I see you stopped by. It is good that you are here. See, I wanted to share something personal that’s been brewing for a while. Brewing like dark roast espresso beans on a slow-paced Sunday morning. A Sunday morning when it feels like all you have is peace in the light of the day. You know how sometimes a small online shift can spark real change? Well, after months of consideration, I finally decided to update my Instagram handle to reflect my maiden name.
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I'm telling you; something rushed upon my spirit today. This decision has been on my mind since the fall of last year. Frankly, I was genuinely eager to make the change.
I was not looking to make the change out of anger, not out of spite. This change was made from a desire for refreshment. A quiet facelift. An improvement to how I show up online. Social media, for me, is a creative space. It is where my writing lives. Where my visual storytelling takes shape. Where I get to decide how I am seen. Stepping into my maiden name online felt like the most natural next step.
Look, in the real world, I am still Linda Hurd. That is the name of all the serious stuff. I am talking about work emails, paperwork, parent-teacher conferences, you name it. It is what my kids go by too. No lie, that means the world to me. I am not out here trying to untangle that or pretend it does not exist. There is a kind of chill acceptance in just letting some things stay the same, you know? But the internet? Oh, that is a whole different vibe.
Online is where I create. Where I write freely. Where I build, reflect, and document my becoming. For this version of me, returning to my maiden name, which is Patrick, felt grounding. Familiar. Mine. It was not about erasing a past chapter; it was about choosing how I move forward.
This change was not some random, sleep-deprived or tipsy ass decision. Nah, this was intentional as hell. I needed my online vibe to be fresh. Lighter, cleaner, and realigned with the woman I am right now. Call it a reset, baby. Not a damn crisis. I do not owe anybody a damn explanation for it, either. I am grown enough to know sometimes real growth does not come with a round of applause or high fives. Sometimes it is a chill-ass name change, a deep breath, and the lowkey freedom that comes with it.
Listen, in the world of bills, emails, and showing up to handle business at my bank branches, I am still Linda Hurd. No shame in that game. That is the name that is on all the grown-up paperwork. It is the same name my kids shout when they want snacks or anything else. But online? Please. That space is mine to play, create, and tell my story my way.
So, meet Linda Patrick, the version of me who is done trying to match the ‘gram to my government name. I am not here for that shit. At thirty-three and rolling into my fourth year as a divorced woman, I am over that old pressure. Both Linda's are real. There is no AI version of me. Both are true. Plus, I am not asking for permission to slip to move forward.
This move is not about running away or hiding from anything. This move is about reclaiming my name and my damn self. If you feel me, you feel me then. Get on board or get the hell out of my way.
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