Hello, my friend, and welcome to EyesDown.

I initially created this idea on a whim as 19 year 19-year-old kid (which seems like a lifetime ago now), in a time in which I had no idea who I was or what I wanted to do with my life. I remember countless nights staring at my bedroom ceiling, questioning myself and where my life was headed.

That started to change after I spent a couple of months living in New York City during my freshman year of college. My time in NYC changed my life in so many ways, and I really mean that. But in terms of this blog and why I created it, I found a passion for writing and expressing myself. For the majority of my life, I felt scared to be my true self, out of fear that people would not like me or accept me for who I am. I felt as though I had to hide parts of myself, or at the very least, not allow my full personality to show.

In New York, I saw a vast range of people, places, cultures, and walks of life. It seemed to me as though everyone fully embraced who they were and where they came from. There was a sense of authenticity that I had never experienced before. I wanted to see myself in that light, being unapologetically me.

One of my favorite activities to do in New York was to go to different parks with my old yellow composition notebook and write. Sometimes I wrote songs, other times poetry; most times I wrote about what I was seeing, how I was feeling, and where I wanted to go with my life. For the most part, I was writing introspective pieces dealing with personal growth and becoming a better version of myself.

I discovered that writing frees my mind and slows life down. Taking my thoughts and putting them into words allows me to feel more connected to myself and to the world around me. Whenever I write, I feel in tune with everything, and that is a stark difference from my younger years, in which I felt disconnected from everything.

I created this blog for myself at first, as a place where I could talk about my life and my experiences. I wanted to keep a record of my growth during my life, so that I could constantly go back and read my pieces to see where I have come from. In doing this, I have learned that there are many other people out there who relate to much of what I have to say.

People, especially young people, are having a tough time finding their voice. Everyone has access to the rest of the world’s voices telling you what to do and who to be. In a world like this, it seems almost impossible to block out that noise and listen to yourself instead. My goal for this blog is to create relatable pieces that resonate with how you feel, in hopes that I can inspire you to find your own voice. Here at EyesDown, we are all about personal growth, real life, and becoming the best version of yourself. That may not always be the easiest topics to read or to write, but I feel that it is more important than ever to talk about these things.

I’m sure I could think of more to say here, but I’d much rather have you read my pieces instead. Real talk though, know that when you come to Eye’s Down, you are coming to a friend!