I’ve noticed that I am not really passionate about anything in life. I like a lot of things, but nothing lights me up. Trying to figure out if I somehow haven’t tried THE hobby yet. How do people find out what they like?
I’d like to do some #languagelearning but don’t know which one. Japanese, Korean, or Mandarin. My brain keeps yelling: ALL OF THEM.
I’m thinking of doing a #photography course. Probably in-person more so than an online one.
@Vinjii What level to you want to learn a language? You can learn to say "something" or "hello" in 100 languages really quick if that is your goal, but you want be able to do anything else. If you want to sound like a native it will take a couple years of 8 hour per day study (you can spread that out over longer time if you wish). that you don't have one to focus on suggests you don't really have a need or desire to learn them other than it would be nice, so learn basic greetings (2 weeks each, 1 hour per day), and see if that is good enough.
I don't know much about photography, but it is similar: you can be satisfied with a 1 hour course on proper framing or spend years learning the ins and outs of complex topics like f-stops. Nothing wrong with either option.
The important thing is you cannot master everything, but you also don't need to. You need to master what it is you do for a day job, but day jobs tend to lead to burn out if that is all you do, so find a hobby. As a hobby the important part is it keeps you busy and you like it, so if you decide you don't like it go find something else. There is nothing wrong with switching so long as you understand you decided not to get better and are okay with it.
@bluGill That's actually a good point. I'm just looking for hobbies that'll make me happy and give me a sense of joy in my life. I like learning things, and I like languages. So, it's definitely not about sounding native. Same with photography. I love taking photos, but I don't really know much about it, so it would be interesting to learn! I think I get stuck in the "I need to be perfect at the things I do" mindset; I need to shed that. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I appreciate it!
@Vinjii for me, it's what I can do given the limitations of my health problems.
After that, it's largely what meets unmet needs, like variety, new to me things, mental stimulation, kindness and vicarious socialising. (Need more real people but I can't meet their expectations bcs health so they go away again.)
So I end up searching and every now and then stumble onto something that fits both. I have joy and passion locked inside wanting out.
@emmaaum I’ve had massive surgery last year for my endometriosis and (for now) my chronic pain is better, so I’d say currently I’m not as limited by my body. Thankfully, I don’t suffer from fatigue, but my anxiety and trauma creates decision paralysis and a crippling perfectionism which often leads to me not doing something because I’m afraid of doing it badly. Which I’m aware is nonsense, and I should just try and do things, but I really struggle with it.
@Vinjii I understand. I had endo too (full hysterectomy 11 years ago); GPs kept treating me like a hypochondriac until I fainted in the Tesco checkout line because it had made me anaemic.
Problems with decisions too, though mostly from chronic illness cognitive problems. (My mental health stuff is always either actually physical or the result of the actual physical problems.)
One thing I've learned is to go with rather than against. Like karate, where they use & redirect the opponents momentum
@emmaaum I had a hysterectomy last year (including bowel resection, and it was on my ureter too) and I’m finally a bit better, but I’m pretty sure it’s on my ovaries still (they left those in) because there is some residual pain, and I’m terrified of that getting worse again.
My mental health is usually the result of physical problems too, but I feel like my childhood led to me trying to be what I think other people expect me to be, and I never learned to figure out who I am by myself.
@Vinjii They can, and keep us caught up in patterns which no longer serve us.
Did you watch any of the series I suggested yet? I keep coming back to Thai things for my television because they tend to be kinder and more open-hearted than many countries'. Especially the UK. Helps me keep myself from going too far out of whack.
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