Driving home today to my sweet Decatur corner of ATL from a precious, restful Montgomery wedding this weekend, I was talking to the Lord about this business venture. I’m tired, y’all. Two weeks in and tired: It’s like I leapt from one anxiety-provoking career and like a little leech my soul clung to the next thing that promised life: new business.

Word to the wise: Be quite weary of Google or Pinterest-search blogging tips for entrepreneurs, or falling down the bunny-hole of webinars, friend. 

‘Cause I’m pretty sure this is Wes about now:

A husband posted this in our modern calligraphy summit FB group. Made me chuckle.

My competitive, exacting nature latched onto business-expertise podcasts, two or three webinars daily, and at least three classes at General Assembly a week. Drinkin’ outta a fire hydrant — isn’t that what they call it?

And today God said, “Ashlyn, isn’t the ultimate act of trust in your new business walking by my Spirit and not how the world tells you to run a small business?”

Oh.

The same God who put fingerprints of art, lit, books, and creativity on me in preschool. Yes, be wise about work, Ashlyn. But don’t succumb to listening to any expert over Me, He says.

So, I re-did my website tonight. It looks more like me now. And, I decided I’m going to blog about my life — the real one, that mixes AP Stylebooks on the floor and crinkled ink-blotted, calligraphed tracing papers with a German Shepherd puppy vivaciously contending that a purple squeaky toy is heaps more fun than a slick, silver Macbook.

Real life about newlywed burnt dinners and Harry Potter and red wine.

Real life about how we decided it’s a good idea to get a second German Shepherd puppy so we can see what it’s like to have two dinosaurs in a three-bedroom ranch.

Real life about how SEO, CTAs, digital strategy, and Google analytics have been my repertoire for years, but I don’t really want to start paragraphs with just the right keywords to play Google’s game, sometimes.

Day 1, real life blogging again. It will be just like the Miss Magnolia days, perhaps. 🙂