Greeting’s Readers!
Pause for a moment and think of 3 activities that make you happy when you do them. Now think about how often you do those 3 things. Next, think of 1 activity that you have wanted to try or learn more about. January is National Hobby Month, and we are here to discuss the importance of hobbies, as well as provide some of our favorite hobby ideas! Before we dive in, here are the final affirmations for our January blogs:
A hobby can be defined as an activity that a person does regularly for enjoyment or relaxation. Hobbies can be physical, intellectual, social, emotional, or spiritual. Some people may practice an activity/hobby daily or weekly, while others may only engage in their hobby occasionally. Hobbies range in both skillset and price. For example, you do not need to be a professional to practice drawing, and pens and pencils can be inexpensive but a hobby such as skiing requires more skill and can be costly. A hobby such as drawing can be practiced frequently and anywhere while engaging in a hobby like skiing may require planning and might not happen very often. Luckily, there is no right or wrong way to pick a hobby! Different people find different activities enjoyable, and everyone has different interests and skills!
Regardless of the hobby type, having a hobby, and practicing that hobby regularly has health benefits! Hobbies can help adults and children cope with daily stress and anxiety while increasing levels of happiness. Hobbies encourage creativity and boost self-esteem. Another benefit of a hobby is social interactions and connections. Talking about a hobby can be an icebreaker, and help form new connections, especially with others who share the same interest.
We asked the Touchstone Health Services Prevention Department team, to share their favorite hobbies. Read them below!
Karina, Prevention Supervisor: One of my favorite pass times/hobbies is to do puzzles! I specifically like to do Disney puzzles! They keep me engaged and entertained for a few days and make me feel super accomplished after I finish it!
Jacquelyn, Health Educator: A hobby of mine is planting and taking care of my succulents. Succulents are sturdy plants, easy to take care of and there are so many different species! I find it relaxing to learn more about the different types of succulents, and I can’t even explain the excitement I feel when I see one of my plants growing new leaves.
Rimsha, Health Educator: Hi! For the hobbies, I like to do hand embroidery, and while I’m not the greatest at it, it is a super calming and rewarding hobby and when you finally see the final project it makes all of it (the accidental needle poking too) worth it!
Erendira, Health Educator: My hobby is dancing. I like to dance in my room by myself a lot. I’ll play music on my speaker and just dance around the house. I also enjoy trying to create my own dance routines. I am not in a dance group or class, but it is something that I think is fun and it makes me feel happy. I dance to all kinds of music. It’s a way of relieving stress and having fun!
While these are some of our favorite hobbies, they don’t have to be yours (but you are more than welcome to try as many as you would like)! Everyone has different interests or things they find enjoyable. It’s important to consider your own interests and skills when deciding on a hobby. If you try one thing, and you don’t enjoy it, try another! Try 100 different activities if you need to! Remember, having a hobby, and practicing it regularly, is a positive action! Recognizing your own skills and talents is an important part of self-improvement and we wish you a happy and safe journey to finding your hobbies!
Do you currently have a favorite hobby? Share it with us below in the comment section!
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