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Just for fun, I started taking online courses through MasterClass. I wanted to explore new hobbies and interests, so I joined and discovered something amazing… learning new hobbies and trying out new activities isn’t just a fun thing to do; it improved my overall wellbeing.
What is MasterClass?
MasterClass offers online courses led by celebrated experts in their field. They discuss the ins and outs of their craft and share tips, advice, and even life lessons related to their work. You can gain from their life experiences without going on that full journey yourself. What can I learn from Alicia Keys even though I’m not a musician? The good news is, you don’t have to buy a piano in order to learn life lessons from a pianist. MasterClass courses don’t just teach you about a skill, they teach you about you.
Over the next few months I’ll be taking a different MasterClass and writing blog posts about each one and how I can apply what I’ve learned to mental health care and taking care of ourselves. I’ve surprisingly learned so much about myself in a short amount of time. It has given me the opportunity to set aside work and goals for a moment, and deeply reflect on my values.
The Value of Exploration
I went into each MasterClass not with a goal to accomplish, but from a place of openness and curiosity. MasterClass has given me the opportunity of exploration. I am able to see what hobbies and activities exist in the world that I previously never thought about or didn’t know existed. Most people take courses on what they already do or classes that help them achieve a goal. “I want to become a professional singer so I take singing classes.” “I want to become an author so I take a course on writing memoirs.” But what about other areas that you are unfamiliar with?
So much of our lives and what we do on a daily basis are planned, thought out, and done to accomplish something. When given the chance to just explore and let things happen, we can learn so much more about ourselves and the world. As kids we learn about the whole world – sharks, space, history, geometry, soap making, and the list goes on and on. As adults, the information we consume becomes narrower and more focused, usually pertaining to our work.
When was the last time you went on a field trip to learn about something new unrelated to work? When was the last time you tried a new hobby, sport, or activity? The beauty of MasterClass is that you don’t have to commit your whole life to learning something new or quit your job to start a new career. It gives adults the opportunity to explore the world and learn from experts, just as we did when we were kids.
Goal-Oriented vs. Value-Centric Living
So many of us are raised to be goal-oriented. As we go through life, we focus on the next achievement: graduating school, getting a job, getting married, having kids, etc. We rarely reflect on and take the time to understand the underlying value system within ourselves that lead us to create and reach those goals.
We are usually taught values indirectly. Parents will instill values in us by enrolling us in extracurricular activities, like soccer to teach teamwork, or karate to teach discipline. Or those values are taught indirectly through punishment when we’ve done something wrong (like discipline, loyalty, respect), rather than discussing the good aspects that come from discipline and directly talking about discipline as a value when it’s not derived from punishment.
We assume achieving goals will lead to self-fulfillment and improved mental health. But our goals are a byproduct of our values. Marriage is the goal, but what you value about it is more important: commitment, loyalty, love, friendship, etc. Family itself isn’t a value. Having a family is a goal to be achieved, but dedication and deepening relationships are values that having a family aligns with.
We lose ourselves, our purpose, when we solely focus on achieving goals and not the underlying values. Then when we check those boxes and there’s nothing left to achieve, we feel unfulfilled. We live in a society that is financially driven and puts a lot of weight on achievements. Whether you are poor or wealthy, when you focus on external wealth as a source of satisfaction, it often leads to feelings of dissatisfaction, unfulfillment, and unhappiness because you aren’t in tune with your internal values.
As a society, we’ve lost the art form of teaching values directly and explicitly. Truth, integrity, honor… but what do those actually mean? We have become accustomed to learning about ourselves from the goals we set, without reflecting on the values those goals represent.
Understanding Ourselves from the Trivialness of Activities
I often ask clients, “Do you have any interests or hobbies?” So often I hear, “I used to paint… I used to play soccer… I used to do this or that.” Sometimes people tell me they have one strong hobby, but haven’t explored anything new in years. What happens if for some reason you can’t do that one thing any more? What if that one hobby doesn’t satisfy you the way that it used to? What if you are unable to do that activity anymore? We once had the freedom of trivial fulfillment, but as we focus on accomplishing goals and getting through our busy schedules, we no longer have time or the freedom. Fun, activities, and hobbies that once gave us pleasure are usually the first things to get cut from the chopping block.
We go to work to get paid, but what do you do to fulfill your life? While jobs pay us, what is the currency that fulfills you? Hobbies are extremely underestimated as a source of fulfillment in our lives. Within that trivialness of doing a hobby or activity, we can connect to our personalities, our true nature. Something within the practice itself brings us fulfillment similar to being paid.
Hobbies and activities seem trivial, but they teach us important lessons about ourselves and the world around us. They give us the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of who we are and our values. When we focus on the practice of the hobby itself, rather than the outcome and goal, we have the freedom to reflect on what we enjoy doing, what deeply satisfies us regardless of any goals.
When you begin a MasterClass or any new hobby, don’t go into it with a goal to accomplish, but in the moment, as you’re doing the practice or sitting through the course, reflect on the values you learn. Some people bake for fulfillment (value-centric), while others bake because they need bread on the table (goal-centric). While skill-building is great, what are you learning about yourself? Take time to sit, think, and reflect. Values are not ingrained in your consciousness but it IS ingrained in your body. As you are painting, cooking, doing silly voices, writing… how do you feel? What about the act itself is pleasing or displeasing? Have you learned anything new about yourself? On the river of life, we get caught up in the current and don’t stop to reflect. Children are taught values, but as adults we forget that part of us and just go through the motions. We need to consistently reflect on and update our values in order to improve our emotional wellness and feel true fulfillment.
