First Messy Draft

There was a time when “no new friends” felt like protection. Less people, less problems… right? But what happens when that mindset starts to feel more like a wall than safety? In this episode, I’m unpacking my own journey with connection; what it looked like to keep my circle small, what shifted when I stepped into new rooms, and what I had to admit to myself along the way. This isn’t about collecting people building an entourage.It’s about alignment, discernment, and being honest about what you actually desire. In process, Erica

Who are you when you remove the titles?In this episode of First Messy Draft, I sit with a question that’s been lingering, who am I without the roles I play or the things I’m responsible for?Not the job title.Not what’s expected of me.But who I am underneath all of that.This isn’t about having a clear answer.It’s about noticing what’s left when it gets quiet.In process, Erica

Have you ever looked around and wondered how everyone else seems to have adulthood figured out? Bills get paid. Responsibilities get handled. People show up to work, raise families, and keep moving forward. But behind the scenes, many of us are still learning as we go. In this episode of First Messy Draft, Erica reflects on a simple moment that sparked a bigger realization about adulthood—and why so many of us are quietly winging it.In process, Erica

A quiet note to myself… about pace, softness, and becoming. I’m still learning to trust it.  I’m still learning to trust me. Maybe it's for you too. becoming is messy. Growth is real. In process, Erica

What starts as a simple habit can sometimes lead to deeper reflection. In this episode of First Messy Draft, Erica shares how receiving a gratitude journal from a coworker unexpectedly opened the door to something she didn’t anticipate. What began as a small daily practice slowly became an invitation to pause, look inward, and see life from a different perspective. Sometimes the smallest practices lead us to notice things we might have overlooked before.  In process, Erica

Many women are praised for being strong, capable, and dependable. The ones who can handle anything.But sometimes the ability to keep going hides the fact that we’re exhausted.In this short reflection, I share thoughts on the quiet pressure many high-functioning women carry—and why strength isn’t always endurance. Sometimes strength is discernment.In process, Erica

In this first episode, Erica introduces the kind of space we’re building here. A space for women who are evolving quietly. Not in crisis. Not falling apart. Just… changing. If you’ve been feeling more reflective lately—outgrowing old versions of yourself or searching for language to describe what you’re experiencing—you may find yourself at home here. First Messy Draft is a place to explore identity beyond titles, performance, and expectation, and to make room for the quiet process of becoming. In process, Erica