When is it time to call it quits?

[Akasha224]

[Deleted]

 

[dreamer042]

turns into nothing but an anxiety-riddled way to waste time,

you're not even particularly proud of or satisfied with?

When is now the right time?

If something no longer serves you there is no use in pursuing it, replace it with something that does. We all grow and change, this too shall pass, impermanence, dust in the wind, and so on and so forth.

 

[pitubo]

Always let time be your time.

 

[AcaciaConfusedYah]

You should not feel guilt about quitting. It's like a book. If you aren't enjoying it, put it down. If you ever decide to pick it back up, it will be there.

There's absolutely no obligation other than the obligation you give yourself.

 

[Walter D. Roy]

Before it kills you. I think everyone has an intuitive sense of when a situation turns into cutting at the same wound over and over.

 

[Ufostrahlen]

But when a hobby, which is supposed to be something enjoyable and pleasurable, something you look forward to doing for those few hours a week you're not grinding away at work, turns into nothing but an anxiety-riddled way to waste time, is it really worth doing?

No, it's not worth doing it. Look into new stuff that brings joy and pleasure.

 

[anrchy]

I guess the pretty answer that everyone wants to hear is "never," because you should never give up and work your ass off to get to whatever goal it is you're chasing. But when a hobby, which is supposed to be something enjoyable and pleasurable, something you look forward to doing for those few hours a week you're not grinding away at work, turns into nothing but an anxiety-riddled way to waste time, is it really worth doing? Is it really worth making yourself miserable to get to an end result that you're not even particularly proud of or satisfied with? At what point do you say "Well, I guess this just isn't for me. Time to move on?" Or the better question is: at what point can you admit to yourself that it's time to move on without pangs of guilt and an immediate shift to a negative, self-deprecating state of mind. Damned if you do, damned if you don't. :?

I feel this is a highly general question. IMO its very dependent on the situation.

If were talking about unimportant things like learning to play the guitar or basket making, then call it quits when it no longer serves its purpose. So ya if were strictly talking about hobbies then it really doesn't matter. I call it quits when I get bored, which happens a lot, so I end up having lots of hobbies that I have done. Its an experience nothing more, none of it really matters.

If were talking about end game goals or important things like self improvement, psychedelic use, whatever then I would say it depends on what where why when.

 

[Akasha224]

[Deleted]

 

[poonja]

Simple question to ask one's self about most anything. Is my life better (and you define what better means) with or without the questioned behavior/habit/ relationship etc. Then, if you are honest with yourself, you have the answer.

 

[cubeananda]

Honestly, my feelings regarding dmt?

You can never quit dmt.

I firmly believe your soul will smoke dmt again, if you have ever smoked dmt.

it's either the eternal recurrence or the soul essentially seeking out the realization of certain experiences which creates samskaras, but either way there is a very good reason why it's all so familiar...

 

[pitubo]

Precisely. But what is the source of this obligation? Fear of missing out on something? Shame in not finishing what I started? Obviously only I know the real answer, but it doesn't appear to be clear to me right now.

I don't believe there can be any obligation in dmt itself. The very personal insights and issues that you encounter on dmt may very well carry some sort of obligation, on a very personal level.

Perhaps the dmt experiences are telling you that instead of smoking more dmt, you have to do something with the anxiety or whatever that it is that you keep running into when smoking dmt. The dmt may have done al it needed to do to point this out and perhaps it can do no more for you until you work on these matters yourself, without dmt.

Resolving these personal issues may be much more valuable than any happy, magnificent or blissfull trip that you may have on dmt. After all, those are only singular experiences that, however meaningful and relevant, cannot compare to the value and importance of your life on the whole.

Whatever you choose to do, if it is a choice of positive determination that you make with all of your heart, I think it is a good decision, whatever others' opinions may be.

 

[InLaKesh]

I guess the pretty answer that everyone wants to hear is "never," because you should never give up and work your ass off to get to whatever goal it is you're chasing. But when a hobby, which is supposed to be something enjoyable and pleasurable, something you look forward to doing for those few hours a week you're not grinding away at work, turns into nothing but an anxiety-riddled way to waste time, is it really worth doing? Is it really worth making yourself miserable to get to an end result that you're not even particularly proud of or satisfied with? At what point do you say "Well, I guess this just isn't for me. Time to move on?" Or the better question is: at what point can you admit to yourself that it's time to move on without pangs of guilt and an immediate shift to a negative, self-deprecating state of mind. Damned if you do, damned if you don't. :?

DMT is not always enjoyable and pleasurable.
Maybe you smoke it just once or twice a Year with a better "end result" ?
Just a suggestion.

 

[Akasha224]

[Deleted]

 

[anrchy]

Ya i figured, the topic threw people off i think.

Ive thrown thousands of dollars and hours into hobbies that i ditched. It happens. You can abandon it completely or temporarily. No harm no foul.

 

[Mistletoe Minx]

If its an artistic hobby then I think its just the nature of the beast that you sometimes feel hopelessly inadequate about it. Im like that about photography. Its wierd because sometimes I look at my stuff and think, thats great! but then often I just look at the stuff and think its absolutely awful. I mean worthless in every conceivable way. I lose every little bit of confidence in my ability. Worse still, now and again I get very positive reactions to my photos but If im not satisfied with them then it just counts for nothing. But its those dark moment which foster improvement really. You have to live for the times you make yourself proud.

 

[Ufostrahlen]

What I was referring to was a hobby that I've had for over a decade now, one in which I've invested thousands of dollars and thousands of hours, for what seems like nothing now.

But when a hobby, which is supposed to be something enjoyable and pleasurable, something you look forward to doing for those few hours a week you're not grinding away at work, turns into nothing but an anxiety-riddled way to waste time, is it really worth doing?

Well, you could always sell your stuff. And find a new hobby. What's the problem? I mean, why pursue a way that brings anxiety even though you have invested money. What's up with this thinking? You can feel down, because you've wasted money, but wasting time on something that doesn't bring joy is even more depressing.

 

[anrchy]

it isnt a waste of money if you enjoyed it, even for 1 second.

Money doesnt matter really. Unless you spent it carelessly when it should have gone towards some sort of responsibility then it wasnt wasted.

Why not live life experiencing everything you possibly can. If you get bored with something, move onto the next. Attaching an expectation to a hobby is redundant. Nothing is permanent and expecting to start a hobby and never quit it is unrealistic.

 

[Enoon]

It can feel good to quit something that is no longer giving you pleasure or doing anything positive in your life. It can be a relief to sell your stuff and let it all go. It can also be sad but that's just part of life. Moving on can be a great experience.

When is the right moment? It's a hard decision, I can immagine, especially if it's something you've been doing for a long time. Can you see yourself still doing it in a year from now? How does it feel to immagine that? What about immagining your future in a year from now without this hobby? How does that make you feel? Try to see which future you find more attractive. Perhaps that will give you a clue if NOW is the right time.

I've had to quit quite a few hobbies and other things, sometimes because I needed to for myself, and sometimes because situations forced me to. The transition period can be a bit akward, but then you move on, you find new stuff to do, new things that you can feel passionate about. Quitting one thing can lead you to starting something new and amazing. Life takes lots of unexpected turns. And if you find out you miss the thing you've quit, most of the times you can start again.

 

[Akasha224]

[Deleted]