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| Photo By: Pixabay |
By Maria Cannon
How to Find the Right Hobby for You
You’ve likely heard it at least once in your life: “You need to find a hobby.” Where exactly do you
find a hobby? Use these quick tips to get you on your way to finding the hobby that suits you best.
Do I Even Need a Hobby?
Before you start your search, you may be wondering if you really even need a hobby. In today’s world, many have given up on personal time in favor of devoting all their time and energy to work or families. However, taking time for yourself is the key to maintaining your sanity and coping with the stress of leading a full and busy life. A hobby is something you want to do, not something you have to do. They offer many benefits such as reducing stress, increasing happiness, learning new skills, boosting your self-confidence, and meeting new people, and can be especially therapeutic for people in recovery or those with mental health disorders.
Finding the time for a hobby could be the biggest obstacle. In the beginning stages, create a routine that allots time to pursue a hobby. You may have to leave the office a little bit earlier or give up watching television every night, but it is important to make your hobby a priority just like work, school, or family. Once you’ve got the right mindset, you are ready to find your new passion.
Look for Inspiration
If your mind is drawing a blank, look to your past for inspiration. What hobbies did you enjoy when you were a kid? Maybe you loved playing the piano, drawing, biking, cooking, or hiking. As we get older, it is easy to forget all the fun times we had as a child as those memories are quickly replaced with thoughts of bills, work, and daily stresses. You should also pay attention to what you enjoy now. For example, if you enjoy reading you could start a book club, volunteer at the library, take a writing class, or write your own novel.
If an idea hasn’t struck, you could go shopping for a hobby. Unfortunately there isn’t a catalog for you to browse through and have a hobby idea delivered to your front door, but you can walk the aisles of your local hobby or craft store in search of inspiration. Most craft-store projects are 90 percent complete, and finishing up that 10 percent could give you a new idea.
Don’t be afraid to try something new. Perhaps you’ve always wanted to give knitting a try but you don’t think there is any possible way you could create something worthwhile. Remember, a hobby is a learning experience, making it part of the fun and giving you a sense of accomplishment. The key is to find a hobby that meets your needs. Knitting is a great stress-reliever, and an excellent way to socialize with others and collaborate on projects together. In addition, knitting can be done just about anywhere, making it a hobby that travels with you. You’ll know the right hobby for you when you find it -- it just takes stepping out of your comfort zone and trying something new.
Look to Friends
After asking around, you may be amazed by how many hobbies your friends are already engaged in during their free time. In addition, a new activity is an excellent way to get introduced to a new social group, leading you to discover a new passion and make new friends.
If your friends can’t offer any help, browse the topics on Meetup and join a group. By joining a group, you can connect with people who not only share your interests, but have regular meetings scheduled, which will give you extra incentive to make time for your hobby. When you share an interest with other people, you have your own built-in social support group, too, which offers benefits that go beyond a shared interest in a certain craft or activity.
If a certain hobby group doesn’t yet exist in your area, consider organizing one of your own. And have fun with it! Come up with a fun name, set a regular meeting time and place, design matching t-shirts for the group to wear at meetings, schedule outings or events together. Make it what you want it to be - guaranteed there will be others interested in meeting up!
The key piece in finding a hobby is to never stop trying. Keep trying different activities until you find something you are passionate about. There is no limit to the amount of hobbies you can try, so what are you waiting for?
