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How to Start a Hobby

Picking up hobbies always seems to be easier when you’re a child. When you’re in school there are so many different clubs and groups you can join to expand your interests and learn new things. However, once you’re an adult getting into a new hobby requires a bit more work.

Hobbies are a great way to make friends, expand your knowledge and take a little time for yourself. Even though it might take a bit more time and energy to get into a new hobby, it’s definitely worth it.

Start With Smaller Hobbies

If you’re looking into different hobbies, go with something smaller first. Take the focus away from watching TV or sitting in front of the computer for hours. For example, you can go for walks around your neighborhood or volunteer once a week at an animal shelter. Do something that gets you away from your usual habits and gets you into your hobbies.

Expand Your Knowledge

Just because you’re done with your formal education doesn’t mean you have to stop learning. Many fun and exciting hobbies stem from wanting to learn new things. If you’re interested in learning new things, educational apps can be a perfect way to get started — and at no cost. Looking into classes at your local community college can also be a good place to start.

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Try Something You Wouldn’t Normally

For many of us, venturing out of our comfort zone is a little too scary to try. However, exploring new options could lead to something you really enjoy — and you would never know you liked it if you hadn’t gone outside your comfort zone.

Remember Your Past

While it’s good to try new things, there’s nothing wrong with digging into your past and remembering the things you enjoyed as a child. There’s a good chance you will still enjoy the things you liked when you were younger. For example, if you were a fan of playing pretend when you were younger, joining a theater group could be good hobby for you to try.

Start Collections

Collecting can be an excellent and fulfilling hobby for most people. Whether you’re interested in stamps – which have become a classic pastime for a reason – action figures, comics or even antique teacups, there’s certainly something for you. Be sure to start with some research so you know what you’re getting into.

Get Creative

You are never too old to learn an instrument or start drawing. You can take some lessons to help learn the basics or simply try to teach yourself to the best of your abilities. Writing can also be a good way to express yourself and vent any negative emotions you may be feeling. The great thing about creative hobbies is you can express yourself in a healthy way.

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Work With Your Hands

If you’re interested in doing more physical work, many hobbies can be suited for that. Making models — airplanes, cars, whatever you’re interested in — can keep you busy for hours and leave you with wonderful designs.

Check Out the Community Center

Your local taxes go toward supporting your area’s community center, so you might as well take advantage of the options they provide. There are usually a wide variety of classes you can sign up for at low cost, such as yoga, knitting or swimming. Reach out to your community center to find out how you can get started.

Get Outside

There’s nothing quite like enjoying the great outdoors, and many hobbies take that into account. Running or marathoning are good options, but make sure you work your way to the intense races. Geocaching combines the thrill from exploring and the exercise from hiking for an exciting hobby that can literally keep you on your toes.

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Picking up new hobbies leads to some great experiences. You can meet people with similar interests and you’re keeping yourself busy and active.

Kate Wilson is an outdoor lifestyle blogger who loves helping others live greener and happier lives. For more, follow her on Twitter @kateowilson or check out her blog, This Wild Lifestyle.

January 19, 2015
Practice Makes Perfect {Think About It}

Practice Makes Perfect

I seem to find myself teaching the kids this good bit of advice a lot recently. At this very precious time in their lives, they are learning the value of doing something well, and the hard work it takes to accomplish something well.

I worry actually that if I become too slack, they will be too much like me – everything done will be only partly done, or only satisfactory instead of excellent.

I don’t want that. I want my kids to strive for excellence, and reach it. Because really, is it worth doing something if it’s only so-so? We have this little sign hanging in the kitchen that the previous owners left. It’s a humorous, but also true.

I almost always look busy, or at least feel busy, because I’m doing too much only partway. It’s time to focus and narrow down what I do.

Think About It!

I’m not saying everything has to be perfect all the time…because well that would make everyone go insane! What I am saying is we should pick an area we want to excel in, and then go for it. Don’t settle for less than your best. Keep practicing until you are truly happy with what you’ve accomplished.

Think About It!

Why in the world is this the topic I’m thinking about today? A lot of reasons. It’s the product of my mind going 50 different directions and deciding that everything I was thinking fit under this one idea.

I’m tired of being a Jane of all Trades.

I want to hone my skills so when people ask me what talents I have, I can tell them instead of handing them a long list of things I enjoy doing. We’ve had a couple discussions this year on talents and hobbies and the things we’ve given up as we became mothers. Those were some of the best discussions I’ve had around here, and I want to put them to use. So I’m not going to sit around wishing I was better, but I’m going to start changing; I’m going to be better!

Think About It!

I’m not going to give up anything I like doing, but I am going to have more of a focus. This year, I plan on improving my sewing skills. I’ve got the basic knowledge. I can make things that look nice – if you don’t look too closely.

Why this skill? Well, it seems to come in the most handy, and I know my kids will benefit from it. Actually, my kids are pushing me into it. It’s only April, but I already have 1 request for a Belle costume, 1 for a Tinkerbell, and another that keeps changing but I think is currently either Cinderella or Ariel.

It would be one thing if the Princesses asked me to buy them a costume. It’s a complete different thing when they specifically ask you to make it. My kids believe I can sew these costumes, so I should believe I can too. Kids are pretty amazing don’t you think? They see where we can go and believe in us, even when we aren’t so sure ourselves.

Not to get ahead of myself or anything (though I have a habit of not sitting still), but once I master my sewing skills I plan to return to my artwork. I took some classes in college, and while looking back through my old work I realized I’ve got another little talent – one I completely forgot about!

Will you join me?

Pick an area of your life you’d like to improve. Reach for the stars and believe you can excel in it. Don’t give up, or move on until you have become satisfied with your accomplishments.

How am I going to achieve my goal? First off, I need inspiration. I’ve created a little corner just for me in this house. Something I’ve never done before, and to be honest – I didn’t realize just how much I needed this space.

Next, decorate with things that will inspire you to keep striving towards you goal. For me that’s a wall calendar with different quilt patterns, and my college artwork. For you, it might be some quotes, books, or photos.

Make sure you have the tools to succeed as well. I have a very nice sewing machine Mark bought me a few years back. It hasn’t seen as much work as I would like, but that’s about to change. I am now saving up for a serger, because I know they can take my skills from so-so to amazing! Sometimes all we need is a good teacher. I’ve been browsing the sewing classes at Craftsy, and really think I may take one or two…or all of them. They even have free mini courses if you just need a little help to get started.

Finally – get to work! Try to set aside time every day to practice and work on your goal. If not everyday, at least once a week! If you don’t make the time, it won’t happen.

What are you going to work on? Let’s encourage each other in the comments!

*This post contains affiliate links. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I share because I think these classes are great!

April 25, 2013
Making Time for Yourself {Think About it}

Earlier this week I was so excited to show off the dress I made for my little niece. I haven’t taken the time to sew for a long time, and it was so fun and relaxing to do something I loved again. We had a great discussion on Facebook about hobbies that moms give up when they begin having kids, and how hard it is to get back into them.

Today I want to continue that discussion a bit more in depth. I want to know – before you had kids,

What did you enjoy doing?

What were your hobbies?

How did you relax and de-stress?

Did you stop doing those things when kids came?

Have you picked any back up?

While you are all thinking about the answers to those let’s Think About It!

Why do we have hobbies? A hobby is something we do for enjoyment, not because we have to. Something that if given a little free time, we could be found engaged in our hobby. I personally have many hobbies. The longest standing hobby for me, though, is reading. As a child my mom read me The Little House on The Prairie Series, while my dad read us the Prydain Chronicles. When I began reading chapter books on my own I started with the Chronicles of Narnia. There is only one time I remember not having the time for this hobby – after I had kids.

With our first, I could be found nursing with a book in hand. But as she grew, and I got busy with work, and the becoming pregnant with a 2nd 9months later, I even lost the time to read. It wasn’t until my mother in law bought me the Twilight series (yes I read them and enjoyed them), that I even noticed I hadn’t picked up a book for almost a year and actually finished it.

Where did my time go? Of course most of it went to raising two very small children, and then some went into being wife, followed by all of the duties of a homemaker (cleaning, making meals, budgeting, and staying organized).

It was about this time that Facebook really became popular, and I also joined a site just for moms – Cafemom. I traded most of my hobbies for making connections with real people through the internet.

Think About It!

At the time, this was important to me. I had no job, I didn’t go to school, I was just home 24/7 with 2 babies who couldn’t say much more than momma, dadda, and no. I craved some human interaction. Let’s face it, we all need each other to survive. I personally believe we all need some kind of human contact to stay sane, and not lose our minds. It just makes us happy knowing others know we exist.

It was worth it at the time, but I find I have wasted away many hours now on facebook, not really interacting with others, as I read through meme after meme, funny photo after funny photo. So although I originally traded my hobbies for this human interaction, I do not need it as much anymore. I get out, I have friends, I actually see the people I talk to. It is time to trade the mindless time I spend on the internet for more meaningful time for me – enjoying my hobbies again.

Think About It!

What do you find wasting away your time? Maybe you sleep excessively (although I know no mom who gets too much sleep), or perhaps you spend all your free time watching all those shows you’ve dvr’ed, or perhaps you’re like me and spend too much time “catching up with the internet”.

Take back your time! If you were to cut out 30 minutes a day just for you, how would you choose to spend it? What would it do for your personal self? How would that effect your family? Now what if you can carve out 1-2 hours per week just for you. What would that do?

I know for me – just when I get to take longer then 10 minutes in a shower, with no interruptions, I feel so much better physically, and my happiness level rises. As a mom I don’t get a lot of time to myself, and I allow myself to feel guilty if I take any time. Morning, noon and night, I’m on call to my kids. I love them. I want to be there for them if they need anything. Sometimes the stress of it all makes it so I can adequately, or appropriately respond to their needs.

I need to be emotionally and physically there for my kids. To do that though, I need to care for myself as well. I love Craftsy for this reason too! I started taking a Gardening Class to get me ready to plant my garden – a new hobby for me, that will also benefit my family. Eventually, I want to take some of the other classes they offer as well like –
Clean and Simple Cake Design
Dressmaking Basics
or Hand Quilting

Think About It!

Even my kids understand the need for time to themselves. There are sometimes that we can’t share, because we just need to play by ourselves, without brother taking it away, or sister screaming because she wanted that princess. When they’ve had time to themselves, they almost always play better together.

Won’t this hold true for us as well? If we take care of us, won’t we be a better parent? I hope you notice my use of parent instead of mom this time. I feel it’s important we allow our spouses, the father of our children the time to find their hobbies again as well. Maybe he enjoys a game of golf, or hunting, or jamming out some tunes.

Mark enjoys getting together with other local music teachers to just play music in a non-teaching environment. I love that he does this. I encourage him to do this. Yes, it means one night a week I have to put 4 kids to bed all by myself. It also means that he gets time to relax and throw off the stress from working and providing for his family 24/7.

Think About It!

Your spouse is a person too. I know I’ve mentioned on here the stereotypes of a Stay at Home Mom. We really do quite a bit despite the little appreciation we are often given. But what about working Dads? Do we truly show them the appreciation they deserve?

But Adelina, you say, They get to be out of the house, and in contact with people, and they don’t have to deal with the screaming toddler, hormonal teenager, non-sleeping baby all the time.

You’re absolutely right they don’t. They often have to deal with hormonal teenagers at school, rude customers, a hard boss. Then they come home and they help out with the kids, or make us dinner, and sometimes they even help with the child who won’t sleep. When do they get to be them? Do something just for them? Mark is lucky, and is in a job he truly loves. That doesn’t mean it’s easy though. He still has stress, and has to work hard to make lesson plans, and work with each student to reach their best potential.

So I will continue to encourage him to jam out with his friends once a week. Even if I’m under the weather (which I was this week), I will still allow him to go out and take that time for him (but he didn’t this week, the sweetheart). Why? Because he needs that time to be himself, and do what he loves for him, just as much as I need to make time and do what I love for me. We work better as a parent team, and can show our kids more love and compassion as we take the time for us.

Has this inspired you to start up a hobby again?

I would love to hear what you’re thoughts are.

*This post contains affiliate links. This is not a sponsored post.

March 28, 2013