Everyone has their own hobbies, and many people have also imagined that they can make money while doing what they like, that is, turning their hobbies into work.
But there is also an argument that it is best not to turn your hobby into a job. It’s fine to treat your hobby as a spare time, after-dinner pastime, but if it turns into a job, you may lose even this bit of hobby.
I have been torn between the two before, not knowing which one is right and which one is wrong. It wasn't until I finished reading "Building a Nest" by Tomoko Iwasaki that it suddenly dawned on me: those who have the courage to pursue self-worth must turn their hobbies into work. The reason why some people disapprove is simply because they are afraid. They are afraid that they will not be able to cope with the difficulties, setbacks, trials, and failures they will encounter when they become employed.
"Nest Building" tells such a story:
The author Tomoko Iwasaki was born in Tokyo, Japan, and has been particularly interested in wood since she was a child (it seems that many Japanese children like woodworking) , so she majored in forestry in college. However, after she studied this major, she discovered that there didn't seem to be much relationship between the wood work she liked and the forestry major she studied. So when she graduated, she felt very confused and didn't know what job she wanted to do. I found a job in market research by chance.
Here, she is occupied most of her time by busy and trivial work every day. She is very busy, but she never feels fulfilled. A year later, she realized that she could no longer go on like this and must do some work that she really liked. So she began to focus on her favorite field. But at that time, she was not very clear about which path she would take in the future. I just know a general direction: something to do with wood, maybe opening my own furniture grocery store.
After working for this company for two years, she resigned. After leaving her job, she took a university correspondence course to learn furniture design and a vocational technical school carpentry course to turn the furniture she designed into real objects.
This was not enough. In order to master all the skills needed to run a furniture store, she went to two furniture stores for internships.
During the internship, she often had to go abroad to purchase groceries, which made her increasingly aware of her lack of English skills. So in the final stage of her internship, she went to the UK to study for a year at her own expense.
In order to better improve her foreign language skills, she took the initiative to stay in a British home. In the host family, she met the source of groceries for her future shop - Latvia (a small country in northeastern Europe). It turns out that the father of this family immigrated to the UK from Latvia when he was in his 20s to escape the chaos of World War II. The various Latvian folk items displayed in his home deeply attracted the author's interest: this is the style of the shop she wants!
For example, hand-woven wicker baskets that can last for 100 years, linen bedding with super absorbency and excellent heat retention, and various folk custom items. She realized that if she sold these small items in her own store, it would be a very happy thing to be surrounded by her favorite things every day!
Latvian handwoven wicker baskets
Linen bedding with super absorbency and excellent heat retention
Various folk custom items
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After returning from studying abroad, he began to prepare for opening a store.
Selecting furniture manufacturing factories, choosing stores, making web pages, applying for business licenses, issuing store opening notices, making product advertisements... There are so many things to do, and she is extremely busy every day, but she feels very hapiness. Never have I felt so fleeting as now.
She named this store "Chachao". The treasures for sale are mainly divided into two parts: solid wood furniture designed by myself, and various folk custom items purchased from Latvia. They are all things she likes. Whenever she sees that the things she likes are also loved by customers, and gradually gathers a group of people with the same hobbies as herself around her, she feels extremely happy!
Now, she has been running "Chao Nest" for 12 years. During these 12 years, her daily life is basically like this:
Tuesday to Sunday are working days.
I get up around 6:30 every day, take a shower, practice Tibetan yoga, prepare breakfast and lunch, and ride a bicycle, walk or take the bus to work.
When I got to the store, I practiced piano for a while until about ten o'clock, and then started working. Cleaning the store, watering the plants, checking mail, processing mail order orders, packing, eating lunch.
In the afternoon, while receiving guests, I conceived furniture designs, did accounting work, and produced DM (product advertisements) for the next event. Sometimes I have to deal with interviews from reporters.
After closing the store, she will work overtime, deliver goods, eat with friends, go to concerts, see art exhibitions, and go to the gym to practice planking. Occasionally, I go to the movies, rent DVDs to watch at home, cook dinner at home, and spend leisurely time.
Monday is a day off.
In the morning, she would leisurely make herself a brunch, using pollution-free organic rice flour from the rice farmer Yamazaki, brew a cup of fragrant coffee, and eat the prepared bet cakes to her heart's content Enjoy the happiest moments on your days off.
In the author's own words, in the 12 years since the store opened, all kinds of things have happened, and sometimes I feel that I am really beyond my ability and want to give up. However, rather than these difficult moments, she prefers to count the joy, happiness, touching and thankfulness over the years. She said that in this world, being able to do what you like is the greatest luxury and luck.
In addition, she also shared a particularly useful method when she is wavering and undecided:
“Whenever I am wavering, , I will try to project this image in my mind: Deep in my heart, there is a profound forest, and there is a beautiful lake in it. The lake is filled with clear water, and a little wind and waves will not disturb it. The calmness of the lake. As I thought about it, I took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly and forcefully. Then, the waves of worry and anxiety would gradually go away. "There will always be a way," I thought. As you sleep, you will gradually fall asleep. You will feel refreshed in the morning. ”
I don’t know what you think after reading the above story.
I deeply agree with the author’s words: In this world, being able to do what you like is the greatest luxury and luck. To this end, I am also working tirelessly in the fields of reading and writing that I love. I don't really care about the outcome. As long as I'm doing something I like, I will feel happy and alive. As for those who are against turning a hobby into a job, they no longer believe it.
I hope you can also walk on the path you like.
END
PS: In addition to the furniture grocery store opened by the author called "Nest Nest", the "nest" described in "Nest Building" also includes It is the author's own "nest" ------ home. The author personally renovated an old house with a history of 42 years into the way he likes step by step. The book is full of pictures and texts, concise and practical. Interested readers may wish to read it. (Private message to Peng Xiaoliang and buy genuine books with one click.)