"Get Hobby Happy" an article that is awesome and I wanted to share with you guys!
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Okay, I really really loved this article and wanted to share it with all my art friends. I read it to my girls last night. I have been struggling lately with a few things. While the summer was amazing with my kids, I really missed the regular time devoted to creating. I managed to squeeze a little time in, but more often than not I just didn't make it a priority. I will make sure I do something for at least 10 minutes a day next summer.
The article spoke to how important hobbies are to our mental and emotional wellness. It was directed at teenagers and explaining the difference between TV and something that required you to think. How important and wonderful it is to lose track of time because you are enjoying something. It just really spoke to the "why" I had such a void in my life lately. And I'm not saying that spending time with my kids and husband this summer was bad. It was wonderful. But it was super stressful and fast paced. Having something you can focus your mind on outside of our daily challenges only makes the rest of your life better. You are functioning at a higher level. You can release stress that comes from the other area of life.
Here's a silly thing that happened on the drive home from Florida last week. For the first three hours of the trip no one asked for a movie or to play their iPads. Only a few "turn it ups" were mumbled from the teenager in the back when a good song came on. They all had gotten wikki six (wax coated bendy yarn things) and created stuff with them. They got them at the restaurant the night before. And my 13 year old got little magnetic beads at the store with her spending money. You can make all kinds of shapes, or just line them up and they stick together. Our brains crave to create.
So- just wanted to share with all you creatives. I plan on putting aside the money of this business, put away the marketing and the followers and all the things that muddy the joy of creating. at least for a little while and just paint! no matter where each of us are on this art journey, GOOD JOB! This hobby of ours is doing more for each of us than we realized!
(don't be scared that the article is from a church magazine, I don't remember any religious stuff being mentioned)
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/youth/article/get-hobby-happy?lang=eng&cid=email-shared
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@Whitney-Simms I totally get the time to focus outside daily challenges. I love when school starts and the crazy of summer ends and routines begin again. That routine helps with all that extra creative time at night once everyone is in bed.
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@Chip-Valecek right! I hate the routine come April. But now I’m so excited to have a plan and structure again. I’m even excited for carpool 5 minute sketches. I don’t know how long that will last.