Everything I've read or heard this past few months seems to be saying the same thing, something like; "You only have one life to live. Live it well, and don't waste it. Live well, love well, pursue what you love to do" "Everyone is gifted at something. Use your gifts to the best of your ability."
I've been thinking a lot about this...what am I good at? What do I love to do? What is it that energizes me and feeds my soul? Being creative is at the core of my being, I think...no, not think, KNOW. Whether it be writing, photography, art, planning an event - that creative kind of thing is what excites me.
Being with creative people energizes me. My instructor Nancy Hallock, at The Kettlebell Fitness Center in Delmar, NY is very creative in her classes and I love that about them. She's always changing things up to keep it interesting. (How funny that this time last year, working up a sweat would NOT be one of the things that energizes me!) My sister, Jackie, back in England, lives for working out! She runs her own boot camps, Functional Fitness, and creatively uses anything in the rec ground or around her town to incorporate her workouts - stairs, benches, playground equipment etc...
Office work does not in any way energize me, no matter how much I try to be creative. However, office work is what pays the bills right now.
Being with creative people energizes me. My instructor Nancy Hallock, at The Kettlebell Fitness Center in Delmar, NY is very creative in her classes and I love that about them. She's always changing things up to keep it interesting. (How funny that this time last year, working up a sweat would NOT be one of the things that energizes me!) My sister, Jackie, back in England, lives for working out! She runs her own boot camps, Functional Fitness, and creatively uses anything in the rec ground or around her town to incorporate her workouts - stairs, benches, playground equipment etc...
Office work does not in any way energize me, no matter how much I try to be creative. However, office work is what pays the bills right now.
Now we have a mortgage and are responsible homeowners (all growed up!), how do we pursue the things that nurture and makes us happy? Trying to find the time to do the things one loves can be difficult. Between working all day, cooking, laundry, housework, yardwork, and just trying to keep our lives on an even keel is tough for everyone. In America, it seems that people work harder, take less vacation and constantly feel under pressure and stressed out. When I first started my current job and found out that I only got 2 weeks vacation and that INCLUDED sick time, I was gobsmacked. I think I was spoiled in England. 5 weeks holiday, plus sick time. And you could take 2 weeks off at a time without anyone batting an eyelid. Anyway, I digress....
We took the step in April to leave Time Warner Cable and have no television whatsoever. Was it hard? Actually, not as hard as we thought it might be. We realized that we spent our TV watching hours just flipping channels, trying to find something good to watch. As Bruce Springsteen once sang, "57 Channels and Nothing On". Well, like most Americans, we had over 250 channels and there was absolutely nothing on.
Without the TV, we have been reading more, become more creative, talked more, spent more time doing the things we love and have put off putting off redecorating and remodeling the upstairs of our house! We may never make money on what we would love to do full time, but we have more time to do the things we want to do.
The 5th annual Adirondack Woodworking & Fine Arts Show is coming up next week, (July 19 - 21) at the Bradt Building on S. Main St, in Northville, which will be so much fun. I love the Northville Rotary Club. They work so hard to promote good works in and around the town of Northville, NY, and are the tireless organizers of this show. Over 50 vendors will be there this year, and I'm looking forward to seeing old friends and meeting new people. My photos are all framed, matted and ready to be set up. If you're in the area, come and visit. It would be great to see you! And if you don't make it to Northville, I hope you are doing something wonderful that you really enjoy!
Take care,
J
