And then, once my home finally looked and felt exactly the way I wanted it to,  I started filling it with plants. Looking back, it makes perfect sense. The decor was the shell. The plants brought it to life.

But here's what I really want to talk about: how much those hobbies have meant to me, beyond just the finished product.

Whether it was painting a canvas at midnight or watching a new leaf unfurl on one of my plants…  there is something so deeply satisfying about creating something or caring for something and watching it grow. It gives you a sense of purpose. Something to look forward to. That feeling of I made that or I kept that alive… it's hard to explain, but if you've felt it, you know.

My son loves to go fishing, and I think it's exactly the same thing for him. It doesn't matter what the hobby is…  fishing, reading, painting, gardening, whatever calls to you. The act of doing something you enjoy, something that is fully yours, is basically a dopamine boost. And in a world that moves as fast as this one does, we all need that.

So if you've been putting off picking up something you used to love, or you've been curious about something new, this is your sign. Find your thing. Tend to it. Let it grow.