relationship building, and I mentioned that the one thing I keep in mind is that every relationship, good or bad, is built off of a foundation. Solid relationships have solid foundations. Shaky relationships are gonna be just that, shaky.

Build on whatever reflects the beauty of the vision you have for yourself and trust the timing of your life. Throughout this last 6 months of moving, getting settled, and planning my next steps, I've been so tempted to jump ahead of the pace that my life is unfolding. Fight it. Don't do it. Time and time again, I've had to tell myself to wait and be okay with that. Fight the urge to look to the left and the right and believe that each and every thing God has for you is yours.

Speaking of yours! The reason why we're here haha If you like my watch, JORD watches, or know someone who might be on the hunt for a new women's watch or men's watch, I have good news!

JORD is offering an exclusive giveaway for Coffey Break subscribers. All you have to do to enter is fill out your name and email here. Every person who enters will be entered to win a $100 gift code to use on the JORD site! One lucky person will win, but each and every one of you will receive a consolation code worth $25 towards one of their unique watches once the contest ends.

Which reminds me, I couldn't close this post without giving a shoutout to the sweetest guy in time, Warren Creavalle, for the dreamiest of visuals. You killed it babe. So happy to have had you onboard for this project. You win photographer All-American, hands down ❤

The giveaway will close 03/12/2017 at 11:59pm, and both the $100 and the $25 codes will expire on 05/31/2017.

Sending you guys all the good vibes, and hip hip hooray to the future winners!

Peace, Love, and Sunshine,

Xoxo -Chels