People who inspire and expand me
the wild, unhinged, IDGAF female archetype.
I’ve been collecting a list of people who inspire and expand me over the last few months, jotting them down on my notes app whenever they pop up in my feed. I think when you’re in a phase of exploration, when you are not exactly sure who you are after leaving an identity/chapter of your life behind, looking to people who inspire you can help get clearer on these existential questions. It can help reorient you back towards yourself and illuminate what archetypes you want to embody more of in this next phase.
When I started noticing who and what I was drawn to, I began to see certain themes emerge. It’s not that all of these individuals do exactly the same thing as a career, or lead the same lifestyle (although as I’m writing this, I can see how their careers are all creative and revolve somewhat around being in the public eye) — but it’s the quality, the feeling, and essence of these women that really speak to me. They light up something specific within my soul that makes my heart expand with excitement. It’s not that I want to imitate them; it’s the way they show up in the world authentically which makes me want to be as authentically me as possible.
One of the major themes they all have in common is this feeling of being wild, untamed, unapologetic in their self-expression. This not only pertains to fashion and style, but how they speak their mind without filtering what they have to say. They’re unpolished; they’re messy; they’re creative and unique. There’s also this sense of fullness that I get from these individuals — the richness of living life to it’s utmost capacity.
As someone who has tended to fall on the side of being more strict and rigid with how I’ve approached life (from eating disorders, lifestyle choices, to following particular belief systems — hello, perfectionism and control), it makes sense why I’m drawn to individuals who carry this sense of freedom, both in spirit and energy. It’s obviously something I want to cultivate more within myself. Allowing more life in. Allowing more of myself to be expressed, unapologetically, without fear.
Whenever you come across someone who inspires you, take note. What is it about them that speaks to you? What is it that pulls you in? What are the aspects and fragments which inspire and expand you? What are the archetypes and themes they embody? Where can you lean more into that energy in your own life?
Below is a list of some of the women and individuals I feel very lit up by right now. Some celebrities, influencers, public figures, fictional characters, and people I’ve stumbled across on the internet.
Charli XCX
Originally, I was inspired to write this post after watching Charli XCX’s set at Coachella last Saturday (streamed for free on YouTube). My face the entire time was 😵😵😵 Just when I thought I was over Brat summer, I’m like — okay round two let’s goooooo?! There was something wild, unhinged and feral about her set and performance. The way she was strutting around that stage, writhing on the floor, literally screaming into the camera — it was raw creative power. It was giving IDGAF i’m a badass bitch. Such is the essence of being a Brat™.
(linking the entire performance which was posted on TikTok below ⬇️ — open this email in your browser and you will be able to click through.)
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For my capstone project at university, I interviewed a friend of a friend who is a fashion influencer. When I asked him about his inspiration for his outfits, he talked about musicians and artists from other disciplines. It was a revelation for me, realizing how — inspiration and expansion doesn’t have to come from the same creative medium we typically express ourselves through. Ever since, I’ve often looked to music for the quality or essence of an energy I want to embody. Charli has definitely got that fifth element I’m striving towards.
Dronme
I’ve been following her for years, and I am just absolutely obsessed with her style. She draws a lot of her influence from the Southwest (where I live!) — it’s very bohemian, gypsy, artistic, Georgia O’Keefe inspired. She’s also a phenomenal writer. On IG, she posts mostly her outfits, book reviews, quotes, people’s she’s inspired by, and the random adventures she embarks on, often alongside her boyfriend. I love the variety, the textures, the accessories, the colors of her outfits. It’s made me realize how much I want to include color again in my wardrobe, after being mostly monochromatic for the last several years which just no longer resonates.
Emma Chamberlain
The It Girl of Gen Z. She’s just so….. herself. I love that she recently got a pixie cut — the masses say she looks like Ellen Degeneres and everyone is like “what happened to Emma? she’s so ugly” but you can FEEL how authentic she is right now. Her fashion style is a mix of grandma / Japanese / Amish — it’s not something I particularly like for myself, but I love seeing how much SHE loves her style. Witnessing someone else love their self-expression, especially when it’s not conventional or trendy or receives public backlash, makes me feel so inspired.
I love how she took a massive break from YouTube and was able to pivot into different industries and businesses, from high fashion and interviewing people on the Met Gala red carpet, to starting her own coffee company based on her caffeine addiction. She basically is just following what she loves. I also love how she’s always trying out new hobbies, unafraid to be bad at them and unafraid to ditch them when they no longer resonate (drumming, cooking, water color painting, sewing).
Em from love Island Australia
When Em stepped onto my screen whilst watching the last season of Love Island Australia, she immediately reminded me of my best friend from high school, in the best way possible (actually I feel like my friend from high school is basically a cross between Emma Chamberlain and Em). She was quirky, alternative, different than the other girls on the season — vegan, covered in tattoos, less makeup, outspoken, a clear feminist, stylish as fuck. As someone who doesn’t typically like the aesthetic of someone covered in tattoos, I was completely enamored by Em’s.
I also low-key love how she recently bleached her eyebrows (although she’s gone back now to her regular brows) and how everyone was also commenting how ugly it looked 😂 I think the real trendsetters in culture and society are usually initially rejected when they take a bold risk — and I suppose, that’s the energy I’m drawn to and want to step into more. Following what I love regardless of how it would be perceived in the public eye. Unafraid to stand out. Unafraid to be seen. Unafraid to take creative risks which absolutely align with who I am.
Daisy Jones from Daisy Jones & The Six
I stumbled across this mini series on Prime a few years ago and it’s still one of my favorite shows ever. It’s loosely based on the come-up of Fleetwood Mac in the 70s, and Daisy Jones is somewhat likened to Stevie Nicks. Of course, I’m obsessed with the 70s fashion, the high waisted jeans, the crotchet tops, the cowboy boots, the sepia tones — but I was even more obsessed with Daisy’s energy in general. Her love of poetry, of writing. Her desire to be free from her own inner demons. The journey she goes on to discover her self-worth, her talent, her creative genius. The feeling of freedom and longing and the desire to have fun in everything she does (granted, it was somewhat of an escape mechanism but the spirit is still there). It’s her sense of VITALITY which expands me; that thirst for life.
Also, imo — one of the best original soundtracks of all time?! Was listening to Aurora on repeat for months after I finished the series.
Gabi Abráo
Also known as @sighswoon on IG, Gabi has such an ethereal, creative, and soothing presence on the internet. She talks a lot about the metaphysical, about writing and creativity, about love, about existing on the internet, about how to not take any of it so seriously. She’s written a book called Notes on Shapeshifting which took off a few years ago. I also love that she posts as much as she wants online, often with very VERY long stories (like 20+ slides). And whilst she talks about many different topics, or sometimes just posts videos of her twerking and dancing around her space, there is a tangible thread that weaves through everything she does. I don’t know how to describe it. But it’s clear that the way Gabi expresses herself is authentic to her — you can copy or imitate what she does, but you won’t be able to replicate that exact signature feeling she gives off. I honestly don’t really know what she does most days except create art, muse about love and her fiancé, and make the most mundane things like drinking green tea or walking around the neighborhood feel like a magical experience. I just really love how she’s unencumbered with the way she expresses herself online.
Sammi Brice
Hi Sammi if you’re reading this! We’re now internet friends <3 I discovered her Substack called Miracle Zone after she commented on my human design cult article and been obsessed with her ever since. Sammi speaks a lot about the Law of Attraction, about leaning into what feels good, and shares her perspective on how to live a life in a alignment, based on what she’s learnt and discovered from her own experience and through working with her clients. What I love about Sammi is that I can feeeeel the lightness of her energy, the joy, the enthusiasm, even through the screen — it’s been so refreshing to take that in. I love that she doesn’t give a fuck about how her work is received from others — quote, “this is not a safe space” 😂😂😂Again, she has this wild, free, expansive quality to her where she’s just following what she loves, following who she is — and THAT is what inspires me to do the same, in my own way. I love that one of her main messages is that creativity and art is the most healing medicine — we don’t need to do more work on ourselves, we don’t need to keep digging up trauma, or fixing ourselves. We just need to lean more into life again. Learning to embrace it fully and follow our joy.
Araya Amenti
Bless the YouTube algorithm gods for randomly sending me this girl’s videos one day last year. Araya used to work in marketing for a wellness agency in California, before finally following the urge to quit her job, sell all her stuff, and move to Europe to do van life. During her travels, her van broke down and she ended up on a horse farm in Italy, where she’s ended up living for the last year and a half. She primarily volunteers for the farm, rescuing horses and animals from slaughter via fundraisers, posts daily videos to YouTube with messages for the collective, and creates courses around connecting to your intuition and aligning with your desired reality. I just love how unconventional her life is — I mean, part of me is like, wait, am I meant to volunteer and live on a farm in Italy?!? Again, it’s the quality and essence of her following her individual path, no matter how unconventional it is, that expands me. Showing what’s possible for me, that there are so many different variations of reality and that it’s safe to daydream and lean into those inklings of what it could look like.
There are more on my list but for brevity sake, I’m going to leave it here. In sum — if I could condense the similar themes these women embody that inspire and expand me:
Free
Untethered
Wild / Unhinged
Creative
Self-expressive
Fearless
Unconventional
Distinctive style and/or voice
Resilient
Unique
And most importantly… true and AUTHENTIC to themselves, no matter how that shifts over time, no matter how they are received by those around them. Centered in who they are. It’s perhaps the most important quality we can learn to cultivate. 🌀
Loved Daisy Jones and the Six, loved that era!
Brilliant