ontheedgeofeverything

I would wager that the prospect of hobbies and interests is one that has an allure to most of us. The notion of an activity tailored to our own passions must be one we would enjoy doing, as often is the case in the context of hobbies, yet most of us can probably relate to the idea that we simply cannot devote as much time as we would like to hobbies because of schedules and time constraints.

This is a problematic way of thinking, however. It isn’t great for our mental health to recognize that hobbies are a wonderful thing for us to engage with but not dabble in them because we don’t have the opportunity; it’s kind of like dangling a carrot in front of a horse without the horse having any clue of its final destination.

Personally, I don’t devote nearly as much time to hobbies as I wish I could. When I was younger, I had quite a few; I was always into sports, so volleyball and then rugby took up a vast chunk of my time, but I also did horseback riding, piano and gymnastics. I still enjoy all of these things, but interests that developed later on in life include photography, drawing, and painting.

Most days I feel as though I hardly have enough time to get dinner on the table for my husband and me, and I think most people would say the same. If we find ourselves struggling to keep up with daily duties and responsibilities, we figure it just isn’t feasible to find time for a hobby or a passion project, but that should not be the case. Hobbies are wonderful for our mental health as they allow us to experience joy and relax a little bit, and if you’re looking for some new ones to try, keep reading.

“Are you looking for a new hobby to excite yourself with? Something to really get into and learn more about? Taking up a new hobby is a great way to unwind whilst also learning new skills – Hobbies are known to benefit your mental health! You can enjoy a new hobby by yourself in the comfort of your own home, such as cocktail making, or you can enjoy a hobby outside in the fresh air such as drone flying. Some hobbies also give you the chance to meet new people as you can join a local club to enjoy, like joining a chess club. 

“Whether you want to enjoy gardening, painting, fishing, drone flying, or cocktail making there is a hobby for everyone. Below we have put together our guide on 6 hobbies for you to consider that will help you relax and unwind.

“Drone Flying 

“Have you ever considered drone flying before? Drone flying is a very new hobby that people can enjoy, due to drones only becoming publicly available in the last 4 or 5 years. Drone flying hobbyists enjoy exploring nature from the sky, capturing unique angels of the world. Once you have a drone up, you can see things from a completely new perspective. If you are someone who would like to do something a little more exciting, drone racing is another way you can enjoy drone flying. Click Here if you want to see a list of drones that are currently readily available on the market. 

“Cocktail Making 

“An evening activity that we all like to do at one point is a trip to the local bar with our friends or family members. Whether you enjoy alcoholic drinks or non-alcoholic beverages, socialising in a bar gives you the chance to catch up and have some fun. 

“Cocktail making in your own home gives you a chance to invite your friends over and impress them with your drink-making skills. It’s a fun hobby, where you can spend hours learning new alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks. You’ll explore a whole range of recipes as well as learn plenty of things – such as the best gin mixers when you don’t fancy tonic. 

“Cooking 

“Cooking is a fantastic hobby to help you unwind and relax – not only is it something that provides the necessary source of fuel for you to live, but it’s a skill you’re also sure to love. There’s nothing better than spending a day in front of a screen at work, then being let loose in the kitchen where all you need to worry about is chopping and slicing, being methodical and letting your mind just wander. With so many incredible recipes out there, skills to be learnt and niches to tap into, it’s a fantastic skill to add to your roster. There are many ways you can improve your cooking skills as a hobby, from watching YouTube videos online, to searching blogs and looking in cookbooks. You could also go on a day’s cookery class to learn more about the techniques it requires. It’s up to you! Just remember, make food you love to eat and you’ll feel even more motivated to get behind that oven!

“Art 

“When it comes to unleashing your creativity, there’s little better than being arty. With so many types of art out there, if you’re someone that says art isn’t for you, you’ve simply not found the right outlet yet. There are a host of different hobbies in this field you can try, from painting – and this alone has many different paths – to drawing, paper mache or crafts. You could try water colours in abstract prints, acrylics for still life paintings, or just go a bit whacky and try some mixed media. One of the best ways to learn art is to just get some paper and art materials and see what comes out. Being a skill that is completely subjective to the beholder, you don’t need to worry about being judged or not being good enough and can simply let all your thoughts and feelings splurge out onto a page. If you want to learn more about art, there are a host of art classes you can try online, or why not find some that are local to you? There is also art therapy you can look into as it can be an extremely important form of mindfulness. It really is a win-win hobby that you simply can’t beat!

“Learning a musical instrument

“There’s a reason music has been around since the start of time and isn’t going anywhere and that’s because it’s something that;s just as much fun to play and learn as it is to hear. A really beautiful hobby, there’s little that compares to playing your favourite musical instrument, completely shut off from the world around you. You can forget any troubles or stresses and just let yourself feel free and happy as you play. With a wide range of instruments out there, it’s up to you to find the one that’s best for your persona, skills and just personal taste. Perhaps you fancy a string instrument, to play the drums or perhaps the keyboard. Maybe you played the piano a little when you were a child and want to pick this up again. No matter what you fancy, the choice is yours, but you’re sure to love it once you do begin!

“These are just a few hobbies that you should consider when looking to relax and unwind. We live in a fast paced world where it has never been so important to take care of our mental wellbeing as well as our physical. By learning a new hobby such as art, a musical instrument or just tapping into something we enjoy such as making cocktails, it’s giving yourself a new focus and can really help your mental health. What are some top hobbies you find helps you to relax and unwind? Let us know in the comments below, we would love to hear from you and get inspired.”

Photo by russn_fckr on Unsplash