What This Writer Does for Fun

Blog Post 24 Recreation

Photo courtesy of NOAA and www.flickr.com

Since we’re coming off the Holidays, a lot of us remain on vacation.  For this writer, being off work means being off my day job.  During these times, writing is what I do because I can get large swaths of time when I’m at home with only the pups.  That doesn’t mean that I don’t have other activities that I enjoy.  I do.  Here’s a sample of what I do for fun and why.

  • Exercise. I like to work out. It’s critical to maintaining good health. Typically, I do that after my day job because it helps me transition from work to home. When I’m off like I am now from my day job, I’ll typically work out during my low creative point of the day, usually from middle to late afternoon.
  • Read. I love to read, be it magazines or books. Right now, I have a huge pile on my nightstand as well as on my Kindle. My favorite place to read has to be in a hot bath. The chair next to the fireplace is my second favorite place.
  • Home improvement and gardening. Call me crazy, but I enjoy getting my hands dirty. This past fall, we redid our fireplace hearth and surround. It was fun, but in a strange kind of way. In the warm months, I’ll keep up a vegetable garden.
  • Hiking and camping. I feel most connected to God when I’m out in the woods. When Steve and I travel, we tend to camp out in some of most beautiful places on earth like Moab, Utah, and Yellowstone National Park. I also enjoy hiking many of the trails in North Carolina.
  • Vacationing. Never underestimate the value of a good vacation. I don’t write during these times. It’s not that I don’t want to. It’s that I need a complete break from the routine and schedule. When I return, I often find more creative.

What do all of these have in common?  They spark creativity.  How so?  Exercise gets the blood flowing to my brain.  Keeping in shape increases circulation and encourages a sharp mind.  Reading sparks ideas since I tend to love reading suspense novels.  Reading can also relax my mind.  Home improvement puts another set of creative skills to work.  I love putting together projects.  It can be as challenging or more so than writing.  Hiking and camping help me feel closer to my Creator, the giver of all things, including writing talent and ideas.  Tied closely to that is the vacation.  Turning off that impulse to write allows me to draw closer to Steve and to recharge all sets of batteries, both those for my day job and those for my writing.

Your primary passion might be work.  It could be your day job.  Or some other activity.  Definitely follow those passions.  But keep in shape to stay mentally sharp.  Do other activities that help you relax and foster ties with family and friends.  Most of all, you’ll find that the returns gained will more than pay off with your primary interests.

Question:  What is your primary passion, and what are other activities that greatly interest you?

I have not received any compensation for writing this post.  I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services I have mentioned.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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