It’s only fitting that my first official blog shares my reason…my WHY for launching this space, in this time. 

Like many of you, 2020 symbolized an era of renewal, a new decade brimming with promise and excitement as I anxiously awaited the arrival of my son. By the time the pandemic hit, I was blissfully unaware of how it would impact me (and the entire world). Work was crazier than ever and I was honestly grateful to spend my last few weeks nesting at home before maternity leave.  

Giving birth at the start of the pandemic was wild but the arrival of our sweet boy cracked my heart open in all the best ways, allowing me to see the experience through rose colored glasses.  

Six weeks after welcoming my son, I faced a personal reckoning that knocked the wind outta me. I was being laid off…while on maternity leave. The news sent a shock that would reverberate for months, sending me into an anxiety-ridden spiral that took months to climb out of… 

You see, for nearly a decade, I had shaped my career with an equal dose of precision and prayer. Countless internships, a stint in London, a move to New York and so on and so on. I worked with some of the top fashion and beauty brands in the world but felt happier than ever when I landed a role in the Home Design industry after moving back to my hometown of Dallas in 2014.

I felt a deep sense of loss, an almost trauma rooted in rejection that convinced me the decision was personal. In my mind, I had devoted so much time and energy to a place that ultimately had no place for me. It wasn’t until I realized that most of my emotions were ego-driven that I was able to come up for air and see the situation for what it was. 

It seems silly now that losing a job could have had such a deep impact on me. COVID-19 has wreaked unimaginable havoc on so many, forever changing the fabric of our lives. I should have felt thankful for the health of my beautiful son and family.  I realize now that I was experiencing varying levels of postpartum anxiety. Was it being a new mom? Losing my job and health insurance? Navigating a historic pandemic? All of the above? Thankfully, I was lucky and privileged enough to pull myself out of it.

Now let me get back to my WHY. As I evaluated the things in my life I could control, I quickly realized that I needed to re-establish my identity. I’d spent years wrapping it up in my career and then into my role as an accidental stay-at-home-mom. For the first time in my adult life I was forced to pause and imagine a future I had only dreamed of…

A storyteller at heart, I spent a decade creating content for other brands. Why couldn’t I create content for myself? For years, I had been slowly falling in love with interior design…taking on projects as my side hustle, silently learning from the prolific interior designers I had the privilege of working for in my corporate career.  Why couldn’t I launch an interior design business? I just started a family and wanted to savor as many moments as possible. Why couldn’t I design a life centered around family and connectedness? 

The answer to every single question was I can. I can and I will. Or at least I’ll try! I’m admittedly at ground zero of this personal experiment but my hope is that I can share the things I love and the lessons I learn along the way. Call it a creative outlet. A passion project. Whatever! It’s something I’m pursuing for myself and if it brings you joy or insight or anything at all, I’ll consider that a win. 

xo JRZ