Step 5: Find a Hobby

In our hustle society, the joy we once felt from our hobbies has been snatched because the hobby may have been turned into a side hustle or you're too busy hustling that you don't have time to do things for pleasure. 
 

I've found that when I'm always working or being super busy, I am depleting my pool of energy. I don't like feeling depleted so I've chosen to make time to do more of what fills me. For me, this is painting, reading, being in nature, and writing for pleasure. When I do more of the things that fill me, I am able to tackle my not so favorite tasks with gladness.

If you don't have a hobby which is an activity done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure, I want to encourage you to find one. You don't have to have a ton of hobbies. One will do. Reading has always been my favorite hobby. I could read without investing a ton of money because I frequented the library. I was exposed to books that I may not have read if it weren't for the fact that I'd seen them on the new release shelf. Starting a hobby doesn't have to break the bank, you can start off by writing a list of things that you think you would enjoy. You could let the least expensive one be your first hobby to jump into. If all of your hobbies require an investment, consider starting with the most basic of materials. When I started painting, I used the cheapest canvas, and honestly, I still by the lower level canvases most of the time. I use them because it isn't about the canvas; it's about me taking to time to do something I enjoy. 

What if you aren't a crafter, and you don't want to be a crafter? I'm learning that caring for plants is a hobby too. I've bought a few very inexpensive plants from the grocery store. They are really easy to care for, and it doesn't cost me a ton of money. I'm actually taking time to learn how to care for hydrangeas in pots because it was my most favorite plant in our at our old house, and now, we're apartment dwellers so planting them in my yard isn't an option. 

Having something to look forward to is a joy-builder. It can be a mood booster when things aren't going so great. Do you already have hobbies? Remember to take time to enjoy them. Life can't be all work and no play. 

Thanks for listening to the Joy in the Ordinary podcast with Latonya. You can connect with others who are embracing joy in their ordinary lives by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/joyintheordinary.