Oh Thoreau….how you’ve changed my life! I like to think that if I lived in his time, in his city, I would have followed this man around everywhere. I absolutely swoon over Thoreau’s words. They resonate with me and stir my soul in a way that no other writer has. I’m going to chalk it up to genetics. Yup! The biggest news of the year ::drum roll please:: was finding out that I am, in fact, related to this man. He is a distant cousin on my Grandmother’s side. Can you believe it? It shouldn’t surprise you that I cried when I found out. Me…..related to one of my biggest heros…is CRAZY! But most welcomed. ::swoon::

Thanks to my Grandmother and her brilliant research with www.familysearch.org, I’ve found that writing is in my bloodline. I can trace back my relations to not only Thoreau but Edgar Allen Poe and Emily Dickinson. No wonder I’m always lost in the clouds, jotting down poems. Creating art. Embracing self-expression! Seeing the deeper sides of life….okay, I digress. But that’s pretty cool, isn’t it?

To me, Thoreau’s most basic principle is simplicity. His work embraces ideas of a life rooted in nature, of possessing less, and challenging social norms. Some of his works are published essays but a good majority of what shapes his work are his journal entries.

So, I did a thing. I spent the entire month of January rebuilding my website AND changing my domain name. In the words of Thoreau: ‘Our lives are frittered away by detail. Simplify! Simplify! Simplify!” Maybe I took it a little too literally, but damnit I was inspired! DreaLeigh.com has now evolved into SimplyDre.com. A new year, a new launch. As a creative, my brand and my vibe will always be a work in progress because I myself am a work in progress. And so my brand emerges into the badass phoenix it was always meant to be.

I am SO excited to share this rebrand with you. If I was smart, I would have teased it out for a couple weeks to build anticipation but seize the day and all that. I want to share it now! Here’s what’s changed:

My Instagram name has changed to @_simply.dre_

My entire website now has a more minimal design. Every page and every word was rebuilt, my friends.

I’ve added new photos AND a new logo! It’s round (I’ve always had a thing for circles as it reminds me to go with the flow) and it will have room to grow with me. I just love how it has the word Simple in it, a good reminder for me when I create. I’ve also added ‘A Self Love Journey’ to the bottom of the logo because that’s what this is. A work of heart.

I’ve re-written ALL of my blog posts to provide even more value.

You’ll see a new Links page in my Instagram bio that I built just for you. Now you’ll have a pretty spot that will take you anywhere you want to go in Drea Land.

Thoreau constantly reminds me to keep things simple, stay rooted in nature, and to write every day. His work inspires clarity within my own creativity and I am so thrilled to be sharing this all with you. Take some time, peruse the site, and I hope you enjoy this new direction as much as I do.

Leave a comment below and let me know what you think.

Don’t forget to join my Thoreau-inspired reading group called the Autumnal Tints Book Club.