Who would you be if you focused on what you genuinely enjoy?
I’m learning to pay attention to the things I do that I enjoy, and the things I do that I don’t care for.
Here’s what I’ve figured out so far:
Things I do that I don’t like:
Having coffee while doing other things. I end up ignoring my coffee and not even realizing I’m having it. Before I know it, the coffee is gone and I’m sad because I felt like I never enjoyed it.
Waking up late. I love the time in the morning. I’m fresh, my brain is awake, it’s quiet in the house, and I get to take the morning as slowly as I’d like. It will also be a huge boon later in the year when I’m back on a training schedule that will require me to start my runs early.
Eating dessert items. I always think I want them, but then end up feeling regretful afterwards. It is rarely worth having. I can think of only a handful of times when getting a dessert was something I genuinely enjoyed.
Texting on my phone. I’m beginning to dislike texting on my phone. Maybe this is the millennial in me, but when I want to have a full conversation with someone, I’d prefer to have a full keyboard (i.e. my computer) or hop on a call and talk to them. I am finding that my patience is running thin on typing on virtual keyboards.
Scrolling endlessly. I even scroll pages of apps on my home screen, as if something is going to pop up and be exciting and interesting. I feel like a dopamine addict, waiting for that next lever pull that will award me with something so that I keep going. It’s awful.
Things I do that give me joy:
Reading. Any time I sit down to read, and I’m able to complete a chapter or two (at least), I feel so happy. Reading is calming, it is often informative (depending on what I’m reading, of course), and it’s good for my eyes to have a break from the screen.
Meditating. I love to sit and meditate. I’ve found that sometimes I’ll choose meditation as an activity for me to pass the time, rather than scrolling or watching a repeat tv show for the one millionth time. When I do sit and meditate, it’s wonderful. I end up coming up with most of my ideas while I’m sitting, because it’s like I am silencing the noisy part of my brain, and letting the big part of my brain take over (my subconscious brain).
Writing and journaling. I love when I have a pen in hand and I’m writing or doodling or taking notes on ideas. That’s another time when I feel creativity flow easily. There’s something magical about putting pen to paper. You’re turning something ethereal (thoughts) into something real (paper). That’s about the coolest thing I can think of. Writing/typing on my computer is also something I enjoy. It’s fun to go from a blank page to a page full of thoughts and ideas.
Running/exercising. I never feel more alive than I do during and immediately after a run or great workout. Connecting to my body is an amazing feeling, and I love feeling how my body changes over time as a result.
What would my life be like if I stopped doing items in the first list, and started doing more of the items in the second list? I think I’d barely recognize it. If I focused on more offline activities, and less on scrolling and distraction, then I’d be a much happier person. Once you’re a happy person, the rest of life becomes easier. You do everything from a foundation of joy vs. one of feeling frustrated and upset. You’re starting each day ahead vs. behind.
What would your list be like? What do you do that you wish you didn’t, and what do you wish you did more of? If you write down those lists, and picked one thing to do less of, and one thing to do more of (make sure you focus only one at a time), I bet you’d feel better in a week or two of doing that.