The Story of Style Miss Molly

Knowledge is important, but only if we’re being kind and gentle with ourselves as we work to discover who we are.
-Brene Brown

Today I celebrate the four year anniversary of Style Miss Molly. Through this beautiful journey, my story has changed and in effort to share the real me, I want to give everyone an update on where Style Miss Molly is today.

You may already know the story of why I started my blog back in 2015, it all started with a pair of shoes. I was a Kindergarten teacher at the time and wanted another outlet for sharing something that inspired me. Creativity. That’s what drives me. So with a very determined mindset, I started a blog and shared my style, including those pair of shoes that became my embarrassing first Instagram photo flat-lay. It’s OK, everyone has one.

Thanks to a community of women supporting me, and a lot of hard work behind my passion and my hustle, my brand took off. Less than a year in, I knew this was what I wanted to do this full time.

Then came the Devastation of 2016.

My now ex-husband filed for divorce. It crushed me and it didn’t make sense at the time. I did everything I could to keep it together – myself, my job, my business. And to many, I did, considering I wouldn’t let anything get in the way of my goals. I was going to find a way to quit my job, pursue my blog full time, and keep smiling through it all.

That’s when everything changed.

The moment I started being vulnerable, my brand went even deeper and became what it is today.

I did something fearless and 100% scary and shared a bit about my struggle and my story. Not only did my soul open up to a different way of living, but my heart opened up to a different way of GIVING. Up until the point that I shared my vulnerability with others, I showed lots of positivity and gave encouragement wherever needed. The messages I received daily made it evident that it was a blessing to so many and helped a lot of people along the way. But when my whole world came crashing down, I felt like I couldn’t give anything but 100% myself – the whole, real and imperfect me.

I didn’t want to hide behind how people perceive me, I wanted to fearlessly embrace all that I am.

I gave something I didn’t really realize was a gift until after I gave it. I gave my vulnerability. In turn, it helped so many more and was able to reach others in a powerful and authentic way.

That change from positivity to vulnerability became the foundation for my blog. No longer was it about “appearing” like I have everything figured out and helping others get it together too. It became about helping people by simply being real with my own weakness and imperfections. The best part? People, in turn, helped me. They shared their stories, and it made me feel like I wasn’t alone. That’s the amazing community I’m surrounded by and that’s what I want to create more of here.

My goal is to connect with my readers and share with each other the raw and the vulnerable experiences we each face.

I get it. Vulnerability is scary. Vulnerability means stepping outside of your comfort zone and exposing yourself to criticism and judgment. Do you know how many times my anxiety has been through the roof right before hitting the publish button? More times than I can count. But vulnerability is crucial to any relationship, and I want to connect with you.

I’ve been broken, depressed, anxious, and cried more times than I’ve ever thought possible. I’ve failed, disappointed people, experienced lack of motivation, exhaustion, and a destruction of my self-worth. I’ve felt lost and stressed out beyond belief. I’ve even been hospitalized from stress and experienced deep pain from what seemed like complete hopelessness.

But here’s what I’ve learned through it all.

My struggles weren’t for nothing.

My tears do mean something.

There IS hope even on the darkest of days.

One day at a time, I’m picking up the pieces and continuing to challenge myself outside of my comfort zone and I hope to inspire others to do the same. We are more than our fears, more than our struggles, and more than anyone or anything trying to hold us back.

I am at a point where I am learning so much about myself by practicing the long needed act of self-care. I may not be as active on social media anymore, but the spark that started in me four years ago is still there. I’ve been writing, learning, and growing so much and I’m eager to share with you all I’ve learned.

Thank you for going on this journey with me and together making this community a place of hope and encouragement.

Keep smiling!