What Am I Doing???

It’s funny how life can slowly pull you away from the things you once loved without you even realizing it.

For the longest time, blogging used to be such a huge part of who I was. I loved sitting down, writing out my thoughts, sharing pieces of my life, and just having a creative outlet that felt completely mine. Somewhere along the way though, life got busy. Work became demanding, responsibilities piled up, and before I knew it, the hobbies and passions that made me feel like me were sitting on the back burner collecting dust.

I kept telling myself I would get back to it “when things slowed down.” But I’m learning now that life rarely slows down on its own. You kind of have to make the decision to slow down for yourself.

Lately, I’ve been trying to relearn balance. And honestly? It’s harder than people make it seem.

Working full-time can be exhausting mentally and emotionally. By the time the day ends, sometimes all I want to do is lay in bed and scroll mindlessly on my phone because my brain feels completely fried. Then there’s personal life stuff, family, friendships, errands, trying to rest, trying to stay connected to people you care about, and trying not to lose yourself in the middle of all of it.

Somewhere in that chaos, I realized I missed creating things just because they made me happy.

Not because they were productive.Not because they made money.Not because they benefited anyone else.

Just because they brought me joy.

That realization hit me harder than I expected.

I think as adults we get so conditioned to prioritize work and survival that we almost start feeling guilty for having hobbies. Like every moment needs to be “useful” or contribute to something bigger. But hobbies matter. Creativity matters. Joy matters. They keep you connected to yourself.

So here I am, trying to come back to the things I love little by little.

Blogging again has honestly felt a little awkward at first. Kind of like reconnecting with an old friend after not talking for years. You remember why you loved it, but it still takes time to find your rhythm again. I overthink posts now more than I used to. I stare at blank screens longer than I should. Sometimes I wonder if anyone even reads blogs anymore.

But then I remind myself that not everything needs to be optimized or perfect to be meaningful.

Sometimes it’s enough to simply create again.

And weirdly enough, another thing that helped pull me back into that feeling was Pokémon.

I know that probably sounds random, but rediscovering my love for Pokémon has genuinely brought back a kind of joy and nostalgia I didn’t realize I needed. It reminded me of being younger and getting excited over simple things. Opening packs, collecting cards, building little collections, creating fun things with family, and just enjoying something without overthinking it.

There’s something healing about reconnecting with interests you loved before life became so serious.

Lately, it’s turned into more than just collecting cards too. It became creativity again. Making custom trainer cards, designing little characters, building this fun “Pulls From Paradise” page that showcase our hobby.

I think that’s what I’m trying to learn right now. Life cannot only be work.

Of course work is important. Responsibilities are important. Building a future matters. But constantly living in survival mode eventually drains the life out of you. You start existing instead of actually living.

I don’t want to live like that anymore.

I want to make time for the things that make me feel inspired again. Writing. Creating. Collecting. Designing random things at midnight. Taking pictures. Enjoying hobbies without feeling guilty about them.

I’m still figuring it out. I definitely do not have this perfect balance mastered yet. Some days I still feel overwhelmed. Some weeks I disappear into work and exhaustion all over again. But I think the important thing is that I’m trying now.

And maybe that’s enough for this season of life.

So if you’ve also drifted away from the things that once made you feel like yourself, maybe this is your reminder too. Your hobbies still matter. Your creativity still matters. The things that make you happy are not a waste of time.

You’re allowed to rediscover yourself again.

Until next time,

Jae