Getting Back Into the Things I Love in My Mid-30s

After realizing how disconnected I’d become from the things I loved, I made the decision to start getting back into them.

Simple enough in theory, right?

Picked up a book. Grab some manga. Start watching anime again.

This all sounds like it should’ve been easy. Like riding a bike.

Well, it’s not.

I’ve spent so much time just doomscrolling after a long day at work that actually sitting down and focusing on something that should be for my enjoyment, like reading and creating feels like a massive chore.

It’s kind of insane when you think about it.

So a lot of this has just been retraining my brain.

Putting my phone down and allowing myself to focus on one thing at a time because watching a show shouldn’t feel like a task. Being terrible at crochet shouldn’t make me want to quit immediately.

I’m trying to learn how to just enjoy things again. I’m here for the journey of it all.

Reading More (and Why It’s Been Hard)

Reading has been… an experience.

I used to live on Goodreads. I always had some huge yearly reading goal and would fly through books like it was nothing.

But now? It’s a struggle to even want to pick up one book some months ( though I did just end my reading drought!).

And I’ve noticed that I’ve become way less patient as I’ve gotten older. If a book doesn’t grab me in the first few chapters, I’m ready to DNF it immediately.

Which I don’t necessarily think is a bad thing, but I also don’t want to be so quick to give up on a book.

So right now, I’m just trying to read consistently whether that’s manga or a novel, and not put so much pressure on it.

Japanese Music (My One Constant)

If there’s one thing that never really left, it’s Japanese music.

It’s the one thing I can confidently say has always been a part of my life. Even when everything else fell off, that stayed.

Lately, I’ve been trying to branch out more and listen to newer artists. For the past couple of years, I’ve mostly stuck to the same artists I already love because they’re just a comfort to me.

So this is less about “getting back into it” and more about expanding it again.

Anime & Manga (Doing It My Way This Time)

With anime, I realized something pretty quickly.

Back in high school, I was into it but I was mostly watching Shonen. And while there are definitely Shonen series I love (Naruto will always have a special place for me; he is, to me, quite literally the character of all time), it’s just not what I naturally gravitate toward.

So this time around, I’m not forcing it.

No Solo Leveling, no One Piece, no Gachiakuta.

I’m focusing on what actually interests me. Shoujo and Josei.

And with manga, I never fully stopped reading it, but I’ve definitely been reading a lot more lately. I’ve always loved BL and Shoujo, but now I’m also trying to explore GL and branch out into stories that aren’t strictly romance and follow older women.

Trying to Have Hobbies Again

This might be the hardest part.

The last hobby I can genuinely remember having was rollerblading… in middle school.

So yeah. We’re starting from scratch here.

Right now, I’m focusing on crochet, drawing, and gaming.

Crochet? I’m terrible at it. Like… truly bad. But I’m determined to get better.

Drawing is even more frustrating because in my head, I understand what I should be doing but when I actually try to do it? It doesn’t translate at all.

And gaming? That’s just trying to find what I actually enjoy playing… right now I’m just trying anything and hoping one will stick.

Letting Go of the Need to Be Good

I think this is where I struggle the most.

Letting myself just enjoy something without immediately needing to be good at it.

I have a difficult time not turning something into a goal. Or expecting progress right away.

I’m just doing these things because I want to get better but I always I’m constantly reminding myself to have fun with it. It’s really not that serious.

That’s been a big mental shift for me.

What This Looks Like Right Now

There’s no perfect routine. But this is what I’m working with:

• I read every night (manga or a novel)
• I try to read a little during the day when I can
• I have a few shows I rotate throughout the week
• I listen to at least one new album every week
• I focus on one hobby a day so I don’t overwhelm myself

Nothing too crazy.

I’m not trying to completely reinvent my life overnight. Been there, tried to do that and it was an absolute disaster.

I’m just trying to build a routine that actually feels enjoyable.

Some days are easier than others and to be honest? Some days I still default to scrolling. But overall?

I feel more engaged than I have in a long time.