Dear friends:
If you’ve visited this space before, you’ll know I’m in Year 12 of professional blogging. A decade of hitting publish, hovering over delete, googling the correct usage of “past” and “passed” (still can’t nail it).
Twelve years. This makes me an Internet teenager, and can I be frank here? I’m feeling it.
I’ve changed a lot since cute shoes and HGTV bloopers. There are days in which I feel the electric spark of inspiration, in which I can’t wait to share with you a slew of recent discoveries – the hard-fought lessons, the swirling thoughts, the perfect nontoxic mascara (found). There are mornings I wake up and bound to the laptop that awaits on my dining room table, pinching myself that I get to do this daily – that I get to write about the things we keep and the stories we keep close.
And then there are days in which I’m feeling sweaty and insecure, a bit lost on my way to the lunch room. There are mornings where I write for hours and publish nothing. There are mornings spent staring at a blank screen in full awareness that many stories are best left untold. There are mornings in which I carry an anvil of doubt on my shoulder, wondering Who Am I? to receive the great gift and even greater responsibility of offering one small perspective to such a kind, supportive and encouraging community of women.
And so, in the spirit of silencing the Who Am I?, I’d like to know Who You Are.
I’d like to know what makes you tick, what your biggest challenge or struggle is. I’d like to know what you care about. I’d like to know why you’re here, and how I can help make you more comfortable.
[EDIT- You guys are fast! The survey is full at 100+ responses this morning; thank you so much for sharing your thoughts! For those of you who would still like to offer suggestions, feel free to email me with general feedback, or with any specific post topic requests you’d like to see at Design for Mankind. I’d love to hear from you.]Being a teenager can be tricky, and sometimes you just want to know who’s sitting at your lunch table.
Thank you for joining me, friends.
e.
What makes me tick? Living life to the fullest. I blog every single day…For myself and seemingly for some of my readers as well. I live a healthy lifestyle, I created a life that I need no vacation from, I am happy, and content, and at peace. I celebrate no matter what.
Love this!
I’d love to do a survey, if you have do one in the future. (A guideline helps, but will def email some ideas to you soon!)
So enjoying every word you write and what you’re about.
Lots of love!
Thank you so much, Stacey! I had to close the survey b/c the responses capped out my free account limit! :) But yes, I so welcome any feedback at all. I so appreciate it!
I absolutely love reading your posts Erin. Who am I? I guess I would say I am a woman who has had many challenges through my life, a single mother to two beautiful boys (now 29 and 25). I committed 100% to my boys to help them develop into loving, independent, thoughtful, caring young men. Now that I am an empty nester, it is time for me! I work, meditate each day, do four yoga sessions per week, walk to the beach and back most days, journal, read and spend time with my partner. I strive for a simple healthy life without unnecessary clutter and one where I spend time with family and friends who matter to me. As I have aged I know what I want and what I need and have never felt more confident. I have grown from a shy, awkward young girl into a resilient, strong woman. Life to me is about love, kindness and care. I am not interested in gossip, nastiness or judgement. Life cannot be happy all the time, but it can be content and have many joyous moments. Every set back is a lesson learned. I try to look at life with a positive outlook and an open heart. Keep up your beautiful, heartfelt posts, Erin. You are an inspiration. xox
Shauna – what a wise, kind soul you have! It’s a treat to have you here – thank you for sharing such beauty with us.
And so, in the spirit of silencing the Who Am I?, I’d like to know Who You Are.
I’d like to know what makes you tick, what your biggest challenge or struggle is. I’d like to know what you care about. I’d like to know why you’re here, and how I can help make you more comfortable.
And so, in the spirit of silencing the Who Am I?, I’d like to know Who You Are.
I’d like to know what makes you tick, what your biggest challenge or struggle is. I’d like to know what you care about. I’d like to know why you’re here, and how I can help make you more comfortable.
Erin, I’m in my late 20’s and I subscribe to your newletters because they are really comforting. I really appreciate that you share where your difficulties lie in your personal life and your creative life. Its a really nice reminder that even someone like yourself who is very successful and has a beautiful family has internal struggles and makes mistakes–and essentially is human.
I care about self awareness and creating the balance of holding yourself accountable and at the same time nurturing yourself. I’m assuming this is similar to how you would raise a child. Finding that balance between “should be” and “its okay thats not a big deal” What makes me tick? Meeting people who share similar values in growth and community. My biggest struggle is fearing that I will have my life figured out one day and that I will find purpose (I really enjoyed) your post about that btw). I continue to read your posts and though not all of the child raising ones I can relate to, a lot of your short tips really help.
thank you so much for sharing, xiaoyu!! i so appreciate you.
I love this space like truly love this space because in a word that often feels … edited and forced, you paint a beautifully real picture of the struggle and the beauty of life.
Who am I? I am a 35-year-old mother of three boys under the age of 6. I am a graphic designer. I am a wife, friend, sister and daughter. Some days I feel on top of the world like I have this whole motherhood, working mom thing down, and then the very next day I feel empty, defeated and I don’t know who would ever allow me to me a mother. I drink a glass of wine, throw some fish sticks in the oven, and try again the next day.
I connect deeply with this space because some how you are one of the few bloggers that I can see the real through the perfectly put together page. Your blog is refreshing, and beautiful to look at, and your words can tug at the strongest of souls – but I can also see the cracks, the pain, the wrinkles. In an online world where it is so easy to be whatever you want to be, somehow through your words I feel like I can actually see a little glimpse of who you are. Someone I could bump into at a coffee shop and talk with for hours.
We all ebb and flow with life, and grow a change. I don’t have a blog but I know I am a heck of a lot different than I was 12 years ago, but somehow I have been able to grow right along side you, and hope to for many more years to come.
Just know Erin, even in your lowest days, you are such a light and inspiration to us all!
PS: I have to use Grammarly, even to compile a simple blog comment, that’s how much I have my grammar “nailed down”
oh jennifer – this was incredibly encouraging for me to read. thank you for your kindness, and for squinting hard to see those cracks, pain, wrinkles in us all. i’m ever grateful to them for their lessons!
also, wine and fish sticks, sister = been there. ;)
so much love to you.