Rethinking My Hobbies

What do you like to do?

Since high school, I have probably had about the same list of things I say or write down whenever forced... running, music, singing, and reading. Perhaps I am the only one who thinks this way, but that question usually elicits a dull moan from inside my heart. 

Just about a month ago, when I was most recently forced to write my recited list of hobbies, I thought sadly to myself, "I don't like to do anything anymore." Sure, running is great, but I don't do that as much as I have in the past...Or music is nice, but I have a hard time loving listening to music since my meningitis messed me up...I like to sing, but I find performing so stressful these days...and sitting there reading makes me feel like I am going to get bedsores. 

I went through about a week of this slump, thinking I was in some sort of crisis, and believing I had realized I am the least passionate person who has ever walked the earth. You know when your friend introduces you to someone new and you realize that you and this someone don't have anything in common, but THEN you have to sit there for hours pretending to like this person and you feel terrible by the time you finally leave?! Well THAT is how I felt about myself! I felt forced to like activities that I found tired, boring, or frustrating. It was a mess.

The slump continued until one morning when I decided to do some family history work. After plugging away at my family tree, I found I had been doing it for several hours without even noticing! At that moment, I realized that genealogy must be a hobby of mine, because I just LOVE to do it. As soon as I put that together, all of a sudden I thought of other things that give me that same forget-to-eat, never-want-to-stop feeling...

In addition to loving genealogy,

I love to:

COMPLETE DIY PROJECTS

DO CANNING

COOK

WORKOUT

LAUGH

LEARN

COMPLETE TEMPLE WORK

SPEND TIME WITH FAMILY

And much more....

This experience has reminded me of a few important things: first, who you are and what you enjoy can change; secondly, making time for my true hobbies makes me feel energized, not exhausted; lastly, this life is about discovering our talents and passions, not just clinging to ones we already have explored. 

So, my friends, what do YOU like to do?