Birthday Wishes: Embracing the Power of Being Different 

I was born on April 25th, so today is a very special day for me. Another rotation around the sun has encouraged me to think about the journey I have been on and the inherent benefits of being different or thinking differently in the world we live in. I don't think I have ever approached life, work, or jewellery in the 'traditional' way, and while this can sometimes garner derision, I've always felt like it is something of a superpower. Without thinking differently, I would never have created KaterinaPerez.com (when I launched my website, writing about jewellery online was almost unheard of). Today, I want to share my thoughts on embracing your inner self and channelling all that power into your biggest passions… 

My first memory of being different was being scolded by my school director for wearing green jeans. Growing up in Russia, jeans were impossible to come by and were seen as something only for the coolest and definitely not a part of school attire. My mum had managed to get her hands on a pair – bright green – and so these became a big part of my standing-out-from-the-crowd wardrobe. I didn't wear them to impress anyone, and certainly not to rebel; I just thought they were a part of my self-expression and helped me show how I see myself in this world.

As I grew older, I started realising that I was moving away from what everyone else had in different ways. It's not that I disliked what was popular, but I felt strongly that there was something more out there to discover. I certainly wasn't deterred by obstacles or inaccessibility, or most importantly, what others thought about me. The more unusual the music, fashion, hobby or adventure was, the better! I tried so many things to find what I was passionate about, from beaded jewellery and knitting to… graffiti. 

Growing up in Russia, you are driven a lot by societal norms. But when something excited or interested me, a big question always lingered in my mind - 'Why not?' Why not write a graduation dissertation on online sales when no one imagined that it would be the norm one day? So, I did it. Why not take US$ 2,000 from my parents and go live in a different country after university? No reason not to do it when I wanted it so badly… and I did it. In 2012, the question was - Why not create a website dedicated to high jewellery, even though it hadn't really been done before? And then the next one - Why not build the @katerina_perez Instagram community of high jewellery lovers even if no one has done it before? Why not travel the globe to meet new designers and tell their stories? There was absolutely no reason for me not to do it!

I suppose it all boils down to not feeling restricted by what is considered normal and listening to my heart, soul and gut instincts instead. For example, a decade ago, news websites were a big thing, but I felt strongly that I didn't want to go down that route and just talk about the latest jewellery news. I didn't want to be the first to talk about a new collection or an event because everything new turns into 'I have heard about it already' very quickly. So, I made it my goal to create something lasting and meaningful and encourage people to dream about jewellery and find inspiration in the materials, design processes, stories, and people behind the pieces. Thank goodness I listened to my instincts, as this approach has been what has set KaterinaPerez.com apart from other jewellery websites over the years. 

With all this in mind, I wanted to share some of the things I have learned about being different, taking risks and channelling all this into life decisions, whether big or small. My birthday always puts me in a reflective mood, so I hope these personal anecdotes and ideas drawn from my own experiences will help you to feel more confident in embracing your individuality and making decisions that set you on a different path from your peers. "It's okay to be different; go and be you, no matter what happens next." I am saying this to you now, just in case you need to hear it. 

Embrace Your Creativity 

Creativity can be quite insular. After all, ideas and imagination are all contained within us and aren't things that others can necessarily see. To fully embrace creativity, it is important to seek out people who inspire you and either work with them, learn from them, or simply befriend them! My network contains artists, writers, photographers, models, AI creators, designers, and many more people whose creativity is different from mine but who help me to express myself. I am proud to say that I am the only jewellery key opinion leader (KOL) that produces editorials and AI artwork, puts together art installations inspired by jewellery like my Flair project for GemGeneve, for example, or turns her hand to Poly carving for a rock crystal sculpture. 

Build Your Own Empire 

Finally, being different means you will face criticism or, at the very least, some raised eyebrows. But if you can look past this, follow your instincts, learn from failure, seek out creativity, find ways to better yourself, and surround yourself with positive influences, I truly believe you have the power to build an empire. Remember, we are not here to please everyone; we are here to build our tribe, make ourselves happy and share that happiness with the people around us. KaterinaPerez.com is my slice of world-building. It is a universe I have built for all jewellery lovers out there and me. Now, it is a business that I continue to grow and a bubble that contains all my favourite things. This is what I will be reminding myself as I blow out the candles on my birthday cake this year. 

So, what do you make of these little pearls of wisdom? My hope is that my experiences demonstrate that finding fulfilment, self-expression and success (whatever that means to you) is a journey and not a destination. Every time something goes wrong, pick yourself up and try again. You never know what might happen next.