Before his own passing Steve Jobs was once quoted as saying:
“If today were the last day of your life, would you want to do what you are about to do”
What this means to me is the notion that you need to surround yourself with what you love doing, whether it’s travelling, music, plants, sports, hobbies, being with your family, whatever. Today is life – the only life you are sure of. So I always try to make the most of today. I always try to indulge in new challenging stuff and develop new passions.
To find an absolute passion in your life is to look beyond what you do for a living, or have as a hobby. It is to look at who you are, what you stand for, and what makes you want to jump out of bed early on a Saturday morning even though you have no need to rise early. In fact, I think everyone needs to be passionate about something. Our passions are part of what makes us who we are. We are all meant to live passionately. I have a range of hobbies and passions which I have tried to paraphrase for you below:
- Chelsea Football Club – I remember at a young age growing up in London and going down to Stamford Bridge for the very first time to see Bobby Campballs Chelsea play Sheffield Wednesday. That day I saw the likes of Kerry Dixon, Steve Clark, and Kevin McAllister entertain me. Chelsea won 4.0 that day to go top of the English League. The match had everything from own goals, penalties, and loads on-pitch drama. From that day forward I become a fan and have stayed a true blue ever since – or in the words of a Chelsea supporter, I have kept the blue flag flying high ( #KTBFFH ).
- Travelling – What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when I say ‘travelling’ – Holidays to Spain? Meeting new people? Or maybe, Instagrammable sunsets? While traveling can be exciting and exhilarating, it’s so much more than sipping margaritas on a sun-soaked beach. Scientists have proven that travelling is good for both your body and your mind! Perhaps this is why we love it. I personally have found that travelling improves my overall mental health and helps me enhance my creativity when it comes to my other past time of writing. There are plenty of things I have found from exploring different places. Travelling has helped me gain new friends, new experiences, and new stories. Generally, when you start exploring new places, you get a better understanding of the people living there, including their culture, history, and background. The biggest and most influential journey I have made was to Southeast Asia where I spent 2 years travelling across land throughout all the countries within this region. Starting from Bangkok in Thailand I travelled to Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Burma, Malaysia, Singapore, and most of the islands of Indonesia including Timor, Bali, and Komodo. To find out more about my travels click here – My Travels
- Reading – As a wannabe writer myself, regular reading is a fundamental part of my spare time. Not only does it give me an insight into the mind-set of other writers, but I also get to go on new adventures, see new worlds, or immersed myself in the life of someone else. Losing myself in a book-oriented environment is the ultimate relaxation for me. Reading feeds my craving for a certain amount of escapism. It really doesn’t matter what book I choose to read, by losing myself in a thoroughly engrossing book I can escape from the worries and stresses of the everyday world and spend a while exploring the domain of an author’s imagination. By reading the works of great authors they create worlds so real and compelling you feel you’re actually there, hovering behind the protagonist watching what comes next. It takes some serious skill to craft a plot so complex and sticky that, as a reader, you’re genuinely surprised by the outcome. I read a mixture of fiction ranging from science fiction, thrillers, detective, mystery, and suspense, but I differently lean heavily more on themes of technology and future science as well as apocalyptic and dystopian novels. In terms of authors, I enjoy the works of H.G. Wells, Robert Harris, Michael Crichton, Clive Cussler, Neil Gaiman, Robert A.Heinlein, and Wilbur Smith to name a few.
- Writing – Inspired by the authors mentioned in my reading section above and my desire to apply my imagination and creativity I have started writing my first fictitious book. I am hoping that maybe you are reading this in the not so distant future and I have a few books written by now – fingers crossed. I’m a natural storyteller and growing up I was always inspired by the 80’s children’s program Storybook International when Larry Grossman sang “I’m the Storyteller, and my stories must be told”. Writing has been life-changing for me. It has helped me to become more self-aware, find my professional focus, and meet great people on the web. To find out more about my writing click here – My Writing
- My Children – I have two awesome children which I class as my passion because I love being around them so much but they are so much more than that; they are my life, my joy, and my greatest achievement. I didn’t get to choose but was lucky to get one of each. Athena is my gorgeous girl who is kind, caring, and very empathic and already aspires to be a teacher and Odin is my little boy who is protective, strong-willed, modest, feels the need to narrate everything he ever does in great length and thinks he has many superpowers. My children are my source of inspiration, each day they amazed me with their outlook of the world and their discoveries. My children have taught me to be more patient, more loving, and much more appreciative of every moment we have together as a family. Every moment right from waking up, getting them ready, making sure they are well-fed, playing games with them, and generally chatting to them – all of it is a fulfilling experience. With rarely a dull moment, I’ve experienced more adventure in hanging out with my children than I ever imagined. Being a parent gives me an excuse to stay young forever, be creative, be silly, be imaginative, and generally let my hair down while enjoying love beyond measure. Being a father to me is not about what I need to give up to have them, but what I’ve gained from having them.