Hobby … What is a Hobby?

I struggled with “what is a hobby?” for years.  What makes a hobby, a hobby?  What is a good hobby?  What is just a waste of time?

Many years ago, I was told by a few people and some classes I took, that I should find a hobby (or a few hobbies) to help calm my mind and my soul and allow myself to decompress.  Honestly, I found the idea of trying to find a hobby extremely stressful.  What was a good use of my time?  What constitutes a worthwhile hobby?

At the time, I thought that hobbies were crafts, playing an instrument, or joining a club. Something useful. Something that allowed me to grow as a person. I believed that a hobby should at the very least pay for itself or possibly make extra income.

Let’s face it, I was doomed. I am not crafty. I can’t play an instrument. I am not really a joiner. I struggled a lot to find something I was decent at, that didn’t cost a lot of money, and was a good use of my time.

I failed. Miserably.

I gave up the quest and just worked more or dove into home projects that would show benefits.

Spring forward a few years and I am in the same boat - people are telling me to find a hobby.  UGH.  I am starting to hate the concept of a hobby.

But, I knew people were correct. I decided to take a much different approach to finding this elusive hobby.  I asked people what they did for fun and relaxation.  I asked what they considered a hobby to be.  I searched the internet for hobby ideas.  Most importantly, I gave up on the concept that a hobby should be useful and make money.  I realized from listening to others, that hobbies were meant to be time wasters (and not in a bad way). They were truly meant to calm your mind and soul. They did not need to be useful or even worthwhile. They were just meant to allow me to relax and find a different kind of peace.  I didn’t even need to be good at the hobby, as long as I enjoyed it.

So, I took up puzzles and word games. I painted my yard animals. I embraced picking weeds out of my landscaping while listening to a book on tape.  I realized that walking was a hobby and so was reading.  I began reading books for fun again and taking long walks in the nearby park.

I began to understand that my interpretation of what a hobby was my true issue.  I gave the word so much weight, that it was destroying my ability to grasp its true purpose and meaning.

I have realized now, that it is okay to allow yourself to enjoy the very simple hobbies life has to offer.  There is no right or wrong hobby.  And, most importantly, hobbies do improve your mind and soul. You just have to embrace them for what they are...an activity done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure.