Wort(s) and All

Hello friends, and welcome to our first ongoing series: “Wort(s) and All”. Take note: this is not to be confused with the homebrew club in Columbia Missouri (5 out 5 stars on Google though!). Join me as we use the humble art of brewing to explore life.

Next to golf, brewing beer might be the most frustrating activity in my life. I have literally dumped gallons of beer down the drain for multiple unanswered reasons. I lie awake in bed wondering where I screwed up. But that one crisp and flavorful batch reignites the desire to try it again. Before we move on, go ahead and look at the picture located below this post….I will wait.

Did you notice the dates on those pages? On December 25th 2011, I was given a tremendous opportunity. My dad gifted me the equipment necessary to run a one gallon brewing operation out of my then tiny college apartment (now I have a tiny adult apartment). I was ecstatic to get the party going and start my own brewery. Three years later I had brewed exactly one time. I thought and talked about brewing often, yet, one time in three years.

I used to beat myself up over my lack of brewing. Ashamed that I had abandoned my hobby and not made it a priority. When I fail to follow through on a goal I judge myself and that creates stress. But why? Do you think the goal cares that I didn’t execute 100%? Do you think others are judging me? As humans we fail to meet our goals all the time. Perhaps it’s that guitar you never practice, that book you never finished, or that trip you never planned.

So what did I do to stop beating myself up? I realized that life is not linear. Simply because we start something now does not mean we have to finish it within some arbitrary timeline. Priorities take precedence over interest. If your hobby isn’t a priority then don’t be surprised if it takes the backseat. And hobbies/interest are important! They make life an adventure.

No one wants to wake up and realize they spent the last 20 years only watching Netflix and eating Taco Bell. We want to wake up and know that exciting things are happening. The best way to control your life is to pursue your interest. Take charge and do what you want to do! Make yourself a priority! Because if you don’t, who will?