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Dabblism

A Christian lifestyle blog that is about discovering new things!

Motivation Monday #3: Shake it OFF!

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Shake it off quote sm

Taylor Swift’s song “Shake it Off” is a modern day version of what Jesus said in Matthew 10:14-15.

“And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.”

Jesus is telling the disciples to go into towns and preach the gospel.  However, if a person refuses to listen then don’t linger and spend time shouting at deaf ears.  Shake it off and move on.  God will handle those people on the day of judgement.

Keep cruisin, don’t stop moving, it’s gonna be alright, cause the haters gonna hate, hate hate, hate, hate… just shake it off, shake it off…

Goals for February

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Feb Goals

  1. Try Yoga – And I don’t mean from the comforts of my own house.  I want to actually go to a yoga studio and be taught by a human.  I am nervous because people might see me fail or perhaps I might accidentally toot (I hear it happens frequently).
  2. Create a fun Birthday for my Husband – I am definitely taking the path least traveled for this party.  I don’t have one theme, but instead I am going to incorporate everything that encompasses my husband which is: adventurous, manly, funny, and simple.  I will upload pictures after the party.
  3. Read “Let’s All be Brave” – I am excited to read this book.  Perhaps it can give me a kick in the butt and help me not to be so scared.
  4. File Taxes – Yuck!  But the sooner I do it, the sooner I can get it off my plate until next year.

What is on your to-do list for this month?  Also, check out other blogger goals at The Nectar Collective.

2015 Blogger Resources

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Blogger Resources 2015

Having the right tools can make all the difference in your productivity.  Here are my favorite blogger resources for 2015…

  • iBlog Magazine – I love receiving this magazine in the mail each month!  If you are a blogger you must subscribe to this magazine. It provides helpful tips, blogger conference info, bloggers to follow, resource suggestions, and more!  It is only $5.99/month for a physical issue & $3.99/month for the digital issue.
  • PicMonkey – A simple version of photoshop.  You can touch up pictures, add text, or create an image from scratch.  I use PicMonkey for most of the images you see on my site.  They have a free version or you can upgrade to the premium version for only $33/year.
  • Bloglovin’ – Is an updated version of Google Reader.  It is a great way to find, follow, and organize your favorite blogs.  And it is Free!
  • CoSchedule – The simplest way to organize your blog posts & share them through social media.  Start a free 2 week trial and after that is is $10/month per blog.
  • MailChimp – Email delivery service that easily allows you to schedule email blasts.  They have a ton of templates to choose from or you can create your own.
  • StatCounter – I use Google Analytics to track my website stats, but it can be overwhelming.  I love also using StatCounter because it is simple to use & simple to view.  You can have multiple websites on the same account & it is free for a limited number of traffic.

Embracing Dabblism (Part 1: Re-defintion)

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Embracing Dabblism

It is ok to be a dabbler…

The definition of a dabbler is, “one not deeply engaged in or concerned with something”.  A dabbler might also be known as an amateur, novice, hobbyist, indicisive, or jack of all trades, master of none. In society today these words generally have a negative connotation; they are words that we let define us as not good enough.

“Amateur” shares a Latin root with the Italian word “amore,” to love. During the Renaissance age an amateur was a virtuous lover of knowledge, no matter the form.  Somehow over the years the idea of specialism has become inherently superior. Today every book in the business section of your local chain bookstore  is about defining your purpose, developing your personal brand, focus on focusing, and pursuing your number one priority. Specialism rules.

For dabblers, the question of which path to choose can be overwhelming when so many inviting roads beckon. We may spend a few years or more trying out different jobs or fields, or going back to school to put the decision off for a while longer, while friends and family members wonder when we are finally going to find ourselves. My question is, were we ever really lost in the first place?

My goal at Dabblism.com is to change the way we perceive this word “dabbler”.  My re-definition of a dabbler is “one who engages in many different things; well-rounded”. Being a dabbler means that you are exploratory by nature, interested in many things, and are not satisfied with living a life that is focused on one area.  Life has so much to offer!

Being a dabbler is like going to a buffet and trying a little bit of all the different foods. Since you didn’t spend all your time enjoying one thing you may have missed out on some subtleties of a particular entree, but look at all the other items you were able to experience!

Life is about the journey, not the finish line, so don’t give up when your journey seems longer or different than everyone else’s…ENJOY IT!  Embrace being a dabbler!

Motivation Monday #2: I Want to do it ALL

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I can do all things through Christ

I want to do it ALL!  I want to go on awesome adventures, and enjoy God’s creation.  I want to be a servant of Christ, and help those in third world countries.  I want to inspire people, and help them not to give up.  I want to be a loving wife, and constantly sweep my husband off his feet.  I want to be a well-known blogger, and have content that goes viral.  I want to be healthy, and cook fabulous meals without using a recipe. I want to be fit, and do 10 pushups without any effort.  I want to be a mother, and teach my kids to be a better version of myself.  I want to do it ALL!

The Bible says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).  While I believe that we can do all things, we just can’t do all of them all in one day.  Even God took 7 days to create the world.  He did it by focusing on one area each day, including a day of rest.

Instead of approaching the day with a huge laundry list of tasks, choose to focus on just one area.  That might be organizing & cleaning the house, or finishing that project that you keep meaning to get to.

We only have 24 hours in a day, so trying to exercise, eat healthy, work late, and be the perfect mom all in one day is not a reality. Instead focus on only 1-2 of those areas each day.  You might not feel like you conquered the whole world in a day, but when you look back after a week or two you will be able to see progress.  You will be on your way to doing it ALL!

Clothing Exchange Party

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Last week I went to my first ever clothing exchange party!  I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it was so much fun.  Each person brought 5-10 items (clothing, jewelry, shoes, purses, etc).  Even though people were different shapes & sizes, it seemed to work.  There was something for everyone.

Clothing Exchange 01

Some people brought clothes that were too big or too small.  Some brought items that they were given as gifts & didn’t want.  And others just brought clothes that they were sick of.  I have a habit of buying clothes and then never wearing them, so many of my items still had the tags on them.

 

Clothing Exchange 05

We then drew #’s to decide what our order would be.  I picked #9, so I had to go last but I still had a chance to steal.

 

Clothing Exchange 03

We then went in order picking one item each round.  Every item could be stolen twice; however, at our party only 3 items were stolen, because most of the girls were too nice.  Some people tried on the clothes, others just picked & hoped it would fit.

 

Clothing Exchange 06

The evening was accompanied by wine & dessert.  Seriously, it was so much fun!  Wine, dessert, & clothes… that is my kind of evening! (Bonus: Do you spy Daryl from the Walking Dead?)

Motivation Monday #1: Don’t Settle Quote

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Dont Settle Quote

Happy Monday!  Chris Brogan really nails this quote in regards to being intentional and not settling for mediocre.  So many times we live a life that we don’t love and we just learn to deal with it.  We tell ourselves that it “could” get better, but deep down we know that it won’t.  It’s time to move on.

Get rid of that crappy book, leave the restaurant if you don’t want to wait 40 minutes for a seat… let go and don’t look back.

As dabblers, we tend to hang onto things that we have not finished.  Don’t do it.  If you truly did not like that project, book, or movie, get rid of it. Make room in your life (and your shelves) for new things.  Why keep that mediocre book on the shelf, when you can replace it with inspiring words.  Be intentional about the choices you make.  Don’t settle for mediocre.

My Word for 2015

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Avoiding Danger Quote

Geez 2015 sure did sneak up on me & thus I am behind on my resolutions.  But as the saying goes better late than never. My word for 2015 is…

DARE
to have the courage to do something

I constantly make excuses to not to do something usually because I am scared.  This year I want to be brave.  I want to take multiple risks, and be exposed to the world. I love this quote… “Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. The fearful are caught as often as the bold.”-Helen Keller

My daring goals for 2015 include…

  • ADVENTURE – Climb 800 feet up to the top of half dome in Yosemite. I am slightly afraid of heights, so this will be a challenge and it will force me to trust in my husband’s climbing abilities.
  • PARTIES– Plan 3 parties this year. I love planning parties & being a hostess, but I am so afraid that no one will come because most of my friends have kids now and I constantly hear how much of a hassle it is to get a sitter.
  • BUSINESS (part 1) – To throw myself into the blogging community & gain traction for dabblism.com.  This is going to force me to be vulnerable, which is hard for me to do.
  • BUSINESS (part 2) – Organize a local bloggers get together. My excuse for not doing this was there might not be any other bloggers in my smallish town, but even if just 3 of us get together I would be happy.
  • BUSINESS (part 3) – Develop a product to sell.  I have a few ideas, but I need to find an additional income stream.
  • RELATIONSHIPS – I want to intentionally build stronger relationships with those around me including family, friends, and business colleagues. Some of the above parties & get togethers will help foster those relationships, but I also want to be more intentional about sending cards & calling people randomly just to see how they are doing.
  • JESUS – Continue to put Jesus first in my life by having morning quiet times, being active in our small group, and praying constantly.

What are you looking forward to accomplishing in 2015?  If you need inspiration check out the weekly goals linkup at The Nectar Collective.

10 Things I’m Super Thankful For

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In all things give thanks 3

I love November because it is the month of being Thankful!  Writing down what we are thankful for is a great reminder of how blessed & loved we truly are. So here it goes, I am thankful for…

  1. The freedom to speak my mind & the ability to write my thoughts.
  2. A loving husband who works hard for our family.
  3. I’m thankful that I have a warm house to sleep in and a full belly!
  4. An extended family that loves me despite rarely seeing them.
  5. A blog that provides for my family & the ability to make my own schedule.
  6. Being able to openly read my Bible without the fear of being persecuted for it.
  7. I’m thankful that the Lord made me a blonde, despite my parents both having dark hair.  (Superficial, but none the less it make me happy.)
  8. Having opportunities available to me whether I take them or not.
  9. Being healthy.
  10. I’m thankful that the Lord has made me white as snow by dying for my sins!

In this moment of reflection, what are you thankful for?

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