Why ERMI Works Better as a Baseline Than a Verdict (And How That Shift Changed Everything)
The moment I stopped asking ERMI to decide, it started making sense.
For a long time, I read each ERMI result as if it were meant to stand alone.
I expected one report to tell me everything I needed to know about the house.
When it didn’t, I felt like I was missing something obvious.
I kept asking one snapshot to explain an entire situation.
This didn’t mean ERMI was unclear — it meant I was treating a reference point like a ruling.
Why I Read Each ERMI Result Like a Final Answer
By the time I tested, I was already exhausted from uncertainty.
A single number felt like it should simplify everything.
One answer felt easier than holding a process.
This was the same pull I felt when I searched for ERMI cutoffs instead of context.
What ERMI Actually Becomes When You Treat It as a Baseline
Once I understood what an ERMI test really measures, it made more sense as a reference point.
It showed me where the environment was starting from — not where it was supposed to end.
The value was in comparison, not judgment.
This reframing lowered the pressure I put on any single result.
Why Baselines Matter More Than “Good” or “Bad” Numbers
When I stopped asking if a number was acceptable, I started noticing direction instead.
Small shifts became information, not threats.
Movement told me more than labels ever did.
This helped explain why results could change even when nothing new was wrong.
How Treating ERMI as a Verdict Kept Me Stuck
Each report felt like a test I could fail.
I noticed the same tension I had felt when I treated ERMI like a clearance signal.
Verdict thinking turned data into pressure.
This made it harder to see gradual stabilization over time.
What Changed When I Let ERMI Track Context Over Time
Once I allowed ERMI to be a baseline, not a conclusion, the results softened.
I could place them alongside lived experience, instead of asking them to override it.
Context felt steadier than conclusions.
This was also when ERMI began to feel more trustworthy over time, not immediately.
Questions I Had About ERMI as a Baseline
Is ERMI meant to be interpreted on its own?
In my experience, it made the most sense when compared over time.
Does using ERMI as a baseline reduce its usefulness?
No. It changed how I used the information, not whether it mattered.