What Fills Your Cup?

Competitive ball room dancing filled my cup for a moment.

On a recent sunny September day, I had lunch with one of my favorite people. My friend Eve and I meet every few months at the same time and the same place. After two hours, we wrap things up, but I always leave feeling like I could sit, share, and laugh with her all day!

At one point, our conversation turned to my baking, crafting, homemaking, and all the things that fill my cup. She said, “I love that. I don’t know what fills my cup.”

That got me thinking… How can we all make sure we’re filling our cups? And what does that really mean?

Over the years, I’ve had so many things fill my cup! (Remember, I’m your friend with an extensive list of jobs and hobbies.)

Teaching fitness classes filled my cup for 30 years. I loved it, but when I made the decision to hang up the Reeboks and leg warmers, I happily didn’t look back.

Baking has always filled my cup in different ways. Whether I was baking birthday cupcakes for one of my cherubs or baking for a holiday boutique, I had a full cup.

Our cups can be filled by different things throughout different chapters of our lives. Maybe it’s our career. Maybe it’s retirement. Maybe it’s being a mom, traveling, volunteering, creating, or simply having more time for ourselves.

It can change with the seasons of our lives—or with our hormones!

A year and a half ago, I was done with all things homemaking. I didn’t want to bake, cook, or clean. All of a sudden, those things didn’t fill my cup anymore. (Remember? I didn’t want to be a wife or mom either.)

As we’ve already discussed, a quick check of my hormones showed my numbers were very low. HRT made all the difference, and now my homemaking cup runneth over!

(I know cooking and cleaning may not sound like a happy, full cup to some, but I genuinely like it. It makes me happy. Not all day, every day—but every day.)

So, how do we fill our cups?

Try something new. Or revisit something that made you happy in the past. It doesn’t have to be permanent or long-term. It can fill your cup for a day, a few months, or a few years.

It can even be something you only do once a week. My weekly hikes with my friend Erma fill my cup to the brim.

Talking to my childhood friend makes me happy and, therefore, fills my cup—even though it may only happen a couple of times a year.

Maybe volunteering fills your cup. It will definitely make you feel better. (My mom always says, “Feeling down? Do something for someone else.”)

Maybe it’s a walk or bike ride before work. Or a fun dance class one evening a week.

I once heard a quote about how what your 12-year-old self wanted to be or do could point you toward your true passion. As kids, we dream without limitations. What made you happy then?

It’s never too late to check something off your dream list.

For 30 years, I wanted to wear a fabulous dress and compete in ballroom dancing. The stars aligned, and five years ago, I did just that! It filled my cup for about a year, and I gained a whole new appreciation and respect for the art.

I know we’re all busy, and you might be saying, “Mindy, I don’t have time to take a dance class or figure out what fills my cup.”

But you do.

And you must.

Life is a balancing act. YOUR happiness is part of that balance.

Remember this:

“Always fill your own cup first, then allow the world to benefit from the overflow.”

Now, what is it that fills your cup?

Xoxo,

Mindy