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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Hobbies As Self-Compassion
- Karen Walrond realized hobbies are a form of self-compassion and sustained curiosity rather than light entertainment.
- She found dabbling built ongoing joy, curiosity, and personal growth beyond mere checklist achievements.
Hula-Hoop That Sparked The Book
- Karen used hula-hooping in her garage to shake creative blocks while writing a different book.
- Sharing those silly moments revealed people's fear of looking foolish and sparked her interest in why hobbies vanish.
Amateur Means One Who Loves
- 'Amateur' stems from the Latin for 'one who loves,' reframing it away from incompetence.
- Intentional amateurship centers love, curiosity, and agency over external metrics of success.
