depression

Before writing this I sat, letting the cursor blink forever before finally forming any words, because I’m not even sure how to start this article. The irony isn’t lost on me, trust me!

Writer’s block is a common phenomenon that has probably plagued anyone that has ever tried to write anything in their lives. It’s when the words stop flowing, and it seems like you’ve completely run out of anything to say. It’s when the thought of that blinking cursor on that blank screen just makes you want to roll over and not even face that insurmountable wall of not-words-yet. And it’s what I’ve been experiencing for probably a good month now.

If you’ve been keeping up with this website regularly, then you might have noticed that the number of articles I’ve been posting has significantly decreased in number. This is something I’m well aware of, and it makes me upset to think about how I’m having such a hard time keeping up with this hobby I’ve created for myself. At some point, I suppose, it stopped feeling like a hobby and felt more like an obligation. I HAVE to post something today! I better quickly draft up something I’m not even proud of and post, post, post. In some ways, I began to feel like the quantity of my posting was all that mattered, when that’s never why I started this project in the first place.

But why do the fun things we love start to feel like chores? Why does it get harder to start things, make plans, follow through? Why does it start to feel like life is just a play of going through the motions? I suppose it does when you’re not only experiencing writer’s block, but life block as well.

And this isn’t some confessional written to garner sympathy and praise for my bravery at admitting that my emotional health has not been A+ lately. We all experience these periods in life where we wish things felt better. And by no means is my life bad. No, there is nothing wrong with my life, there is just something moderately wrong with the way I’ve been perceiving it.

I suppose what I’m trying to say is that, it’s been hard for me to write articles for this site and get genuinely excited about the things that tend to excite me because lately it’s been hard for me to get excited about anything. And maybe admitting this to myself is the first step in trying to remedy the problem, and make it so fun things stop feeling like chores and become fun again. You have to keep hope that these phases are temporary, because they are! (I really promise that!)

Thanks for keeping up with The Young Eclectic. I promise there will be more to see soon!

Sometimes life isn’t as fun as we would like it to be. That’s just a fact that we all have to face on a pretty regular basis. And it seems like more and more, people suffer from bouts of existential dread and depression- both of which I am no stranger to. And while depression is not something that can simply be cured in an instant (can it even be cured?), there are some things that can help to uplift your spirits and make you feel just a little bit better than before. For me, one of those things is a really cute and comfortable dress, which inspired me in this latest editorial shoot.

Each dress I chose in this shoot is cute, vibrant and comfortable, ensuring maximum joy while wearing them. I even paired them with a comfortable pair of sneakers for a more casual, effortless look- because sometimes when you’re feeling down, it can be hard to do the most simple things, even put on fresh clothes and get out the door. So these outfits not only look fashionable and like you ~care~, they’re also super easy to wear!

Check out my looks below:

Short & Sweet

This adorable denim dress is super short and fun! I love the exaggerated shoulders and loose sleeves! I layered it over a happy, yellow, striped mock neck top and paired it with a super-soft, sleeveless sweater for extra comfort. Some fun, floral sneakers finish off the sweet look.

Dress from Zara, Sweater from Lauren Conrad, Mock Neck Top from Forever21 and Sneakers from Adidas.

Layers of Sun

Yellow is definitely one of the happiest colors that manages to lift my mood anytime I wear it, which is why I absolutely adore this long, sunny, yellow dress! It’s a light, linen material making it a great sundress, but I’ve layered a long-sleeved, ruffled top and a vintage, thrifted, satin scarf to bring it into winter. My favorite pair of platform sneakers is the cherry on top!

Dress from Urban Outfitters, Top from H&M, Scarf is vintage thifted, and Platform Sneakers from Converse.

Positively Pastel

I absolutely adore pastels and soft shades, so of course this long, flowing dress with pastel pink stripes would make it into this editorial! I added a bit more detail to the dress with a lacy, collar necklace, while a fuzzy pink sweatshirt and some minty, green New Balances make this look even sweeter (and super cozy!).

Dress is thrifted from Goodwill, Sweatshirt from PacSun, Necklace from Forever21, and Sneakers from New Balance.

I hope I’ve inspired you to find happiness and small moments of joy in even the simplest and littlest details of your day! Stay tuned for more editorials in the near future!