Hello all –

First of all, apologies that it has been so long since I last posted. I was taking a little break because I have been home recently, really enjoying the fall time. I am originally from Minnesota, and being in California has made me miss the seasons. To me, the weather cooling down, air becoming crispier, and watching the leaves change to orange, red, and yellow, is forever an unbeatable feeling. Seasons have always been an indicator of progress for me. Proof that the world is evolving, growing, and people are changing. With me being home, I have really been embracing the season by going on walks, listening to jazz, and reflecting on what is to come.

Because the winter is upon us, something that has always been a goal of mine is to find fun and exciting things to do that keep me from sitting on my phone. Knowing that I will be spending less time outside gives me more time to focus on finding hobbies indoors. Because of this notion, there are a lot of fun crafts that I really want to try, and this year I am going to be starting up scrapbooking.

I was sitting on the couch, watching youtube, when this girl mentioned how she started scrapbooking. It really inspired me to want to do it because like her, and like most of us, I have so many memories, especially this year, of trips and things that I could put into a scrapbook. This creative idea really became inspiration for me on a craft that I could take up. 

I went to Michael’s, and I bought a sketchbook to use. I bought a couple folders of pretty pages that I can use to decorate, and then I bought some fun stickers. Michaels had stickers for everything you could imagine. Graduation, birthdays, holidays, traveling, cities, etc. It was perfect because I was able to find stickers that aligned with the various memories that I recently had this summer that I wanted to craft into my scrapbook. 

Scrapbooking has recently become something that I really enjoyed, where I am able to invest time and energy, allowing me to utilize my creative freedom. I also like the idea that I cannot be bad at it, because something that I have a hard time with is enjoying things that I am not inherently talented at. I cannot wait to see what other hobbies I find, and things that I enjoy doing where I am able to get creative, make memories, have fun, and also just not be on my phone.

I recently had a conversation with a friend who could not understand the purpose of having hobbies, and they did not have any. Hobbies are super important in my opinion because they give us fulfillment, a way to fill our time, and we get something out of what we invest into it. I have noticed that it has been easier than ever before to waste your time and energy, investing in things that give nothing back to you. By having hobbies, I am willing to ensure that the energy I invest is giving me something in return, even if it is as simple as just being a creative outlook, with a little nostalgia.

I would love to hear about hobbies that you are trying, and new activities that you are spending your time on this fall. I also will be more consistent again, I appreciate you understanding my mini hiatus. See you next week!