“What is your hobby?” One of the most fundamental questions that we all have answered growing up. It is in fact one of the initial queries
another person asks u to get to know you better. And personally I have always
loved to answer that question.
A hobby distinguishes an individual from
the rest of the crown. It is a skill or an interest that has improved with age
and something that you have mastered during your leisure time.
But sadly this isn’t the story anymore. I
hardly hear anyone asking about a hobby not to mention ever discussing about
one. Improved technology and social media networks have taken most of our
leisure times, which in result has ruined the potential for improved skills in
creativity. Children are watching more TV than
creating, adults are busy being immersed in hours of networking on social
media, and artistry is not encouraged.
A hobby is something that a person can
do: not only as a fruitful past time but it is also a source of pleasure and
relaxation. It helps to nurture one’s love for a particular activity that helps
polish a person’s natural talents.
Not so long ago, wood working,
photography, painting, reading, cooking, gardening, collecting autographs,
stamps, cards or figurines were very popular, but with changing times, newer hobbies
like blogging, chatting, gaming and surfing the net have replaced the classic
list. The real question is, do these new and modern hobbies helps personal
development? It can be argued both ways. The real challenge here is to choose a
past time that reflects your personality and something that relaxes your soul
while improving a skill that others may envy.
In this era of improved technology and
communication, we tend to spend most of our working time as well as our leisure
time staring at a computer, either surfing on the net or chatting the night
away. Has this chore improved our abilities? I do not believe so.
As a former Facebook addict, I have
experienced myself drowning in a world of materialistic possessions and an unavoidable
urge to be present in the social platform at all times. I lost a lot of my
precious time to chatting, surfing and basically looking at other people’s
lives through their pictures. I have nothing against Facebook and to date I am
an active user. But I have learnt to use it for its purpose. To stay connected.
It is not a hobby. It does not enhance any of your skills. It’s simply a form
of communication.
A hobby on the other hand, gives you much
pleasure and satisfaction through Mind-Hand-Eye coordination. Hobbies will free your mind from stress. They
create a recreational world where you find solace after a hard day of work.
“Anything we do must add value to our
lives at the end of the day”
The definition of a hobby interlinks with
the above quote, for a hobby is an activity, which is enjoyable and adds value
to ones life. Hobbies have been around since the ancient times, yet very few
people use them as an effective tool to beat stress.
Hobbies offer you many benefits: they are
fun and a great way to pass the time, they can raise your self esteem, they can
teach you new skills that help you grow and prosper and they gives you an
outlet to explore your creativity.
A hobby can take you out of your life for
a while. It can be invigorating, relaxing, educational, fun, or maybe, if you
are lucky, a little of everything. Hobbies are more than just ways to
creatively pass the time. They are also good for your health. Hobbies and other
leisure activities can have many health benefits. We all have different ideas of what
hobbies are. They don’t have to be the classic list of things that we have
heard since we were kids, but it certainly must add value to your life and
improve your skills and helps you build a deeper and more fulfilling life. A
successful hobby usually embraces some of the following characteristics.
A
hobby should interest you.
Your hobby should be an activity that you enjoy. Starting a hobby, which
someone else is already interested in, may bore you. So be original! Pick
something you like.
Passion
is the key
The hobby you choose must make you
excited. Don’t be discouraged if you try several different hobbies before you
find the right one. You'll know you've found the right hobby when you look
forward to doing it, makes you happy, relaxed, and satisfied.
Affordable
It's better to do something that doesn't tie up a lot of your money. Some
hobbies can get very expensive and you will become frustrated because you can't
reach it financially. A hobby doesn't have to be expensive to be fulfilling.
Communicate
In this age of technology, arts and
crafts are given a backseat. By actively promoting the use of hobbies in our
stressful lives-how it benefits a person and how some hobbies can be utilized
to make money, we could change the stigma of hobbies being treated as a dying
movement.
Some hobbies have no limits. And we
cannot master them right away; it’s an ongoing process of developing ones
skills throughout the years. Soon you'll experience a great sense of personal
satisfaction as you become more and more accomplished in the hobby field you
have chosen.
As you grow in your hobby, you'll feel
more contented as a person and less vulnerable to the stress of your job. A
hobby that captures your attention is a positive, healthy way to escape the
stress of everyday life, if only for an hour at a time.
A wonderful thing about a hobby, whether
it is exercising, collecting something, or reading it doesn't require any
previous experience or equipment; you just have to supply the interest and time
and you'll reap the benefits. As the saying goes…
“A
hobby a day keeps the doldrums away”
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