Today we’d like to introduce you to Allison Murray.
Allison, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
West of Felicity is my creative outlet for joyful living. I started the blog about 2 years ago while I was searching for stability and success in a career – my husband and I moved around quite a bit, I tried plenty of environments! It’s been evolving over the years, as I’ve uncovered my passions and moved to the beautiful city of Chicago!
The title is based on my testimony in finding joy over happiness through Jesus. You’ll see a mixture of fashion, faith, baking, adventures and all the ups and downs along the way. I’m sharing life, which is unpredictable and not always happy. But, it can be joyful so, I hope to help my readers find that sweet spot called JOY so we can live joyfully together!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I like to say “things worth having aren’t going to be easy.” It helps push me through the rough patches and has been totally true for this joyful journey as well! Pouring yourself into something that is clearly received well or not can be terrifying, full of self-doubt and comparison. It’s safe to say, turning my passion into a career has been full of fears and failures but I think those valleys and struggles represent my greatest seasons of growth!
If you’re starting your journey, there will be peaks and valleys, but each trail leads to something magical and brings you one step closer to what you set out to create. Learning to work from home and realizing my total lack of boundaries and discipline, straying from my purpose and taking on the responsibilities of starting a business have all been eye-openers. But in the end, when I look back, I’m thankful for each one of them.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about West of Felicity – what should we know?
My work is a reflection of my personality, shared in the form of writing and content creation. I’m constantly chasing neutral tones, cappuccinos, adventures and Jesus so that’s what you will see on Instagram and West of Felicity. Helping others feel loved and joyful is what gets me going and fills me up so, I tend to share my work in different forms of encouragement.
As a brand, I’m most proud of organizing and hosting The Joyful Influencer Castle Retreat this past February. Overcoming the fear of failure and rejection, I shot for the stars and created a weekend at The Kentucky Castle for 20 influencers to be lifted up and inspired. We had Ashley Lemieux of The Shine Project, a Deeply Evening with Jillian Edwards, Ashlyn Carter of Ashlyn Writes and Jules Hunt of Om and the City to speak life into us as we indulged in great food and company. The goal was to challenge comparison and perfectionism and embrace the pursuit of purpose, community and joy. It was lovely!
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.westoffelicity.com/
- Email: allison@westoffelicity.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allisonclairmurray/
Image Credit:
Anna Ahern, Wesley Taylor, Jules Hunt, Ashley Brown
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