Curious about the writer and purpose of NaviNettie.com and it’s blog? Read below for all your answers about me and my goals for NaviNettie!
What is NaviNettie?
I know I’m not alone when I say, I seek a sense of purpose and a sense of wonder in life. I believe that’s what has led me here to create a blog that calls itself NaviNettie. In this name, Navi is short for navigation. MacMillan Dictionary.com defines navigation as “the skill of choosing a path so that a ship, airplane, or car can go in a particular direction, especially by using maps or instruments”.
While the word navigating has wanderlust energy, life’s journey has many parallels. I’d be so bold as to say the definition could also be phrased as ‘the skill of choosing a path so that you go in a particular direction, especially by using resources and community’. As we discover new things, face new challenges, and climb new heights physically, we grow mentally, emotionally, and vice versa. Sometimes we navigate the new shores of a foreign country and sometimes we are navigating the next steps of life in a world of unknowns. My hope for NaviNettie as a blog is to give people resources and a community to use as we all move forward together in this adventure we call life.
Who is Nettie?
About Me’s are always difficult. I’m sure I’ll spend the rest of my life getting this question and never know how to answer it. My mom calls me a ‘professional student’ and she’s probably right. I’m always yearning to learn, and change as a person. Since being treated for an eating disorder, depression, anxiety, and trauma that destroyed my teenage years, I’ve made tremendous efforts to recover and grow as a person. My past has cultivated a deep wish to help others who have or are walking difficult paths.
I come from a blended family and I love all my siblings immensely. Even though I still struggle with fear of failure, I know I thrive as a person when I’m learning something new. I’ll blame that on my Gemini sun though. (Kidding.) I love to spend my free time hiking, reading, traveling, studying languages, creating cosplays, hanging with friends, and now, as a culmination of all those things, writing this blog.
Why NaviNettie?
If you are wondering what makes me qualified to write a blog about travel and personal growth, the truth is I’m not qualified. And that is exactly why I want to do it even more. In the past I often felt I should only do things I was ‘good enough” at or had experience in. By doing that, I felt stifled by the tiny box and, in turn, the tiny life I created for myself. I created this blog in 2022 because I loved discovering new places and growing as a person, but I didn’t write any articles for over 3 years due to my fears of failure and self-doubt.
In 2023, I achieved my bucket list goal of living abroad. While living in South Korea for a year, I experienced so many amazing things and had to work though my fears and anxiety every day. Now that I’ve returned to the Chicago area, I’m jumping into a new adventure. Ready or not, qualified or not, will you join me?