What does joy look like to you? How can you create more space to receive this feeling? Yes, life has ups and downs and some things are out of our control, but when we have an opportunity to feel an immense amount of joy and peace, we need to relish it. It is so easy to get caught up in the mundane things and a set routine but think about all the moments in which you can create the space within your routine to experience joy. Consider what brings you joy right now. The act of exploring hobbies have created so much more joy in my life and I wish I had started this sooner. At first, as a working mom, it was hard to add hobbies into my routine but now I find the time to do this for me and at times I will involve my little one.

Hobbies That I Have Been Enjoying:

Art:

Painting- I ordered a French style easel from Amazon with a cherry wood finish to it. The French style easel is great because it is completely portable and has plenty of storage space. It also came with a wooden palette. The easel has a drawer that can hold all my acrylic paint, brushes, and a small palette. I am still learning how to use this easel though. There are so many parts that I must put down to set it up, like the legs and arms of the easel, which means that I must break the easel back down to put it back in place so that I can carry it. That is a bit annoying because I don’t have a space in my home dedicated to just artwork so I must store it, away from my toddler and away to not create future clutter.  There’s a strap on easel that allows me to carry it back and forth between rooms. I may change this strap out eventually with something with a cute print, like strawberries on it. I’ve painted on my front porch last week. I haven’t taken the easel to the park yet, but I plan on doing so in the fall, when the weather isn’t near 100 degrees out.

I’ve painted on canvases and have hung them up in my bedroom however, I am stepping away from painting on canvases because I have limited space right now. My entire bedroom will look like an art studio! Which is cute in theory but no, actually…Let me think about this a bit more.

I have 3 sketchbooks and I want to fill them all with various sketches and artwork. I’ve started to paint in my sketchbook’s vs on a canvas because it’s just easier for space.

Sketching: I’ve started to get into drawing too! I’ve picked up various “how-to draw” books and I am having fun learning how to draw new things. I really love learning to draw anime or doodling kawaii items. They are so adorable!

Adult Coloring Books: Hobby lobby had a whole bunch of adult coloring books in their clearance section from $2-$4 and I may or may not have purchased at least 5 at one time. I am not into the whole Mandala coloring books because I just do not have the patience to color every little part. I love that hobby lobby had a variety of coloring books. I’ve picked up a cottage core theme, a whimsical theme, home theme and manga theme coloring book. I’ve picked up markers from Five Below and have been enjoying using them! I plan on buying better Alcohol based markers on Amazon soon.

I am not a pro by any means, but I am having fun painting and drawing. I plan on dabbling in watercolor as well.

Bike riding: I’ve had a bike sitting in my garage for a few years now and finally got back on it a month ago. I’ve had a great time riding my bike around the neighborhood. I purchased cute yet functional accessories from Walmart (an insulated handlebar bag that holds snacks and my phone). I haven’t taken the bike too far yet. Only to a local park to sit, color, eat snacks and enjoy the day for a little while.

Reading: This of course is nothing new to you all, but I’ve been really enjoying reading books this summer, especially romance books. Romance books have been bringing me a whole lot of joy so far this summer. They are truly my guilty pleasure.

Journaling: I am on a mission to complete an entire journal from cover to cover. My journal is like a diary to me. I’ve stepped my game with journaling though (thanks to TikTok), gone are the days where I am simply just writing in them, I am now decorating my journal with pictures, tickets from events, keepsakes and cute stickers! I am having fun making this a memorable keepsake (which I mostly won’t read again).

I share all of this with you to say, perhaps you can try adding a hobby or two in your life. Whether it is painting, reading, knitting, roller skating, cozy gaming or even doing your nails! There are so many things that you can do in this life. Life is to be lived and loved. Your mental health is so important too and finding a positive outlet like a hobby can benefit you so much. It can really make you look forward to something. Invest in yourself and invest in fun!

Sending so much love to all of you!

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