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> When I’m only focused on work and don’t dedicate enough time to personal projects, I become unwell. Creative self-expression is not “just a hobby” for me, it’

> When I’m only focused on work and don’t dedicate enough time to personal projects, I become unwell. Creative self-expression is not “just a hobby” for me, it’s a necessity. As someone with the creative urge, I always found the word hobby itself was quite patronizing, as though your identity were just what you get paid for. But with some thought, I would say our identity becomes what we are appreciated for. Whether that's as a parent, a musician, an artist, a writer, a hacker, a promoter, performer, or another thing we do long and well enough that it's what people come to appreiciate about us. If you don't do the things you are appreciated for, you will absolutely become unwell, and if you want debilitating mental health problems, do a job where you aren't appreciated. It's like a recipe.

prawn 3y ago
"I would say our identity becomes what we are appreciated for." I think there's a lot of truth in this, and it's not something I've ever seen stated before. I guess it's a bit of a feedback loop. We want to feel good about our self, so our self becomes increasingly about the things people appreciate and respond positively to. There are a lot of aspects to my life, but the ones that are core to me aren't necessarily the ones I do most or get paid best for, but are things for which others are most complimentary.
xsmasher 3y ago
This is why I like to ask "what keeps you busy?" instead of "what do you do for work?" Someone might work in a fish cannery but their real passion is the classic auto they are restoring; I'd rather hear about that. Today I herd an interviewer ask "what does your joy look like?" I like that one too, as a question we should ask ourselves.