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What’s one piece of travel advice you always follow?

Let’s talk about one of the best pieces of travel advice out there. It’s not original, but it’s definitely worth repeating: Pack half the clothes and bring half the stuff you think you’ll need.

I know, I know. What if it rains? What if you need that extra outfit? What if you suddenly decide you need a different look for every single activity?

Trust me, I get it! The temptation to pack for every possible scenario is real. Before you know it, your suitcase is bursting at the seams, you’re sitting on it to get it closed, and you haven’t even added your shoes yet.

But here’s the thing: how often do we actually wear everything we pack? Somehow, we always end up reaching for the same favorite outfits while those “just in case” clothes make the entire trip without leaving the suitcase.

And let’s not forget the shoes. Cute? Absolutely. Comfortable for a full day of exploring? That’s another story.

Packing light means less to lug around, less time digging through your suitcase, and more freedom to enjoy the adventure. Plus, you’ll have extra room for souvenirs, local goodies, and those adorable little treasures you definitely didn’t plan on buying.

So, the next time you’re getting ready for a trip, take everything you think you need… and then put half of it back.

Your back will thank you. Your suitcase will thank you. And you might even avoid that awkward moment at the airport when your bag is just a little too heavy.

Do you set personal goals for yourself?

I absolutely LOVE setting personal goals for myself. The planning? The excitement? The delusional confidence that THIS is going to be my year? Unmatched.

As we’ve all seen from my track record of not actually completing said goals, I think I’ve finally identified the problem. I love studying a goal, romanticizing a goal, making a whole plan for a goal, and imagining the person I’ll become once I accomplish said goal.

What I’m not loving so much? The actual meeting of the goal.

Apparently, I enjoy the planning stage of personal growth a whole lot more than the personal growth itself. At this point, I don’t need another goal. I need to start dating the ones I already have and maybe, just maybe, commit to one long enough to see it through.

Because right now, my goals and I are in a situationship, and I’m starting to think I’m the problem.

Which celebrity would you love to meet, and what would you talk about?

If I could meet any celebrity and just sit down and talk to them, I think I’d want to meet Guillermo del Toro. We would discuss his vision of the world and, obviously, his monster obsession.

I love the way he sees the world, especially when he talks about the religious trauma he experienced growing up Catholic. I feel like a lot of us can relate to that in one way or another. I mean, when one of the first things you’re taught is that you’re born in sin, you’ll live in sin, and you’ll die in sin, it does something to your brain.

And before you get in the comments going, “But Eryn, weren’t you raised Christian?” Yes, yes, I was. BUT I also have divorced parents. My mom is Christian, and my dad is Catholic, so I got to experience both sides of that religious upbringing. A little sampler platter of religious trauma, if you will.

There’s something so touching about Guillermo del Toro’s stories about growing up, especially when he talks about his grandmother disapproving of the gothier things in his life. You know, the monsters, the violence, all the things that make Guillermo del Toro Guillermo del Toro. And his response was essentially, “Okay, then take all that out of the Bible.”

LIKE, HELLO? THAT IS SUCH A SLAY.

Because honestly, have you read the Bible? There are monsters, violence, horrifying imagery, and enough questionable behavior to keep a horror writer employed for generations. But somehow, his fascination with monsters was the problem?

I just think the more you learn about Guillermo del Toro, the cooler he gets. He has this way of looking at the things other people fear or consider monstrous and finding something beautiful, human, or even sacred in them. And I love that.

Maybe that’s why his work resonates with me so much. Sometimes the monsters are easier to understand than the people who are supposed to be good.

What’s a country that’s at the top of your bucket list?

The country at the top of my bucket list is obviously my namesake: Ireland.

Eryn means “from Ireland,” so naturally, I have to visit the place my name is connected to. I’ve shared before that my name is Gaelic/Irish in origin, derived from Éirinn, the dative case of Éire, the Irish name for Ireland. So, in a way, visiting Ireland feels like a little homecoming to a place I’ve never actually been.

Of course, I want to visit some of the more touristy spots, like Blarney Castle & Gardens, the Cliffs of Moher, and Kylemore Abbey. But I also want to explore places that might be a little less well-known, like Navan and Inis Cathaigh.

And let’s be honest, I also want to visit an unreasonable number of Irish pubs. I want to wander into the cozy little pubs, soak up the atmosphere, listen to the music, and enjoy the kind of experience that makes you want to stay for just one more song. Is it even a proper trip to Ireland if I don’t spend an embarrassing amount of time admiring the pubs? I think not.

More than anything, I want to visit because I have Irish roots, and I’d love to learn more about where I come from. There’s something special about being able to connect with the places, history, and culture that existed long before you did. I want to learn more about that part of my family’s story and experience a little piece of the world that feels connected to my own.

And honestly, how could I not want to visit a country that’s practically written into my name? Exploring castles, taking in the scenery, learning about my roots, and hopping between Irish pubs sounds like my kind of adventure. Ireland has been at the top of my bucket list for a reason, and I hope I get to experience it for myself someday.

What’s one thing you know now that would have saved your younger self a lot of pain?

Something I wish I could tell my younger self that would’ve saved me a whole lot of unnecessary pain is this: believe in yourself a little bit more.

Seriously. Girl, give yourself a chance.

I’ve spent so much of my life not believing in myself that I think I’ve accidentally made it a personality trait. I’ll get excited about something, consider doing it, maybe even take the first step, and then immediately start talking myself out of it because, well, what if I fail? What if I’m not good enough? What if I put myself out there and nobody cares?

And instead of finding out what happens, I just… don’t try.

It’s a special kind of self-sabotage when you’re the one standing in your own way, holding the door closed, and then wondering why you never made it to the other side.

I think about how I took the PSATs in high school and even signed up for the SATs, but never actually took the SATs. I don’t remember every little detail about why I didn’t follow through, but looking back, it makes me wonder how many opportunities I’ve talked myself out of because I didn’t believe I could do it in the first place.

And it’s not even always about being afraid of failure. Sometimes, I think I’ve already decided that someone else is more qualified, more talented, more interesting, or simply more likely to succeed than I am. So why bother?

Except… why not bother?

I don’t have to be the best person in the room to deserve to be there. I don’t have to know I’ll succeed before I try. And I certainly don’t need to reject myself before anyone else has even had the opportunity to consider me.

Which brings me to my second point: TopHost.

I signed up for TopHost because the opportunity to win a six-part podcast series sounds like an absolute dream. And apparently, I was so convinced I wasn’t going to win that I didn’t even share the link. Not on my blog, not on social media, nowhere.

Do you know what’s even funnier? I literally watched myself go from 9th place to 23rd place because I wasn’t sharing the link or asking for votes.

Like, ma’am. You were in NINTH PLACE. And instead of taking that as a sign to keep going and get people excited about this opportunity with you, you just sat there quietly expecting what, exactly? A miracle? The judges to discover you through the power of positive thinking?

Make it make sense!

And honestly, this is exactly what I’m talking about when I say I self-sabotage. I want something, I get excited about the possibility, and then I convince myself it probably won’t happen anyway. So I don’t put in the effort I could, and then I watch the opportunity slip further away.

The worst part is that I can’t even be mad about dropping in the rankings when I barely did anything to help myself. I can’t expect people to vote for me if they don’t even know I’m competing!

Voting is almost over, but I’m finally sharing the link because I’m trying to get better at this whole believing-in-myself thing. Will I win? Probably not. I mean, I’m trying to be realistic here. But the point is that I don’t actually know that. And even if I don’t win, at least I gave myself a chance instead of quietly disqualifying myself before the competition was even over.

So, if you have a second, I’d be incredibly grateful if you voted for me!

https://tophost.org/2026/eryn-hart

And maybe this is your reminder, too. Maybe there’s something you’ve been wanting to try, something you’ve been putting off, or an opportunity you’ve convinced yourself you’re not good enough for.

I’m not saying you have to become the most confident person in the world overnight. Lord knows I’m still working on that myself. I’m just saying that maybe we can stop assuming the answer is no before we’ve even asked the question.

Believe in yourself enough to try.

You don’t have to be certain you’ll succeed. You just have to stop deciding you’ve already failed.

Because honestly? I’d rather try and find out it wasn’t meant for me than spend the rest of my life wondering what might have happened if I’d just believed in myself a little bit more.

Here’s to getting out of our own way. We’re already dealing with enough nonsense out here without adding ourselves to the list.