There are 86,400 seconds in a day, 365 days in a year, 79 years to the average person's life, and 33% of that time is spent sleeping. Don't you think it's important how the other 67% of your lifetime is spent?
Too often we may neglect our emotional and mental health due to pressures and obligations from work, school, or society in general. Over time, we begin to spend less and less time on the things that make us unique, the things that define us. It's likely a slow shift at first, but soon you realize that you can't remember the last time you did something creative or sat quietly with your thoughts for an hour.
In today's fast paced world of hustling until you're old and then retiring to enjoy the last decade or so in peace, we often forget to enjoy life while we are still young. Life isn't just supposed to be work, work, work and then we die.
It's important to devote time to your hobbies so that you don't lose yourself in the mundane flow of daily life. Find what makes you happy and do it. Whether it's an old hobby that you're ready to pick back up, or a new skill you've been putting off learning, now is the time for it. Maybe you don't have a hobby in particular yet, and are looking for some ideas. I've jotted down a few of my favorites.
Learn To Play An Instrument
I used to play piano in my early teens, but I quit as soon as my parents stopped making me take lessons. I see now that it was definitely a mistake to stop, as I've finally learned to appreciate this skill as an adult. I'm on the hunt for a piano of my own now, and I've amassed a collection of favorite songs to learn. I think that was part of my problem too -- I was bored with the simple songs that my piano teacher assigned me. So I'm going to learn songs that I love instead.
Teach Yourself To Draw
Ever since I was a child I have wished that I knew how to draw. I would gaze longingly at the artwork of others, and think wistfully about how nice it would be to draw or paint like that. But I never applied myself to learn. I lied to myself for many years about how it was a skill one needed to be born with. But I know for certain now that it is something that can be learned. So I bought pencils and a sketchpad this week, and a book on human anatomy and basic drawing skills. Instead of spending all my free time mindlessly watching television, I'm going to start learning a new skill.
Write, And Write Often
Writing is my favorite creative outlet, probably because it's currently the hobby that comes easy to me. While drawing is very difficult for me — as I become frustrated when I can't properly transfer the images in my mind to paper — writing, on the other hand, is soothing and the words just flow easily. I can paint a picture with words even if I can't paint it with pencils or a brush. Words fill some void in me, and I've pushed myself to devote consistent time to it as of late.
Daydream
When I say daydream, I don't mean the aimless wandering thoughts that take the place of performing responsibilities. I mean those deep thoughts that whisper in when you sit quietly and open your mind to the universe. When I had less stress and was spending more time doing creative things and thinking deep thoughts, I also used to have intensely vivid dreams while sleeping. I don't anymore, and I know it's because I'm not stimulating my brain while awake. So I try to sit still for a few minutes a day and let the heavy thoughts sink in.
Don't make the mistake of letting life drown out your creativity. Find your passion and embrace it. Run away with it, and never look back. You can't move forward if your eyes are trained behind you.
