When was the last time you actually worked to live instead of lived to work? If that question made you pause, this episode is for you. We are talking all about hobbies, identity, and what it really takes to build a life outside of real estate so the business doesn't swallow you whole.

We share our own origin stories with work (Alissa skipping soccer practice to pick up shifts, Katy with a sock drawer stuffed full of babysitting cash) and dig into why so many of us are wired to grind and how that wiring quietly becomes a problem. Real estate has a sneaky way of taking over your nights, your weekends, your group texts, and eventually your sense of self, and we are pulling back the curtain on how to take some of that back.

We get into the difference between active leisure and passive leisure, why a hobby is actually identity preservation, and the science-backed perks (lower cortisol, faster recovery, better creativity, more interesting conversations) that come from having something you do just for you. Plus, the hobbies we are eyeing for ourselves, a hard truth about turning every hobby into a side business, and a little perspective shift from Dolly Parton herself.

Here's what we cover in this episode:

- Why some of us are genetically wired to overwork (and how to set boundaries around it anyway) - The story of how we both fell in love with working way too young - How real estate slowly steals your nights, weekends, and identity - Active leisure vs. passive leisure and why bingeing Netflix isn't a hobby - The science-backed benefits of hobbies: lower cortisol, lower blood pressure, faster recovery, more creativity - Why your hobby is actually identity preservation, especially in seasons of motherhood and career growth - The Stephen Covey quote that will change how you think about your calendar - Why you should stop turning every hobby into a business (looking at you, achiever brains) - The "Am I safe right now?" anxiety reset that puts real estate stress in perspective - The hobbies we are personally trying to pick up this year - A word-of-the-year practice for balancing work and ease

Key quotes from this episode:

- "Don't lose yourself for a career that would replace you immediately if you left." Alissa - "Working hard for something we don't care about is called stress. Working hard for something we love is called passion." Katy quoting Simon Sinek - "Hobbies don't just give you something to do, they give you someone to be." Katy - "I'm trying to convince my body that I'm not being chased by a bear right now, I'm just trying to write a repair request." Alissa - "Don't get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life." Katy quoting Dolly Parton

Products, people, and previous episodes mentioned:

- Stephen Covey on scheduling priorities - Simon Sinek on passion vs. stress - Dolly Parton quote on making a life vs. making a living - Dirks Bentley, "Living" - Kenny Chesney, "Don't Blink" - The Shawshank Redemption ("Get busy living or get busy dying") - NASA on Instagram - Word of the year practice

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review and share it with another agent who needs a permission slip to pick up a hobby. And don't forget to send us your toast at [email protected].

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Music:

Straight A's by Connor Price → https://connorprice.shop/

The Good Life by Summer Kennedy → https://soundcloud.com/summerkennedy/the-good-life

Be The One by Matrika → https://uppbeat.io/t/matrika/be-the-one