Hobbyless
Yes, hobbyless is a word. And yes, it’s a real thing.
I struggled with being hobbyless for years. It isn’t something that happens because you run out of yarn for your knitting project, it oftentimes happens from being so caught up in work or school that you no longer take time for a hobby, or never discovered one in the first place.
Growing up, I was a reader and writer. It was what I did in my spare time. My imagination ran wild and those were my outlets. As I grew older, I lost time for such things. I didn’t find joy in them anymore. For years I went without a hobby. I worked hard and was happy, but when I clocked out of my job I went home to nothing that brought me real joy or peace after a long day. Netflix and chill was a dangerous and vegetative state that became my evening routine. While this can be a good way to unwind and relax, I can assure you that your mind will eventually grow bored. Your body will itch for movement.
It was years until I pushed myself to be more active in finding a hobby. I was hard on myself because, as Americans, we tend to believe a thing isn’t worth trying unless we’ll be brilliant at it from the start. We also think hobbies aren’t worth our time if they won’t generate an income or social media following. This is quite ridiculous of us. Yet, that’s exactly what happened to me (and many others I came to learn) when all of my research told me to try a hundred different activities until I found one I enjoyed.
I tried. And tried. And tried. Eventually, I found myself looking back to my childhood. What was it that I loved doing? Where had my imagination and wonder gone? I thought back to the things that brought me joy, then asked myself why I stopped doing them.
The number one reason I stopped: too busy.
The number two reason I stopped: judgment from others.
I had been made fun of in high school for reading a book about dragons. I had been taught in college that writing should be for a larger purpose than escapism and the fantastical. So I gave up. I didn’t find joy in reading and writing because stipulations had been put on them.
With those memories came revelation. Yes, I could be an adult and still read about dragons (hello? Lord of the Rings!) Yes, I could be an adult and still find joy in writing adventures of my own. But it took that time of self-reflection to find my hobby. In the process, I also picked up a few more!
If you’ve felt hobbyless, look to your past and discover that wonder inside of you once more. It may lead to exactly what you’re looking for.
Challenges/Points:
We are not automatically wired to know what hobbies we’ll love. It can take time and trying new things.
Look back to the things that brought you joy as a child to start to unearth what hobbies you may love.
If you feel hobbyless, pick 3 new things to try this month.
Questions:
What brought you joy as a child?
Are you scared to try something new because of what others will think? Because you won’t be good at it right from the start?
How can you take a childhood joy and “upgrade it” to fit your life now?
i.e. If you loved to pretend to be a sports announcer using a hairbrush as a microphone, is it time to start your own podcast??
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