I was today years old when I decided to start a blog! Is that still a thing?! Surprisingly yes…it is:) I’ve always enjoyed expressing myself on paper…I’ve kept a personal journal for years and tend to write when I’m struggling or something is weighing me down. I wrote a blog years ago when I was traveling Europe. It was a way for my family to check in every day and read about my adventures. I am so grateful that I took the time to write about not only my adventures at that time and what I experienced, but also how it made me feel. Periodically I go back and read through it. It is like I am there all over again. There would have been so much I would have forgotten had I not written about it all as it was happening. I thought, “How therapeutic and fun would it be to do this on a regular basis?”

So what do I actually write about? What is my shtick? In thinking about this I asked myself “What am I known for among my friends?” The thing that stuck out most in my mind was the fact that I’ve experienced a lot in life. People tend to come to me for advice because of this. I have either experienced something myself or know or heard about someone who has. I am also an empath. I deeply care about how others experience life, which can be exhausting, but also helps me be more observant and aware than others at times. This attention to detail and emotions and life experiences have made my voice one that people can trust throughout the years.

The other part of that is that I am an Enneagram 7. Do you know anything about Enneagrams? It’s a quiz you take and it tells you about your personality traits.You have a main personality type, but you also have subtypes. If you haven’t figured out yours yet..do it. It is interesting and eye opening. I am an interesting mix. Enneagram 7 is an “Enthusiastic Visionary”. I have a motivational need to experience life to the fullest but also to avoid pain. I have extreme fear of missing out (FOMO) and therefore try to take the most out of life…experience as much as I can. But my subtypes mean that I think things through. Basically, I am a careful adventurer…I don’t do things that put me at too much risk. I think it really fits me to a “T” actually. I have always tried so many things…different hobbies, food, travel. I talk to people and ask more questions than others may ask, but I’m careful about it. I’m a planner. I’m up for about anything, but I like to know that I am going to have food to eat and a place to sleep:) I don’t leave too much open to chance. I do my research.

Also, I have things to offer…life experiences to pass on. I am a nurse and an entrepreneur. I am a mother of 5. I have 3 step kids and 2 biological (bio) kids. The experience of a blended family could be a whole blog unto itself! I will delve into that more also at times. I am extremely busy with our family life, but before getting married and having children I had a very full life also. After the business of having infants and toddlers at home, I started to miss my adventures from being single. I missed having the time to try whatever new thing seemed interesting at the time. Could I do that again as a busy mom? There had to be some way to enjoy some hobbies again. I use to stay awake for hours at night when my kids were little just to get some time to myself. I was exhausted, but it fed my soul and that’s what made it worth it to me. I was a better mom when I found the time to do things I was interested in and cared about. If you are a busy mom/parent/caregiver who believes that you can’t have any time to yourself for hobbies, I urge you to try. Even if it’s just reading or watching videos on things you are interested in. It will make you feel more fulfilled. It will make you a better mom/parent/caregiver in the end to care for yourself and do something that will feed your soul.

So this is my thing. I realized that I am a dabbler…I dabble. I dabble in adventures and hobbies and food and travel and what not. I don’t fully immerse myself into all of it, but I try out a whole lot. I have an endless restlessness and want to try new things. If I’m interested in something, I do my research (or not) and I give it a whirl! Why not? What do I have to lose? I honestly think my biggest fear in life is to lead a boring existence. I have serious FOMO. There is so much out there to see! So much to experience, so much to learn about. I want to experience all that I can!

These writings, my blog, will be of the things I dabble in. The definition of “dabbling” is “to take part in an activity in a casual or superficial way”. Not all of my hobbies have gone this way. Through dabbling in so many things I have started to find what I really love. The things that really bring me peace and happiness throughout my day. I will tell you about all of my adventures, my life experience dabbling. Am I an expert in these things? Absolutely not. That it why I called it “dabbling”. If you have tried any of these things, you may have different things to say. We all have our own experiences and feelings about life…that’s what makes it interesting. But I have learned a few things along the way and will be honest about my experiences.

Some of what I will write about are not necessarily hobbies, but an interesting experience, or a lesson learned. This is primarily a lifestyle blog. It is about my life and my experiences. I would also like to be clear that this is a safe place…all are welcome here. I tend to write geared toward moms and families because that is my experience at the moment. There was a long time where I was single. I would have written from that perspective and therefore attracted that audience. But if you are a dad, a single person, a grandparent, a member of the LGBTQ community, a democrat, a republican, an independent, whatever… you are all welcome here. But if you choose to be a part of this community you will belong with the understanding that we respect each other here.

I would also like to put a disclaimer out there about my writing. I am not a professionally trained writer. I like to write how I speak. These posts will be written like a diary entry. That means that you will see some colorful language in this blog. I don’t mean it to be crass, I am actually a well rounded, well-educated person; but I feel that a certain amount of swearing adds emphasis and emotion into the writing. In short…I like it. Sorry if you don’t, but it’s my blog not yours:)

Well, now that all the bases are covered…I hope you enjoy! I hope you find some entertainment here and maybe some motivation to have your own adventures! If not, I hope at the very least you find a reason to laugh. You are a mom/parent/caregiver yes, but a human being as well. One who deserves to find enjoyment in other areas of life. You deserve to find the things that feed you. There are so many out there to explore!

“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people just exist.”

Oscar Wilde

Sincerely written on this day,

The Dabbler