Emily Hecht- McGowan

1 week ago | thegoodtrade.com | Emily Hecht- McGowan

We’ve all been there before: After a few cheerful hellos, a silence falls between you and someone else — maybe it’s a job interviewer, a friend of a friend you’ve never met, or a first date. Where do you go from here? In a job interview, you likely expect the recruiter to dive into “so, tell me about yourself.”Socially, you might get a less stilted (but still awkward) version of the question — my go to is “so, what’s your story?

1 month ago | thegoodtrade.com | Emily Hecht- McGowan

The written word is a place of refuge for me. It’s a space where I cannot be interrupted, corrected, or needlessly criticized, a place where I can feel my feelings without judgment. But lately, my words liquefy and fail me when I need them most, especially in the face of war, human rights rollbacks, and the continued climate crisis. There’s so much to say but few words left to use, not to mention that some of my feelings don’t even seem to have appropriate words to describe them.

1 month ago | thegoodtrade.com | Emily Hecht- McGowan

“She’s a delight to have in class,” teachers would tell my parents when I was growing up. I was quiet, respectful, punctual, and thoughtful in my work. As an adult, I’ve gotten the same feedback from managers and new friends. A delight. “I put so much invisible stress on myself that I often find myself in bed at night completely and utterly defeated.”But behind the delight, I don’t always feel delightful.

1 month ago | thegoodtrade.com | Emily Hecht- McGowan

Summary: If you’re looking for a nontoxic, zero-VOC (and I mean truly zero-VOC) paint that doesn’t compromise on color or quality, I highly recommend ECOS Paints. I loved their ingredient transparency and the peace of mind knowing my bedroom is coated in gorgeous, safe color. While painting did take a bit more time — especially with bold colors needing primer and two coats — the beautiful, odorless finish made it all worthwhile.

2 months ago | thegoodtrade.com | Emily Hecht- McGowan

When I found myself once again living alone in my 30s, I re-imagined myself as the quintessential independent woman — meticulously organizing my home and my schedule, mending my clothing, and assembling new furniture without so much as a glance at the instruction manual. I imagined making all my meals from scratch (dry beans and all), and even growing a large portion of my leafy greens on my patio. Basically, I envisioned my life as a montage of productivity and self-sufficiency.