Life Happens When began with my own personal mission to focus on the beauty in this mixed up, crazy world.

I wanted to inspire others to embrace the moment and enjoy the ride of life. I’ve always been straight with my readers and I’ll continue to be. I’m not encouraging you from the other side. I don’t have things figured out. I don’t always embrace the moment.

In fact, the things I write to encourage you wind up encouraging me, too. I’m learning right along with you. We’re in this together!

Recently, I participated in MomComm’s DIY blog critique. She, along with dozens of other “expert” bloggers, recommend having a niche in order to build a community and gain exposure. I’ve known this all along, yet struggled to define my niche.

Melissa from MomComm finally explained “niche” to me in a way that helped me “get it.” She said, maybe I don’t have a specific “who” I am trying to reach, but can answer the question “why.” Immediately a light bulb went off for me.

Why do I write Life Happens When? To inspire others to embrace the moment and enjoy the ride! To encourage, to teach, to challenge my readers to make the most of each day.

You don’t have to be a mom to make the most of your day. You don’t have to be a wife. You don’t have to be Catholic. You don’t have to be who I am. You just have to be you, with a desire to gain the most out of life.

And that’s why very little will change as far as content goes. But, before I dive back in to things, I want to let you know what you can expect to find here at Life Happens When.

* 3 posts a week (at least): My family is my number one priority. I made the decision to stay home with them and I refuse to sacrifice time with them for anything, including my blog. With that in mind, I’ve decided not to stress myself out. I think 3 times a week is manageable and practical.

*Stories that center around my family and family life in general. You won’t have to read nitty gritty details like what my kids are eating or how much they weigh, but as a wife and a mother, many of my experiences revolve around those roles. My stories will always provide a greater purpose- to inspire you, to help you learn from my mistakes (or successes), and to encourage you within your own family (or future family).

*Stories that center around finding happiness. We all want to find true happiness in life. Sometimes that means chasing dreams. Sometimes it means making tough decisions. Sometimes it means getting up a little early to make time for ourselves. Sometimes it means getting back on that treadmill. Our journey to happiness is a personal one, but I’ll encourage and support you along the way!

*Stories that center around my faith. This is perhaps the most difficult part of me to share with you, but it is the part where I feel God’s gentle nudges the most. I had a friend tell me that when I write about my journey of faith, she feels I am being hokey. This left me unraveled and even more vulnerable than I already am. At first I decided that she didn’t really know the present day me, but I realized that wasn’t true. I’ve always sought the truth and attempted to live out my Catholic faith. As I’ve grown and matured over the years, my faith life has increased and so has my knowledge of my faith. As a result, my actions and beliefs have adapted. Though I still have a long way to go, I am on a journey of peace, understanding, and acceptance of my Catholic faith and the joys and struggles that come with it. Even if you are not Catholic, I believe you can gain something from my quest to live a faith filled life.

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I’d love to hear from you, too! Who are you? What are you searching or yearning for in life?Please leave a comment or shoot me an e-mail if you are interested in reading about anything in particular. I look forward to building a community where we can rally together to make our lives great!

Life happens when we define ourselves.

P.S. I was not compensated in any way for promoting MomComm’s DIY blog critique. I found it to be an incredibly valuable use of my time, though. If you are a blogger, I’d highly recommend doing it!

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