A hobby is more than just a fun way to pass the time. Hobbies are wonderful for our creativity, cognitive development, and for our overall mental well-being. Whether it’s sewing, cooking, drawing, or writing poetry, having a hobby can help those suffering from depression or recovering from an addiction. It can also simply give us a way to de-stress after a long day in a way which binging a TV show does not, developing our skills, self-esteem, and sense of achievement.
Read on to learn about three great hobbies to pick up, either with your friends at a local class or online through tutorials.
Getting Started
Part of picking out a new hobby is figuring out how you’re going to learn. You can look for classes in your area, but these classes are often pricey, and you may be out of luck if you have a very busy schedule. If you want to learn a new hobby on your terms, check out some online tutorials instead. You can easily access these tutorials from any device.
If you’re going to be learning a new hobby in your home, you’ll want it to be a vibrant space that inspires creativity. Remove negative energy from your home by decluttering and cleaning. Pay special attention to cleaning your windows so extra light can enter your house. Once you’ve cleansed your home, you’ll be ready to get the most out of your new hobby.
Playing an Instrument
According to Time, just listening to music can be hugely beneficial for our mental health. However, actively playing it comes with a whole new host of benefits. There is a wonderful feeling of development and progress in learning to play an instrument, and a great sense of achievement every time you learn something new or nail a new song. Another more unexpected benefit of learning an instrument is that it is a great cognitive exercise that could help us stay sharp well into old age.
There are thousands of tutorials and websites dedicated to teaching you just about any instrument in the world. If you are just starting out in your musical education, you should pick a good beginner instrument to get you started, and you and your friends would be jamming in no time.
Knitting and Sewing
Long relegated to the realm of old grannies sitting on rocking chairs, knitting has had a resurgence of late. Once you try it out, it’s easy to understand why. As well as being quite soothing, the basic movement of knitting is quite simple, meaning you could be on your way to your first completed scarf within a few hours of learning.
Although once thought of as a hobby for older folks, sewing has become a popular trend among the younger generation. In addition to providing a host of benefits, sewing is also a practical skill that can be used for years to come. What’s more, you don’t need to enroll in an expensive class to get started; there are a number of incredible resources online to help you out.
Once you have a handle on the basic stitch, there is an endless array of patterns to learn in varying levels of complexity, so you’ll never be bored of your new hobby. Best of all, you can get lovely accessories and items of clothing out of it, which can also make great gifts.
Drawing and Painting
Painting may seem like a basic hobby, but the great thing about it is that there isn’t only one singular way to paint; there are all kinds of mediums. Painting with watercolors is a completely different experience to using oils or charcoals, and there is no limit on what you can create using these mediums. Some people love capturing expressions in portraiture, while others love replicating landscapes or even conjuring up fantastical pictures from their imagination.
Unlike some hobbies where there is an idea of doing something “right,” there is no “right” in visual art, so you’re free to just get lost in the creative process. Some people may find the endless possibilities of drawing and painting to be intimidating, but you just need to get over the fear of the blank canvas. Try these tips from Red Dot Blog to get you started, or you can use an app that can teach you how to draw.
These are just some examples of our favorite hobbies, but ultimately, the best hobby is one that you are passionate about. You will know when you try it. You will feel engaged and stimulated, yet relaxed, and time will speed by without you even noticing. The best way to find the hobby (or hobbies) that makes you feel this way is to try a few of them, so never stop looking for new activities to get excited about. It doesn’t matter if you book a class, join a local workshop or group, or simply start following YouTube tutorials: as long as you are engaging in something you love, you will feel the benefits.
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