Hobby: an activity or interest pursued for pleasure or relaxation and not as a main occupation.

Do you have one? I hope so. It doesn't need to be some extravagant interest like free climbing or surfing, not saying that it can't be of course; it's yours so you can make it what you want. That's the beauty of your own interest. It can be yours and it doesn't really matter what anyone else thinks.

I reached a point in my life where I needed something different. An activity or interest that could be mine and was a way to express my thoughts, feelings, and ideas. Not too shortly after I came across an article on Odyssey from someone I knew in high school and it was definitely a light bulb moment of mine. One that would shape me in ways I did not realize. I applied and next thing I knew I was writing a letter to my sister for all to see.

So many times in our lives we base our interest on what others see as exciting or relevant. We are so concerned with what is the popular hobby or what others enjoy that we can belittle our own interests and the ways they can help us grow.

This started to become more apparent to me as I continued into my first six months of publicly writing. I began realizing that when I write, I was trying to find topics that a large audience would be interested in, however my main focus was over topics that I myself was interested in. Writing became my new way of talking when dance wasn't as available as my option.

This is seen in all hobbies and activities that people take up, especially when we really start discovering who we are and what is in us that has been waiting to come out for so long. It can be writing, it can be exercising, a sport, or all the way back to mathematics or a specific subject in school.

For me, what I started to notice growth first were my writing skills in general. There is a drastic difference in my first article compared to my 50th article even compared to my most recent posts. Grammar, vocabulary, and the overall flow of my writing was developed as well as the topics find myself picking.

As I look back over the last year and a half of writing I can boldly recognize how my confidence level has exceeded what I could have ever hoped for. I am more open about sharing what my thoughts and opinions are as well as holding my ground as best I can. The confidence has also had an influence on my everyday life and not just my writing.

I love who I have become because of unveiling a new part of who I am. It has also created another tie to my grandfather who went into journalism which allowed me to carry on more of families career hopefully and grow as an individual but also as a member of my ancestry.

So take what you want from here, but I hope it motivates you to learn something new and try a new interest or hobby no matter how big or small it is. Life is too short not to do what you like.