Does Writing Personal Stories Matter?

My daughter is obsessed with throwing rocks in the water. Tiny pebbles that fit in her little hands, the giant ones I throw that create a dramatic splash—they all delight her equally.

I’ve been thinking about business planning & marketing often these days, figuring out what I want to share & on which platforms. It hit me that social media posts are like pebbles, and journal entries are stones, sometimes even boulders. They both have an impact, each in their own way. It just depends on what you’re craving.

I read this article earlier this week & it summed up so much about how I’ve been feeling lately as I grow my business. There’s a line about social media being like the spokes on a wheel that drives folks to the hub—that personal sites are where the magic happens. I love that. It feels reminiscent of why I started Flopsy Life in the early days, a return to purpose and joy.

Flopsy Life was born from a need for a creative outlet while I was working a corporate job. I loved spending lunch breaks and slow weekend mornings with a coffee, catching up on my favourite blogs & writing about what inspires me. Putting together guides for local spots & favourite shops, taking photos of outfits & places I loved became a way for me to champion others who follow their hearts while filling up my own creative cup.

Reading other stories made me feel like I wasn’t alone in yearning for a different way of living—one that felt meaningful to me.

Life looks very different these days, but I still find myself drawn to reading personal essays, wanting to see the world through someone else’s perspective, curious about how they style their life & what inspires them.

There’s something magical about learning from other folks who are finding their way, just like me. Who’re passionate about art & food & fashion & design, who want to fill their lives with beauty.

Of course, nothing will ever compare to a conversation IRL, but blogs, newsletters & IG posts can help me work through things I’m feeling stuck on, offering resources, insights or a new perspective I might not have found otherwise. Tour guides for cities my friends or I have never been to, brands we’ve never heard of, recipes we’ve never tried. Memes are a love language, so is a link dropped in a convo with the message “this made me think of you”.

I know it takes bravery to be open and vulnerable, to share a glimpse of who you are with the world—other folks sharing what they love encourages me to do the same. If reading others’ stories helps me feel seen, I can also hold up that mirror for others. It’s a gentle way to create a ripple effect, making the world a little more beautiful.

Part of my daily rituals is writing morning pages, & the day after reading that article, I couldn’t help but fill them with thoughts of all the things I want to create on both my social media and The Journal. I’m looking forward to sharing more of my process—the inspiration behind the upcoming collections, the dyes I’m working with, what I plan to grow this summer, what I’m wearing & places I keep going back to. Playlists & reading lists & collages for outfits & decor. Recipes for favourite meals & a life filled with purpose. Musings about what’s on my mind.

A glimpse into the corners of my life that make me who I am, that shape what I create.

Partially to offer inspiration, but also as a way of honouring this journey for myself. Creating something tangible to look back on years from now, memories & moments I want to savour, the dreams & steps that moved me forward. Something for my daughter to have as well, a way to remember these early days with her & the life I’m building for us.

But also—I want her to live in a world where folks connect over what lights them up instead of what they hate, creating spaces for each other to feel safe being themselves. That’s what this project is truly about for me: a gentle way to create the world I want to live in, an invitation and intention to live purposefully, wholeheartedly, joyfully.

PS: I’d love to know: what’re your favourite blogs/journals/hubs these days?

PPS: if you can, consider going outside & throwing some rocks in the water—your inner child will thank you.