Passion Projects
Personal Passion Projects and creating just for ourselves
I’m a Type A Control Freak Introvert and I thrive on order, structure and high achievement - but to be honest, I’m not really competitive with others, more with my own self. I will typically plan my schedule meticulously, set ambitious goals and push myself relentlessly forward toward success. In all honesty, I’m making myself tired, hence why I started this writing…to document my journey in adding more creativity to my life and embracing the soft life concept. Having drive can lead to accomplishments but also creates burnout and stress and I often have an overwhelming feeling that everything I do has to serve a productive purpose.
I discovered a way to channel the drive I have towards something that is fulfilling, rewarding and, well, fun: personal projects or passion projects.
A personal passion project is a creative endeavour that only exists for our own enjoyment and growth. For so long, I have felt the need to create, to share on Instagram or to sell…rather than just creating for the fun of creating.
These endeavours matter because initially, the idea of starting a project just for ourselves might seem like a gigantic waste of time. I think because if it’s not contributing to anything then why bother? However, a passion project to focus on can offer benefits, especially for those of us who have a tough time trying to relax and disconnect from external expectations.
Here are some benefits:
They give you total control.
One of my frustrations as a Type A personality is dealing with external factors that may disrupt my carefully laid out plans! Personal projects eliminate this issue completely because we control every aspect because there are no deadlines, pressures or expectations from others. We make the rules!
During the pandemic, in 2020, I took a six month career break. I had always wanted to learn how to paint abstract paintings. So I took a course and hired a professional art coach and in the end painted 300 paintings (most were small). At some point I had thought, well, I’m going to sell these and in typical Anureet fashion, ended up creating my own production line…but in the few years after this became a nice story to tell. I had the time and space to just create for the sake of creating and actually it made me not want to just create art all the time, especially as a career.
They provide a safe space for imperfection.
I am a recovering perfectionist. I say recovering because it’s tough to give up a life long habit but I’m attempting to do so. Perfectionism can push to excel but also can make us hesitant to try to do something we might not immediately be good at. A personal project gives us the opportunity to experiment with different, to make mistakes and embrace imperfection without any consequences. Unlike producing something for the public eye where there is fear of judgement, doing something privately allows us to create without this worry.
They offer a sense of accomplishment.
I love making lists and having tasks to tick off! A personal project gives you the chance to create a plan (can be as loose and fluid as you like) and then tick off each task as appropriate. Personal projects provide a unique sense of fulfilment because it’s entirely self driven. Completing something just for yourself whether it is a piece of art, a DIY project or even writing an essay gives a different kind of satisfaction than other work related achievements. By completing a personal project it shows you that you can create just for the sake of it which is so empowering.
They help recharge and reduce stress.
The constant push to be productive can drain energy and creativity. By engaging in a passion project allows you to shift the focus away from external pressures and helps reconnect with something that genuinely excites you. This kind of mental reset can improve performance in other areas of life by reducing stress and enhancing well being overall.
How to start a personal project:
If the thought of starting a project just for the sake of it feels a bit odd, here are some ideas to help you embrace the process:
Choose something you are interested in - heck, even excited about. Pick an activity that sparks curiosity even if it may not have a practical application. This is can be hard for those of us who feel the need to do something productive.
Set very loose pressure free guidelines - give yourself structure but not the usual rigid deadlines or expectations.
Protect your time - block out time in your schedule specifically for this project and treat it as a fun priority. (See what I’m trying to do here…reframe the usual Type A tendencies…soften them if you will…)
Embrace the journey - I struggle with this one to be honest…I’ve typically always focused on the end result, the final product and sometimes have forgotten that it is OK to enjoy the process rather than viewing it as a thing to be endured and to ‘process improve’ for the next time.
Quoting from Elizabeth Gilbert (Big Magic), who is stating that what we produce is not necessarily sacred, but:
“What is sacred is the time you spend working on the project, and what that time does to expand your imagination, and what that expanded imagination does to transform your life.”
In conclusion, for Type A Control Freak Introverts, personal projects offer a rare chance to escape external expectations and create something solely for personal satisfaction. By embracing self driven projects, we can cultivate a sense of joy, reduce stress in our lives and reconnect with our creative side - whilst retaining the control and structure we crave. We don’t need permission or validation or even a practical reason, we just need the willingness to embark on something fun just for the heck of it.
Things to consider:
Is there something you’ve always wanted to try but haven’t as yet? It could be anything, from doing a complex jigsaw to writing a memoir.
Make a list of three things you would like to try and then select one that seems feasible with the resources you have. Then give it a go.
Remember - if you start something and you are not enjoying it, you have my permission to stop and try something else!
I discovered a way to channel the drive I have towards something that is fulfilling, rewarding and, well, fun: personal projects or passion projects.
A personal passion project is a creative endeavour that only exists for our own enjoyment and growth. For so long, I have felt the need to create, to share on Instagram or to sell…rather than just creating for the fun of creating.
These endeavours matter because initially, the idea of starting a project just for ourselves might seem like a gigantic waste of time. I think because if it’s not contributing to anything then why bother? However, a passion project to focus on can offer benefits, especially for those of us who have a tough time trying to relax and disconnect from external expectations.
Here are some benefits:
They give you total control.
One of my frustrations as a Type A personality is dealing with external factors that may disrupt my carefully laid out plans! Personal projects eliminate this issue completely because we control every aspect because there are no deadlines, pressures or expectations from others. We make the rules!
During the pandemic, in 2020, I took a six month career break. I had always wanted to learn how to paint abstract paintings. So I took a course and hired a professional art coach and in the end painted 300 paintings (most were small). At some point I had thought, well, I’m going to sell these and in typical Anureet fashion, ended up creating my own production line…but in the few years after this became a nice story to tell. I had the time and space to just create for the sake of creating and actually it made me not want to just create art all the time, especially as a career.
They provide a safe space for imperfection.
I am a recovering perfectionist. I say recovering because it’s tough to give up a life long habit but I’m attempting to do so. Perfectionism can push to excel but also can make us hesitant to try to do something we might not immediately be good at. A personal project gives us the opportunity to experiment with different, to make mistakes and embrace imperfection without any consequences. Unlike producing something for the public eye where there is fear of judgement, doing something privately allows us to create without this worry.
They offer a sense of accomplishment.
I love making lists and having tasks to tick off! A personal project gives you the chance to create a plan (can be as loose and fluid as you like) and then tick off each task as appropriate. Personal projects provide a unique sense of fulfilment because it’s entirely self driven. Completing something just for yourself whether it is a piece of art, a DIY project or even writing an essay gives a different kind of satisfaction than other work related achievements. By completing a personal project it shows you that you can create just for the sake of it which is so empowering.
They help recharge and reduce stress.
The constant push to be productive can drain energy and creativity. By engaging in a passion project allows you to shift the focus away from external pressures and helps reconnect with something that genuinely excites you. This kind of mental reset can improve performance in other areas of life by reducing stress and enhancing well being overall.
How to start a personal project:
If the thought of starting a project just for the sake of it feels a bit odd, here are some ideas to help you embrace the process:
Choose something you are interested in - heck, even excited about. Pick an activity that sparks curiosity even if it may not have a practical application. This is can be hard for those of us who feel the need to do something productive.
Set very loose pressure free guidelines - give yourself structure but not the usual rigid deadlines or expectations.
Protect your time - block out time in your schedule specifically for this project and treat it as a fun priority. (See what I’m trying to do here…reframe the usual Type A tendencies…soften them if you will…)
Embrace the journey - I struggle with this one to be honest…I’ve typically always focused on the end result, the final product and sometimes have forgotten that it is OK to enjoy the process rather than viewing it as a thing to be endured and to ‘process improve’ for the next time.
Quoting from Elizabeth Gilbert (Big Magic), who is stating that what we produce is not necessarily sacred, but:
“What is sacred is the time you spend working on the project, and what that time does to expand your imagination, and what that expanded imagination does to transform your life.”
In conclusion, for Type A Control Freak Introverts, personal projects offer a rare chance to escape external expectations and create something solely for personal satisfaction. By embracing self driven projects, we can cultivate a sense of joy, reduce stress in our lives and reconnect with our creative side - whilst retaining the control and structure we crave. We don’t need permission or validation or even a practical reason, we just need the willingness to embark on something fun just for the heck of it.
Things to consider:
Is there something you’ve always wanted to try but haven’t as yet? It could be anything, from doing a complex jigsaw to writing a memoir.
Make a list of three things you would like to try and then select one that seems feasible with the resources you have. Then give it a go.
Remember - if you start something and you are not enjoying it, you have my permission to stop and try something else!
Here are the printable artworks included with this bundle as PDFs:
Hand Lettered + Typography Quote Printable Art
Typography Motivational Quote Printable Art
And the colouring in pages as PDFs (without the watermarks):
