On a lazy spring afternoon, we at Indy Maven stumbled upon a writing prompt by Amy Kay on Instagram. With a nod to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, the poet wrote out an impromptu description of what era she found herself in at this moment in her one, precious life.
The prompt sparked something in us. Helped us whittle it all down to this specific chapter we find ourselves in, unique to each, but when scribbled down and shared, understood by all. Isn’t that what Indy Maven is all about? All of us trudging our own paths, but finding solace, empathy and support in our community? That’s our hope, anyway.
Halfway through 2023, it is time to check in with our Women to Watch. (We editors joined in the fun, too.) What better way to get to know them than to learn about their current era? So, with Taylor Swift sweeping through the Midwest in this month of June, we give you the Indy Maven version of an Eras tour.
I’m in my done is better than perfect era. My 15 minute Peloton ride era. My purge the clutter-really this time era. My work smarter not harder era. I’m in my all the things to all the people era. My stealing a Goldfish, chicken nugget, bite of frozen pancake era. My does it have a third row seat era. My hip-hop, but make it Kidz Bop era. I’m in my no time like the present era. My building era. My sandwich generation era. Did someone say they needed a sandwich?
Leslie Bailey, CEO, Co-founder, and Editor in Chief, Indy Maven
It’s my I do things my way Era. It’s my Get smarter financially Era. The I bring light, love and laughter, but still take no shit Era. It’s my I love children, but I still curse Era. The I forgive you for myself, and I love you Era. The I can be loving and sexy simultaneously Era. The take my business seriously, but I’m still childish Era. The I am very smart, so let me start showing it Era. The Toot my own horn because I’m proud of my accomplishments Era. My I’m not humble in this season, but I’m thankful and grateful for what God has bestowed on me Era. The what tattoos am I getting this summer Era. I love my family so much, and I’m gonna start showing them even more Era. The I love me, don’t you agree Era. It gets even greater later Era. I’m proud of me, Dee El Bee Era.
Dana Bradford-Majors, writer
My loved era
This is my accept the help offered era. Start loving what you can control and embrace what you can’t. It’s my girl, this is real, and you deserve it era. This is the letting go and letting folks love on me era. It’s stopping to enjoy the sunset and feel the embrace of color around me era. This is my take time to admire my body and soul’s strength era. It’s the hold hands when you want to with those you love era. It’s the lean in to your happiness and share how happy my people make me era. This is my hold a little tighter, and hug a little longer era. This is my giving myself the same love I give out era.
Arianna Cruz, Founder, MORE Magazine
I’m in my do things scared era. My trust your inner voice but drown out your inner critic era. I’m in my say yes to adventure era. Try something new era. My strength over size era. This is my come into your own power era. And it’s hard. And it’s full of grief. And it’s beautiful.
Hannah Giere, Copy Editor, Indy Maven
I’m in my Yellow is a Protest era. My call-my-work-an-“impression”-and-laugh, and I’ll start an impressionist movement like Claude and friends era. I’m in my take up space era. Even though it (always) feels like it’s too awkward and too late era. It’s a cup of tea at sunset and checking on the peonies and hibiscus leaves era. I’m in my saying sorry and I don’t know every day era, and let my glowing, grieving grey hair take up space around my face era. I’m in a wake with open windows and birdsong era, a National Geographic documentaries and sad songs, era. A choosing to celebrate anyway because you and I belong era. I’m in a say aigoo! about everything like my 엄마 era. An unapologetic ajumm, era. I am in a Tell me The Dream Again era. I am becoming the horangi of my dreams and it’s a limitless era.
Tasha Jun, writer [UPDATE: You can now purchase Tasha Jun’s memoir Tell Me the Dream Again wherever books are sold.]
My joyful era
I’m in my life is what you make it era. It’s my light the incense to start my day era. I’m in my work hard and rest just as hard era. I’m in love with my natural big curly hair era. Post when I want to but stories are life era. I respond when I have the mental energy era. I’m in my don’t give negative energy your energy era. I’m in my let’s go have margaritas and chat for 3+ hours era. I’m in my no privacy at home because my children love me so much that they still like to chat while I’m in the bathroom era. Enforcing boundaries personally and most definitely professionally era. I’m in my I don’t need to buy anything…I have something in my closet era. I’m in my peaceful era. I’m in my man, my man, my man era or I’m so in love with my husband era. I’m in my money should make my life easier era. I’m in my I can’t go my kids have this or that era. I’m in my being grateful for what I prayed for era. Cancer sucks and spend as much time with love ones era. I’m in my DND era. I’m in my don’t overthink – just do it era. Oh…eyebrows and lashes are a must era. Overall…I’m in my do the things that bring you joy and surround yourself with those that spark joy era!
I’m in my Greta Garbo “I never said I want to be alone; I said I want to be let alone” era. My drunk on churro Dilly bars era. My “I’m only doing this if it truly matters, pays well, or will make a good deathbed memory” era. My blue mascara and pink suede heels era. My happiest-in-nature era. My “entitled dudes in corporate lanyards commandeering a sidewalk downtown is an invitation to play red rover” era. And my “Seriously, Violet? We have to line up for merch five hours before T-Swift’s concert starts?” era? No worries, I’ll take every minute I can with you because you’ll be off to college soon.
Amanda Kingsbury, Co-founder, Indy Maven
My relaxing into myself era
This is my letting pretense go era. Not always sharing all the information (even though there is always more) – even when I KNOW MORE…sometimes confidence means not needing to correct other people era. Nothing to prove, strength to move and keep walking era. My centered enough to keep grounded, gentle enough to change era. Hacking my brain for happiness, not just productivity – time to be still, pass the mic, drop the veil, stand when called, and rest when needed era. This is my strength in the sorrow era, my courage in acceptance era. Work important enough to light me up and light enough to cast safe shadows; this is my comfortable shade era. This is my leveling up, slowing down, balancing without the balancing act era.
Robin Long-Jordan, Interior-Designer [UPDATE: Construction is wrapping up on several of Robin’s commercial interior design projects including Union Square apartments located in Fountain Square.]
My silver linings era
It’s my going grey era. It’s my embrace Barbie core lipstick era. It’s my I stopped painting my hair so I started to paint my lips era. It is my 5:00 a.m. is my happy hour era. My face yoga and neck stretching era. My brisk walks make me feel alive era. My the scent of my daughter’s crown is my home era. My ‘marriage is hard’ but I can choose to listen to his mix tapes that he made me when we first fell in love era. It is my I dream of carriage houses not castles era. It is my Cobb salads and chocolate era. My Wellbutrin and Claritin era. My Louise Penny murder mysteries era. My there is great darkness in this world, but also great light era. It is my it gets better era. My less is maura era.
Maura Malloy, Assistant Editor, Indy Maven & owner of Less is Maura
My fruition era
My already paid my tuition era. I’m in my been grindin been findin myself and now it’s just time to glisten era. This is my embrace sunscreen and face cream era. Embrace nighttime and daydream era. My sunbeam era. I’m right smack dab in the middle of my girl get some sleeeep era. My kiss me deep era. My one more episode at night is killin me era. My doomscrolling and gloom trolling is not fulfilling me era. So stop it era. I’m in my artist and mom, hardest and calm, fulfilled, strong willed, thrilled, skilled, I’ll drink it if it’s distilled, hustler, grinder, seeker, finder, everything, nothing, stardust, a speck, a giant, the boss, the client, everything everywhere all at once, copycat, original, indigenous, stolen, stealer, ALL OF THAT PLUS EVERYTHING ELSE era. My look, I’m just bein me era. And no, I won’t do it for free era.
Teresa Reynolds, Musician [UPDATE: Teresa Reynolds and the Skicktones has an album coming out this fall.]
My “I’m A Believer” era
My yes, I hear the theme song from Shrek when I read those words era. My I believe that I was created to be a lover and light for all things God created under the sun era. My yes, girl, you can do it era. My life is like a box a chocolates era. My I’m a lover of being submissive to my man, my man, my man era. My lean in if you love it era. My if you like it, I love it era. My healing hurts, but it’s worth it era. My this body does fit me, even if it’s a work-in-progress era. My lover of doing “All The Things” but needing to take a nap after era. My yes you can call me CEO, COO ERA. My faith and purpose will lead me to the bag era. My community holds my arms up, and I love that for me era. In my I can be disciplined to attain the life I want to live while being grateful for where God has me era. My yes, I can help you with that let me look at my calendar era. My let’s really look into gardening and being a plant Mom era. My being a mother is beautiful, bountiful, blissful, and the best thing that has ever happened to me era. My it’s coming to fruition era.
Inspired to write and share your Era? Email it to us at hello@indymaven.com.
Maura Malloy is a writer, minimalist, TedX Talker, and Indy Maven’s Assistant Editor.
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