Pursuing your songwriting hobby, or passion for songwriting, doesn’t have to mean you give up your job and run off on a new life.
Actually, scientific studies show that pursuing a passion or hobby can bring not only health benefits, but mental health benefits to your life.
According to the study cited in a New York Times article on the topic, researchers found that participants who engaged in hobbies were 34 percent less stressed and 18 percent less sad during the activities, as well as for some time after.
One of the biggest deterrents to people pursuing their hobbies – they feel they have no time. Or worse, their hobby doesn’t have a true purpose or contribute to your household bottom line, so it’s frivolous.
You have to get past that! Your hobby – perhaps songwriting – has a true upside, whether that’s monetarily in the form of a new career path, or just emotionally.
Steps To Fulfill Your Songwriting Hobby
- Can you identify some time that might be used better?
- E.g., watching TV in the AM or evening becomes songwriting time
- If you have kids, can you trade “free time” with a friend?
- Is there a friend who would also like an hour or two a week
- Can you swap watching the group of children so each of you has free time
- Take a class that’s paid so you feel you have to make time like a songwriting workshop
- Create something that has an expectation of delivery – e.g., monthly songwriting meeting and commit to bringing a song each month
- There’s no need to come up with a full business plan!
- Set goals that move you forward and are achievable – you don’t want to feel like you’re failing or overwhelmed
- Maybe it’s as simple as:
- Write one song a month
- Learn one new technique a week
- Deliverable: a new song each month at songwriting group
That’s it!
Resources To Help You Pursue Your Songwriting Passion:
- Wunderlist “To-do” App available on iOS and Android
- Goal Setting
