Let me preface this post by saying: If you’re one of the coworkers I reference in this post, please know that I am in no way resentful! I am honestly grateful for the kick in the ass/nudge out the door/reminder that hobbies exist.
At work, we’ve been doing mini presentations where everyone introduces themselves. A few of the girls on my team mentioned how they do yoga or henna art, and my first thought was, “Wait, but I do those things! You can’t do those things; those are my things!”
And then I took a good, long look at myself and asked myself, “Are those things yours? Do you even lift, bro?“
Because I haven’t been. I’ve had a lot of shit going on and things I love have fallen by the wayside. So I cannot call myself “the team yogi” or “the team henna artist” when I hadn’t done either of those things in over 6 months.
It’s not so much that I want to be The One and Only Yogi on my team (where’s the fun in that, anyway?), but it’s the fact that I have absolutely no room to be salty or even protective of my hobbies if I don’t actually get off my ass and do that hobby.
What I didn’t expect was just how powerful of a motivator that would be. If I want to be known as “the yoga person” or “the henna person” or “the tarot person,” I have to actually do those things. It’s not enough to be the “Well I started the yoga group and used to lead practice but then I just kind of stopped going” person. Who likes that guy?
So. This is me. Getting back in the saddle.
How cool would it be if I could actually ride a horse, though? 😅
Amber Sorensen 
This was definitely me as a younger writer. If I found out a fellow teenager wanted to be a published author, I saw them as some kind of threat. As if their enjoyment, craft, or success would somehow tamper with mine! I’m glad I learned that I don’t have to be the *only one* of anything nor do I have to be the best. I can simply enjoy what I enjoy and live life. I can’t wait to see you get back into these hobbies, though!
LikeLike