Emotional Goal: Interests

I always like memorial day. It reminds me to be grateful for those who
have and those who continue to serve to keep my freedom intact. To
them I am grateful.

------------------------------------------------------------

The other day I was part of a group discussion on talents, gifts,
abilities, and interests. We were asked to interview each other and
write down the person's respective characteristics. My immediate
thought was "I wonder what excuse I can come up with so I can leave
the room." I hate talking about these four things because I feel
conceated if I willing list everything I'm good at, so much so that I
don't even have the conversation with myself. I don't like to even say
outloud in my head what I am good at for fear of being proud. I don't
like to even say the sentence of "I feel conceated if I willing list
everything I'm good at" because it indicates I have a list in my head
of what I'm good at and I really don't have such a list. BUT I am
coming to the conclusion I really should have such a list and such a
list is okay. (Even though saying that is grinding against everything
inside of me right now.) I came to this conclusion during the little
interview process I mentioned above. I was asked what my talents were.
"Oh, I don't know" was my response. Abilities? Gifts? Inside my head I
was thinking "I sort of know what my gift is, but it's not a one word
answer that can easily be explained or identified. So I'll skip this
one too." Okay, how about interests? My mind quickly ran through
things that interest me, but I skipped saying them because I don't do
them, or don't do them well, or some other excuse which means it can't
be an "interest" since I don't do it, right? So a pitiful "baking and
cooking" came out. And then I thought about that, really thought about
that, and ended up giving myself a lecture.

"Baking and cooking, Heather? That's the best thing you can come up
with to describe yourself?! There is so much more to describe you than
baking and cooking. Fine if you don't want to list your talents and
abilities and gifts to other people, but you better figure them out
for yourself, recognize them and use them."

So I have been on a journey to try and discover what these things are
for me and as I have been contemplating it I am realizing what an
emotional boost it can be to work on interests, develop and share our
talents and abilities and do amazing-unique-to-us things. So this
week's goal to improve our emotional health is to do something related
to our talents, interests, or abilities each day. Whether it is
learning something new, improving a talent, sharing a strength of ours
to bless someone's life or simply enjoying some time to do something
that interests us. Think about what you do well, like to do, or some
day hope to do and work on it. And most importantly, have fun and
enjoy yourself!