We all have those leisure activities that we look forward to doing whenever we have a spare minute. These activities can vary greatly from person to person and may even seem like a chore to some, but the most effortless pleasure to others. The types of activities I’m talking about, are the ones where we are able to actually create. The things that allow our minds to release their creativity in the form of manual physical work that leaves us with something to show. Painting, drawing, needle-work, writing, wood-working, gardening, cooking, the list goes on. Sometimes we don’t even realize which creative work brings us the most joy, but it’s an essential outlet in life that we all do develop.
A lot of these creative hobbies start out of curiosity, then we keep the ones we find pleasure, joy, and stress-relief in, and sometimes we even take them to the next level and make a living out of them. Even if these hobbies stay just that, as hobbies (or passions), it’s so important that we have and nurture them throughout our lives. They become a constructive outlet to let all our inner beauty, thoughts, dreams, and creativity take form outside of our own heads, so they can become our unique gifts to the world.
I’ve always known what mine is and it’s only become even more solidified in my mind these past few weeks. What is it? I’m sure you can guess. COOKING! The ultimate form of beauty, creativity, and manual work. How did I know and continue to nurture this passion of mine?
I know because it makes me feel whole, sane. It allows me to get outside of my head and create something that can be seen, shared, loved, and enjoyed. It makes me feel happy and excited, fulfilled and content. When I don’t have it and that privilege, that outlet for my creativity is taken away, I feel pain. Physical and mental pain. All my imagination get blocked, I lose a “feel-good” stress-reliever, I become stuck and my creativity is cut off and imprisoned in the dark. The only key to freeing it, is by reigniting the passion by physically doing it.
So how do I continue to nurture this passion, this ultimate source of freeing creativity now? With every chance I get, I cook. Some days it isn’t even fancy or a new recipe. Some days it is a classic favorite, but something that I’ve created with my two hands. Cooking is my time to be me and focus all my energies into something creative and freeing. It’s the “art form” I am good at and I don’t have to try (unlike drawing…not so good at that!). I get excited when I pick up new foods and ingredients. My mind feels “at home” when it’s in the process of developing a new creation.
Gathering the ingredients, piling them all on the counter. Chopping, mincing, slicing, blending, rolling. The small physical actions that require my hands and manual labor. Adding a pinch of this, a splash of that. Never measuring, but using the “cook’s eye”. (Hopefully scribbling things down on the back of an envelope or receipt I find in the junk drawer). Then so anxiously waiting for things to cook or bake if need be. Smelling my creation, peeking at it, getting so excited for the final outcome. Then the reward of my creativity is taken to beautiful plates, with a few added garnishes. Pretty it up for some photos (or not). Then the creative work I’ve done is fully realized when I can taste the beauty and share my work with others. Pure bliss.
Cooking is pure joy and fun for me. My mom would disagree, many people would. They find cooking a chore and would never do it for pleasure. I have to cook to feel like myself. I actually enjoy the process of recipe creation, researching ingredients I’ve never used, what pairs best with this spice or that fruit. When someone strikes up a conversation with me about cooking, I could go on for hours (so make sure you’re ready!). Through cuts, burns, failed recipes (or experiments), missing ingredients, I still never get disenchanted from the art. I always come back wanting to practice, learn, and COOK more. Losing this passion would be like losing myself.
That’s why it’s so important to really tune in to what your physical creative passion is. The hobby that requires you to use your hands and create something beautiful. These beautiful creations are manifestations of you and your inner-being, thoughts, and spirit. If you don’t have that, your true self will only be muddled down, hidden, imprisoned from the world. That’s not fair to you or society. It does physically hurt when we can’t release our creative creations. If you’re feeling hurt or stuck, like something is in the way, then you know that your creative passion is not being fulfilled. You need to seek it out and show yourself and the world what lies within!
So tell me:
+ Do you know what your creative passion/hobby is?
+ Has it changed? Have you always known?
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Sherry says
You are so motivating! Writing, cooking, crafting…those are my happy places.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
The best, but I’m sure there’s one with the most hold on you!
Rachel says
Beautiful post and I love how you describe your passion. I can feel your enthusiasm! I have too many creative hobbies to count and they are every changing depending on what inspires me, but I have always loved to cook. I love the variety you use in your cooking ingredients. It always gets me thinking of new ideas. Thanks for sharing on Merry Monday!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Thank you so much! The craft of food and cooking is just endless to me!
Trish @ tagsthoughts.com says
Thank you for sharing this thoughtful post with the Creative Inspiration Party. I’m so glad you have found such passion & joy in cooking!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Thank you for reading!
Life Breath Present says
Cooking certainly can be a joyous and creative activity for me. I’d have to say it isn’t one of my go-to favorites. I do very much enjoy crochet and sewing. Those, I think are more of my outlets. I enjoy the creating process involved, plus there aren’t (yet) any real demands on my dong those things either. 🙂
Stopping over from Wake Up Wednesday!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Sounds lovely!
Kathleen says
Hi Rebecca, a very helpful post and motivating to follow our passions. I like to cook special things, special meals but everyday meals I like to share with my husband doing a lot of that cooking. I like blogging and the creative side of blogging, photos and graphics. etc.
Kathleen
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Wonderful!
Sue says
I think my creative passion is cooking and I loved your post. thanks so much for sharing with us at #WednesdysWisdom
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
I’m biased, but I think it’s the best creative passion 😉
kimmythevegan says
I really enjoyed this post. I love hearing about your passion and describing how you feel while you cook. I love cooking too! It brings me to my happy place. It’s a different experience every time (even if you cook the same thing multiple times) and it’s a fun challenge and adventure =)
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
The days since I’ve been home and I’ve spent in the kitchen making 2 or 3 recipes at a time, those days I feel SO good! It’s just so joyful!
Meal Makeover Mom Janice says
Loved reading this post. Sometimes I get so caught up with deadlines and projects and forget that I really do have a passion for cooking and recipe development! I also have a passion for entertaining and cooking with and sharing my food with friends.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Sharing the food I create is the best part! When I’m so excited about a dish, that’s the only thing I want to do! Share it with everyone!
Lauren English says
I love this! I had been feeling the need for some sort of creative outlet this year, and starting a blog was a way for me to pursue that. I love not only the writing, but planning for the projects, recipes, etc that go along with it. Thanks for sharing!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Wonderful! And a blog is such a great platform for the sharing of that creativity so we can all see and enjoy!
Wendy says
I like to cook and have always *wanted* to be creative with it, but I never have. I love your 2nd paragraph about our interests (passions) perhaps starting as curiosity but becoming our gift to the world. I am blessed to be at a place where I can start pursuing some of those passions (the whole reason I started my blog!), and I have some future plans and dreams already forming as a result. Great post, and you have inspired me to get in the kitchen and actually CREATE, not just cook. 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Thank you so much Wendy! I can’t wait for you to share what you do CREATE in the kitchen! Cooking is such a beautiful art and can be done any way your creativity drives you!
Sandra Laflamme says
My creativity and passion comes through in writing, cooking and singing. I used to sing a capella in college and high school and absolutely loved layering the different parts of the song together, building it into the final piece. Your passion for cooking is obvious and I am sure comes through in your dishes!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Singing is definitely an amazing talent/hobby/passion to have!
Bethany says
I have loved baking since I was young (I have pictures of myself baking with my sister when I was a year or two old.) And I have also loved writing since I was very young, and I wrote many short stories, poems and songs before starting to write novels with my sister. Both hobbies are stress relievers to me. I feel the best when I am doing either one of them. I love them and I can’t imagine not doing either one of them.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Yes! I will always be a cook before a baker, but I do like to write at times. I used to write “stories” in big composition books when I was little. I never finished any, but I would always love starting new story ideas and seeing where it would take me!
Michelle Wallace says
My passion is writing. I had a great sixth grade English class where we did so much original writing that I spent the next 10 years wanting to do it for a career. Journalism and/or novelist. But life has a tendency to get in the way. I missed it though. Even when I wasn’t writing, I was a writer. I’d form phrases in my head and relish the phrases in a book. Recently I took it up again and am loving it. I’m writing for my blog, I’m starting a novel and I’m writing creatively in a writer’s group. I feel more alive than I have in years.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
YES! That’s what I love to hear! You know your passion and you are doing it! You’re not letting it stay hidden…even if it took a bit of time to fully manifest! I’m so glad you aren’t letting it go to waste now! <3
Michelle Wallace says
Thank you! I’m having the best time. Plus, I’m really enjoying your blog. Awesome posts!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Thank you dear! That means a lot! <3 Keep writing and keep blogging!
Harriet Emily says
Omg Rebecca – we are so in sync right now!! I’ve just been writing about the importance of using my creative passions as a form of release!! We must be psychic. My passion is definitely food or art – depending on what I need most. Some days I just need to sit, unwind and sketch away, but then some days I find myself endlessly coming up with recipe ideas and know I need to make and eat them!! Great post!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Emily, the creative work you do, both in the kitchen and that art you make….both so stunning, they always take my breathe away! You SO know your passions and I’m so glad you share them with us, they inspire!
Nicole says
Oh yes! Mine is sewing. If I go for a week without making something I definitely don’t feel right. It hasn’t always been that. I used to be a professional musician (WAAAAY back before I had kids) and that was my creative passion for most of my life. I still love music (you never stop being a musician) but don’t have the same desire for it as I do for making physical things now. Found you over on the #Thisishowweroll link up. This was a great post, thanks for sharing!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Thank you! Yea, I think as out lives change, so do our hobbies, which is still great! There’s growth and new things will interest us and bring us joy!
lindsay says
for sure. cooking is my therapy too! anything where i can put things together for nourishment and share with others. <3
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
There are just to many great enriching things that come from cooking! I could go on and on!
Cheryl | TimeToCraft says
What a great post. Could not agree more. My creative outlet has to be making something with my hands. Sewing, knitting, baking, gardening and photography. I get tetchy if I miss out on creative time in a day, which makes it sound like an addiction. If it is addiction then I must be yearning the quietness of mind that comes from making something. The act of sitting down and sewing seems to ground me again and allow me to live in the now. Time to think. I also love to see the same love of creativity growing in my children and other people I’m priviledged to teach. I’m glad you have found your passion in cooking.
Popping over from #BrillBlogPosts
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
That’s just it. We all need a passion and hobby that requires us to create something physical!
Debbie says
I am one of those who are not that fond of cooking. For me it is just too difficult. I cannot understand how it works, but I totally understand how you feel about it. When it is your thing, it is pure joy.
Thank you for sharing such an inspiring post on #WednesdaysWisdom.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Totally! We all have our thing though, and that’s what makes them all so special!
Mother Mands says
I love cooking and baking too, of late it’s kept me sane, distracted me and helped me cope. I have plenty of other hobbies and passions, music being probably my biggest passion, but it’s the baking that has helped the most recently. Plus you have the bonus of something (hopefully) delicious at the end of it! 😉
#BrillBlogPosts
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
You gotta love the end results 😉 Cooking is totally my go-to feel good action!
Leah M @ love me, feed me says
Love this!
My creative outlets are cooking and food photography and lately I’ve been loving art journaling! I think it’s so important to have a way to be creative. I try my best to fill my spare time with some sort of creativity!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
I think we should create something everyday, no matter what it is!
Lauren Allen says
My creative outlet is through food too! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
The best!
Farrah says
Definitely agreed on this! <3 I unfortunately didn't fully discover my love for cooking until…grad school (although I started to in undergrad!). Having a creative outlet does wonders for your sanity! :] Music + dance have been my outlets, and are probably why I still feel like my quality of life is pretty awesome, despite all the super-fun struggles of medical school.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
When we find them, they are such AMAZING stress-relievers! You should just dance up and down the halls of the hospital 😉
Sarah says
My passion is definitely in the kitchen too! Years ago I wanted to go to culinary school but with the off shift hours it required and my first baby on the way (wow guess that was like 12 years ago) it wasn’t what was best for my family. I would love to just create cakes or have a bakery but there are so many around I just never think it is possible. One day when the girls are older we have talked about moving up by my parents and opening up a bakery/coffee shop but is is a larger small town if that makes sense and they do most of their business in the summer months. It would be a lot of hard work and lots of hours but I would love to try to make it work if we can. Of course that would be after both girls are done with school or when our youngest is in high school. We had talked about moving locally this year but now with our oldest in so many competitive sports and youngest in the best gymnastics gym and their friends we are re thinking it even though we want to and had planned to move.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
You should go for it! Seriously, that is truly living out the passion and you don’t want to regret not at least trying at some point (even if you do it when you’re 80!) Haha! Doing something you love so much and actually having a business to share…..that would be amazing!
revealed says
i so agree. having a creative outlet is so important for mind soul and spirit. 🙂 xoxo
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Yes! It’s part of human nature!
Audrey Kidwell says
Thank you for posting this! I have a lot of creativity, but not having an outlet or a way to show it can really dampen my creativeness. I wish I could cook as good as you though! That food looks delish!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Have you tried cooking? You should get in the kitchen and give it a go! You might find some joy 😉
Lisa @ RunWiki says
This post speaks to me in so many ways. I have many creative outlets but mainly it’s writing, running (being in nature), crafting and cooking. I can tell you that I could not cook, craft or write if I didn’t have nature as my muse.. so they are all connected to the quiet, simple miracles around us. I find myself wanting and needing to express what is inside of all of us. So deep and woo woo, but I don’t care… it’s me.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
No, I totally understand! Whatever we need to do to get the creativity and expressions out! That’s how we make connections with others too!
Kara @ The Foodie Dietitian says
Great post, Rebecca! Photography definitely puts me in a meditative zone where my creativity gets to soar. I also used to be a theater junkie back in the day and miss that creative outlet!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
O you should get back into it!
Min says
Cooking is def one of my favorite creative outlet. I also love food photography and styling. Writing doesn’t come naturally for me, but I do enjoy journaling (NO one gets to read it except me and I like that).
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
I’m so off and on with photography, but I’m trying hard now to integrate it as part of the cooking process!
Writing has gotten better for me too, but secret writing is always the best!
T Austin says
I love cooking too! And blogging. Those are two creative passions that definitely help me to relax and unwind!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Cooking really is the best for me!
Michele @ paleorunningmomma says
Growing up for me it was mostly music, specifically singing! That is still my “hobby” because it’s the one thing in my life where there is NO pressure around and I do simply for enjoyment. I sing a little bit every day and it always gives me that boost!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
I sing to myself 😉 Always have….but I would never do it in front of people! Haha!
Linda @ Veganosity says
Obviously, my creative hobby is cooking, :), but photography has turned into a passion of mine since Alex and I started our blog. My newest hobby is vegetable gardening, which I’ll be writing about soon. It’s an extension of my love of cooking and eating freshly picked food is so amazingly delicious.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Please teach me how to garden!!!!
Emily @ My Healthyish Life says
Growing up my creative passion was sports (if that counts…wasn’t as stereotypically creative then) but now it’s writing and designing. I think running has made me more creative too!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Sports don’t count!
I’m talking the crafty stuff, like yes, writing!
Bethany says
I love having a creative passion, aka my blog! It relieves my stress!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
I like that I can use my blog as a platform for SHARING my creative passion of cooking!
Elle Spann says
I totally agree about cooking! It is therapeutic and yummy:)
Elle
Southern Elle Style
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
It means so much to me!
Kelly says
YES! Traveling, writing, photography, cooking, and coaching.. Now what? LOL.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
We were meant to create!
CARLA says
I found mine when I was a kid….I lost it.
I refound in college
I lost it.
Im back there again.
I CANNOT LOSE IT AGAIN.
<3
and no 🙂 not sharing … YET.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Hahaha, you are the best Carla!