In the beginning...

"Where did the idea come from?"

"Why did you want to start a blog?"

"What are you going to write about?"

These are all questions I've been asked and that I've asked myself. I really don't have an answer for any of them. One day, in September of 2017, I was at a life improvement event, and the speaker asked us to write down some things we wanted to do with our lives. What was our heart calling us to do and be in the world? For a long time, I had no idea what I wanted to do. At first, growing up, it was to become a nurse, like my mom's entire side of the family. It was more of an expectation of my mom's that I would become a nurse. On my dad's side of the family, they were all teachers. So then it was a choice between the two careers. Neither of which I was called to, nor did I feel passionate about.

And then I became a mother at 19 years old, and in my mind, that all flew out the window. I was a mother first and foremost, and everything else came secondary. My oldest daughter's life and dreams became priority #1. Fast forward 17 years, and 2 little sisters later, I'm left at square one with kids to raise that are growing faster than I can keep up with, and still completely clueless as to what I want to do with the rest of my life. The reality is, my children will grow up, and they will start lives of their own, and I will be left to my own devices to continue living my own life as well.

So what will I be doing when that day inevitably comes and my nest is empty? Truthfully? I have NO idea. So the real question is not WHAT will I be doing, but what do I WANT to be doing? That's where this blog comes in and I guess that's where my answers to the aforementioned questions lie. This is pretty crazy, but when I started writing this entry, I didn't have answers to those questions. But as it stands, I think I do now.

"Where did the idea come from?"

The idea wasn't sparked from someone's suggestion. Or even from some sort of epiphany. I just thought to myself that fateful day in September 2017, I like writing and I like relating to people. I think I'll write a blog.

"Why did you want to start a blog?"

I wanted to explore different creative outlets and to "figure out" what I was going to do with my life.

"What are you going to write about?"

This one I figured out just last night. I'm going to write about my life. My history, my journey, my growth, my experiences, my lessons. All in hopes to be able to connect to regular people going through similar, if not the same, struggles and to connect us and remind them, and myself, that you're not alone in your struggles.

What kept me from starting a year ago, was insecurity that what I had to say wasn't going to be relevant. I researched how to start a successful blog, how to create an income-generating blog, etc., etc. It was all so overwhelming. Suggestions for subject matter, rules to follow to ensure financial success with a blog, etc., and it all felt so...forced...I felt like I couldn't possibly fill all these roles or adhere to the standards, and because I couldn't do that, I wouldn't be successful at it, and that I shouldn't do it.

But yesterday, I told myself, it doesn't matter if I do it the "right" way, or that I make money with it, although it would be NICE, it's not necessary. What IS necessary is that I get started. It is necessary that I speak my truth, and I speak from my heart. As long as I do that, everything else will fall into place.