Our to-do lists are always growing, and our days seem to be becoming shorter and shorter, but I challenge you to add another "task" to your list this year. Choose a new pastime.
There are various advantages to having and engaging in a pastime on a regular basis. While it may appear that you already have too much on your plate, taking up a new interest can help relieve tension and provide you with a new channel for expression. Most people have a list of things they've always wanted to try, so make this year the year to try them.
Here are seven compelling reasons to take up a new activity this year:
Stress Relief
This may appear to be counterintuitive, but it is correct. While it may appear that adding another activity to your schedule will add to your stress, this is not the case with hobbies. It's possible to relieve stress by doing something you enjoy. While you concentrate on the enjoyable work at hand, your mind can be free of the other duties of the day.
You can also use your hobby to take you on adventures. Hobbies afterall can be scaleable. For example, if you take up fishing, you can look at fishing charters in other countries, exploring your hobby further in different places around the world. This makes it even more enjoyable as you get a holiday out of it, and you can relax away from the general stresses of your daily life.
More Social Gatherings
Many hobbies will introduce you to new individuals and expand your circle of acquaintances. Joining a hiking group or a choir will allow you to meet new people with whom you will instantly share interests. You may meet new individuals and form new friendships that you would not have met otherwise, which is beneficial to us.
Challenges Forces You To Problem Solve
Engaging in a new hobby keeps your mind active and allows you to solve new problems. Keeping your mind challenged by presenting it with fresh challenges helps to break up the monotony of your daily routine. Because hobbies are enjoyable and discretionary, the new challenges they introduce aren't as onerous as a work or family struggle.
Accomplishing New Things Boosts Self Esteem
Being good at things outside of work and the family can be immensely satisfying. Maybe you're good at your career, but you had no idea you had skills in woodworking or tennis. Trying new things and understanding what else you're good at can help you feel more confident. There could be things you're naturally gifted at that you haven't yet attempted.
Active Hobbies Can Benefit Physical Health
Hobbies are not only healthy for the mind, but they are also good for the body! Blood pressure, cortisol levels, and BMI have all been linked to engaging in pleasant activities. Hobbies are also linked to higher levels of good psychosocial states and can help prevent depression symptoms.
Prevents Burnout
Taking the opportunity to focus on an extracurricular activity that you enjoy assists your brain to relax and refocus when you return to work. Problems that looked insoluble before can be more readily managed after taking a step back and returning with a fresh perspective.
If you've already decided on a new pastime to pursue, that's fantastic! If you're unsure what new activities might interest you, try something new first: take a cooking class, join a tennis club, go on a hike, start a garden, or construct a craft project.
You may also want to think about getting the equipment you need like craft materials, easton bats, running shoes, etc.
These are just some of the great reasons you should think about starting a new hobby. Do you have any favorite hobbies? Please share some of them in the comments below.
