First Messy Draft

The Shift

Sometimes nothing is falling apart, but you still know something needs to change. In this episode, I’m talking about those quieter shifts, the ones that happen before you have a full plan. I share a little about where I’ve been, what I’ve been exploring, and the question I keep coming back to: When did you know it was time for something different? In process, Erica

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Am I Operating from Pressure or Purpose?

Can pressure disguise itself as purpose? In this episode, I wrestle with the tension between urgency and obedience. I share how fear of missing opportunities can quietly drive my decisions—and why I'm learning that purpose often requires trust, waiting, and surrender. If you've ever wondered whether you're moving because God said "go" or because you're afraid to miss your chance, this conversation is for you. Because becoming is messy. Growth is real. In process, Erica

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Real Recognize Real

Most people think "real recognize real" is about spotting fake people. I did too. But after spending time journaling and reflecting on authenticity, I realized this conversation had very little to do with anyone else. It had everything to do with me. In this episode, I explore what authenticity actually feels like, why I've spent years trying to make other people comfortable, and the surprising realization that maybe the hardest person I've ever had to recognize is myself. This isn't a conversation about perfection. It's a conversation about self-recognition, self-trust, and learning to stop apologizing for who you are. In process, Erica

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Episode 9 I Didn't Say Much

Sometimes people don’t remember the exact words you said, but they do remember how safe they felt around you. This episode is a reflection on quiet presence, listening, emotional safety, and realizing that not every impactful person is the loudest one in the room. For a long time, I thought I needed to say more, explain more, perform more, but I’m learning that softness, attentiveness, and simply making people feel seen carries its own kind of power. This conversation is for the people who have always been the listener, the calm one, the emotionally observant ones who hold space even when nobody notices they’re doing it. Maybe your presence has been speaking louder than you realized. Welcome to First Messy Draft...where becoming is messy, but growth is real. In process, Erica

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Episode 8 Still Learning to Celebrate Myself

This past weekend, I attended an event surrounded by inspiring, accomplished, and transparent women and somehow the moment that stayed with me most was a simple question I couldn’t answer: “How do you celebrate yourself?” In this episode, I reflect on what that question revealed in me, the emotional impact of being in rooms I once prayed for, and why so many women know how to survive, achieve, and care for others… but struggle to celebrate themselves outside of accomplishment. We’re talking about visibility, softness, self-worth, answered prayers, and learning to take up space while still becoming. In process, Erica

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I Said "No New Friends"... But That Was Fear Talking

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

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When The Lights Go Out

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

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We're All Just Winging It!

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

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Pocket Note: A note to myself

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

Gratitude Feels Different Now

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

High-Functioning....but Tired

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

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The Space

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