“A hobby a day keeps the doldrums away.” Phyllis McGinley - Writer and poet
With excitement I opened the letterbox, eager to discover what the postman had delivered! As a child, I loved collecting stamps. It was a pre-internet time when we were sending and receiving letters on a regular basis. There was something truly magical when opening the letterbox and discovering this tiny, precious, colourful piece of paper on the top right-handcorner of the envelope.
To this day, when I go to the post office I like to ask for a postal stamp. If possible a ‘nice’ one instead of one printed by the franking machine. I like to think that the recipient might prefer it!
Hobbies go back to the 16th century and were considered childish and trivial until the 1830s when working people were encouraged to “use their leisure time in worthwhile pursuit” and, over the years, having a pastime became respectable and a regular practice.
There are countless discussions and debates around what leisurely activities should be included in a list of hobbies. Basically, what you enjoy doing in your spare time is considered a hobby. It is an activity that is practised regularly and usually with some worthwhile purpose. Something of value that gives a feeling of achievement.
Some hobbies involve an investment. Others are completely free. Some are pursued on their own, while others include participating with others. It can also be a community interest.
Cooking, making, tinkering, collecting something (which includes, seeking, locating, organizing). Nowadays it seems that social media and Netflix have joined the list of hobbies too. We get caught in a bout of binge-watching now and then don’t we?
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
How much feeling of achievement and worthwhile purpose do these pastimes bring?
***My dare to you this weekend and for the rest of the month***
Take up a hobby
... Either a new one or revive one you used to practise! Even better if it does not include technology.
Image credit: Photo by Johan Mouchet on Unsplash
If you need some inspiration, here are some ideas to get you started:
Artistic: writing, dancing, singing, painting, drawing, knitting, origami making ...
Educational: astronomy, learning magic, foraging ...
Sport related: partaking or watching ...
Time in nature: hiking, rambling, gardening, fishing ...
Games: cards, puzzles, boardgames, escape rooms ...
Spotting: trains, planes, birds ...
Volunteer: for a charity of your choice (mine are: A touch of gentleness and Flourish Mentors).
Having a hobby will benefit your body, mind, creativity, relationships and even your career!
Go forth, disconnect from your tech, pick a hobby and dare to be the change you want to see in your family, community and life!
If you are looking for an activity, I invite you to tap into 7 doses of gentleness by signing up to...
Gentle January - a short online course designed to bring more gentleness in life!
7 daily doses of gentleness arriving straight to your inbox.
A series of practices to add to your self-care toolkit
An opportunity to uncover and share the many gifts gentleness brings to all corners of life.
Start today or any time until the end of January.
Because self-care is not selfish!
100% of profits donated to 'A Touch of Gentleness'
Let me know how you got on with this #dare, do share your experience in the comment section.
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