Kayla Durkin

Hello world, if you've made it this far you probably already know that my name is Kayla Durkin. This is my first ever blog, and I am not even quite sure what direction this blog is headed in. Being honest, I have always been intimidated by "bloggers." First of all, majority of blogs have perfectly crafted words that capture their readers and pull them in as though it were effortless. I am inspired by their talent, their ingenious way of words, and the way they captivate their audience. I have never felt as if I would be able to do the same; due to a lack of confidence in my own writing ability. The second reason I have for being intimated by bloggers is because of their vast array of topics and extensive detail and time that is put into each blog. Not only was I doubting my writing ability, but I was also doubting that I, Kayla Durkin, have something worth sharing.

This is where my confidence comes in. If you don't already know, I am a secondary mathematics teacher in North Dakota. I spend my days killing my students with kindness, and just trying to 'fake it until I make.' I have no doubt that my students see me as a confident role model and mathematician, but it is time to start practicing what I am preaching. Each day I encourage students to go out of their comfort zone, to try new things, to persevere even when they are struggling, and most importantly, to help them understand that they are capable of so much more than they could ever imagine. But yet, I have stayed away from starting this blog in fear of how others would perceive my writing ability, wondering if they, anyone, would even take the time to read a blog if I wrote one, and if anyone would even care what I have to say.

Today is the day I am stepping out of my comfort zone and taking a gamble with this blog. A good friend and colleague reminded me recently, "It's your pace, and it is your race." This blog isn't about the readers, the topics, my writing ability. This blog is about doing something for myself, figuring out who I am as a writer, and trying something different.

Throughout this blog I hope to share things that are important to me, to inspire people with uplifting stories, and to bring humor and a smile to their day. I hope to share about my faith and my passions, about my dreams and adventures, about products I have tried, and about Pinterest fails. I had a hard time deciding on a blog name, because I don't think I could limit myself to just one topic, so for now I am choosing a name that best describes me, Kayla Durkin.