What do you enjoy – aside from consuming?

It’s a bloody hard question to answer, even if you’re someone who spends a lot of time navel gazing, like myself. So much of our time is spent consuming or scrolling, and while these activities can be fun, would you honestly say you enjoyed them?

As Mario Kondo famously said, does it spark joy?

Now, don’t get me wrong, YouTube is my main source of entertainment these days. My screen time is embarrassingly high because if I’m not actively watching something, I have something playing in the background at all hours of the day.

And a lot of the time, I enjoy it.

I think there’s a lot of value to be had in hearing other people’s stories and listening to their opinions and advice – but let’s be honest, a lot of the stuff I consume on a daily basis is mindless gossip. And I enjoy that too, but I know there is more out there.

Online entertainment and apps are the main way the majority of us spend our time, and I think that doesn’t necessarily have to be a world-ending thing. We all need a way to escape now and then, and of course picking whatever is right in front of you is going to win every time.

I’m not trying to suggest we get rid of our apps and never scroll again, I just want to explore what else is out there

With that in mind, let’s go back to the main question – what do you enjoy?

Answering The call (An Activity)

Like I say, I spend a lot of time overthinking things and, quite frankly, thinking about myself but I struggled for a moment to think about what I enjoy. So much of my time is spent on habitual behaviours and automatic processes that I hadn’t given ‘enjoyment’ much of a thought.

‘That’s just something I do, that’s how I spend my free time now’

Taking a step back is a great way to find out what you actually enjoy doing. Stripping things back to basics to find those things that do ‘spark joy’ and that’s exactly what I did. And now I’m going to reccomend it to you.

I’d suggest making a list for this, whether handwritten or on your phone, because it forces you to think things out a little slower.

Ask yourself the question ‘what do I enjoy’ and see what comes up.

There is no pressure to put serious hobbies down or come up with clever, impressive statements. You’re not in a job interview here – there’s no one to impress. Just think about things you like and go from there.

For example, on my list I put obvious things like reading and writing, but I also put things such as having a cup of tea, taking a nap, and cuddling my dog. These small, seemingly inconsequential things I do sometimes are things I actually really enjoy and therefore deserved a mention on my list.

Allow each idea you write down to take your further into yourself. Try to get specific with each new bullet point you write, such as, what kind of books do you like to read? What niche genre of movies is your go-to?

The key here is to forget about everyone else, this is not for them. It’s a time to focus on you, and see what answers you have inside you.

It doesn’t matter how ‘small’ or random or seemingly unimportant the things you enjoy are, if they make you feel light and happy, put them on the list.

I’m not forcing you to spend a full 30 minutes writing by yourself here. This can be a quick little thing you do as you’re waiting for the kettle to boil or sitting on the toilet (I know you scroll there, too). It’s a fun, simple activity that can make you feel more connected to yourself and see the world as a bigger place.

When everyday feels the same and you begin to feel trapped in a negative cycle, any small break is welcomed. This may seem cheesy, but genuinely asking myself what I enjoy has given me a moment of pause and encouraged me to look beyond the obvious. I like scrolling and I’ll probably be going back to my smaller screen once this post has been published, but I’ll be doing so with a new sense of awareness.

With my list in mind, I’ve reminded myself that there is other stuff out there; there is more to me. I can now make a conscious effort to add more of the little things I do enjoy into my day.

Give it a go, and see where it takes you.

Speak soon,

Rachael.

Photo by Daniel Pintilei on Unsplash