Let's Talk About Hobbies

I've been passionate about hobbies my whole life. I love learning, collecting, researching and developing new skills. Some of these skills have proven useful in my career, and some are just for me to enjoy. Today we're gonna talk about the private ones. The ones that make life better and help us decompress at the end of a long day. 

Growing up together Emma and I had a LOT of hobbies including: horse back riding, gymnastics, basketball (yes really), writing children's books, knitting, line dancing, cooking, reading, acting, painting, drawing, singing, dying our hair (every color!), collecting vintage, cheerleading, photography, running, scrapbooking, wood working, beer making, sewing, baking, collecting and everything in between. It's fun to stay busy with stuff that makes you happy. Hobbies come and go over the years. I love the idea of always having a "current obsession". 

If you're in the market for a new hobby, here are a few tips to help you choose the right one for you...1. Find something that helps you forget your day and unwind. 

Running is my perfect "alone time" hobby. I like to run with headphones and listen to my favorite guilty pleasure music. I have time to think. I forget about work. When I'm done I feel renewed. I love all of these things. It's also a good hobby for my personality type, because I can make and achieve small goals, which is a huge source of motivation for me. Right now I'm working my way up to a 10 mile run and it feels amazing to get closer and closer to my goal. In the end the goals are secondary, though. What I get out of my hobby is that it sets aside time just for me. Some people may feel exactly the opposite, needing a social hobby instead.

2. Take inventory. 

Literally, look around your home and see if there are any neglected hobbies that you started but haven't completed. Last week our brother reminded Emma how she had been writing a children's book (this was four or five years ago), and she had totally forgotten about it! She never finished that project, and now she's thinking she might pick it up again, just for fun.

You also need to take inventory of your life and think about what kind of time you have to devote to a hobby. We are all busy, especially during certain seasons of life. So be honest with yourself about what kind of time you have to devote to a hobby and don't over-commit or try something that you just realistically can't accomplish. A hobby is something you should do for you and should make you feel good about yourself, not constantly sad that you aren't achieving as much as you think you should or are unable to really enjoy it.3. Explore things first.

If you're feeling stuck, try going to a hobby store and just walking around. You don't have to buy anything. Just look around and dream about what you might like to try. Talk to your friends and see what they are doing. Maybe you can join them? Or maybe they will give you an idea for a project you might like to try. And if possible, try things out before you commit (financially or otherwise). For example, if you're thinking you might like to try rock climbing, go with a friend and use their equipment before you dive in and commit to joining a gym or buying supplies. Use your mom's sewing machine and see if you like sewing before you buy your own. This may seem like a no-brainer, but I've definitely been guilty of making those impulse buys only to watch it later collect dust. Giving yourself freedom to explore different options is a great way to feel like you don't have to stick with something you end up not loving. Go ahead and dip your toes in the water!What about you? What hobbies are you in love with right now? What helps you relax? xo- Elsie (& Emma too)

Comments

[Joanna]

now that it's getting closer to spring I've noticed I have "winter hobbies" - like knitting and crocheting and drawing but in the warmer weather I tend to be more active and enjoying biking and swimming. Right now though, making music and baking are my go to hobbies! they really help me to just relax and mentally escape for a little bit.

[Raegan]

My hobbies are Photography and Crocheting right now. Although, I like to think of them more as a passion, really.
Love your blog!!!

-Raegan

[Talia Christine]

I kind of collect hobbies as a hobby. My focus on each one rotates depending on the season and mood and at the moment, I'm falling in love with sewing and spinning yarn again! Very relaxing.

♥ Talia Christine
http://taliachristine.blogspot.com

[Alice {sweet dreamer}]

I am a big fan of hobbies - puzzles, photography, running, journaling. So stress related to these activities - just enjoyment.

[Elyse]

My Project Life folder is my latest obsession! I love it. We moved from the UK to Canada and filling in the folder is my way of recording what we do, so we can share it with guests from the UK- they miss so many of the little things!

[natalia]

I do amigurumi, I quilt (small things), I blog (my favorite hobby), I do mosaics sometimes, I'm starting photography now and soon I'll go swimming too.

Speaking of hobbies! You (and your readers) might like this: http://witandwhistle.com/2012/05/23/hobby-compatibility-quiz-creative-dating-guide/

[Faythe]

I travel, if you consider that a hobby. My mother is a flight attendent so I get free flights and can fly anywhere anytime. If I have a stressful week I choose a place and take a break for the weekend.

[Britt @ Three Inch Stitch]

I am totally obsessed with embroidery right now, and I've turned learning about feminism into a hobby. I've also combined the two into creating feminist embroideries! :)

Http://threeinchstitch.blogspot.com

[Marielle]

Great post! I am too very passionate about the things I do. I love to draw and paint, lately I have started drawing in colouring books again. On the side I am writing an interactive children's book with friends, painting t-shirts on parties, running and learning to play the ukulele. And there are still a million other things I want to try, but I usually work in smaller projects (like doing a theatre or sewing course, running half a marathon, etc) :)

[Allyson]

Mine is totally photography. I don't know if I ever want to do it professionally/full time because it is so fun as a hobby. :)

Allyson
http://www.allysonwonderlandphotography.com/

[Laurali Star]

Taking pictures, working out, meditation, and online shopping are the hobbies that help me relax the most. Great read, girls!

http://www.girlsandhappiness.com

[Michal Lynn]

Reading was always a passion, but it wasn't until the last couple years that I started to collect more books, building my library and expanding my mind in the process!

More importantly, I fell in love with nail polish in 2011. I always felt that I did a terrible job painting my nails and so I avoided it altogether. But then I started to look up nail art blogs and YouTube channels and now I can't get enough of the stuff! I make sure to grab at least one polish from each new OPI collection when they are released (I like all of the brands, though!), I read up on tons of polish reviews and nail art crazes, and I get to express myself as well. It's been one of the greatest hobbies, and it came out of nowhere. :)

[Rebecca]

Right now, I'm all about photography. It started when I sold a few things around our house to earn the money to buy a camera- and of course since I had a newborn baby and a really handsome husband, it hasn't been hard to find subjects!

I'm also loving restyling old items- a coat of paint does so much!

www.memoriesinthemess.typepad.com

[laura]

What a beautiful post. I love hobbies and I definitely consider reading my favorite hobby (unlike some people who tell me I spend too much time reading. Is that even possible?).

Other than that I enjoy yoga, sewing, blogging, scrapbooking and all kinds of DIYs. Basically everything that relaxes me and makes me happy. I love trying new things and sharing my experiences on my blog.

[Holly]

I'm obsessing over learning to make clothes. I have not been able to find that perfect pair of jeans in a while, so the hubs asked why not make one? =)

[Nat]

I have lots of hobbies, and I always seem to make the mistake of buying all the supplies needed for a hobby that I've just begun -- which cost me money and space in the long run. (I'm really trying not to buy as much this year!)

I love this post to pieces! Perhaps a small feature on hobbies for each personality type? I'd love to explore some new hobbies!

xoxo,
Nat
Modern Buttercup

[Eva]

I especially not sewing at the moment but before that I was really into scrapbooking and jewelry. The last one was a short crush but the scrapbooking comes and goes. Besides of the sewing I also do some knitting, painting, grow my own herbs, horse back riding and making long walks with the dogs. I always have to many hobbies and always find some new thing to do too. The thing I'm currently interested in (but haven't started yet) is mosaics. Luckily for me I have a creative husband too, he builds his own wooden (model) planes and that gives an even bigger mess on the kitchen table ;) xx

www.creativityandchocolate.com

[Andrea]

Capturing and documenting life's moments! It's like a cross between Project Life and scrap booking. Newest hobby is blogging. And I just got back into jewelry making... Stop by my Etsy shop :) www.etsy.com/shop/Anakalui

[Davina]

Thanks for posting this!! I've been reconsidering what my hobbies/passions are lately..being a new mother, I now have more time to refocus on what I actually love doing vs. what I do for a living. It's true, as children we had a ton of hobbies and as we grow older, they become neglected when time is a luxury. I've been trying to rediscover these hobbies because I want to share them with my child when he's older! : )

[Sara Silver]

I love crafting as a hobby and now recently blogging about it...if you're going to do all that work you might as well show it off, right :) Great post.