End Goal Hobbies
“We’re going to need some serious stuff to look forward to.” That was my thought in the early stages of Covid when many of us were encouraged by the country to stay home as much as possible. When restaurants shut down, schools transitioned to virtual education, and home became the setting of everything, we all had to get creative about entertaining ourselves.
One of the first things I did was pick a trilogy of books to read aloud to both of my daughters. Every day we’d snuggle up on the couch, and for 30-40 minutes, I’d read from whichever Lord of the Rings book we currently found ourselves in. I also picked up a baking cookbook I’d had sitting around forever and started to bake through the recipes one at a time, writing a short review of what our family thought of each finished product on the page.
From that experience, something sparked in my mind. Of course, it was going to take me at least several years to bake my way through that cookbook, but how wonderful it felt to check off each new recipe toward that goal! It made me start to wonder what other “big picture” hobbies I could come up with that were more than just something fun to do for the moment. What if I approached other things in a similar way? Common, everyday things like listening to music, watching movies, or reading books? What if, instead of doing such things at random, I got organized about it?
Here are a few ways you can take pretty normal, everyday activities and turn them into something more. Not only will you learn a lot in the process, but you’ll have a sense of accomplishment when you complete what you set out to do!
Research and create a list of movies to slowly work your way through. Or make more than one list. For example, you could have a list of classic black and white films and a list of oscar best picture winners. No more aimlessly scrolling through Netflix for you!
Pick one restaurant and set a goal to try everything on the menu at least once!
If you like to read, rotate genres and try something from a different genre each time. Find a book club through your local library or start one for a group of friends and take turns picking books to read and talk about together.
Grab a cookbook (ones for baked goods are great because you can easily share) and start cooking through it one recipe at a time.
Carry a pocket size bird or tree identification book with you. When you classify a new one, put a star next to it.
Create your own themed playlists as a way to discover new artists and music. Make one for dancing with friends, one for calming yourself down, or one just for songs that inspire you.
Pick one day of the week for an activity you normally don’t allow yourself time for and do that activity every week on that day. This could be as simple as sketching in a sketchbook or as involved as taking a long, 2-3 hour hike. The key is to stick to the schedule.
Try a photo-a-day challenge. Take one creative photo (with your phone or camera) every day for a year. By the end you’ll have created a portfolio of images!
Challenges/Points:
Hobbies don’t have to be complex, complicated things. Even simple activities like watching movies can become a hobby when you’re intentional about it.
The key to turning an “I guess I’ll do this” activity into a hobby is to be organized about it.
Try making a list of places you want to visit or movies you want to watch and slowly work through it. You can do this with almost anything.
Questions:
What’s something you already do that you could organize into more of a hobby?
Which of the options listed above appeals to you the most?
How can you involve your friends or family in one of these activities?
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