Stress? What stress?

I am prone to anxiety. I have never had a full-fledged anxiety attack, but my anxiety usually manifests itself in much subtler ways. When things start getting harry or hectic, I start crawling inside myself. I don't like to show my anxiety, or any "negative" emotion for that matter, to other people. The last few months of my life have been very stressful. In less than six months, my best friend got engaged, I got enagaged, I graduated from college, all of my friends moved to other states, I got my nursing liscense, I started my first real job, and I started working nightshift. I LOVE my job as a labor and delivery nurse, and I can't imagine doing anything else. But being a new nurse is also terrifying, because people's lives are literally in your hands. I'm very excited for my best friend, but she's my Maid of Honor and five weeks my wedding it's my turn as her Matron of Honor! I am having fun planning my wedding, but as anyone planning a wedding can attest to, it can get stressful! Between all this, as well as just being a financially independent grown-up for the first time ever, I've been a little anxious!

So I decided it was time for a hobby. My only requirements were that it be something to get me off my butt, something friendly to beginngers, and something fun! I googled around for adult rec teams in Charleston to no avail. Then I stumbled upon my asnwer: ROLLER DERBY!!! Roller derby has changed a bit since the 1980's fake wrestling style show, though it still has some of that element to it. By some incredible stroke of luck, there is a brand new team starting up here in Charleston, and they are welcoming people with no experience (and by no experience, I mean I haven't been on skates in over a decade). I went to a practice to watch and decided it looked as awesome as I hoped, so I took the plunge and ordered skates and pads! I am very shaky on the skates, but I can already feel it coming back to me (I skated a lot when I was a kid). Making the evening practices will be a challange because I work nights, but I'm pumped about starting a new hobby AND being more active.

Have you started or reignited a passion for a hobby since getting engaged? What do you do for your "me time?"