Hobbies are things you do to relax. Passions are what you chase to feel alive. 

Passions wake you up early to eagerly devour an online class on illustrating, or keep you up way past a reasonable bedtime to make homemade yogurt for cookbook club. 

Perhaps it’s the way I’m hardwired, but I’ve never been able to not be passionate in my life. I’ve never been good at hobbies since they seem to be a way to pass the time. For better or worse, I want results.

A friend of mine recently made a passion list. A list of the nonnegotiables that demand her attention. Activities and outlets she once penciled in, hoping to find the time to enjoy them, that now are commitments listed in ink.   

By applying this “passion principle” (TM pending, 😉) to all areas of my life, I’ve felt more confident in my decisions, both large and small. What I ate, what I spend my time on, what I wear. I’m approaching all facets of my life with a newfound sense of clarity and excitement. 

Getting dressed was an activity that used to cause anxiety regularly. When I leaned into this idea of incorporating passion, I found it incredibly freeing. The decision of “what to wear” that used to overwhelm me wasn’t so big anymore. I knew I needed a wardrobe that would keep me moving and comfortable at the same time.

All the great thinkers and entrepreneurs had a uniform. They didn’t want to use their brain space or time to decide what to wear, and while I’m not quite cut out for the ever-present black turtleneck, I do have a bit of a daily uniform that’s focused on keeping me moving: vintage denim, comfortable sweater, Blundstone boots. By culling down my wardrobe and keeping only those pieces that I’m passionate about, I’ve gained more confidence in my body and my new curated look. I feel like me again. 

I get dressed knowing that what I wear will be functional, stylish, and comfortable. All of this is done to allow me to follow exactly where my passions take me.

And where did they take me, you ask? I sat down and thought about those activities that keep me moving; that gets me out of bed and keep me up well past a reasonable hour. 

My Passion List: 

• Create: I have to create. This is why I write, why I paint, and why I cook. The act of creation is intoxicating. And I crave the feeling of accomplishment and the satisfaction of building something from nothing. 
• Solve: I am a problem solver. I thrive on figuring out the answer and relish being the first one to raise my hand. Tell me what I can’t do and I’ll do it, with panache. I thrive on solving the little everyday tasks that life throws at me. Frozen pipes. Time management. Furniture arrangement. Be it naivete or pride, I often dive into a problem headfirst and figure it out. Which leads me to…
• Investigate: I want to know it all. I get an enormous amount of satisfaction from learning new things. Podcasts, books, seminars, online classes, all of it. Despite all the pride (and spite) that propels me toward solving things, there is a healthy mix of humility in knowing that I don’t know everything.

It struck me that the idea of building your life around your passions is the ultimate form of self-care. Rather than trying to fit in things I liked and that inspired me, this idea necessitated that I incorporate my passions, my North Stars, into my day-to-day. 

Ed. note: This post was sponsored by Blundstone. The compensation we receive in exchange for placement on Wit & Delight is used to purchase props, hire a photographer, write/edit the blog post, and support the larger team behind Wit & Delight.

While compensation was received in exchange for coverage, all thoughts and opinions are always my own. Sponsored posts like these allow us to continue to develop dynamic unsponsored content.
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Kate Arends

Kate is the founder of Wit & Delight. She is currently learning how to play tennis and is forever testing the boundaries of her creative muscle. Follow her on Instagram at @witanddelight_.