Brae

I want to be exceptionally good at something...

I look into hobbies....and try to 'dig deeper" to get into the thick of it all...only to find myself giving up before I am half way done. I am scared obviously...but of what???

I want it so badly. I guess I feel like the things I think I am naturally good at arent valued very much.

of course when I quit part way through i feel even worse....

all these great ideas...no results

littlebluedog

Maybe you're thinking about it too much. If you do things simply because you enjoy them, rather than start them up because you just want to accomplish something, it's more satisfying. Jmho. Hope that helped.

Dee74

Hi Brae

I think LBG is on to something.

Its taken me 40 years to learn....but once we start doing things because we enjoy them, and not worry about whether we're 'good' at it, or worry about what 'value' others might put on it, I think we're on the way to some kind of contentment.

The things we naturally enjoy and want to do, we'll always see through...sometimes it takes a bit of looking to find them, but they're there for everyone

Keep thinking of those great ideas, Brae!

I'm disabled - nearly everyone thought it was ridiculous when I taught myself guitar but I loved it...and I ended up making a living at it for many years. I'm in lesser health now so I just play at home, but it's no less integral to me. I *need* to do it.

What do you *need* to do?

Find your dreams, your passions, and follow them.
D

Jomey

Brae, I think Dee and LBD have given you great advice. I wholeheartedly agree with my dear friend Dee that doing what you want to do, because you want to do it are the most satisfying things in life.

My passion is breaking, training and riding rodeo horses. I LOVE the competition, going to the rodeos and competing against the other riders and against the best that my horse and I did last time.....BUT, I had a bad spell with my health this summer, and I had to temporarily have my rodeo horses ridden by someone else just to keep them in shape. I have another horse, an old retired draft horse that lives on our farm, and I have spent many an evening taking him for slow walks around the farm. No one sees us, no one admires us, no one values our ability to plod along together, but I LOVE IT! AND I LOVE HIM! It is the riding, the being together with my horse, the beauty around us, the solitude...so many things that make it just as much of a joy to traipse around the farm with Ole Hank as it does to bring home the biggest rodeo trophy with one of the others. It's about ME...and what I love.

You'll find your *thing* that brings you sheer joy whether you are good, bad or just ok at it. If you love it, you will be great at it because you won't care what anyone else thinks of your ability. You may also want to ask a close friend or family member if they have an idea for you....you will probably be amazed to find out what talents/gifts others already value in you that you could expand on. Sometimes someone else can see us more clearly that we can see ourselves.

Good luck! Keep posting!
Jomey

tommyk

I want to be exceptionally good at something...

I'd like to suggest that you look into the 12 step program.

Study, learn, work, and apply the steps inside-out.

Then become exceptionally good at helping others find their way too.

Tazman53

Brae I am not sure where you are in your sobriety, but if you have a good deal of time I would encourage you to follow Dee's suggestion as well as the others.

How ever if you are in early sobriety I would suggest that you may find a path to rewarding hobbies etc. to be far easier once you have focused first on your recovery. Recovery is a full time job I have found, a darn tough one at first for me, in early sobriety focusing on my recovery led me back to old pass times I really enjoyed doing before alcohol took possesion of my life.

Please take note that there is nothing wrong with being really good at something, but I have found far more joy in just doing stuff I like whether I do it really well or not.

I love to fish, but I do not always catch a lot, but I still enjoy everything that goes along with fishing. I love camping, but it is not a competition, I do not have to have the perfect camp site, just one that is okay with me.

Now what do I find to be the most rewarding thing in my life today? Helping another alcoholic stay sober one more day as they are helping me to stay sober today. It is not hard at all really, I simply share my experience, strength and hope with them and they do the same for me.