Are you feeling stuck-in-a-rut, restless and frustrated?
Well, it might be time to get yourself a hobby. The benefits of having a hobby has been proven over and over and research even goes as far as to say that people that enjoy a hobby are less likely to suffer from stress, depression and low self-esteem. In general, people with hobbies have a better state of mental health.
Finding a hobby that you love is a great, healthy escape from mundane daily chores and work stressors. It allows you the opportunity to get lost in something that is not work related and completely occupies your thoughts for a short period of time. A hobby can be something that the whole family enjoys together and strengthens that family bond or it can be something that you alone enjoy and benefit from.
In today’s very busy lifestyle it is sometimes difficult to find time to just relax. Having a hobby that you enjoy is a great motivator for making time for yourself and forces you to take a much-needed break.
But where do you start if you have no hobbies and what should you focus on? This article focuses on the 5 pillars of a balanced life and we strive to find a hobby to support each one of them.
The 5 pillars are :
Finding a hobby that supports each one of these notions might sound overwhelming, but fear not, you might have some of them already in place.
Let’s look at some of these hobbies to support a healthy lifestyle:
1. Have a hobby that makes you money!
Everyone needs a side-hustle these days to bring in a bit of extra cash, so might as well do something that you enjoy. Technology and online shopping platforms have made it super easy to sell your products to the public. Also, having photo quality cameras on our phones make it easy to take proper pictures of your products. You can even find hundreds of YouTube videos to show you how to style your products so they look amazing!
Platforms to consider selling your handmade goods include:
- Facebook Marketplace
- Takealot
- Loot
- Etsy
Another option is to sell your products directly to the public through markets and craft expos like Hobby-X.
2. Get a hobby that keeps you in shape
Walk, swim, rollerblade, dance, hike, trampoline or just wiggle, but get that body moving. Healthy living is part of having a balanced life and with so many options to choose from these days there is something for everyone. It also has the added benefit of getting those happy hormones pumping making you feel terrific afterwards. Experiment with new ways of getting that 30 minute workout in and you will soon find something that will make you smile instead of sigh.
3. Get a creative hobby
Expressing yourself through any form of art or creating something from scratch leaves you with an incredible sense of accomplishment. It brings joy and happiness and allows you to explore your feelings and emotions through visual elements. When we think of creative hobbies, crafts always come to mind first, but have you ever considered cooking as a creative hobby or gardening? Building a garden from scratch, designing the layout and working the ground can be just as creatively inspiring as creating a painting or sculpture. Cooking has the added benefit of filling your belly and the joy of sharing your feast with the people that you love. Writing is also a great way to express creativity and an excellent way to take stock of your day.
4. Get a hobby to build knowledge
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Have you ever tried to learn a new language or tried to take a memorable picture? Long gone are the days where you can only acquire knowledge from a formal institution. Today there are so many platforms that will help you fast track your learning by skipping over the boring stuff and just teaching you what you need to know. You can do a ton of courses on sites like Udemy and Skillcraft, from how to edit in photoshop, to learning about graphic designing. Whatever you can think of, there is a course available on the internet. Into crafts? Then check out a site like Creativehobbieshub.com for a variety of different crafts. Remember, just experimenting with a new form of craft is also a way of expanding your knowledge - for example, if you love doing mosaics you can try your hand at mixed media projects.
5. Get a hobby to evolve your mindset
Meditation or spirituality are the words that come to mind when we think of our mindset. Our mindset is also heavily influenced by the people we surround ourselves with and can be very helpful or harmful. Taking time to self-reflect on things is a great way to evolve your mindset.
Here are some things to think about during that time:
- How is my self-talk?
- What words do I use to describe things? Are they negative or positive?
- Am I acting the way I’m thinking or thinking the way I’m acting?
- Learn & Apply.
- Am I surrounding myself with people that share my mindset?
- What habits can I change to support the mindset that I want to have?
- When last did I do something outside of my comfort zone?
Have fun experimenting and exploring these options and you will find that life just seems a little easier when you have a hobby or 5.