At one point or another, we’ve heard that we should do what we’re passionate about. And for the longest time, I never understood it until recently. I never realized how your hobby can change your life.
A little backstory
I’ve never known what I wanted to do when I grew up. Even in my twenties, I had absolutely no clue. I had the stable 9-5 because that’s what I thought I had to do. I fell into it because I was decent at it and I was scared I wasn’t cut out for anything else. The paycheck was also nice. But at the end of the day, through the raises, promotion, office politics, and burn out, it just didn’t make me happy.
But you know what made me happy? Fitness. That was a constant in my life since 2015 when I decided to run a 5k with zero preparation. Since then, I learned more and got better every year. It wasn’t until 2021 when I decided to take the plunge and start working in the fitness industry.
How your hobby can change your life
What started as a hobby became something I’m pivoting my life towards.
Maybe you’re not looking for your hobby to be your career but I can say with certainty the satisfaction you feel by doing your hobby will spread to other areas of your life. It may not be immediate and you may not even notice it in the moment.
But whenever you take stock of recent months or years, there’s sure to be a positive change that was a result of you working on your craft or hobby.
Take fitness, for example. It not only helped me get physically stronger, it also tests my mental strength, introduced me to amazing friends, improved my public speaking, and gave me the confidence to pivot careers. All these benefits simply because I stuck to what I enjoyed doing even if I was a total beginner and had no idea what I was doing.
Now it’s your turn
You don’t have to make any drastic changes. But consider leaning into something you’ve always wanted to try. Maybe it’s gardening, maybe it’s doing a 5k, or maybe it’s learning how to cook. You may suck at it at first (and that’s OK!) but overtime, you’ll improve and you’ll feel different…better. Maybe your confidence will grow, maybe it’ll open new doors you never thought possible, and maybe you’ll meet people you never would’ve met otherwise.
Give it a shot. What’s your hobby and how has it impacted your life? Share in the comments! I’d love to read about what sparks joy for you.