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The Living Your Passion Project: Crystal Li


Who are you? 

My name is Crystal and I write and produce a lifestyle blog called 'Le Petit Papillon.' I was born, raised and educated in England, then spent a year in Rome during University and I am now based in Asia. 

What do you do? Tell us about your typical day. 

I typically start my day reading and answering emails, checking Whatsapp and all the news and media outlets whilst drinking lots of water in preparation for my daily hot yoga class around midday. After hot yoga, I go grocery shopping for dinner and run any errands I may have that day around town. I spend the rest of my afternoon either working on my blog, writing and editing new blog posts or reading other blogs, magazines and lifestyle websites to see what other bloggers and writers in the industry are doing. On some afternoons or evenings I may have events to goto, photo shoots for my blog or collaboration work with others. If I don't have dinner engagements, I usually cook and eat at home and watch a movie before going to bed. 

How did it all start? How did you get into this industry?

I started blogging as a sort of experiment. I had always wanted a place to write and share beautiful things so naturally a blog was the best platform in which to do this. When I returned to Hong Kong earlier this year, a few of my friends introduced me to some local designers, photographers and other people in the lifestyle, fashion and beauty industries who were looking to gain more exposure through collaborations. I met with them and we started collaborating which gave me some of the early material for my blog. Six months on, the blog has really gained traction and PR agencies, brands and designers have gotten in touch to work together and it has just sort of snowballed from there. As I said, starting my blog was a sort of experiment, I didn't really know if it would become successful or if people would even bother reading it, so I started it off as a hobby which has now become my full-time job. 

What does “Living Your Passion” mean to you? 

"Living Your Passion" is having the courage and the freedom to live and do what you love and are passionate about. This has been said many, many times by numerous people but it is so true. If you do something you love, you will excel and thrive because it doesn't feel like drag. 

Where do you find inspiration? 

Everywhere. I try to keep my eyes open to everything and everyone as something can be found in all places. I love to travel and experience new cultures and learn new languages because it's so different to my own everyday life and it brings new perspectives from a creative point of view. I also like spending time with people and listening to their stories. There are some truly extraordinary stories out there which really humbles and inspires. 

Passion or Perseverance? Which is more important in achieving success?

Both. You can't be successful without either. I would also add diligence to that too. 

What keeps you grounded?

The morals and principles instilled in me by my parents throughout my upbringing, and gratitude. I always remind myself of how lucky I am and to remember to be thankful. I think it's easy to get caught up in a bubble and forget how much we have.

Whats the most important piece of advice you can give for someone looking to "take the plunge” and live their passion. 

My advice would be to have courage, be prepared to work hard and really believe in yourself and your vision. Often times in life, our biggest enemy is ourselves. Our fear of failure keeps us from taking that leap forward, but once you get over the fear, you'll find the results rewarding.

Anything exciting coming up in your agenda?

More travelling in 2016! I'm always excited to travel and discover more of the world!

 

 


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