One of the worst parts of living in the 21st century is the pace of life: it seems as if there’s never enough hours in a day to get everything accomplished. In the bustling chaos that our life sometimes becomes, we tend to forget ourselves and what’s really important.
That’s where hobbies come in, to remind us that the choices we’ve made so far have a solid reasoning and that enjoying ourselves every once in a while will only help us. If you doubt the positive effects hobbies can have on our lives, here’s seven reasons to convince you in the pure goodness they carry within:
Stress relief
When you’re feeling overwhelmed, hobbies are there to help you de-stress and relax. I’m partial to reading and picking up a book that not only takes me to a new universe, but also has an unwinding effect on me.
Social interaction
Hobbies are a great way to meet people who enjoy doing the same things as you. There’s nothing more rewarding than finding a person with the same interests– it puts friendship on the fast track.
Challenges
There are tasks that take time to learn and perfect, and many of them fall into the hobby category. For instance, I recently took up playing the guitar and it’s proving to be a challenging endeavor – it takes a lot of hard work, practice and patience.
Personal growth
Hobbies will open your eyes to a new world of possibilities and help you understand the perspective of others better. Reading has helped me develop empathy and has taken me places I’ve never even dreamed of visiting – teaching me lessons along the way.
Self-confidence
If you’re good at something, you’ll start feeling pretty confident in yourself and this is precisely what hobbies encourage.
I learned to read at age five and have been an avid reader since, which means that I have the advantage anytime information is presented to me in a written format: I can process it and respond to it faster. The fact that I’m aware of this makes me confident in myself, and that confidence shows in my interactions.
Productivity
When you have a hobby you never have to worry about being bored or wasting your time. Instead, you will explore your interests, develop skills and improve knowledge while having fun.
Enrichment
When people ask you what you do in your free time, hobbies prevent you from standing there and scratching your head in puzzlement. Sharing your hobbies with others makes people more interested in what you like and more vested in you as a person.
25 hobby ideas to get you started
This list of reasons to take up a new hobby has hopefully convinced you to try some new things out, and here are my top 25 suggestions:
- Reading
I’m a big supporter of relaxing with a good book. Make yourself a cup of coffee and start exploring new universes. Each book is a new life lived.
- Cooking
Testing out different recipes and learning about new cultures through their cuisine can never lead you astray. Experiment a little with your diet and expand your horizons.
- Fishing
The water, the fishing rod and silence: just you and the nature, at peace with each other.
- Sewing
Design new outfits for your children’s dolls and move up to creating your own clothing articles – nothing is more unique than what you yourself create.
- Crafts
A sea of personalized projects is just waiting for you to choose one and get started: play around with colors, fabrics and unleash your creativity.
- Exercising
Choosing to do sports will make you happier and healthier, due to the released endorphins and benefits of exercise.
- Gardening
Grow your own vegetables and never have to wonder about the origin of your salad again.
- Writing
Create universes, play with characterizations, understand human psychology better and let your imagination take over.
- Hiking
Explore nature around you, while toning your body and meeting new friends.
- Photography
Learn what makes a photo great, play around with lighting, angles and shadows.
- Travelling
Meet people from other cultures, learn about countries’ histories and gain a better understanding of the world.
- Scrapbooking
Keep all your memories in one, beautiful, hand-crafted place.
- Woodworking
Instead of trying to find the perfect shelf, build yourself one – it will leave you feeling more empowered than ever before.
- Drawing
Create sketches of the world around you and train your hands to actualize masterpieces.
- Dance
Let loose and let your body do the talking: master the movements of various dances and learn their main components.
- Origami
Let your hands create something beautiful and learn patience along the way.
- Baking
Bake delicious treats and see people perk up in search of baked goods as you walk into the room.
- Puzzle-solving
Work on your logic skills with crossword puzzles or jig-saw puzzles. After a while your brain will astonish you by how fast it can pick up patterns.
- Model Building
Learn to be patient and meticulous while building complex and detailed structures.
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- Backpacking
Figure out the challenges of putting everything you need in one backpack and setting off; learn about yourself and other along the way.
- Calligraphy
Never be embarrassed when you sign a card again. Become the go-to card-writing person instead.
- Embroidery
Make personalized blankets, create your own patterns and see how detail-oriented you really are.
- Knitting
Equip your loved ones with warm clothes and help them bundle up for the winter.
- Candle Making
Experiment with ingredient combinations and find your personal, distinct scent.
- Volunteering
Improve the lives of others by staying active in your community and gain a sense of humility in the process.
No matter which idea you choose to go with, there’s no better day to start than today. Good luck!
