How and Why I Went Looking For a New Hobby in my Late 30s
Plus some thoughts on doing things 'just for fun'...
In 2021, during a particularly stressful summer, I found myself feeling burnt out in a way I never had before. We were still in the midst of a pandemic and I’d spent most of July nursing my family through COVID while also trying to run a business.
In an attempt to reduce the overwhelm, I took a short break from social media. This, coupled with two weeks off work, gave me plenty of time to think about what I needed to get back on track, both personally and professionally.
I came across four pieces of content that had a huge impact on me. In short, they helped me identify what was missing from my life.
What Do You Do For Fun?
Aside from reading, I hadn’t had a proper hobby in years. Things I originally did for fun like writing, blogging and photography had been reframed and repurposed as work. Other pastimes such as cooking and baking had started to feel like work when the pandemic hit. I guess preparing three meals a day, every day throughout lockdown, will do that to you!
Living with a chronic illness also limited my options. I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in 2016 and, as much as I’d like to move my body more, things like running and rock climbing were out of the question. Equally, activities I can manage when I’m ill, such as watching TV {a perfectly legitimate hobby IMO} weren’t giving me what I craved.
Not knowing what to do meant I’d been doing nothing. Or none of the right things, anyway. I’d been filling my free time with activities that failed to light me up. {Yes, endless doom scrolling, I’m talking to you.}
Meanwhile, the rest of my family had an abundance of hobbies. From gaming and Tae Kwon Do, to painting, drawing and numerous other crafts. Watching them absorbed in their pastimes, pursuing their individual passions, made me realise how much I missed that feeling. The feeling you get when you do something just for fun.
Some Thoughts on the Word ‘Hobby’
My husband hates the word ‘hobby’. He pulls a face every time I use it. When I mentioned this on Instagram, a few people seemed to share his dislike for the term.
For some, the word feels a bit childish. For others, it implies you’re an amateur, that you’re not good enough to do something professionally. A couple of people admitted the word ‘hobby’ made them feel guilty. Switching off from work or using their free time in an unproductive way {i.e. doing something just for fun} seemed to bring up a lot of stuff.
Personally, I’m happy to embrace the word. Because a pastime that feels childish, amateurish and completely unrelated to work is exactly what I need.
Getting Scrappy
Eventually, the pull to do something creative, to learn new skills and actually make something with my hands became too strong to ignore. After extensive research, numerous conversations with accomplished hobbyists, and a couple of trips to Hobbycraft, I decided to have a go at scrapbooking.
And the rest, as they say is history! I’ll share {lots} more about what happened next in future emails. In the meantime, I’ll leave you with some wise words courtesy of my friend Katie:
‘If you’re looking for a hobby because you think you SHOULD have a hobby, that’s maybe not a great place to start. But if you find something you enjoy that you want to do more of, then that’s worth doing again.’
Here’s to figuring out the things we enjoy doing just for fun, and doing them over and over again.