curiouser & curiouser, 10 Years In

Kevin and I were talking recently about how strange it must be to have written a book about yourself/your life and then, years later, have this snapshot of an old version of yourself still out there, so accessible to everyone. Because of course, we all evolve, and so years down the road who’s to say whether that book will even feel all that representative of you anymore?

The thing is, though, this phenomenon is a reality to some degree for many of us, thanks to social media and what we’ve shared there. And for me it exists as another layer, through this blog. I started curiouser & curiouser back in December of 2011 (happy birthday, blog!), and it’s always been a way to document my life as well as explore topics and themes I’ve been interested in and share things with readers.

But it has most definitely changed — because I have most definitely changed. (And it will keep changing, because I will, too!) I started this blog as a newlywed and now am 10 years into my marriage and am a mom of two. But more has changed than just my life stage. I’ve grown a lot — something I’m proud of — and I’m SO much more comfortable with who I am now (I actually KNOW who I am now) than I was when curiouser & curiouser began. I’ve also uncovered new interests and values along the way.

One thing that’s shifted for me, and something that’s reflected here, is a mindful transition away from lots of “stuff” sharing on my blog. That’s because I’ve made a big effort to rethink my relationship to things, and am working to move much more to a minimalistic approach. I want to push against that “more, more, more” and “buy, buy, buy” refrain we hear so often here in the U.S. — for my peace of mind, for my kids and what they see modeled as important, for the environment, for my bank account, etc.

I’ll most certainly always share things — both here and on my Instagram account — because A) we all need things, it’s just (to me) a matter of having the right mindset around stuff and B) I enjoy sharing things I love, things that have made my life easier/better/healthier, and things that are ethically made and/or sustainable in nature. But that sharing is something I’ve tried to do differently in recent months. As always, in addition to sharing about products, I share a lot of other kinds of tips that don’t cost a cent or add any more stuff to your home.

When you come to curiouser & curiouser and read a blog post or engage with me on Instagram or listen to an episode of my podcast, I want you to feel like YOU ARE ENOUGH and YOU HAVE ENOUGH. I want you to leave feeling like you’ve gained something — and I don’t mean a physical something.

You see, over the years this has come to be a space of true connection, and of openness and sharing in order to foster that connection. (I wish I had more time to blog and record podcast episodes, but these days it’s just not doable. One day it will be, though, and that will be great!) I know I SO appreciate when I read or hear something that makes me feel like I’m not alone, or something that helps me gain a deeper understanding of a topic from a different perspective, or something that makes my life juuuust a little easier without making me feel guilty of my current behavior in the process, or something that gets my wheels turning in a new way. Those are the feelings I try to evoke for the people who come to this space, too.

That said, I do recognize the value in having a trusted source (something I hope I am!) share a recommendation to make your life a little easier. If you’re looking for a new probiotic, for example, I love talking about how much I like Seed because they work so well AND are amazing from a sustainability standpoint. So I’ll keep that stuff coming, along with discount codes for many of the brands I love and can really stand behind, both in the Shop section of my blog and in my Instagram stories (because who doesn’t love to get a good deal on a great product or brand?). I just want to avoid making curiouser & curiouser feel like it’s all about STUFF all the time. That’s just not the vibe I’m going for. (More often than not, when I share about a product or brand these days here or on my IG account it’s consumable or experiential in nature — it’s things like my favorite Small Seed plant-based protein bars or my go-to super safe cleaning product or the clean skincare and makeup I love so very much or the color and style sessions I did through House of Colour.)

I shared back in January of 2019 about how my blog could be viewed as a waste of time. Those words and sentiments still feel true to me, and they also feel right for this space. There’s some freedom to that, too, because it means I can do things my way. I can write about things I find interesting or helpful or important or thought provoking, without having to worry about what’s trending on Google.

So my main point of this post, I guess, is this: I want this to be a place where you can come to exhale, but also learn and grow and maybe be a little vulnerable, too. I want it to be a place of shared experiences and connection. This space has helped me learn to open myself up (sometimes in ways that felt pretty scary) in the name of being more fully known, and it has given me a place to work through my feelings or share my thoughts in my favorite way: through words. I’ve connected with y’all over my eating disorder, my miscarriage, and my struggles with comparison. But I’ve also connected with y’all through the joy of my children’s births (Maggie’s birth story is here, and Vance’s is here), the delights of parenthood, ways we’re trying to move toward a safer and more sustainable home, and the more everyday parts of life for the past DECADE. (Wow — 10 years. That’s hard to believe!)

Thank you for being here, and for bringing your vulnerability and perspective and friendship as well. I’m so grateful for you.