Recently, Iāve been struggling with individuality and self-identity. Iāve been deep-diving into classwork and overlooking a lot of other aspects of my life, including things I used to do in my free time āĀ all the things that make me me, like my hobbies. I enjoy playing guitar, reading, and drawing, but it had been a while since I sat back and actually picked up a pencil to draw, or a book to read.
It wasnāt just because I was busy, but also because I lacked a level of motivation to do anything besides what was absolutely expected of me (be in class at a certain time, submit an assignment before a due date).
On top of that, I was afraid to mess up, or have my hobby not live up to its fullest extent. What if the book I chose turns out to be terrible? What if my skills have significantly degraded since I last played this instrument/sport? I wanted to be already proficient in my hobbies prior to even carrying them outā¦ and as I’m sure you understand, that’s not how this works.
So to break down my struggles with pursuing activities that I personally liked:
- I didn’t have free time
- I didn’t feel the motivation
- I was afraid to mess up
It felt like a vicious cycle that I couldnāt quite break through. I’ve found that working hobbies and interests into the empty slots in my day ā no matter how short and abrupt and no matter how ‘meh’ I feel about performing the hobby in the moment ā has greatly improved my drive for other activities, and reduced my feelings of stress.Ā While it might seem odd to push yourself to do a recreational activity unwillingly, I think there’s a tipping point where interest meets persistence. If you have a passion for whatever it is you’re doing, it will shine through regardless of how you are initially feeling, and will supersede feelings of reluctance.
I also think it’s important to stress that there is no right or wrong way to pursue a hobby! It really comes down to how you feel in the moment. I have a fortune cookie fortune in my phone case that reads āBetter to do something imperfectly than to do nothing perfectly,ā and I couldnāt agree more. Do it for the love of the game, not just for the love of a model outcome! Take drawing for example. It might be daunting to start a new piece because you want to make it perfect. Maybe the fear of messing up or creating an āaverageā piece of art might dissuade you from ever picking up a pencil. But if you never pick up the pencil in the first place, then you are perpetually seated at square one. Donāt be afraid to mess up ā your hobbies are for you, not for others! They are for you.
I highly suggest finding time for the little things that you enjoy, whether that be physical or artistic or musical, or any enjoyable medium. Hobbies can help you find a sense of belonging and affirm your identity. Finding clubs on campus that coincide with your interests is another way to incorporate it back into your routine, and is especially helpful if you struggle with following through on activities because they need to be set/assigned- these are scheduled meet-ups! Plus they are a great way to find like-minded individuals with similar interests.
I pinky promise, getting back into your hobbies is going to help you so much! maybe it will just help you rekindle an old interest, or maybe it will help on a deeper level with finding motivation and stress relief. Either way, it’s so worth it to try!
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