As part of the process of redefining myself, I thought I would begin with hobbies. This was a tangible and concrete beginning into the foggy mess of my being. It’s pretty uncomfortable to not have the answer to the question, “What do you do for fun?” How in the world have I lost sight of the activities that bring me joy?

It’s a challenging task to follow the things that feel good, and not just the activities that seem trendy. Hot yoga? No thank you, that is literally my hell. I have tried some things out- photography, running, and barre. I’ve started skating more for myself too. I set some goals for myself and ignored the hairy eyeballs I got from the kids at the rink. I got off my ass and have started exploring my city and my new neighborhood. I like feeling competent and knowledgeable about my surroundings, and I enjoy making new findings by myself.

Sometimes when we find ourselves a bit lost, going back to our oldest interests can help us root back into our most authentic selves. I had started dance when I was 4 years old and it had slowly diminished over time. It took me about 4 or 5 trips past the dance studio down the block from me before I had the nerve to walk in and sign up. I decided to throw myself into the fire and NOT take a ballet class and try something I had no experience with. I sent a final farewell text to my best friend, sure that I was going to mortify myself in this class and die tragically at the feet of my teacher and the other 3 (3! WTF!) students in the class. Well naturally, I had an amazing time. I’d like to say I was surprised I loved it, but really I wasn’t. I knew I would love the class because I have always loved to dance. I have always loved to move to music and express myself. What I had done was actually put myself in the perfect situation to have fun and to connect with a piece of me that had been lost.

I’m learning that it’s important to stay connected to the things that we truly enjoy. It might not be in style, it might not be what’s popular right now, but if it makes you feel good and it keeps you true to yourself, then it’s the right path to take. Sometimes those things that feel the best are the ones that have been a part of our lives since the start. Sometimes they are new passions, or old passions reinvented to fit our needs now. It sounds so cheesy, but really- dance like no one is watching. Sing at the top of your lungs. Carve out the time to do the things you want, and keep the date with yourself. Say yes to your passions. Don’t let anyone tell you that it’s a waste of time.

WTF do you do for fun?