What do you do that gives you a buzz/sense of achievement?

[Helpaladyoutplease]

I'm married with a 6 year old and 8 year old and looking for ideas from other people of how they get a buzz/excitement in their lives? I've very content, i love my husband and kids, nice home etc and hobbies i love like singing in choir but i'm keen to get a little bit of the feeling of pride/buzz i used to get in the past. To give some concrete examples, i used to write speeches and do comms for a charity and when someone delivered a speech i wrote or i got an article in a broadsheet i would feel a buzz. Or i would be whizzing off on a train friday night to cornwall for a weekend away. Or securing an award for my school when i started teaching which came with a pay rise. I've been teaching 15 years and, whilst it's fine and i'm good at it, there is zero buzz from it so it won't come from work. Between the behaviour, workload, lack of pay, pressure and crammed curriculum there is no room for fun anymore in teaching. I almost changed jobs this year but it wasn't going to work well with my kids so i decided to stick with teaching for now. So what things do you do that give you a real buzz/massive sense of 'yess!!!' that i can try around work and kids etc. Any ideas welcome! (I didn't like wild swimming although i can see how others do get a buzz from it and long distance running is been there, done that for me.)

speak Spanish or any other language to a good level ☺️ also I'm trying to learn the piano and have a digital piano at home but have made no progress because of my own inconsistency so I can't count this yet! I hope to be able to play a piece of music for my family one day

Weightlifting.

And as @cafesandbookshops said, languages - I learned some Norwegian for a recent holiday & got a real sense of achievement from using it.

That's really interesting it's languages for both! I can see that would give a good sense of achievement

I sea swim all year.

For me, it's creating something. Either illustrating, photography or writing a book. I do these as a little creative business (also a teacher).

I agree with languages and travel. Don't get to travel so much these days, but still feel excited when I do. And got a definite sense of achievement when I learnt Italian.

Running.
weights.
selling stuff on Vinted 😂

Knitting. I did sell some stuff years ago, Christmas bits. The buzz I got from thinking I made something that other people liked so much they parted with money for, and had them in their home over Christmas...Good luck, I hope you find something you really enjoy and get that buzz back for you.

Performing in plays and at festivals, a distance learning degree in a challenging hobby subject. There's something very satisfying about being able to pursue those interests without the burden of actually having to make money doing it for a living (which I know from friends is actually quite miserable).

And crochet! I’ve never sold anything, but I make baby blankets & cat blankets for friends & there’s a definite buzz from seeing the receipients enjoying them.

Getting my writing published. Taking outstanding photographs. Beating my friend Rob at Scrabble,

Wow, thankyou all! I've realised it's probably me not letting myself make time alongside school work and letting school work consume my life. The fact there is another teacher on here managing a creative side business alongside teaching makes me think maybe i'm giving too much of my time and self to teaching...

I don’t have kids & I’m in a job with fairly flexible hours, & I think both of those do make it a lot easier to spend time doing stuff that gives me the buzz you’re talking about.

Last year I changed schools and became head of dept. It was so hard last year, but I am so inspired by my work now. The sense of purpose is very buzzy. I also agree with languages/travel, and swimming/running. Maybe you can sign up for a half marathon or something?

Baking for others
a bike ride on a Sunday morning getting in 28 miles in 2 hours is a good buzz to start the day

Weightlifting. I got a deadlift PB last week and that left me buzzing for days!

You also don’t need to go to a gym to start weightlifting, although it’s my preferred way. Plenty of MNers do it at home with instruction from YouTube.

exercise that makes me feel big and strong. It’s such a self esteem and confidence boost for me and as a woman I think it’s good to feel physically powerful, if possible, in a world where our safety is threatened regularly

Hiking and scrambling up mountains and hills.
Fundraising for charity

But I have had issues with my back and heart issues for a good couple of years now.

I recently managed to get to the top of Carrauntoohil, Irelands highest mountain Towards the end of last year I got three quarters of the way up the Watkins path on Yr Wyddfa. It was impossible to go further due to weather conditions. My cardiologist said don’t stop doing it just be careful.

Volunteer with Scouts. Example: hearing a 7 year old say to his friend "that was really fun!" after they've hidden in a tarpaulin den I showed them how to build. Presenting a Gold Chief Scout Award to a teen who's not an academic superstar. Etc.

Reformer Pilates. I know it’s having a ‘moment’ and is full of the lululemon girlies with their matchas, but, honestly, it gives me a buzz like no other exercise. And is easy on the joints; mat Pilates hurts my back and yoga hurts my knees.

Failing that, walking up a steep hill without stopping works for me too! But not so good in the rain…

Indoor bouldering. And knitting. Not at the same time of course! The bouldering is amazing, I'm not the best or flashiest of climbers but if I complete a hard climb it's a huge sense of achievement.
I also started to refresh my memory on two languages I studied decades ago at school and have been doing at least one short lesson on a language app every day for nearly three years, I do get a buzz from being able to understand more and more.

Why not run writing competitions at your school? You could offer help to students writing entries and have an awards night. Might offer a bit of buzz?

For me? I keep doing extra degrees. Every first I get is a buzz. Currently on number 3…

How did you get into performing? I’d love to perform in a play again but everything around me seems professional and I don’t have the ability to make it my career.

Karate - moving up the ranks (or even just being able to push myself a little further in class) can be so satisfying. Also, growing plants and managing to keep then alive is an achievement for me lol.

Some of these are really impressive. I like DIY which isn’t as amazing as some of the
things on here but I get a buzz after I’ve finished my latest project…. Looking at it thinking I did that brings me joy. Fortunately we bought a fixer upper two years ago so lots to keep me going!

It sounds corny but I get a massive buzz out of my kids. I have 6 of them and the oldest two belonged to my ex and his partner before me. Unfortunately their mum died and they went non contact with their dad as he was an abusive arsehole and they became part of our family with me and my new husband.
Despite a pretty shit start to life they have turned into amazing humans. My other four are pretty great too and I get a massive buzz seeing them all doing well and experiencing things for the first time.