This New Year’s Eve, my friends and I sat around on my couch, talking about all of our different New Year’s resolutions. Some of them wanted to go to the gym more, and some of them wanted to spend more time in school. For me, my resolution was the same as every year: do something every single day that makes me happy. Whether that be listening to a song I like or wearing my favorite pair of fluffy cat socks, I always try to find a moment of joy every day. However, this year, I decided I needed some more concrete activities to do in order to make me smile. So, I put together this list of hobbies that I both already do and am hoping to pick up.
Hobbies I already do
1: Journaling/Scrapbooking
Since I was in elementary school, I have kept a diary. The amount that I write in it fluctuates; sometimes I write entire essays, and sometimes I write the date and then stare at an empty page. The routine of writing is one that comforts me; it makes me feel more like myself. However, I do know that not everyone shares my passion and love for writing, and so I have also added scrapbooking to this section. This is something that my older sister has picked up recently, and she absolutely adores it. For Christmas, she received a mini printer that connects to her phone, and she can now print out any pictures she wants. At least once a week now, she calls me to show me what she has added to her scrapbook, whether it be pictures, receipts,or little descriptions of her day. It is a good activity for her, and anyone, to add a little bit of excitement and monotonous fun to an otherwise boring day.
2: Meditation
This is something I picked up while I was in high school, particularly during COVID. It’s something simple that you can do without any prior experience needed. My go-to method is searching up a YouTube guided meditation video and following it every night before bed. I usually pick a short one, less than 15 minutes, to allow me to wind myself down after a long day. While this is more of a habit and less of a hobby, it is still something I do that brings me joy every single day. Meditation is a good routine to have; even if you only occasionally do it, it can help balance out your brain and soul. Here’s one of my favorite meditations for you to try:
3. Teach yourself a skill
Starting when I used to work long hours alone at a bookstore, I decided to teach myself how to play chess properly without embarrassing myself by not knowing what piece could do what. Now, I am fairly good at chess, but I don’t play it like it is a competition. Instead, I play it for what I believe it to be; a game, meant to be enjoyed. This year, make the time to teach yourself something you have always wanted to do. Whether it be a sport, how to paint, or how to play chess, let it be something that you do for yourself, purely for your own enjoyment. Even if you suck at it at first (and don’t worry, I was TERRIBLE at chess when I first started), you are still doing something that betters yourself, and that is what having a hobby is truly about.
Hobbies I want to Pick Up
1: Going for walks
This hobby might be the most basic of them all, but it really is a good activity to practice in order to get out and move. Of course, it is far too cold right now to want to go outside and do anything, but once it gets a bit warmer out, walking is something I plan to do a lot of. I think it is important to have time to yourself; time when you are doing nothing except thinking. I used to go for walks often when I was younger, and I miss the feeling of being outside frequently. Grab some headphones and comfy shoes and explore your city this year; it really is the best way to connect with yourself and the world around you. Or, you could do what I am planning to do, which is walk without listening to any music or podcasts. Just walking and listening to the sounds of the world around you.
2. Volunteering
This is something I have been meaning to get into for years, but never quite found the time. I dabbled in volunteer work during my time as a Girl Scout, but I never truly devoted any time to it. This year, my goal is to do at least 5 volunteering opportunities. Some of the ones I have been looking into seem more fun than others, so I have decided I will start by volunteering at an animal shelter! There is a local shelter in my area that allows people to essentially short-term foster a dog for a few hours or a few days, and this seems like a really fun way to help out my community. Socializing and being outside are some of the best things for both humans and dogs, and what better way to get both than going for a dog walk? And besides, who doesn’t want to spend their time with a dog?!
3. Baking
If there is one thing on this list that I can confidently say will actually be a completely new hobby for me, it is this one. Baking is NOT something I have ever been particularly good at; in fact, I have barely baked at all. Growing up, my mother wasn’t a huge baker, and so when we would occasionally make holiday cookies, it was always from a box. Now, I have absolutely no idea where to even start when it comes to baking. It also doesn’t particularly help that I am a bit afraid of the oven. However, I have decided that this year, I am going to be the kind of girl who bakes. I’ve been watching a lot of baking videos on Youtube and while I am not super confident in how my results will taste, I am confident that baking is something that I would enjoy. And that’s what this, and all hobbies, are really about. It’s about finding joy and doing things that make you smile, every single day.