Gosh I can hardly believe I’ve started this thing. As I sit here my cheeks are sore. I mean like really sore. As I’m navigating this new journey, something that I feel I have been called to do for a long time, but still feel all the nervousness/excitement/joy/complete terror my cheeks are sore. I realize that’s because I’ve been smiling as I say “crap” to hitting all the wrong buttons and finally ending up here writing my first post. (I have an awfully good feeling that this is pretty telling of how this whole thing is going to go.. stay tuned).
I’ve been putting this off for some time for several reasons. Reasons that I felt were valid. “I don’t have enough time to do that-I work, have two small babies, a husband, and I’m already trying to balance all of those things!” “I don’t have enough talent. No one would be interested in what I would have to say!” “I don’t have enough energy” (see above for related excuses).
As I have had time to sit in this, to pray about it and really figure out where those “valid reasons” were coming from I realize that they all came from a place of fear. Fear that I wouldn’t be good enough or I would let people down along the way. But what I finally realized and what I’ve known for a long time now is that fear is liar. The funny thing about fear is that you can really think you’ve conquered it and then just like that high-school boyfriend, it comes back out of no where when you thought you already moved on.
What I’ve realized is that fear is situational. Sure you can muster up some courage and tackle something that would have scared the grits out of you one uplifting podcast ago-But then it happens again. A new situation, a new opportunity and fear comes creeping in.
Maybe I’ve listened to just enough podcasts, or maybe I’ve completely lost my mind- but what I really think and know in my heart is that God finally said “Emily, I don’t know how else to tell you. Just do it.”
I love helping people. I love sharing our journey with low tox living (I would love to say non-tox but I’m all about #balance and can’t say that we are fully there yet), I love sharing clean beauty, healthy recipes, and life hacks! I love transparency and truly value connecting with other women. I realize that I don’t have to be ready or perfect to be able to utilize this space for those things and I think my brain finally caught up with my heart.
I decided to start this because I really see a significant need for genuine resources (from your Southern sister down the street, of course!) and encouragement in all of those areas! I see moms, wives, single women everywhere seeking balance in these pursuits. Although I’ve been a resource for friends for a while for alllll of the things-safe sunscreen, clean beauty, healthy eating, cleaning products- or even in trying to get their kiddo to eat more veggies- I want to make one thing really clear.
I don’t have it all figured out.
Shocker right? I hate to break it to you sister but none of us do! What I don’t intend this space to be is some magical land where I talk about all of the things we do right and how you can do that too. Just to provide a little context.. I found a corn dog in my backseat last week that was easily a month old. Like a real corn dog… from Sonic. It wasn’t Non-GMO, gluten free, free-range. It was the real deal fried mystery meat- and that’s okay!
As moms, heck women in general we have so much to worry about. We take on the needs of others (Usually unintentionally) and put way to much on our plates. I do believe that we can live safer, cleaner, greener-whatever you want to call it- lives within the parameters of our sanity. I believe that we can fulfill God’s plans for our lives. That we can have the desires of our hearts, that we can encourage and support each other- by pushing past our fear and just going for it.
I can’t wait to see what this will bring. I can’t wait to be a shoulder, a hand, a guide for all of you- of course if you don’t mind being that for me to. So goodbye (for now) fear.. hello Southern State of Grace.
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7
