Welcome to Happy Mothering! I created this little corner of the internet in July 2009 in hopes of connecting with like-minded moms online. What was once a little outlet for my natural living research and parenting anecdotes has grown into a lifestyle blog that reaches tens of thousands of moms per month.
You’ll love Happy Mothering if any of this resonates with you:
- You love experimenting with homemade beauty recipes
- You’re looking for delicious, gluten-free recipes for your family
- You want to learn how to make fun crafts, not just for the kiddos, but for adults too
- You’re want to learn tips, tricks and hacks that will help you around your home
My goal is for Happy Mothering to be a one-stop-shop for moms who are into natural living in a modern world. While my roots are in natural living, I adore our modern conveniences so I found a way to blend them seamlessly into our lives. And that’s what I’m sharing with you here on Happy Mothering.
I’ve been featured in many different publications over the years. Here are some of the highlights! It’s pretty amazing to look at these logos all together and realize that my work has garnered that much attention in the last decade plus! You can check out some of the features on my Press page.
My Favs
About Chrystal Johnson
Hi, I’m Chrystal – the Founder of Happy Mothering. It’s nice to meet you! I’m a mom to two beautiful girls – Zoë (age 18) and Kaylee (age 16).
I live in San Diego, CA with my daughters and love exploring everything life has to offer together! We love outdoor activities, crafts, traveling, cooking and enjoying life! Our number one goal is to have fun and share that joy with those around us.
If you had told me when I was a little girl growing up in San Diego that I’d become a professional blogger someday, I wouldn’t have believed you.
It’s a career that hadn’t even been invented yet (remember that when you’re thinking about your kids’ futures)! Even if you’d told me I was going to become a writer, I would have laughed you off.
I was always stronger in math and science; that is until college, when one semester my public relations professors taught me how to write. I haven’t looked back since then!
While many people don’t believe a college education is necessary (and it’s not for everyone), mine was instrumental in shaping me into who I am today. I’m not sure Happy Mothering would exist without my college journey.
I graduated from Pepperdine University in December 1999 (a semester early!) with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations and an outside concentration in Business Administration. In addition to my studies, I was heavily involved with volunteer work, served as a new student orientation counselor and studied abroad in the Asia Business program.
After graduation, I jumped around marketing, sales and public relations jobs in industries like hospitality, public safety and shipping until I found my dream job in marketing communications at a Fortune 20 healthcare company.
I was climbing the corporate ladder and loving it. That is until I became a mom and my world got turned upside down. I never knew I could love another person so much and my mindset literally changed overnight.
I left my job in 2008 and took time to spend with my daughter as a stay-at-home mom. Shortly afterward, we spent a year in Uruguay, where my younger daughter was born.
While we were there, I started freelance writing. We also had a blog about our life in Uruguay, but I started this blog in secret!
During my early blogging days, I also wrote for a variety of publications like Earth911, CBS Orange Country, Examiner.com and Healthy Planet Canada. At one point, I ran a boutique influencer agency and blogger network. I dabbled in network marketing, becoming the largest team leader for the now-defunct alex+von and a Silver Wellness Consultant for doTERRA.
I juggled all of these gigs for a few years until I was able to take a step back to exclusively write for Happy Mothering while my (now ex-)husband worked outside the home in a variety of fields. I was grateful to be able to write about what I loved and spend so much time with my daughters while they were growing up.
While I was going through my divorce, I had to return to working full-time since my sweet little blog here doesn’t earn enough to support a comfortable life for me and my daughters in San Diego. But I still focus on it as much as I can because it’s my favorite little place to escape and share my favorite things with all of you.
If you want to learn more about Happy Mothering, check out my Work with Me or Press pages.