Here's Why You Should Pick Up A New Hobby In 2023

"When you’re an adult, having a hobby can feel redundant. With the cost of living crisis, many people will struggle to find the money and time to do something purely for the sake of it.

But, there is joy in finding something to do for fun, and as we get older we sometimes forget what it feels like to try something new. Or maybe go back to something we previously enjoyed.

Overcoming the fear of learning something new

It’s clear that hobbies have the power to improve the quality of our lives, so why do adults have an initial fear to start one?

Eloise Skinner who is a therapist and personal development author says “as children, we were often encouraged to try many new things - we saw ourselves as beginners, starting from scratch to develop a new skill or ability.”

However, adults feel that it’s harder to put themselves back in this position. “It can feel uncomfortable to take ourselves back to the beginning of the learning process (especially if we’re re-adopting a hobby that we used to pursue in previous years). And it can be difficult to know where to start - many of us haven’t had an opportunity to pause, reassess our lives and examine what we’re really passionate about, and how we want to spend our time,” Skinner says.

How exactly do you choose a new hobby?!

Once we’ve figured out we have the time and money to take on a hobby, how do we decide which hobby we pursue?

Skinner advises that we start with a blank sheet of paper (or note in your phone), and write a full list of everything you feel passionate about.

“If you’re not sure, try answering the following questions: ‘what am I doing when I feel most excited, or most energized?‘, or ‘what would I do with my time if I had a day with no work or family commitments?’. By examining what we care about the most, we can often find a clue to our passions or interests.”

“Then, once you have some general themes or ideas, start researching. Searching online usually brings up a host of options, tutorials and guidance - perhaps try a search like: ‘[your hobby] for beginners’, or ‘local groups for [your hobby]’.”

If you’re thinking about starting your hobby journey, Skinner believes you should start slow and make sure you enjoy it. “It’s tempting to rush into a new hobby or interest - starting as a beginner can be incredibly exciting, and can come with a huge spike in energy levels.”

“But, if you’re looking to enjoy a hobby over the long term, take a more sustainable approach - explore slowly, look for gradual improvements in skill or ability, and appreciate the small improvements as they come,” Skinner adds."

Read the full article on The Huffington Post

✨Takeaway: Having something we can do for enjoyment adds a lot of joy into our lives. As we get older, we lose sight of this. For 2023, try to take the time to find a new hobby!

✨Reflection: What's a hobby that you would like to try out in 2023?

#Life #MentalHealth #Hobby #Hobbies #Wellness #Interest

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