Becoming Elle Jae

There’s a particular kind of exhaustion that doesn’t come from workload.

Not that long ago—in 2022—YouGov asked over 11,000 Americans about their family relationships. Almost 3 in 10 said they were estranged from an immediate family member. Fast-forward to 2024, and that number has grown to 38%. That’s more than a third of us carrying a silent gap where a close connection used to be.

I turned 55 this year. Fifty-freaking-five. Honestly, I’m still trying to wrap my head around it. The years have flown by in a blink. My baby boy is 28 now—but in my head, I still feel like that’s my age.

When I started this blog, I had a vague idea of what I wanted it to look like. Not aesthetically, but more of the feel and idea behind it. I just couldn't quite put it into words.