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Elyssa Nalani

Elyssa Nalani

live well | stay focused

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How to Live Well Avocationally | The Live Well 6 Series

May 16, 2022 · In: HOBBIES & RECREATION

In this series, we’ve been focusing on the LIVE WELL 6. These are 6 areas of self care that I believe will help you live your life well and stay focused on what matters most. Today is the sixth and final post in the LIVE WELL series – Live Well Avocationally.

If vocation is a word we don’t use very much these days, avocation is a word we use even less. Avocation is a hobby or an occupation that is secondary or subordinate to your primary work or vocation. I consider this to be all things hobbies and recreation, a.k.a. the stuff we do for fun!

In this post I’m going to talk about how to be intentional about recharging and playing hard!

1. Prioritize playtime

We don’t hear this often enough but adults need play time just as much as kids do! We don’t lose the capacity for imagination and discovery, or the need for fun. Instead of crashing in front of the tube when we have free time, we should be doing things that truly relax, rejuvenate, and stimulate us. Play helps sharpen our cognitive functions and problem-solving skills as well as relieve stress and aid in our emotional health. We should absolutely make room for quality play time in our weekly schedules!

2. Learn a new skill (or sharpen an old one!)

Is there something you’ve always wanted to learn? It’s never too late to start! You can learn anything online from playing the guitar to cracking an egg with one hand (both of which I want to learn!) and everything in between! It does take commitment and time to learn and master a new skill but it’s so worth the effort! Check out these websites for online class options:

  • Skillshare
  • Wondrium (formally The Great Courses)
  • Masterclass
  • Craftsy
  • Biblical Training (free Bible & theology classes)
  • and, of course, YouTube
3. Understand your play personality.

I just discovered this but according to the National Institute for Play, most people have one of eight dominant modes of play. How fun is that? According to the research done by Dr. Stuart Brown at NIFP, people naturally fall into a few of these personalities but there will be one that is most prominent. The 8 personalities are –

  1. The Collector
  2. The Competitor
  3. The Creator/Artist
  4. The Director
  5. The Explorer
  6. The Joker
  7. The Kinesthete
  8. The Storyteller

I’m absolutely a collector and creator/artist. There’s probably some director in there too but I don’t get to stretch those muscles that much these days so I’m feeling a bit rusty.

If you’d like to know more about each of these personalities check them out here and here.

4. Have fun with others

Play with your spouse and/or kid(s). Have fun with friends and family members. Host game nights, work on hobbies, make homemade pizzas, do puzzles, go on walks, try new restaurants, go to the museum, join a book club or a team sport, go to a concert. The possibilities are endless! Playing with others is not only a great way to strengthen existing relationships but it’s a way to potentially make new friends as well as try new things you might not try on your own.

And don’t forget your co-workers! One of the things that got me through working at a really crummy company was how much I enjoyed working with the my co-workers! Whenever you can, add fun to your workplace. That might be tricky sometimes, depending on where you work, but definitely put in the effort wherever you can!

5. Make time for yourself

Depending on your season of life, this might not always be easy but it’s so important to have time to yourself every so often. Not only is it a valuable skill to be able to occupy yourself without a phone or television but it’s also a way we maintain our identity as individuals. Many of us wear several hats – daughter, sister, wife, mother, friend, professional title, employee, boss, etc. – but not everyone knows who they are by themselves, alone, with everything else stripped away. Taking time for yourself, by yourself, tinkering with your hobbies and interests, allowing your creativity flourish and your imagination to explore gives you the space and time to get to know yourself better. The more you know about yourself and how God made you, the more you’ll have to offer to others and the more balanced you’ll be in your decision making and overall lifestyle.


What does living well avocationally mean to you? How do you play? What lights you up? Do you know your play personality?

If you missed the previous posts in this series, you can check them out here:

  • Live Well Faithfully
  • Live Well Physically
  • Live Well Socially
  • Live Well Environmentally
  • Live Well Vocationally

By: Elyssa Nalani · In: HOBBIES & RECREATION · Tagged: hobbies, personality, play, skills

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My name is Elyssa! I’m a Jesus-loving planner babe & book girl and I inspire and equip women of faith to live well and stay focused on what matters most.

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Elyssa Nalani Trujillo
📖+☕️+🏕️=🤌🏽 . . . #goodmorning #b 📖+☕️+🏕️=🤌🏽
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“We live, we laugh & love & dance 'Cause God mak “We live, we laugh & love & dance
'Cause God makes all things beautiful and perfect in His hands
We rise from the ashes of our past
'Cause we've learned the truth at last
Love is not blind
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On God's green earth” 
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One of the greatest joys of my life is traveling w One of the greatest joys of my life is traveling with you 🥰🩷
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We can all agree that the OT genealogies are great We can all agree that the OT genealogies are great reading matter for insomnia.

Then there are the purity laws.
And the land assignments.
And the censuses. 
You get it. 

It’s not a sin to say that parts of the Bible are boring, confusing, or hard to follow & understand. It just means you have Bible-reading muscles to stretch out and exercise. There are things you have to get used to and it can take time. But in the meantime, here’s one thing to keep in mind when in a less than exciting or inspiring passage of scripture - 

God cares about details. He’s not careless or haphazard. He’s interested in establishing track records because He knows the only way to make His case of love & justice is to offer evidence of His faithfulness in spite of the unfaithfulness of humanity. Nothing is an accident and even when humans don’t listen and jack stuff up, He never loses control over the situation. 

It’s okay if it’s boring for awhile. Stick with it until you see its beauty. It’s worth the effort!
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#humor #comedy #biblereading #biblestudy #thebible #bible #biblegram #theoldtestament #readyourbible #worthit #godisincontrol #reading
“What does this have to do with me?” “How d “What does this have to do with me?”

“How does this speak into what I’m going through today?”

“How does change my life?”

These aren’t bad questions, in fact, they’re good questions and we should ask them. We just shouldn’t ask them FIRST. If we’re primarily concerned with what the Bible has to do with US, we’re probably going to pass up the parts that legit will tell us nothing about life as modern humans (genealogies and law codes anyone?). Instead, we have to change our presuppositions - 

1. The Bible isn’t about me. The Bible is about God and His redemptive work in the world.
2. I need to let God’s story tell me about about Himself
3. Knowing who God is, what His intentions are for humans & how He operates in the world makes up the framework I need to understand myself, my value, & my purpose on this planet. 

Don’t get me wrong. the Bible will tell you a whole lot about yourself. But first let it tell you about God. Start looking for glimpses of Jesus & the Gospel. In some places He may be harder to spot than others but He’s there, His plan is there, His love is there. Always ❤️
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#bible #biblereading #biblereadingplan #livewellfaithfully #littlebylittle #thegospel #jesus #thebibleisabookaboutgod #christianlife #biblegram
Reading the Bible early morning is a fantastic asp Reading the Bible early morning is a fantastic aspiration and I can’t wait to get there buuuuuuut it’s not required. If you wait for perfect, you’ll be waiting for the rest of your life. Just do it. Make the time and do it. Life is constantly changing and you’ll always have to make adjustments, navigate interruptions, and balance priorities. If this matters to you, you’ll make it happen. ❤️
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#bible #biblereading #biblereadingplan #livewellfaithfully #readyourbible #littlebylittle
There’s a lot in the Bible that troubles our mod There’s a lot in the Bible that troubles our modern sensibilities, world views, & feelings, etc.. But you would be foolish to judge an entire movie after only seeing one scene, a show after a plot twist in S3 E5, or a novel by one conversation toward the end of the book. We know not to do it with anything else but the Bible is judged by isolated verses & stories. It doesn’t work like that. While the Bible is holy, it works just like any other story - it should be read in its entirety. 

• Yes it’s hard
• Yes, it takes discipline
• Yes there may be a learning curve
• Yes there are some parts that are really boring at first

But it’s good and glorious and God’s gift to humanity. If you care at all about Jesus, take the time to read His story. Take the time to figure it out, to ask questions, to be frustrated, to not be good at it. All of those things are okay.  God can handle it all - I promise. Just show up. He’ll meet you there. 
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#bible #biblereading #biblereadingplan #livewellfaithfully #readyourbible #littlebylittle
• If you’ve fallen off your Bible-reading-in-a • If you’ve fallen off your Bible-reading-in-a-year plan, you can still pick it back up. 

• If you didn’t start on January 1st, you can still start now. 

• If you get bored easily, it’s okay, you can learn ways to stay focused. 

• If you don’t have time, make it. It really is that simple. Even if it’s just 15 minutes. 

• If you needed a reminder to get in the word today, here it is 😊
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#readyourbible #bible #biblereading #littlebylittle #livewellfaithfully #keepgoing
Studying the Bible with @betheyjacobson777 is alwa Studying the Bible with @betheyjacobson777 is always a treat - even when we’re both sleep deprived and I struggling to just make sentences 😆 But God! Have mercy He’s so good and His Word never fails to deliver 🤩😎 If you needed a reminder that studying in community is worth the time and effort - here it is friend. Grab a friend, grab a Bible and have some fun! And yes - Bible study can absolutely be a great time 😉
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#livewellstayfocused #livewellfaithfully #biblestudy #biblestudytime #biblenerd  #spiritualdisciplines #worship #praise #devotions #biblegirl #biblestudygirl #faithfullife  #journaling #biblejournal #biblejournaling #spiritualgrowth #littlebylittleprogress #cultivatewhatmatters #makeithappen #livewell
I love watching day in the life content. I’ve of I love watching day in the life content. I’ve often wanted to do it but, so many of my days look like this - me at my desk, working and jamming out to my favorite music. It’s not very interesting or varied but it’s my life! Playlists change depending on my mood. Today, I’ve been really feeling the songs from the 80s-mid 90s that I grew up listening to. 

So, nobody asked, and excuse my pitchy vocals but here’s a day in my life 😄😎 Happy Monday!
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#dayinmylife #contentcreator #work #playlist #christianmusic #oldschoolchristianmusic #80schristianmusic ##90schristianmusic #thisismylife #pointofgrace #avalonmusic #take6 #firstcall #stevegreen #truth #damariscarbaugh #tramainehawkins
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