Have you ever noticed that we tend to focus our attention on giving things up? When January looms,
we vow to cut out carbs and give up alcohol, and when Lent approaches, our focus turns to clearing all
traces of chocolate from the cupboards. While it can be hugely beneficial to give things that aren’t good
for you up, it’s also helpful to think about adding things to our lives. If you don’t want to make cutbacks
as part of your resolutions for 2019, have you considered enhancing your health and happiness by
taking up a new hobby?
we vow to cut out carbs and give up alcohol, and when Lent approaches, our focus turns to clearing all
traces of chocolate from the cupboards. While it can be hugely beneficial to give things that aren’t good
for you up, it’s also helpful to think about adding things to our lives. If you don’t want to make cutbacks
as part of your resolutions for 2019, have you considered enhancing your health and happiness by
taking up a new hobby?
The benefits of having a hobby
Bringing fun and enjoyment to your life and reducing stress
Increasingly, we devote time to work, looking after children or caring for relatives, and running our
households. More and more of us are using a lack of time as a reason for missing out on social
activities and the opportunity to devote time to things we enjoy. When you’re tired, you’ve been running
around like a headless chicken all day, or you’re stressed about work, you might not want to find the
time to do anything else, but having a hobby can help you use the time do you have constructively.
Sometimes, even if we don’t realise it, we need time out to clear our minds, distract ourselves from
whatever is getting us down or stressing us out, and to have fun. You can’t spend every waking hour
checking emails, sitting in meetings and clearing up after your kids. Everyone needs a little time to
themselves, and hobbies provide a really effective outlet. Hobbies can improve mental health, and they
can also build confidence and self-esteem.
households. More and more of us are using a lack of time as a reason for missing out on social
activities and the opportunity to devote time to things we enjoy. When you’re tired, you’ve been running
around like a headless chicken all day, or you’re stressed about work, you might not want to find the
time to do anything else, but having a hobby can help you use the time do you have constructively.
Sometimes, even if we don’t realise it, we need time out to clear our minds, distract ourselves from
whatever is getting us down or stressing us out, and to have fun. You can’t spend every waking hour
checking emails, sitting in meetings and clearing up after your kids. Everyone needs a little time to
themselves, and hobbies provide a really effective outlet. Hobbies can improve mental health, and they
can also build confidence and self-esteem.
Socialising
Another brilliant benefit of having a hobby is the opportunity to meet new people. Even if you have a
group of friends and a tight family unit, there’s nothing wrong with being open to forging new friendships
and spending time with people who have a shared interest. You never know who you could meet at a
pottery class or a choir rehearsal. You might meet somebody who becomes a mentor to you, you may
fall in love, or you might emerge with a new circle of friends.
group of friends and a tight family unit, there’s nothing wrong with being open to forging new friendships
and spending time with people who have a shared interest. You never know who you could meet at a
pottery class or a choir rehearsal. You might meet somebody who becomes a mentor to you, you may
fall in love, or you might emerge with a new circle of friends.
Health benefits
Hobbies are proven to benefit your mental health, but they can also boost physical health. If you’re
learning to ski, you’re taking tango classes, you’ve started playing golf, you’re jogging every day, or
you’ve joined a spin, yoga or Zumba class, this is going to benefit your body. Regular exercise
increases strength, stamina, and endurance, and it can also improve agility, balance, and flexibility.
If you have an active lifestyle, your risk of life-threatening illnesses will decrease significantly, and you’ll
feel great, as exercise triggers the release of happy hormones.
learning to ski, you’re taking tango classes, you’ve started playing golf, you’re jogging every day, or
you’ve joined a spin, yoga or Zumba class, this is going to benefit your body. Regular exercise
increases strength, stamina, and endurance, and it can also improve agility, balance, and flexibility.
If you have an active lifestyle, your risk of life-threatening illnesses will decrease significantly, and you’ll
feel great, as exercise triggers the release of happy hormones.
Picture taken from https://pixabay.com/en/women-yoga-classes-asana-fitness-1178187/
Learning new skills
Hobbies can be great fun, but they can also be incredibly useful. A new hobby can enable you to learn
new skills and it could even open doors in terms of your career. Consider the impact of learning a
language, for example. Having the ability to speak different languages makes you more employable,
and it could broaden your horizons. You could look for a job that enables you to travel more or you
could even consider working abroad.
new skills and it could even open doors in terms of your career. Consider the impact of learning a
language, for example. Having the ability to speak different languages makes you more employable,
and it could broaden your horizons. You could look for a job that enables you to travel more or you
could even consider working abroad.
Getting out of your comfort zone
Many of us are set in a routine, and we rarely take the time or the opportunity to broaden our minds or
challenge ourselves. Hobbies offer us the chance to get out of our comfort zones, test ourselves, and
try new things. There’s no harm in giving an activity a go or shaking up your routine a bit. It’s always
worth being open-minded. You might fall head over heels for a new activity and find that it changes
your life. Alternatively, if you take a class and you don’t like it, you don’t have to go again.
challenge ourselves. Hobbies offer us the chance to get out of our comfort zones, test ourselves, and
try new things. There’s no harm in giving an activity a go or shaking up your routine a bit. It’s always
worth being open-minded. You might fall head over heels for a new activity and find that it changes
your life. Alternatively, if you take a class and you don’t like it, you don’t have to go again.
Doing what you love
When you have a hobby, it’s comforting to know that you don’t have to excel at something to enjoy it.
You might assume that you’re no good at art, for example, because you weren’t a high achiever in this
subject at school. Just because you’re not a budding maestro doesn’t mean that you won’t enjoy a
drawing class or find happiness in getting some paints and a sketchbook out from time to time.
Spend time doing what you love and remember that nobody is going to judge you. You’re not on a
talent show or in a class at school.
You might assume that you’re no good at art, for example, because you weren’t a high achiever in this
subject at school. Just because you’re not a budding maestro doesn’t mean that you won’t enjoy a
drawing class or find happiness in getting some paints and a sketchbook out from time to time.
Spend time doing what you love and remember that nobody is going to judge you. You’re not on a
talent show or in a class at school.
Image courtesy of https://pixabay.com/en/oil-paints-color-soluble-in-water-260022/
If you’re looking for a positive step forward to start 2019 on the right foot, why not take up a new
hobby?
hobby?
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