Whats your relationship with interests?

My relationship with my interests is as important, if not more so, than my relationship to people.  There have been periods in my life when I have pursued my interests with intense focus and passion, and I have defined myself by them. But sadly, my life circumstances have been such that, on more than one occasion, I have had to set my interests aside and move on. To the extent that I feel bereft.  It is too painful for me to dabble in something if I cannot pursue it wholeheartedly. This has left me with a real sense of grief, much like ending a relationship or losing someone. I am currently between interests in much the same way that someone might be between relationships. This has left a tangible gap in my life. I often have this amorphous feeling that I need to do something, totally engage myself in solving some kind of complex tacit puzzle.  And yet I have a real fear around allowing myself to fully engage in any particular interest. As if I am protecting myself from the inevitable burnout and failure that will occur if I do. 

I am interested in whether anyone here has had a similar experience. 

What's your relationship with interests?

Parents
  • Hey, I'm unsure if I fully understand the exact weight of what you're experiencing, but some things feel familiar. To me, it feels entirely natural that our relationship with an interest can be as deep, or deeper, than relationships with people. It's like the backbone or the main structure that holds everything together, or a path that keeps us on our way through life.

    I have one particular interest that I’m currently unable to pursue the way I need and would like to. It is difficult to sit with that absence, knowing the energy and focus it demands, and feeling unable to meet it right now. I live with the hope that circumstances might change in the future, or that another way into it will emerge, but being stuck in the current void (with unanswered questions and a lack of certainty) without that anchor is heavy.

Reply
  • Hey, I'm unsure if I fully understand the exact weight of what you're experiencing, but some things feel familiar. To me, it feels entirely natural that our relationship with an interest can be as deep, or deeper, than relationships with people. It's like the backbone or the main structure that holds everything together, or a path that keeps us on our way through life.

    I have one particular interest that I’m currently unable to pursue the way I need and would like to. It is difficult to sit with that absence, knowing the energy and focus it demands, and feeling unable to meet it right now. I live with the hope that circumstances might change in the future, or that another way into it will emerge, but being stuck in the current void (with unanswered questions and a lack of certainty) without that anchor is heavy.

Children
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