Hell Freezes Over!

Brrrrr! Is it cold in here?!!

I have adamantly said for years that hell would freeze over before I would put anything related to me on the internet. My Mom has even been lectured not to post a picture of me on her Facebook page...no one even knows she has a daughter!

Well, here I am...writing my first blog on my own website. I also have been posting for a few months now to my newly created Instagram and Facebook accounts. To say the learning curve has been steep is an understatement.

With my toque and mitts on, I will now share 3 things I have discovered during this process as I have been learning to skate around the cold tundra which was once the tropics of hell:

1. Just Do It

Do you know how to write a blog? I certainly don't! In true fashion to how I roll when figuring out the details of something, I researched it...how to write a blog. Boom! The search engine spit out many articles on how to write a blog. Or there were many on-line class options that I could sign up for to help learn this skill. There were all sorts of blogs: finance, lifestyle, travel, food, photography, DIY, crafts, entertaining, home decor, music, fitness, sports and many more.

Any overwhelm that I had with the idea of writing a blog and sticking it on the internet went up about 1000 times. There were A LOT of people whom wanted to tell me how to write a blog. My brain felt like it was going to short-circuit, my heart raced like I had just sprinted in a race and my palms began to sweat. The next logical step for me was to begin the process of sifting through the ocean of information on the internet.

I wanted to get it perfect. Just like in the fairy tale Goldilocks and the Three Bears where it was "just right". Not too soft. Not too hard. Not too cold. Not too hot. But just right.

Then I had an A-HA moment. What does "just right" mean? Just right for who? When I got sidetracked trying to be Goldilocks, I had forgotten why I wanted to do this blog and create this website. I love serving people. I wanted to share my knowledge and experiences with others to help or inspire them in some way. If I can do that for even one person with my website, blog, bulletin or services that would bring me joy. Adding joy to my Life is that "just right" piece that had slid between the cracks when I was bogged down in the quicksand of details.

With that little nugget discovered and in full view, I was able to move forward with this project...as I awaited the call from NIKE to recruit me for their long standing Just Do It campaign...all while breaking every blogging rule I had read.

2. Don't Be a Scaredy Pants

Fear. We all have it for at least something in our lives. For some, their hearts race with the thought of going to the dentist. For others, getting on an airplane may create a knot in their stomach. And public speaking has caused many knees to wobble. You get the picture. For me, it is wholeheartedly the thought of doing exactly what I am doing with this endeavour. That creative process that goes with free flow writing and sharing it for others to see. The fear of judgement. The fear of failure. The fear of this whole endeavour being a flop. I have vowed to be bigger than my fear, step outside my comfort zone and Just Do It (see point #1). I know there will be mistakes along the way and I will evolve as I go. I know that the more I participate in this process, I become the boss of fear. I love that idea.

3. Build your Tribe Accordingly

I have read that you become a blend of the five people whom you spend the majority of your time. The idea here is that your behaviour, your viewpoints and your attitudes are a representation of who you hang out with the most. My experience and observation has been that this is very true. There are a wide range of people around us: complainers, gossipers, negative Nilly's, people who inspire, people who see the glass half full or perhaps half empty, people who make a positive difference and many more types of individuals. I have learned in the last few months while interacting on social media that this is the same. I have made it a point to consciously select the social media content that I want to allow into my brain and my heart. Real life is like that as well. One of my goals with my website and my social media is to create a positive and nurturing spot to learn, evolve and experience together. That is my offer to you.

There you go, my first blog. Admittedly, my blog style may not garner 5 stars from the blogging experts as it weaved all over the map in content. The Wanderer portion in Dawny the Wanderer does have some basis other than my love of travel!

I will summarize it all with this:

• If you want to do something, why wouldn't you? What are you waiting for? Start the process and figure it out as you go along.

• Don't let fear get in the way of doing something that calls to you. You may be pleasantly surprised at the result of trying and what evolves from there.

• Surround yourself with those people who support and cheer you when you are trudging along. Or who will gently guide you in the right direction when you head off on the wrong path or get stuck in the weeds of overthinking. Even if your tribe is only one person.

Please consider signing up for my blog offering which will come out on the 7th of each month. I can't

guarantee what the content will be....probably not home decor. Everything else may be open game

however.

I am also going to do a weekly P-Q-R bulletin on Wednesdays that should take less than 5 minutes to read that will hit on items that I enjoy (Podcasts/Publications, Quotes, and Random thoughts) which may expand your world as well.

Subscribe if you want on the main page. I won't spam you or share my email list with anyone. You can unsubscribe at anytime. You can also follow me on IG and FB under the handle of Dawny the Wanderer. If you know of anyone else who may want to get on the DTW bandwagon, please forward them the link to the website, dawnythewanderer.ca

Looking forward to the adventure!

Dawny