Who am I? Why I started this blog?

No, this is not a buddhist question about the essential matter of being, but an introductory post.

I do not find it necessary to reveal my true identity at least for now, but for context I think it is essential for you to know what my background is and thus what I am basing my opinions and thoughts.

At this moment I've been breathing and living part of the world for over 40 years. My education is from a university.

I have a family with kids, a mortgage, too little money and time, too much weight and too much going on in my mind.

I'm located in Finland, the land of cold winters and hot summers, depressed but still happy people (https://blogs.abo.fi/socialexclusion/2022/09/26/depression-in-the-worlds-happiest-country-notions-of-social-exclusion-in-finland/, https://finland.fi/life-society/happinessreport2022/).

In addition to spending time with my family music and a various selection of hobbies gives me energy - I find a lot of things interesting and it shows.

Why did I start this blog?

My journey to enlightenment, if you wish to label it somehow, started with mindfulness. 

I was looking some tools to calm my racing mind and improve my concentration. I listened several podcasts and read many blogs and articles about mindfulness.

In some point I came across the mention of buddhism. Maybe someone referred to some method as being "a buddhist way to do this" or something vague, but it was enough: I wanted to find out more.

I like podcasts, so naturally I started searching for one handling buddhism in an understandable way. Many sources recommended Zen Habits, so I gave it a try. Oh yes, it was really good. Highly recommend. The way Leo Babauta expresses things is really calming and assuring. The podcast gave me a bunch of tools to use in everyday life. I've listened it through once, and I will listen it again.

After Zen Habits I felt empty. I wanted to know more. After rigorous searching and comparing I decided to give Secular Buddhism (by Noah Rasheta) a try. Jackpot. This goes way deeper in buddhism, but still keeps matters in a level that is understandable to a not-so-enlightened listener but still manages to stir up mind in a way that makes you rethink many aspects of life in general, and in my life in particular. 

Recommended listening & reading, comprehensive list in order

1. Zen Habits: https://zenhabits.net/ and podcasts available in different platforms, eg. Spotify
2. Secular Buddhism: https://secularbuddhism.com/ + podcasts

I'll be glad to add recommendations to this list. Please give me suggestions in comments!

Why this is not a buddhist blog?

I do not consider myself a buddhist nor I want to become one. There's two reasons.

First of all, I'm on the very beginning of the journey of revealing the meaning of buddhism in my life; I've just scratched the surface. Second, I do not wish to be labeled buddhist; my goal is to apply the core meaning, ideas and ideals of buddhism to my life, to every aspect of it. 

In other words:

“Do not try to use what you learn from Buddhism to be a Buddhist;
use it to be a better whatever-you-already-are.”
- Dalai Lama