Unleash Your Inner Child
When you’re a kid, finding a hobby is easy. In school, you’re introduced to a variety of activities, and during the summer you probably spent time at the pool, riding bikes, or climbing trees. Your childhood years are some of the most freeing and uncomplicated years of your life. Your joys were genuine, and your passions ran deep. When trying to decide what hobby to pursue as an adult, think back to the joys of childhood. If you loved riding your bike, consider starting up again or join a spin class. If you spent your time telling jokes and loved to make everyone laugh, join a comedy group or improv class. If you were into finger painting or watercolors, take an art class. Your passions rarely die, they simply evolve over time. As you begin your search for a new hobby, look to your old passions first.
Pick Something That Brings You Peace
Life can get loud, chaotic, and stressful. It’s important to find quiet moments during the day where you silence your frustrations. The right hobby can help you lose yourself to the moment and forget about the demands of your day-to-day life. There’s no one size fits all activity that will accomplish this goal since everyone is different, so you’ll need to figure out what kind of activity calms you personally. For some it might be learning a new instrument, for others it might be running to their favorite music or practicing yoga/meditation. Keep looking until you find what it is you’re looking for because everyone needs a break now and again.
Pay Attention
What you buy says a lot about you, and it could be pointing you to your new hobby. If you’re constantly looking at flowers or plants, you should consider starting a garden of your own. If art speaks to your soul, try painting or take a pottery class. Likewise, where you spend your time will tell you a lot about your passions. If you spend a lot of time listening to podcasts, start your own. If you enjoy binging episodes of Chopped, sign up for a cooking class. Often, your passions are staring you straight in the face. You simply have to pay attention.
Join a Friend
If you still don’t have a clue what hobby you would enjoy doing, tag along with a friend as they engage in one of theirs. Wake up early and go on a hike, take pictures for your Instagram, go rock climbing, try camping, or tag along to an aerial yoga class. You never know what might spark a hidden passion in you. And if you learn that you don’t want to pursue a hobby in photography or that camping isn’t your idea of fun, at least you got to spend time with a friend, so the experience wasn’t a total waste.
Searching for an activity that sparks fire in your soul is well worth the time and effort. While there’s nothing wrong with a good Netflix binge from time to time, it’s important to get out and live your life too. Finding the perfect hobby allows you to explore new passions, engage in something bigger than yourself, and meet new people who share your interests. So get off the couch and start looking.