The Habit Karen Walrond Is a Total Amateur.
Oct 6, 2025
In this engaging conversation, Karen Walrond, an author and blogger behind Chookooloonks, shares her insights on embracing amateurism through hobbies. She emphasizes the joy found in dabbling, reframing failure as a path to self-discovery. Karen discusses how intentional amateurism fosters curiosity and happiness, contrasting playful exploration with perfectionism. She encourages a ‘menu of dabbles’ to inspire lifelong learning and connection with others. With anecdotes on reclaiming joy through creativity, Karen showcases the brilliance of being a total amateur.
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Joy Comes From The Process
- Karen argues that many joys in life have nothing to do with mastery or expertise.
- She treats ongoing attempts and the process itself as the primary source of fulfillment.
Aim For Excellence, Not Perfection
- Embrace excellence without chasing perfection; improvement naturally follows repeated practice.
- Avoid tying your amateur pursuits to other people's opinions or unrealistic perfectionism.
Build A Returnable 'Menu' Of Hobbies
- Keep a long, flexible list of activities as a 'menu' to return to rather than a bucket list to finish.
- Use it to pick something when you need inspiration, not to pressure yourself to complete items.
