By Barbara Pierce
Challenging, fun and engaging hobbies have the power to make us happier and healthier.
Hobbies help us grow in creative, physical or intellectual ways and can boost self-esteem. Plus, they often increase connection with others.
Research suggests that hobbies lead to better physical health, more sleep, lower stress, greater life satisfaction, a larger social network and improved work performance.
Dancing or gardening, running or baking, playing softball or knitting — it doesn’t matter whether your chosen pastime is intense or mellow. Hobbies present an escape. They help us get out of our head and calm down. Making time to do what you enjoy can help ease your stress and lift your mood. They can even help you manage chronic pain, improve your heart health and add quality years to your life.
If you don’t already have hobbies that you love, where do you start to find one?
Experts suggest you ask yourself how you want an activity to make yourself feel. Physically fit, socially connected, distracted or mentally engaged? It can also be helpful to consider what your life is missing, like creativity or physical activity and let that guide your choices. We have different needs at different times in our lives.
It’s a good idea to keep an active list of all the things that strike you as potentially interesting. Jot down your potential interests as they come to you and you’ll have many options to explore when you’re ready.
If your passions include physical activity, you’re doing your body, your brain and your mental health a great favor. You don’t even have to overexert yourself to get benefits. Research finds that simply spending two hours a week in nature can positively affect your health and well-being.
To ease into a hobby that gets you moving or brings you time outdoors, sign up for a local sports league, like kickball or volleyball, go for a walk around your neighborhood or join a walking, running or biking club. Visit the Utica Zoo or get active in your garden. We have many great parks in our area, offering opportunities for walking, picnicking, or just enjoying nature.
Consider taking a class at SUNY or MVCC; many older students are enrolled. If you’re interested in art, many classes are offered throughout our area. Museums also offer classes.
Consider signing up for a lesson to learn more about a potential hobby. You’ve always dreamed of writing a novel? Enroll in a fiction-writing program. Fascinated by family history? Take a genealogy class. There are classes to learn woodworking, dancing, quilting, art, singing, etc. Check out your local libraries; all have much to offer.
We were especially impressed with the variety of classes offered at Utica Creative Reuse. “People absolutely do make friends here,” said CEO Sarah Swann. “I just had a crochet class and it is so lovely to see people in conversation, learning something new, having someone to talk to. One woman said: ‘I had such a stressful day; here it’s all washing away.’”
Swann founded Utica Creative Reuse a few years ago with the goal of establishing a space for artists of all ages, abilities and backgrounds to connect, create and inspire each other through the creative reuse of materials and classes. Fiber arts, mosaics, origami are some of the classes offered.
While a hobby is typically an activity done for pleasure and in one’s spare time, volunteering can also serve this purpose, offering personal satisfaction, stress relief and the opportunity to pursue interests, all while contributing to a good cause. Research by the National Institute on Aging suggests that activities that involve thinking, learning and remembering can delay dementia.
“It’s given purpose to my life,” is how Ellen Luley of Utica describes her volunteer work at the Oneida County History Center. “Yes, I have family and I travel. But coming to the History Center is like a coming home for me. It’s boosted my ego; I can’t say enough good things about it. I like it here. I have a purpose.”
As receptionist, Luley maintains memberships, processes donations, maintains the bookstore and many other things. “I like that it challenges me; I learn; I keep my mind active. Our history is so rich. And absolutely, the social connections I have here helps.”
Yes, volunteering can be considered a type of hobby, especially when it’s pursued with the enthusiasm and enjoyment Luley has.
Experts also advise you not to invest a ton of time and money in a new hobby immediately. Ease in to figure out if it’s right for you. It’s also smart to resist the pressure to over-commit. If you think you might like woodworking, sign up for one or two classes, not a whole series of eight until you’re sure you like it.
And don’t feel guilty about spending time in fun activities. They’ll add wonderful new dimensions to your life and make you healthier and happier.