Tending to our Passions

Are you bored yet? Sometimes I feel like a little kid telling my mom I am bored and asking what I can do. Except I am not a little kid, and the only person I am telling this to is me. So, I guess I also need to find some answers to share with myself.

After so many weeks in isolation, I think it is normal for our kids and for ourselves to begin feeling restless. We want to do new things, have adventures, discover our passions. And we want to do so outside of our property lines.

I think this is an ideal time for us to begin to investigate new interests. We may not be able to take classes or sign up for lessons, but the benefit right now is that we can dabble in new interests without being committed. And we have time to try different things. Even if we are working from home, our weekends are still a time to pursue recreation and fun.

I have enjoyed watching people exploring new interests and sharing them on social media. Even more, I have enjoyed seeing that people are not only posting their successes, but their steps on the road to mastery as well.

So, what might you pursue or investigate while you are safely distancing at home?

• Perhaps you have always wanted to paint or create art but you have been too afraid to take a class. There are many online painting lessons on YouTube right now. And they are free. Your masterpiece may be just a click away. Make it a family event. My kids love family art night.
• I have seen many people learning to bake bread. This is actually something I have tried in the past and did not particularly succeed at. Maybe this is a good time to practice…if I can find yeast somewhere.
• Writing. If you have ever wanted to write, do it. Whether it is a journal or a blog or something more structured, writing has so many benefits. Quit worrying if your writing is any good. Just do it. You may surprise yourself, and you may inspire others.
• Get out in nature. In most places, there is no shelter in place order unless you are sick. So if you are healthy, get outside. Walk in your neighbourhood. Go to your local conservation area or provincial park. Maintain physical distancing and rediscover a passion for hiking.
• Dance like no one is watching…because no one is. Turn on some music and just get your groove on. Or find an instructional video and learn some moves.
• Have you always wanted to learn yoga but felt intimidated to go to a studio? My favourite yoga instructor online is Yoga with Adriene. She has hundreds of yoga classes online, from very simple to quite difficult, from gentle, restorative classes to power flow classes. So whether you are just interested in trying it, or you are missing rolling out your mat a your studio, give a home practice a try.

When we get through this, there will be plenty of opportunities for us to deep-dive into our passions. We will be able to go to classes and studios and spend time with other people who share our passions (which is, I believe, the more important part). But until then, we have a unique opportunity to try some things, to devote some time to self-learning and to have fun in the process.

As for me, I am rediscovering a love for writing, spending time every morning writing this blog. I have found a new interest in painting and I am working on a painting for my apartment. And having no yard forces me to get outside in creative ways, so I have been feeding a passion I had lost for a while, hiking in nature. Whether with my kids and our dogs or on my own, there is something wonderful about being in a natural environment.

What interests or passions are you tending to during our self-isolation? I would love to hear about it.

On this mid-week day, stay healthy. Stay home. Reach out. Be well.