“I am afraid to tell you who I am, because, if I tell you who I am, you may not like who I am, and it’s all that I have.”

John Powell, author of the book Why Am I Afraid To Tell You Who I Am?

A hobby that brings joy in our household, regardless of age, is building Legos® .
© Kathy J. Sotak

TOTAL READ TIME: 3 MINUTES

Lately, I’ve been picking up inspiration and awe from those who dove deep into obscure hobbies. Take for example Catharine Arnston who became a global expert on algae, the most nutrient dense food on the planet. (Check out this podcast to be swept up in her enthusiasm.)

One day, Veda Austin decided to photograph water turned to ice, and learned that water is alive and is communicating with her or whatever imprint she gives to the water. (Follow her stunning visual research on Facebook here.)

Peter Adeney decided he didn’t agree with the work until age 65 thing and so he retired at age 30 by saving 90% of his income and living off of the remaining 10%. He teaches others how to do this at his website Mr. Money Mustache. Paul Stamets was curious about fungi and their mycelium networks. He drove his enthusiasm to become largely self-taught in mycology, the study of fungi. (Check out the Netflix documentary Fantastic Fungi to be captivated.)

One day when I was a teenager, my mom found joy in learning the obscure art of tatting, which is a needlework type that was popular around a century ago and near extinct. My friend Jennifer found joy in making beautiful mandala wall art, and just opened her own Etsy shop.

What do all of these people have in common? They were curious about something, then followed their inspiration.

The other thing they have in common? They are all wildly interesting.

I bet that as you are reading this, you are thinking of your own wildly interesting friends or associates. Have you hatched your own hobbies yet? If not, what spark of energy do you have inside that shakes your core interests, even if it is weird, obscure or unusual?

Here’s to you and me, as we both select our own unusual, hand-picked hobby. Let’s get obsessed. Let’s smile about it, talk about it, and let it bring us curiosity, wonder and joy.

Come to think of it, I’ve never met a normal person who was wildly interesting. Let’s join the crowd by standing free in our own skin.