Whether you love reading history books or romance novels, fishing, cooking, dancing, or playing the piano, you should immerse yourself wholeheartedly in your hobbies -- and strive to cultivate new ones. Life is too darn short NOT to do the things that enrich us physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. And if we can find people with whom we can share such passions, it's all for the better. It's always nice to turn to something that affords respite from the daily grind, reminding us that our days shouldn't only be filled with stress, worry, and negativity. And it doesn't have to be anything extravagant. For many people, something as simple as taking the dog for a walk at a nearby park or reading science fiction stories counts as a favorite pastime. But when we're busy with work, chores, or the kids, we can be hard-pressed to work time for hobbies into our schedules. That's when having a friend or relative who can lend a hand -- even if onl...

I know several people who have 9 to 5 jobs but still do things on the side that they get paid for. For example, my friend Vicky bakes cakes for a few extra bucks, and my friend John supplements his income by fixing computers. What I wonder is if they enjoy doing these things so much that they'd do them for free. In my case, my true passion is writing. I manage this blog on the side to augment my salary as a full-time copywriter. I don't earn much from the ads, but it's something. I love writing so much that I would do it for free if I had to. In fact, I have written content for several websites in the past and not gotten a single cent for it. People who are willing to do something for free probably consider it a hobby or passion of theirs. If they can get paid for it, then that's icing on the cake. I'm fortunate in that my favorite pastime, writing, also happens to be my trade. I can understand why people might be unwilling to do the work for free, thoug...