What is a Hobby?
The word “hobby” is thrown around a lot - maybe too much? Between school, work, extracurriculars, etc, etc... It’s easy to lose track of what’s a hobby in your life. If you have lost track, here’s a simple definition: an activity done regularly in one’s leisure time for pleasure. Now let’s break that down a bit.
An activity. - This can be physical or mental. It can be drawing hopscotch squares or reading a book.
Leisure time - Life is busy, we know that. But when school is out, homework is done, and maybe that job is clocked out, you’ll find that leisure time we’re talking about. For some, it’s every night after school or work. For others, it may only come on the weekends. It’s when the work is over and your time is yours.
Pleasure - Enjoyment and peace. A few other words to help describe what a hobby should bring. Why do we have hobbies? Because they bring us joy and happiness. They set us at ease after a long day. Hobbies help us unwind and refocus.
One thing that a hobby isn’t is limited. What seems stressful to one person may be a hobby to another. A great example of this: cleaning. One person may consider it a chore while another considers it a hobby. What counts as a hobby far extends the typical examples we see on the internet or read about it books.
Typical examples:
Photography
Reading
Writing
Drawing / Painting
Gardening
Cooking / Baking
Working out
These activities are fantastic and can bring joy to you as well as serve others. But perhaps you’ve felt limited from the lists like the one above. Let’s look at the definition again: an activity done regularly in one’s leisure time for pleasure. A hobby doesn’t have to fit a ‘standard.’ The list of things that count as a hobby may very well be limitless.
Not-so-typical examples:
Podcasting
Quilting
Cosplaying
Flower Arranging
Barefooting
Calligraphy
Table scaping
Paragliding
The list can go on and on.
It’s important to note that hobbies don’t have to be done alone. Many times, they aren’t! Spending time with your family can be a hobby. Perhaps you’re big into board games or card games. Maybe your friends love watching movies together or hiking. Never take for granted the activities that bring you joy and also bring you together with others.
So, now that we’ve remembered the key components of what a hobby is, ask yourself if you’ve been taking time for your hobby. If you’ve been feeling stressed or exhausted, then you may need to set aside some YOU time to get back into your hobby. Sometimes what starts as a hobby can also turn into work or a chore. If that’s the case, go back to the roots of why you used to enjoy the activity that now brings you stress. It’s also okay to let it go and find something new, too. Remember to take time for yourself, regularly, doing something that you love.
Challenges/Points:
It’s easy to stop making time for hobbies in place of work, school, and chores.
We can lose track of what the true meaning of a hobby is.
Are you making time in your life for a real hobby?
Questions:
Can you name a hobby or two that still bring you joy?
If so, have you been setting aside time to make it part of your regular schedule?
If not, what are the reasons you lost joy in an old hobby? Could that joy be sparked again or is it time to find something new?
What is a way that you can use your hobby to serve or show love to others?
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