You just have to start.
It seems so simple… to just get up and try. But in reality, it can be incredibly terrifying. You freeze, talk yourself out of it, and sometimes you just… don’t? Starting feels like walking through quicksand, scared of getting stuck. Standing still, forever imprisoned in crippling self-doubt. So how do you get unstuck? Find inspiration in others, perhaps. Look for the good around you. Take those things in and chisel your way out. Sometimes it is the poets in our lives that frequently write and share about their good experiences (shout-out @lewisalex10 ). Or maybe it’s the ones who are pursuing singing and relentlessly refuse to let cancer define them (shout-out @riesemusic_ ).
So where are you going to start? No one can guarantee your pursuits will end up as you envisioned, but I’m sure you’ll be glad you’re able to say “at least I tried.” Me? I’m going to try as well. And in the moments of self-doubt I will circle back to this. Hoping to find encouragement and affirmation. And in that hope, reminding myself “at least I started.” #affirmations #start #try #accidentallywesanderson
I struck gold.
A product of immigrant parents. A kid who didn’t always know how to share what he was thinking. A boy who always wondered how he would fit in. Boy, would you look at yourself now!
I spent so much time worrying about getting to thirty. I thought of what success looked like; did I set myself up for success or did I spend too much time daydreaming? I realized that my worth is measured in the ways that I choose to love myself. It’s a sum of my morality and courage to be who I truly am. The little me’s needed to hear how strong they were through everything that got thrown at them. To believe that they would one day grow to be something really special.
Here I am…thirty years old. I’ve accomplished wonders that the little me’s couldn’t possibly imagine. And that’s the thing, I’m doing it for them.
So as I go to bed, and another decade begins…this post will be a stake in all the moments of self-doubt. To remember that we are doing it for the little me’s who are always a part of you. 🥂
As always, thank you @ryannealcordwell for bringing a vision to life. #goldenbirthday
Six years ago, I was getting ready to marry the love of my life. All my groomsmen would tell you I was unable to say full sentences, moving and smiling silently because I felt the magnitude of what marrying Eryn all meant—partnership…commitment in a way I had never known.
What I never realized that day was how much I would grow, process emotions, and experience loving someone so deeply. What I’ve learned over time is that love is something that presents itself in different ways. For instance, I learned that to be known is a love that transcends any other joy I’ve ever felt.
If you know Eryn, you know she was never one to play video games, watch movies, or care about pop culture (besides Dancing with the Stars). And yet, she listens to me yap about all those things and cares about how much joy it brings me. Those days (weeks sometimes) I wanted to hyper-fixate on a massive project. She didn’t shut down my vision; she came alongside me and helped me bring those things to life. Eryn is the most loyal person I know, most often putting others before herself. She’s thoughtful, emotionally intelligent, and the person in my corner that makes me feel invincible.
Recently, Eryn and I went to Burundi, where I was born and a large part of my family still lives. She witnessed firsthand the core of my tendencies (for better or worse, ha!). She met my last living grandparent, and it stirred feelings of warmth and gratitude that they were able to spend time together. Her spending time with my family, seeing her adopt our culture, makes my heart swell.
Six years later and I love you more than I did that day at the altar, here’s to many more years of love, quiet nights in, adventures, and steady reminder that with you, to be known is to be deeply, endlessly loved. #happyanniversary❤️ #sixyears
Looking back at 2016 through my photos, it turns out it was mostly full of jumping.
But it was also road trips, Instameets, and wedding dance floors—portraits framed by big walls and street corners, and friendships that became some of the relationships I cherish most.
This trend reminded me what I love, how much I’ve grown, and the small ways we all came together on this little app! #2016 #2016rewind
It’s the first Monday back at work, and I’m still processing the time we spent in Burundi. It was wildly special exposing Eryn to the place I was born, a culture that influenced me, and a family that believes deeply in connection. This new year started from an airplane at cruising altitude with my head in the clouds. As I settle back into reality, I’m going to reminisce and reflect on what I’ve experienced in the last year. Reflection, I hope, will inform and nurture growth that is at my own pace. So here’s to the memories, the stepping stones, and the snaps that await in 2026!
Captured by @erynkunzimana 📸
#happynewyear #2026 #HNY
Attend a wedding in Burundi: âś…
Congrats to my cousin Cybelle and her new husband, Charlie! Welcome to the family!
Swipe to see how I was feeling about the SWEAT.
#burundi #burundiweddings
🎂33🎂
There are so many aspects to who I am, and over time I’ve learned to love each of them. I’ve processed and healed aspects of myself I had long since forgotten about. And although it wasn’t frictionless, I feel like I’m that much closer to being whole. Each bump in the road has growth as its reward.
Moving forward, it’s going to be about having fun, choosing myself, and sharing more of the unconventional. It’s going to be about lovingly encouraging myself to not hold back on the things I want to do. Make things! Make things for me and share them regardless of how many people see them.
My knees hurt a little more, my back creaks more often, but I’m still dancin’, laughing, making memories.
Lastly, prepare to see a lot more silly, more Goofy Goober, and more from this single origin from Burundi!
As always, thank you @ryannealcordwell for your collaboration on another birthday snap! #birthday #33 #anotheryeararoundthesun
#GuericJumps with the new @away Aluminum-Edge Collection!
For years, Away has been my luggage of choice—durable, reliable, and rolling smoother than anything else through airports and even the most uneven cobblestone streets. My Away Carry-on has seen its fair share of uneven terrain, bumpy overhead compartments, and yet it continues to hold all my valuables with durability and ease.
With the new Aluminum-Edge Collection, Away raises the bar once again. Featuring a sturdy aluminum interior frame, leather handles, dual recessed combination locks, and a beautifully textured polycarbonate shell, this line is built to travel as far as you do—and last just as long.
So wherever your next journey takes you—across the pond or around the globe—this is luggage designed to move with you every step of the way! #away #awaytravel
Life with you is an adventure, filled with beautiful moments, warm moments, and new moments on the road to forever. Your love, generosity, and fierce loyalty continue to give me pause.
Thank the stars, the universe, the cosmos that you were born. Because your presence in my life is worth a million birthday wishes. Happy Birthday, Eryn! ❤️✨
P.S. Thanks for accepting all my memes. #birthdaygirl #ayeyoERYN #virgo
Thinking fondly of someone I admire deeply: Julia Horner. She embodies a colorful world full of spirit and expression.
She exudes all the beautiful things about Pride—so unapologetically herself!
Recently, she’s taken on a drag persona(@gingerliqher ) that explores the depth of her queerness—a vibrant journey through song, dance, and performance.
There’s something euphoric about being able to live so freely and authentically.
This month (and every month, really), I hope people reflect on what it means to be inclusive, to advocate for those whose rights are being stripped away, and to create space for everyone to live as their most authentic selves. Happy Pride! #pride #pridemonth
