Throughout middle school, Alexa Curtis was bullied by other kids. At age twelve, she turned to writing as an outlet to express herself and started the fashion blog A Life in the Fashion Lane. As she grew older, Alexa shifted her focus from fashion to sensitive topics facing teens and young adults, and Life Unfiltered with Alexa Curtis was born. Since then, she’s built an empire that includes not just her blog, but also the weekly podcast This is Life Unfiltered, numerous speaking engagements, and the Be Fearless Summit. Pop Culturalist recently spoke with Alexa.
PC: How did you discover your passion for writing?
Alexa: I always loved writing and seriously failed every class in school growing up besides English, so I knew there was one topic that was not difficult for me. That being said, my writing was pretty bad back then because I was only twelve! But I learned to write about what I love, which came down to anything I was struggling with at the time.
PC: Tell us about starting A Life in the Fashion Lane and when you decided to make the pivot to Life Unfiltered with Alexa Curtis.
Alexa: I grew up loving fashion because I felt like it was my only outlet to be myself. But as I got older and my fans did, I realized that fashion was not my main interest. I also felt like social media started to glamorize certain aspects, and I didn’t necessarily think talking about fashion helped that. I was asked to speak on a panel with Talkspace on social media and mental health, and once I did that I decided that I wanted to talk more about that topic and less about fashion. I was struggling with my own mental health issues as I got older, and since I talk about what I struggle with, I couldn’t hide that part of my life. Then I launched my nonprofit M.I.N.T. [Media Impact and Navigation for Teens] and went from there!
PC: You’ve been writing and sharing your experiences for almost a decade. When you look back, is there a particular moment that sticks out to you?
Alexa: Overcoming my eating disorder when I turned sixteen was a huge accomplishment for me and also one of the first times I decided I didn’t have that much of an interest in fashion. I look back and feel really proud that I was able to turn such a negative and dark time in my life into something that would eventually help people in the long run.
PC: What’s been the biggest lesson you’ve learned on your journey?
Alexa: Oh boy, soooo many. Rejection isn’t the end, and if anything, it’s just the beginning. Also, patience is key. And I’m incredibly impatient, so that has been the hardest hurdle for me to overcome when I think about success.
PC: While it’s easy to look at all the success you’ve had in your career, were there ever moments of self-doubt? How did you overcome that?
Alexa: Yes! I deal with self-doubt every day. I’m just more able to turn off those feelings now than I was five years ago. It’s kind of like a light switch: now I’ve seen where I want to be in ten years, and I have an idea of who I am becoming/want to be, so when those feelings creep up, I remind myself that this will play out like it’s meant to. If you can train your mind to realize that as long as you work hard and never give up that you will be successful at some point, it’s easier to overcome that fear of failure.
PC: You’ve taken A Life in the Fashion Lane and built your own empire. If you could tell twelve-year-old Alexa one thing, what would it be and why?
Alexa: That’s very sweet, thank you. I’ve worked for the past ten years to finally be in this stage of my career. One thing I’d tell myself is that just because other people came from money and connections doesn’t mean they have it any better than you do. You’re just as capable to change the world as someone who had a phone number in their pocket.
PC: Do you have any other upcoming projects in the works that you can chat about?
Alexa: I’m very thrilled to be announcing the next Be Fearless Summit coming in 2020. You can stay tuned for more updates on @befearlesssummit and befearlesssummit.org, and also be close to episode 100 of my weekly podcast This is Life Unfiltered! Along with that, I’m pitching a show and meeting with production companies about a few ideas that will hopefully be coming to a screen near you in 2020!
PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Alexa: The Affair! I’m rewatching every episode for the second time right now. Oh, and Law & Order: SVU!
PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Alexa: Sex and the City
PC: Favorite book?
Alexa: Becoming by Michelle Obama
PC: Favorite play or musical?
Alexa: Witch! I recently saw Maura Tierney in Witch at Geffen Playhouse. It was amazing!
PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Alexa: I really don’t like country music, but I adore Gabby Barrett!
PC: Hidden talent?
Alexa: : I can literally type thirty emails in under five minutes. No joke—we’ve tested this.
To keep up with Alexa, follow her on Twitter and Instagram, and subscribe to her podcast.
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