In a previous blog I eluded to the fact that I have way too many hobbies. The reason for that is that dentistry is a hard job. It's stressful from both a work and a business standpoint. Working in the mouth is just plain difficult. The stress level can be great. Hobbies help to wash away that stress and keep you healthy.

For me skimming across the water in a boat is like driving down the highway on a motorcycle without a helmet on. Catching a big fish is a huge stress reliever, but even better is the thrill of the hunt. Using your gear and knowledge to get you to the right spot and present the right bait in the right way at the right time to actually catch the fish is a real high. Fixing a broken car or working in the backyard is of equal value. Hobbies help us in so many ways.

Recently, I picked up a new hobby. (Like I really needed another one.) The ones listed above were just the tip of the hobby iceberg. This one, however, is helping me in many ways. I had fallen into a bad habit of arriving home from work and standing in the kitchen talking to my wife while she is finishing dinner preparation. I would eat a little of this and a little of that and then sit down to dinner. No way I needed a pre-dinner snack. So I decided to do something with that 20 or so minutes to keep me out of the kitchen and away from food. My answer was odd, I will admit, but awesome at the same time.

I bought a huge 12-foot long by 3-foot wide stand-up paddleboard. For those of you not familiar with paddleboarding, it's like standing on a huge, stable surfboard. While it is big, it only weighs 35 pounds and is easily handled. It all started years ago in Hawaii and is now catching on in my area.

So now I come home, kiss my wife hello, put on a bathing suit and drop the paddleboard in the pool. I jump on and for 20 minutes or so, floating around using the paddle to effectively move around the pool without touching the walls. I am instantly transcended into another world. I have to concentrate on what I'm doing and have no way to think about other things. Essentially, I am forced to relax. All the while I am getting a great ab and core workout without thinking about that either.

When I am called in for dinner, I am a calm, happy guy who is less stressed and hasn't spent the last 20 minutes eating a before-dinner meal. It's a win in so many ways. Soon, I will hit the beach with it to further challenge myself. As for now, I am happy with my newfound love and intend to take advantage of its Zen-like effect on me for as long as possible. Find your own stress relief and use it to its fullest. Mine may be weird to some but I think it's a pretty cool thing to do.