Okay guys, truth time. Let’s get in the trust tree.

{I can see clearly now…}

I have a confession to make. I am not doing my best work for you right now.

I want to be. You deserve that from me. But I’m not.

There is so much on my plate and it’s all great, delicious stuff, and I want to be getting my hands dirty with all of it. I just feel like I can’t do it without some extra help. And a little space. And more time.

Do you ever feel like you’re so concerned about crossing off the items on tomorrow’s To Do list that you completely ignore the need to tackle your To Do list for six months from now? Or a year? Or ten? That’s me, at this very second.

I’ve got a decent handle on the day-to-day of Style Girlfriend, but that grip comes at the expense of me thinking big about where the site could go, and the steps I need to break it down into get it there. There’s so much I want to do with Style Girlfriend to make it better for you guys – more video, cool contributors, new features – and I want it all to be amazing and engaging and well-crafted, because that’s what you guys deserve.

{Actually, I just need more time to perfect my selfie picture-taking skills}

To that end, I am replacing (well, not replacing – no one will ever replace her) Intern Gabi with not one but two very capable interns who I’m getting up to speed over the next few weeks. They’ll help lessen the load of the day to day, boring stuff that you guys don’t necessarily see happening (creating bit.ly links! searching for the perfect pair of emerald-colored chinos!), but is vital to the success of the posts you see and (hopefully?) love. I’m also redesigning the site, which I’m both super psyched about and stressed by. The next iteration will be more robust, easier to search, and incorporate the lifestyle elements I’ve started talking about here and there in a more comprehensive way. Because as we all know by now, style is about so much more than just what you wear – it’s how you wear it, how you carry yourself. It’s about living with intention and trying just a little harder in every thing you do.

So while I train my new interns on all things SG, figure out how to continue improving the Ask Style Girlfriend video series, seek out interesting opportunities to partner with brands that I think you guys will like, work through the redesign process, bring on additional contributors, train for a half marathon, and find time in there somewhere to FaceTime my niece and nephew (who’s walking! holy cow, time flies)…I ask for your patience and understanding. If there’s no fresh content when you show up to the site one day, fear not, there’ll be something interesting tomorrow.

{because this baby’s not going to cuddle himself}

And for those (few and far between) commenters who’ve complained that the site is becoming a repository for me to brag about what I’m up to with other publications, brands, and the like, I say – seriously??

I never understood the notion of turning your back on your favorite band or singer when they made it on the radio. Shouldn’t you be psyched that someone whose voice you connect with is now going to be heard by more people, not rag on them for “selling out?” I suppose my thought process has always been, My readers show up here every day to get my point of view, so they must like what I have to say. If others are recognizing that and promoting me and Style Girlfriend in some way, I bet my readers will want to hear about it.

It’s not bragging, it’s me being totally psyched and hoping you guys are psyched along with me. And beyond that, just letting you know where I’m popping up and what I’m up to. If you’re reading me here, why wouldn’t you want to read me (or see me) somewhere else?

I won’t go so far as to call these readers “haters” mostly because that term should be left in 1999 with overalls and neon, but I would ask those folks to cut me some slack.

Because the thing I’m telling you about probably took as long if not longer than writing a post that would otherwise be taking up space that day on Style Girlfriend, so if you feel you’re not getting your money’s worth, I’m sorry.

But guess what? You don’t pay any money to read Style Girlfriend! So really, what are you complaining about, and I take it back, I’m not sorry.

I also need to let myself off the hook that if I’m not sitting at my computer writing next Wednesday’s post or lining up tweets (or etc or etc or etc…), I’m not really “working.” Which is complete garbage, and an attitude I really need to just get over already.

So many of the great opportunities I’ve had have come from me getting “out there” and meeting folks from interesting publications and brands I want you guys to know about. It’s not that it’s all who you know – you still need the chops to back up those meet and greets – but making interesting things happen is a lot easier when you’ve put in some face time. Surprisingly, exactly zero magazine editors and creative directors live under my couch, so I’m not going to meet any by staying home.

I feel so grateful to have the readers that I do; I just want more of you! Because you guys are so amazing and vocal and supportive of what I’m doing on here, I’m convinced there’s a ton more guys just like you – well, not just like you…each one of you is a unique, handsome, intelligent snowflake – who would really benefit from the information and community presented on this site. If anyone begrudges me trying to broaden my base, I’d just like to wish you terrible luck at your next performance review.

Tell me:

While I’m trying to see the forest for the well-groomed trees, tell me what you’d like to see more of (or, I guess, less of?!) on Style Girlfriend. More video? More travel style? More fitness? More on living  and eating stylishly at home?

Lay it on me in the comments!

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