Prepare yourself for the overuse of the word “love” and “travel.
My one year blog anniversary was this week, and I could not thank you all enough for being a part of the journey. It’s crazy to see this “outlet” grow from about 25 views a month to thousands of views a week. Holy sh*t.
So why do I blog? Simply put: Because I love doing it. It may sound strange, but there is nothing more relaxing (for me) than coming home from work, pouring a glass of wine, blaring the latest Lin Manuel-Miranda song, and cranking out a blog post. I still get so much joy and excitement from The Casual Luxury. In no way do I want to become the next BIG blogger or have 9,100,492,934 followers (though, that would be pretty legit).My end goal? To get YOU to travel more. Traveling is my passion, and there are few things more rewarding than sharing a passion.
Let’s take a step back. I began this blog as a creative outlet; a way to show my closest friends and family the adventures my husband and I were having as a newly married couple. In true Erin fashion, I went over the top and wanted to create an experience for the people I shared it with. In no way did I want to label myself a “blogger.” Then my little sister (still looking at you @madeline_dubois) let the cat out of the bag and here we are today.
This entire journey has been a learning process. Learning what is authentic, what is me, and most importantly, what really matters. As 100,000 people have said before me, the internet is a scary place. Did it take a toll on me? Yes. Am I over it? 100 percent.
The best, THE BEST, part of blogging is you. Cliche I know. You’ve probably heard it before, but it’s so authentically true. Every email, text message, direct message, snap I receive, makes me love this hobby so much more. I LOVE helping you guys with your upcoming trips, and I LOVE that you guys feel comfortable reaching out to me. DON’T BE SHY! Even if I haven’t been there yet — I probably have an endless list of material. I like to think I would be a travel agent in a past life.
As some of you know, I graduated with a hospitality major. The world of hospitality fascinates me. Travel with me and you’ll learn quickly that I’m quite a nerd about it. You’ll learn more about an airplane, a hotel brand or a trend then you could possibly ever want to know. Google “The Future Airbus” — incredible.
I travel because it is genuinely what I love to do. In some ways, blogging has kept me accountable. It has allowed me to make traveling a priority, and not take a moment for granted. I put in time (and research) to plan my trips, I save up for the “luxuries,” and I even get to share an adventure with friends or family.
If you are thinking about starting a blog — do it! If you just started blogging, let me know — I would love to follow along!
With that, thank you Thank you for being a part of this ever changing journey. And if you made it to the end of this post — you’re most likely my mother.
So cheers! Here’s to a few more blog posts, a couple more glasses of wine, and countless adventures.
Be sure to tag along for the entire adventure: Follow me on Instagram, Pinterest (my favorite), Twitter and Facebook!
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