(R) READING AND OTHER HOBBIES (#AtoZChallenge 2019)

It was difficult for me to find time for hobbies with busy office schedule. I was working on a business plan simultaneously. The weekends were reserved for completing the pending work and doing household chores. Exercise and meditation had to be squeezed in the schedule as well. 

With pregnancy, I took a detour. I deliberately reduced the workload and I started paying attention to various hobbies -

1. Reading - I have always loved reading fiction and non-fiction. To manage time, I listened to audiobooks while commuting to and from office. I also have a kindle. Still, I enjoy reading a paperback book. 

I finished reading the following - 

a. Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari

b. Inner Engineering by Sadhguru

c. Adiyogi by Sadhguru

and I am still reading the following - 

d. Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari

e. Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramhansa Yogananda

I have provided Goodreads link in case you want to know more about these books.

2. Listening to a Guru - My family members suggested that I read Indian Epics like Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bhagavad Gita during this phase so that spiritual and sattvic thoughts dominate my mind. But I wanted to listen to someone narrate these universal stories to me. 

The role of Guru in Indian tradition is very important. I am glad that I found one in Sadhguru. I started listening to stories and anecdotes from these epics narrated by him on YouTube! There are a plethora of such videos that have been narrated and uploaded by others as well.

3. Painting - I love to paint sometimes. I took the help of online tutorials to draw. 

I painted an Elephant and Owl in acrylic and kept it in the main hall of my house.

I also learned to paint using soft pastels and drew Lord Krishna and Lord Ganesha. I hope you like it. 

I have framed Lord Krishna's painting and kept a red flute near him since he loves to play the flute!

I even tried glass painting for the first time! I have kept Money-plant in that bottle now.

4. Cooking - I had to take precautions that I do not eat outside and I had to find ways to satiate my food cravings and hunger pangs. I started cooking my favorite dishes with more enthusiasm - learning the nitty gritty from online food blogs.

It is said mother and child share an intricate bond from the time the baby is conceived in the womb. Mother's state of mind affects the child's state of mind and growth. These hobbies enriched me with positive thoughts and helped me stay focused in the present moment.

What are your hobbies? Do you find time to pursue those? Please share your thoughts! 

#AtoZChallenge 2019

(These AtoZ Challenge posts pertain to my thought process, physical and mental changes, stress levels & mechanisms to cope, perspective, journey and experience as a first-time mother who has yet not delivered her baby.)

Read A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q