10 Hobbies For Your Body and Mind
There’s a common notion that stems from “hustle culture” that you should always be hurried, productive, and hustling every waking minute, but working around the clock isn’t actually good for you. If you don’t take breaks and make time for enjoyable leisure activities and hobbies it starts to take a toll both physically and psychologically. It’s healthier to have a nice balance of work and play in your life.
Here are 10 hobbies for the mind and body that can help expand your horizons and your happiness level.
1. Get Cooking
Learning to be a better cook is one of the best hobbies you can master. It can be as complex or as simple as you like. If you typically make the same meal day after day, try mixing it up with a new cuisine, tool, or even technique you’ve never tried before.
2. Get Into Focus With Photography
If you have a smartphone, you already have a camera in your pocket everywhere you go! Why not take a little more time to learn about composition, subject matter, and lighting? Photography can be an incredibly rewarding hobby to capture and preserve your best memories.
3. Learn to Knit
Knitting ranks high on the list of most relaxing hobbies. Any avid knitter will tell you it’s like meditating. Repetitive motion is soothing and can activate the same relaxation response as yoga and other mindfulness practices.
4. Jump Into Jewelry Making
Get in touch with your creative side with jewelry making. It helps increase your fine motor skills, challenges you in a good way, and is just plain fun! Don’t be surprised with all the compliments that will come your way when you wear your new pieces out.
5. Create a Vision Board
What we focus on expands. Creating a vision board (aka dream board) is a super fun, visual way to “see” your goals before they manifest. Vision boards are just as effective as sitting and visualizing your goals. You can easily create them with a corkboard and magazine clippings, or a digital version with apps like Pinterest.
6. Learn Calligraphy
Learning calligraphy will take your holiday and birthday cards to the next level. You can purchase a kit to get you started from a bookstore, art store, or online. Check out online tutorials or find a local class to help get you started.
7. Sew Your Way to Style
Learning to sew your own clothes isn’t just for Grandma anymore. Sew your way to a gorgeous and perfectly tailored wardrobe. You can create one-of-a-kind pieces for yourself and your loved ones that will inspire and impress. Local craft stores and Youtube is a great place to start learning the basics.
8. Grow a Garden
Gardening serves more than one purpose. It's not just about growing food, it's also a great way to get exercise, reduce your carbon footprint, and reap the mental health benefits of spending more time in nature.
9. Meditation
A mind-body hobby wouldn’t be complete without a meditation practice. There are tons of apps and resources online to help you start, but if you’d like more hands-on help, join us for our free mindfulness Monday offerings.
10. Write Down Affirmations
Affirmations are statements of truth that can help you with inner peace, empowerment, and remind you of your full potential. Start your mornings off by writing a few statements in a journal. To get you started, you can write things like “I am enough”, “I love and approve of myself”, or “I am creating the life of my dreams”.
Get Growing
Engaging in hobbies and playful activities is a wonderful way to take the reins on your own happiness and well-being. Hobbies can expand your creativity and self-confidence. They can also help make you smarter, better problem solvers, and provide a sense of accomplishment. It’s never too late to start.
