In the readings I’ve done and in talking to happy people, happiness seems boils down to one key ingredient which is passion. It is important to find something you love and can easily spend hours on it without it being a chore. When working on a project, ask you yourself, does time pass by too quickly? If so, you might have a winner!
Over the years, I have developed a bucket list of things I always wanted to do. And, I decide that this summer, I would try a few of them out and see which ones I loved doing. I have to say that it has been a great feeling to try new things … there is excitement of learning something new and the joy of accomplishing something I’ve dreamed about. Of course, along the way, I’ve realized that I’m not as passionate about somethings. It did not bring me as much enjoy as I thought it would. My biggest take-away so far is that when you have an interest, the passion about it is what brings happiness. Once you start a hobby, it is just the beginning. It is something to work on and something to look forward to. And, it’s ok to keep looking for new hobbies, this is what keeps life interesting.
So, to encourage you to find your passion, I’m going to share some what I’ve been working on this summer!
Creative Outlet:
- alittle journal is one of the things I have discovered I love working on. The blog gives me a way to journal and reflect my thoughts. It has and is still motivating me to learn new technologies and reach out to friends to ask for help. My friend, Rachelle, at Tinkerlab, was so kind to sit down with me and give me a few tips. She gave me some encouragement and I’m really grateful. I’m excited to see how the blog turns out and look forward to hearing everyone comments.
- Photography is one of the skills I really wanted to learn. I took a 3 day course at the Rec center and had high hopes of taking fantastic photos. Sadly, I’m only a little better. I realized that this was going to require more commitment, tools (equipment, camera books, more classes) and practice. When I have more time and money, I hope to continue but for now, I’m going to take simple photos and dream about the day they look fabulous!
Physical:
- Walking 1/2 hour everyday is a habit I recently picked up. I set 2 reminders on my phone so I would do it. It took a few days to get into it, but I now look forward to it. The walk gave me a chance to clear my mind, enjoy the outdoors, and energize my body with positive endorphins and sunshine (vitamin d). My friend Christina said walking 1/2 hour is similar to taking one prozac. Interesting! Regardless, it aslo feels good to accomplish a goal I set out to do.
- Tennis is a group class I have been attending for the last 6 weeks and it has been great to learn a new sport and meet people who like the same thing. It looks like a simple game but I have been getting a great physical and mental workout. I realized that you need to be focused when you play. You need to think about where the ball will land and how you hit it (forehand, backhand, lob, etc). In order to stay young at heart, tennis is a great way to engage the mind and body.
Cooking:
- Cake decorating is class my friend Dana took. She is a super talented cook and baker. I was so impressed by her cake for my son’s 4th birthday that I was inspired to take the same class. I had simple goals – learn how to decorate cookies and cupcakes. I’m happy to say that I’ve done just this 🙂 Don’t worry, I’m not planning to be Martha Stewart, I’m not that good yet!
Yummy cupcakes
Cookies ... mmmm
alittlejournal 