16 Aug Do What You Love or Set It Free
Who doesn’t want to feel like they’re living their #LifeGoals? Whether it’s optimizing your career, hitting the gym to achieve your ideal body, or strengthening your relationships, isn’t the ultimate goal in life to feel happy and fulfilled?
So, how do you get there?
What I’m about to reveal may shock you…Do more of the things you love. Gasp! Why hasn’t anyone thought of that before?
Each of us gravitates towards certain hobbies that we love – it could be playing hockey, designing clothing, creating killer memes, or engaging in charity work. Not only are the things we love incredibly enjoyable, but they typically fit how we envision our lives and who we’d ultimately like to be.
The path to happiness and long-term fulfillment means carving out the time for doing the things your passionate about. We all have obligations – work, bills, family – and while you may not be the CEO of Amazon (a.k.a. your dream job), that doesn’t mean you can’t surround yourself with other things that’ll fill you with bliss.
Kick the “Shoulds” to the Curb
It’s human nature to procrastinate. “I should” and “Tomorrow I’ll start” are probably the two most overused phrases in the English language. I’m guilty too. When I was younger, my girlfriend and I fell into a legit three-month routine where we’d begin driving to the gym – fully decked out in our workout gear – only to turn around and grab ice cream instead. Yeah, we were ice cream junkies. But our mantra was, “Pig out today, gym tomorrow.” Did we ever hit the treadmill? Nope. We were hooked on sprinkles.
To do what you love, you have to give your excuses the boot. Just to be clear, this doesn’t mean you should stop paying your rent or skip class or let the dishes pile up in the sink until they’ve formed their own city. The point is to introduce more of the things you love into your everyday life – not only to balance obligations with hobbies, but to wake up each day with something to look forward to.
Let Go of The Guilt
You can’t truly do what you love if you’re drowning in guilt over it. Forget societal expectations. If you’re deeply passionate about video games and beating your own record feels like you’ve won the lottery – then do it. If you’re a grown man that can’t dance, but you love taking Zumba classes, what’s stopping you?
Everyone has opinions. The world is replete with haters. But when you’re authentically you and content with who you are, you shouldn’t let others stop you from enjoying life. The best part? You’re fully in control here. Sure, your relationships, health, and career can be influenced by outside factors and thrown off course from time to time, but doing what you love is a choice that solely lies your hands.
Learn Self-Discipline
Just like public speaking or waking up each day to go to work, doing what you love requires discipline and courage. I say courage because what you’re passionate about may not be perceived as ‘cool’ or socially-acceptable. But confidence is your greatest asset and when you have the strength to do what you love and embrace all your quicks, that’s what truly makes you special.
Self-discipline is also a key factor in doing what you love. Why? Because life is chock-full of distractions that hijack our concentration, but these addictive activities don’t provide deep satisfaction. For example. I love reading, writing, learning new things, and spending time with friends and family. However, what do I often find myself doing? Binge-watching Netflix, playing Candy Crush, or spending hours on YouTube checking out dance videos. It’s just the right dose of entertainment to keep me engaged while requiring the lowest amount of effort possible.
In order to do more of what you love, you need to start changing your habits. Start slow. Maybe limit your computer usage or sign up for a painting class you’ve been dying to take. As you begin incorporating more and more of what you love to do into your life, it’ll slowly become ingrained in your everyday routine. It will feel habitual and you’ll look forward to these moments where you’re engaging in something you’re passionate about.
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