We all want to live long and happy lives, however finding fulfilment both at work and at home sometimes doesn’t come so easy. But fear not my pretty thing, as by making just a few small changes your happiness levels can get a real boost. And who doesn’t want to be a ray of sunshine full of positivity?!
I’ve decided to start a new series on Notwedordead looking at ways to become happier, first up is ‘Practice your Passion’ aka ‘Do what you love.’ This is exactly what happened to me just last week. Grab a brew and I’ll explain all.
I filled you in on my journey to writing a novel here when I finally realised I needed to pull my finger out and go after my childhood dream of being a published author. Forcing myself to overcome the fear of rejection and ridicule to give it all I have, crossing my fingers and toes that dreams can come true so why shouldn’t mine (obviously first I needed to actually get the words and story out).
Do what you love and practicing your passion is something we can all follow. Maybe it’s playing five a side footy once a week, taking evening art classes or going to record fairs scouring the dusty corners for that hidden gem.
If you have a passion then make time for it.
I followed my own advice when my mentor Rosie Blake, mentioned she was hosting a writing retreat in April. This was back in December when I was lazing in the sun in Buenos Aires thinking April was aggeeesss away, well before I knew it I was booking my travel to this incredible country house in Somerset for a week of writing, inspiration and advice from other authors.
I’m not going to pretend I wasn’t a little nervous on the journey over but as soon as I met the other women I instantly felt like I was among friends. Friends who love to write, read, drink wine and eat cake – friends for life if you ask me!
I had finished my first novel and was preparing to attack my second, but it still felt a little rough around the edges and lacked the finer details. After many brainstorming sessions, midnight chats and strikes of inspiration. Look at that view who wouldn’t be inspired here?! I was on course to nail novel numero dos. Four days and intensive bursts of writing later I had over 17,000 words typed up and in the bag. Incredible.
To be amongst others who share the same passion as I do was just fantastic, a real boost that the problems I’d faced alone at my desk at home were perfectly normal stumbling blocks, and that actually I was doing ok. This positive reinforcement was such a welcomed relief. Writing can be quite solitary, so having others who understood when characters talked to you (without slowly stepping away from the strange girl talking to her imaginative friends) and to bounce ideas off was priceless.
I came away feeling more motivated than ever to persevere and visualise myself as an author. It is going to happen. I have to believe that, if I don’t then no-one else will.
So do what you love, practice your passion and don’t feel the least bit guilty about it. Go and fill up your diary, call friends with similar interests or find a group where you can meet these kinds of people. I promise you will feel so much happier when you are spending time doing what you love, and who knows what may come out of it.
