Enigmatic

The last of the 3 words for my brand is very personal.

When I was young I went to a party where we played one of those "getting to know you" type games with a large group where everyone had to say their name and an adjective that described them that began with the same letter as their first name. And you'd go around the room and say everyone's name their adjective and that way you'd remember their name.

Now, I'm an introvert. And a perfectionist. And I wasn't prepared for a game like this. So instead of actually listening to everyone's names, I spent the whole time before my turn frantically trying to remember an adjective that started with E. In my panicked my mind the only thing I could come up with was 'excited' but when I said it out loud, it was clear I was anything but excited to be playing that game. Everyone laughed. I. Was. Mortified. I went home and opened the dictionary (I'll date myself and say I'm pretty sure it was a real book) and looked for ‘E’ adjectives just in case I ever had to play that damn game again.

Enigma - "a person or thing that is mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to understand." It was perfect. I was enigmatic. Enigmatic Emily.

I'm a mystery. All women are a bit mysterious. We have our secrets and quirks and our ways about us that others might never understand. It's perfect to describe redheads too. Many people don't understand redheads so they are a mystery as well. And a redheaded, introverted woman...nothing but mystery there.

My first label that I created and designed under was called Enigmatice - EnigmaticE(mily). I wanted to design clothes that made women feel mysterious and empower them to explore and celebrate their individual mystery. That was before social media became what it is today, where everyone seems to be sharing every small aspect of their lives. And here I am, writing a blog about some of the most personal and intimate experiences of my life...not very mysterious of me.

I have since learned about the power of vulnerability. How being open and honest about your struggles and accomplishments can be rewarding and open up your relationships to much deeper levels. Not everything should be kept a secret, a mystery for people to have to solve. And not everything needs to be shared and public. It's a balance, and you get to pick the information you want to share and with whom to share it.

I've grown to want to be vulnerable and available for connection. But there's nothing wrong with keeping a little mystery too. I will forever be Enigmatic Emily.

I never did play that game again, but I'm prepared if I ever encounter it!