Nomad Manager

Sticking to a New Hobby

I can feel another hobby/interest coming.

And yes, I’ve had a number of them. All fizzling out too soon, most of them before I can even claim a novice status.

Hobby ADHD
Not counting other hobbies as a kid, some things I got initially super passionate about only to lose interest/motivation or both after a few tries include: guitar, cooking, baking, digital photography, lomography, boxing, Japanese language, Spanish language, drawing, Aikido, and music-mixing to name a few.

Commitment Issues
Some of the fizzling out involved the inability to keep up with the regular expense of engaging in the said hobby, but most of them just died due to intrinsic reasons, i.e. laziness and/or getting discouraged. I notice that I tend to have those bursts of interest, that if unsustained just die natural deaths, sometimes in a matter of weeks, sometimes days. Other times, when it becomes challenging (frustrating), I just stop trying. Maybe because I fear failure. But this just makes it all the more ironic because not trying is a failure in itself.

The Newbie: Yoga
ANYWAY, (I think I was trying to give myself a pep talk up there) the sort of newfound hobby/interest is yoga. I’ve actually had an interest for yoga probably 5 years back, but never really acted on it apart from attending some gym yoga classes, which I feel are not up to par with non-gym yoga classes. One might say there’s something about the zen-like quality of bringing one’s focus to the present that is so desirable about yoga.

I’ve come to realize that yoga is my preferred type of exercise. Quiet and mindful. With focus on strength and toning. I guess the Pilates class I attended at MMM + the free classes at Urban Ashram Manila attended frequently in the span of a couple of weeks, combined with conversations with my friend and yoga enthusiast Jamie have tapped my latent fondness for yoga and are bringing it to the surface.

The cost of yoga practice in Manila is a real concern though, and while I would love to sustain and develop my practice, I can’t bring myself to shell out 400-500 per session. I stumbled upon Yoga In Manila while Facebook stalking someone who I know is a yoga enthusiast as well. Their classes are cheaper, so I might check them out.

But I what I think would be really interesting is if I checked out yoga in India. :)
I mentioned this to Nica and she thought it was a crazy idea, but brought it up with Jamie earlier and she thought it was brilliant. Haha!
I figure paying for a year of yoga in Manila could fund a trip to India instead, though practicing for a much shorter period of time. I still think it would be really cool though. :D

Sustaining the Practice
Just like with my other hobbies, I think my mistake was when I didn’t set aside a regular schedule to devote to the practice. Like maybe studying language 30 minutes in the evening. Writing for 30 minutes every morning. Cooking for the family once a week. Painting every Monday.

But I really hope I can sustain yoga. And work toward the goal of practicing in India. :-O
Fo’ realz, y’all. :D