How to find a hobby is something I have been researching a lot lately. Since I graduated from college and found a full-time job, I have so much time on my hands. It is so much time that I don’t know how to fill it. I end up feeling depressed and like I am wasting my days.
Recently I went on a date and one of the questions he asked was “What are your hobbies?” And sadly, I didn’t know how to answer that. The same was true when he asked what I did in my free time. No one wants to answer “Well I watch TV or scroll through my phone.”
It made me realize that so much of my free time was because I didn’t have hobbies. So I have spent the last few weeks learning how to find hobbies.
First, are hobbies even still a thing?
The answer is, yes! And you probably have hobbies without realizing it.
Just simply Google the definition of a hobby.
A hobby is considered to be a regular activity that is done for enjoyment, typically during one’s leisure time
When I look back at all the things I did in high school, I was so busy! I always had a project I was working on or a new skill I wanted to learn. I was always hobby-hopping to the next thing.
But once I started college I lost all of that motivation. All my energy was spent on studying and doing homework. I no longer had the brain power to learn a new skill or keep up with my other ones. So I gave up doing the things that interested me.
This is normal though. Very few people have the time in college to focus on a hobby. Most people might choose one or two things they are passionate about to keep working on over the years, but it is okay if you don’t. It is normal to graduate after college and feel like you don’t have anything interesting about yourself.
Sadly, social media has started to ruin hobbies.
We all know that everything on social media is fake. But we all still fall for that feeling of not feeling good enough at the things we do. The same is said for hobbies. We feel like everyone else does it better than us.
But now there is a new thing that is ruining hobbies. And that is the goal of making money.
Whenever I try to research a new hobby, it is always someone talking about how to do that thing to make money.
It is one of the reasons why I struggled to start a hobby blog. No one was doing it for fun. Everyone was concerned about their stats and what steps they needed to do next to make money. I joined groups hoping to make blogger friends but every post was asking about how to get pageview, how to get brand deals, or other money-related questions.
There is also a wide shared belief across social media that you should have three times of hobbies. One to keep you physical, one to keep your creative, and one to make passive income.
It is a great idea. But as someone who is struggling to find one hobby, it brings a lot of pressure. It no longer feels like you are trying to find an interest, it feels like you are trying to find a part-time job.
The secret to knowing how to find a hobby
It is easier to find a hobby than you think. Hobbies don’t need to be fancy.
This is something I struggle with. Since moving to Colorado, it feels like my hobbies aren’t actual hobbies. Everyone here is running races and winning prizes, being shared on brands’ social media. It begins to feel like something isn’t a hobby unless you are known for it.
But that is not true. Just by looking at the definition of a hobby, it can be anything you enjoy and spend your time doing. Look at your interest now, are there things you spend time researching and focusing on? Chances are that you already have a hobby and don’t realize it.
For example, I am a reader. I never considered that a hobby because I had nothing to show for it. But it is something that I love and spend my time doing. It is something I talk to my friends about research all the time. A hobby does not have to be a complicated thing.
If you are still struggling, here are a few ideas to help you start finding a hobby:
- Make a list of interests and things you want to try. Choose one and set a time frame. Spend a week to a month focusing on it. Learn everything you can, practice, and share it with others. Then at the end of your time frame, decide if you want to keep going or choose something else.
- Look back to when you were younger. Were there hobbies you used to do? Try working on one of those again and see if you are still interested.
- What do you watch on social media? If you love to watch cooking videos or dance videos, try that! Or even try making your own content for social media. Videography and photography are great hobbies to have.
Hobbies to try if you are still stuck.
It is easy to tell someone how to find a hobby. It is another thing to come up with a hobby for yourself. That is why I created a list of hobby ideas to help you find something you’re interested in.
Creative Hobbies
- Photography or videography. Create the content and then learn how to edit it.
- Blogging. Start an online journal to document your life.
- Painting, drawing, etc. And sort of artwork. Creating an art journal is a great example.
- Content creation. Dive deeper into editing and learning different styles of content creation.
- Writing. Write a book or join writing groups.
- Jewelry making. Make yourself or your friends something to wear.
Physical Hobbies
- Running races. Train for different races. Try and create PRs.
- Taking or teaching group fitness classes
- Lifting weights or just going to the gym
- Swimming
- Daily walks. List to a podcast, take some pictures, or use the time to explore.
Cozy Hobbies
- Baking or cooking. Get into learning the science behind it by reading books. Learn how to create your own recipes
- Reading. Join a book club or create your own.
- Video games. This is very much a hobby even though it doesn’t seem like it.
- Knitting or crocheting. Learn how to make yourself a beanie or summer crop top.
- Self-care. Get into learning about skin care. Or learn how to do your own manicures.
It is easy to do once you know how to find a hobby
Once you know how to find a hobby, the ideas are endless. It is important for us to find hobbies and ways to fill our time. It also helps us find communities to be a part of. Now it is time to go out and explore what interests us.
Lovingly, Lex
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