My latest “For the Love of” posts have focused on the first two of the three Bend Burn Breath tenets. Before I share more “For the Love of” posts, I want to chat more about the third tenet of the Bend Burn Breathe well-being ethos. “Breathe” is all about living more creatively and playfully, and you don’t need to be an artist or a kid to do so. I was inspired to write this post after reading a chapter from the excellent book, The Power of Fun by Catherine Price. In it, she helps the reader discover more moments of what she calls “True Fun.” According to Price, True Fun is achieved when an activity or experience elicits a unique combination of playfulness, connectedness, and flow. On the way to achieving this, she explains more subtle moments of fun that can be cultivated through exploring one’s interests, hobbies, and passions. Leaning more fully into what we are curious about, what interests us, and what brings us alive is what “Breathe” is all about!
I am particularly fond of interests, hobbies, and passions because they can be just the thing to get you out of a funk, ease general ennui, fix a malaise, spice up your life, or add that secret sauce to a life already well lived. However, we tend to shed them as we grow into adulthood. Work, careers, having children, and other obligations take over, and we are lured at the end of the day by the ease of passive leisure, such as too much television watching and scrolling on our devices. We need to remember to have fun. We become afraid of failure, looking bad, or trying new things. But leaning into an interest, hobby, or passion can get the ball rolling. Let’s talk briefly about each one:
Interest: An interest is something or someone that piques your curiosity and that you want to know more about. For example, I’ve always been interested in style and fashion history. I’ve culitvated this interest by creating Pinterest boards of capsule wardrobes, watching fashion-related videos on YouTube and Facebook, curating outfits in my closet, and going thrift shopping. Most recently, I have decided to dive back into poetry – reading, listening to, and writing it, and just starting a casual journey. Individual interests are as unique as a fingerprint and don’t have to become a hobby or even a particular passion – but they can certainly lead to them. I have been leaning into my interests lately to curb a bad habit of mindless scrolling on social media. I may still use my phone at times, but it’s in an entirely different way as I actively search, watch, or listen to something that furthers my interest (to lead me further to engage in phone-less activities). What are some things that interest you? Take a moment to jot down a few things that come to mind.
Hobby: A hobby is taking an interest up a notch. You do or have done it more regularly in your leisure time for the sheer pleasure of it. It may have more formality, like a scheduled day or time of the week or a class or group you attend. It’s taken more of a foothold in your life. I now consider cooking, sewing, and aromatherapy hobbies of mine. While it’s not a strict weekly habit, I’ve been dedicated to all three for years. I receive quite a bit of intrinsic joy doing them. I’m a creator, so I’ve taught myself how to make vegan cheese and soy yogurt, attend monthly cooking classes, make my clothes (some pieces more successful than others), and craft natural perfumes. Hobbies can be done alone or with others, which is excellent for social well-being (and can amp up the fun factor). For over three years, my cousin and I have had video sewing/kibbitzing sessions that last hours. Take a moment to jot down hobbies you used to do that you enjoyed and some things that you might like to try (nothing is off the table). There is no obligation to keep going if you’ve given something a try and don’t like it. Sometimes the fun is just trying things out!
Passion: According to Merriam-Webster, a passion is “a strong liking or desire for or devotion to some activity, object, or concept.” Often passions are the backbones of interests and hobbies, but they can be much more. You may be passionate about the environment and devote your leisure time to volunteer advocacy and activism. Your passion may or may not be something you do for work. One of my great passions is being a creative performing artist. While it’s not how I make a living, it is more than an interest or a hobby. It’s been a massive part of my life, from years of training and performance to the art tribes and communities I’ve helped to build. I don’t let the career moniker get in the way. Identifying a long-lost passion or something you’ve dreamed about can be a powerful tool for greater life satisfaction. Take a moment to jot down the things that you are passionate about.
Picking up and leaning more into an interest, hobby, or passion can be an often-forgotten life-shifter. Take a look at the items you’ve jotted down. I hope you’ve found even the smallest of sparks to ignite an inner curiosity or pang (no matter what the size) to take some time to explore what helps you feel alive. Pick just one item on your list and act on it. Please share what you’ve written in the comments!
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