Baking Away the Blues, Painting Toward Peace, By Natalie

Just as sadness reminds us that it's okay to feel vulnerable and take time to reflect, I found solace in my hobbies of painting and baking. 

During the pandemic, I had a lot of free time and started exploring new interests. I enjoy expressing myself creatively by doing these hobbies. I discovered baking through my social media while scrolling and started craving cookies and other pastries. I started researching about baking so I could bake something easy and started baking something one by one, and surprisingly my first try was good for a first-time baker. Going to my other hobby, painting, since I was a kid, I have loved painting, and this has become one of my favorite hobbies. I also started requesting my mother to buy me things like sketchbooks and paints. Till now I still cherish baking and painting, and I plan to continue to pursue and uphold my passion for both as life slowly returns to normal. I believe these passions will continue to be a key part of my journey, providing relaxation and happiness to me. The pandemic gave me the time to explore these hobbies, which have become a source of comfort and growth. These passions remain a significant part of my life and will continue to be a source of comfort and enjoyment. I continue to work on my skills. Beyond personal growth, they also strengthen my connection with others, whether it’s sharing a piece of art or offering baked goods that bring happiness to family and friends. Overall, these hobbies are not just pastimes; these hobbies are shaping who I am and how I express myself. I look forward to nurturing them in the future.