I love writing; it brings me joy, it helps me process complex thoughts, and usually when I share my writing, people respond positively. But the truth is, I hesitate to get started. I write something I really like, and then I don’t finish it. I overthink simple problems, question if I’m sharing too much personal information (even in fiction) and often think, “Eh, this isn’t that good. Why would anyone want to read this?”

I think these are the ways we all sabotage ourselves. We let the monsters in our brains terrorize the parts of us that Mr. Rogers tried to build up. 

Well, this year, I am telling that little monster to shut the front door, go on her merry way, and leave me alone. 

There are many reasons I’m starting this blog, but the biggest stems from events that made me realize 2025 would be a year of firsts. 

At the end of 2024, I lost two very special people. In September, my mother-in-law passed away, and in December, on Christmas Eve, my father left this earth. Both were terrible losses to our entire family. Though one was after a long illness, and another was sudden, there is no amount of preparation that is enough for losing someone you love. These losses have left a void, and as part of making sense of them, I want to find ways to embrace the new and honor their memories through growth, and celebrating milestones in their honor. 

I know that in 2025 my family and I will celebrate many “firsts” without Grandma and Peepaw. I know these firsts will be difficult, and there are some I simply don’t want to face. To balance the harder moments, I’ll also create firsts that are designed to shake things up for the better. I am making a pact with myself to try something new this year at least once a month. Some firsts may be big, and some may be small, but I will give them a spin, see how they go, and chronicle my progress here. 

This isn’t a typical New Year’s resolution to form habits or self-improve. It’s about opening the door to new experiences and proving that life can still hold surprises. And in some ways, I hope that these firsts will help me stay in conversation with my Dad and mother-in-law, even if I am speaking with them in a different way now. 

I don’t know if all of these firsts will be fun. I suppose that is part of the journey. I am willing to let some of the firsts be a “once”. Others I hope will become more permanent. So let this be my very first “first”. I have toyed with starting a blog for years – long enough to have dabbled on MySpace and Blogspot back in the day. But this time I have a plan: a theme, a schedule, and a purpose. So, thank you for joining me here, and cheers to a year of firsts – a chance to explore, grow, and reclaim joy. Here’s to finding new adventures in this journey around the sun.