10 Beneficial Hobbies Worth Trying
New hobbies offer an opportunity to get outside your comfort zone, pick up a new skill, and boost creativity. They also provide a great avenue to build a new social network and meet like-minded people who share your interests and passions.
Starting a new hobby can give you a new purpose. If you work a 9-5 job, your daily life could lack excitement, and a hobby could breathe new life into it.
But where do you start?
When choosing a hobby, think about your passions and interests. A hobby should be exciting enough for you to look forward to and dedicate some spare hours to it.
With today’s technology, getting basic information from blogs, YouTube channels, and online courses is easy, which means you can begin with little to no knowledge of the topic.
If you are ready to start a new hobby, here are several fields to consider:
1. Drawing
Drawing is a fun way to express your ideas and learn to think outside the box. It can also help you develop a better appreciation for art and understand paintings and sculptures that might not seemed to have a deeper meaning when you look at them in the past.
It’s also an excellent way to document your thoughts, and ideas, and push your creative boundaries.
Unlike some hobbies that require costly equipment and gear, drawing can be done with almost zero investment. As your skills progress, you can upgrade your tools, take classes, and seek professional critique.
2. Photography
Photography is one of the best hobbies that can help you push the boundaries of your creativity and see the world with new eyes.
As a photographer, you always have to seek out unique subjects for your images, to spur emotions in people. When you know how to use the camera, you can document many events and help your friends and family when they need a photographer for a special occasion.
Learning photography can also lead to lucrative opportunities and even become your full-time time job if you invest time and money into perfecting your skills.
3. Gardening
Consider gardening if you’re looking for a meditative hobby with some healing features.
Gardening can alleviate stress and improve your well-being, as you have to spend time outside, plant the seeds, and tend to grow plants. It’s also a great way to connect with nature and learn about plants.
If you take your hobby further and learn how to create aesthetic yard designs or care for plants, gardening can help you land clients and become a profitable side hustle.
People of all ages can start gardening, and even if you don’t want to make money with it, you can enjoy the benefit of growing your plants, fruits, and veggies.
4. Running
Running offers incredible health benefits, making it a perfect fit for anybody trying to get back in shape and clear their mind.
There are many reasons to run, from strengthening the heart and improving circulation to boosting the immune system.
Running also helps lower the risk of chronic conditions like heart disease, hypertension, and some cancers; and improves sleep quality.
With so many benefits, there’s no reason not to put on your shoes and hit that running trail!
5. Yoga
One of the most popular hobbies, yoga offers numerous ways to boost your immune system and overall health. Studies have shown that yoga contributes to healthy eating habits, helps to manage stress, and improves sleep.
While some yoga styles can be intense and more suitable for experienced yogis, there are also plenty of easier styles that are suitable for beginners, like hatha yoga, which focuses on breath control and physical postures, as well as restorative yoga, which allows you to practice stretching poses for up to 10 minutes.
6. Blogging
Blogging is an excellent outlet that provides a way to find like-minded people and build your community. Blogging has evolved thanks to technological advances and now you can use many platforms for blogging, from websites to YouTube, and social media.
If you have a specific interest or expertise, blogging is the best way to share your knowledge with the world. Blogging helps build brand awareness and you can establish yourself as a trusted authority on a subject.
Dedicated bloggers who create consistent content and engage with their audience can also reap excellent financial rewards including ad revenue, sponsorships, and affiliate sales. And if you take blogging seriously, it might even replace your full-time job.
7. Crafts
Craft is a perfect pastime for someone who wants to create something with their hands and enhance their creativity. Handmade items are unique and getting recognition for something you made with your hands is precious.
The rise of websites like Etsy and Amazon Handmade shows people still value hand-crafted pieces and are willing to pay big money.
Whether you want to knit a scarf, create a piece of jewelry, or weave a basket, making a brand new thing with your hand is a special and gratifying experience. Not only do you learn the value of your work, but you also create something from scratch in a world where most things are mass-produced.
Additionally, making something with your hands has a soothing effect and helps you shift your mindset from your day-to-day problems as you focus on the creative process.
8. Travel
Traveling is the best hobby to get outside your comfort zone. You get to explore new cultures, challenge familiar stereotypes, learn new languages, and become more aware of what’s happening around you.
It can also help you break out of your routine and make you a better listener and more interesting speaker. There are many different ways to travel, whether you want to hike and sail or spend time in all-inclusive resorts (or maybe both).
Travel is a privilege. Not everyone can afford to hop on a plane and fly to another continent, in the spur of the moment, but that doesn’t mean you can’t or shouldn’t travel.
Road-tripping to a new city or state could be an immersive experience. If your job allows you to work remotely, you can take getaways to new places in your country or within a close flying distance.
9. Playing an Instrument
Playing an instrument is a great skill for several reasons. Reading music while playing requires coordination between your hands, eyes, and sometimes feet, which can help to improve your multi-tasking ability.
By learning new music you can also develop a better appreciation for different genres of music.
Finally, playing an instrument allows you to express yourself creatively, whether you compose your music or interpret existing pieces.
10. Martial Arts
You will never regret learning self-defense because one day it could help you save your or someone else’s life. From Japanese karate to Korean taekwondo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, learning martial arts can boost your confidence, and improve focus and physical shape.
As you learn to fight, you acquire a warrior mindset, which makes you more resilient and humble. You also learn sportsmanship throughout the process, as you must follow directions from your instructor and apply the acquired skills in practice.
Humility is one of the most important values of martial arts, and by practicing these disciplines, you can also acquire stronger morals.
