Hey queen, 

I hope this read inspires you to let go of all the blocks standing between you and the hobbies you long for. It’s time to choose you again, it’s time to come home. 

Writing is how I come home to myself. When I feel drained and weary from the weight of life I let the words flow out of me onto the page and it feels like my soul is snuggling up in a pile of blankets, sipping on hot chocolate. For me, writing fulfills connection, creativity and play all at once. It allows me to disconnect, rest and recharge all at the same time. It reminds me of who I was put here to be and strengthens my ability to express that to the world. 

We all have a way of coming home, which is always through self expression – not consumption. The same feeling that triggers me to go to the couch and numb out with a Netflix series is the feeling that is soothed and recharged through writing. Numbing and consuming is easier than writing, but it leaves me feeling hollow and blank instead of energized and creative. 

American life in 2024 is not designed to help people come home, but to urge us to feed the system even if it sucks the life out of our human experience. Maybe that sounds cynical, but truly… WHO is supporting our fulfillment and zest for life instead of our contribution to society through hard work and payments? Who is reminding us that there is so much to celebrate and enjoy aside from career milestones and money? Who is encouraging us to tap into our deepest, truest human nature by connecting, creating and playing as adults? 

We spend our days wandering out into the world, influenced by constant marketing and comparison by what other people appear to be or have. Sometimes we wander so far and don’t even realize we’re lost. Before we know it we’re in a neighborhood across town, hungry and searching for a place to warm up and rest. But we cannot do this in strangers’ homes or on the street. We need to come home to ourselves to do this.

I’ve known writing is my pathway home since I was in elementary school, but I stopped walking on it after high school because I just didn’t feel like it. What was I to write about, my night out drinking? Another day of work and normal living? It didn’t seem worth it, especially next to the dopamine rush waiting for me on my phone and TV screen. Up until a few months ago I was waiting for a “valid reason” to start writing again, which of course tied back to the questions, “Is it related to work?” and “Will it make me money?” 

I didn’t begin writing again until those answers became “Yes… maybe.” The goal of writing my book is to make a widespread impact and hopefully income, but this is still an unknown which means it was a stretch to actually give this project a space on my plate as a priority. I decided to release my expectations and take the risk anyway, and I’ve been blown away by the overflow of impact that I never could have predicted – which is why I urge you not to wait until these hobbies appear productive like I did. 

Coming home to myself through this playful, creative expression helps me understand myself more clearly. It helps me process my thoughts and emotions, decompress, and gain perspective. It strengthens my self assurance and helps me release insecurities, which allows me to express myself authentically and unapologetically everywhere I go. 

Coming home to myself has allowed me to take my home with me wherever I wander, so I always belong. I fear rejection less because I understand and accept myself, so I no longer need others to. I compare myself less because I am more interested in my own creative way of living than competing with others. 

Coming home to myself has given me clarity on my vision and dreams and revealed the shifts I need to make to align with them. I am more articulate and slow to speak because I am not thinking about controlling someone else’s perception of me. I have been able to add more to my plate without feeling rushed or stressed. I live in a more consistent state of flow and it ripples into every area of my life with ease. 

There is a pathway that brings you home too, and it’s ok if you’re unclear on exactly what that is right now. Clarity will not come from pondering and doubting, it will come from trying. Not thinking about trying, but actually physically making an effort. It may be the hobby you grew up loving, and it may be something you’ve never done before. Try until you find it, and know that you can’t get it wrong.

You’ll know you’ve found your way home when you check the clock and somehow an hour has passed within a few moments. You’ll know when it leaves you feeling calm, energized and unbothered by the normal daily stressors. You’ll know when you begin breathing more deeply and feeling less anxious when introducing yourself to a stranger. You’ll know when you begin longing for your pathway home after a long day instead of your usual numbing habits. 

This is where self discovery deepens and we are free to shed all of the pieces of our identity we picked up along the way that were never truly ours to cling to. This is the magic, the beautiful, scenic route home. 

Enjoy

Xo – Kari