Finding a new and fun hobby can make you a happier person. Hobbies can be a great way to relieve stress and bring more joy into your life. Specifically when you find a new hobby. Hobbies are for everyone at any age. You're never too old, or young to develop new hobbies into your life. When you get older, you shouldn't have less hobbies. Otherwise you'll develop more stress and gray hairs. You might be looking for a new hobby, but you're not sure what. A new hobby requires finding new interests, which means experimenting to find those interests.
- Music. This can be costly if you are buying an instrument, but teaching yourself to play is relatively cheap, especially with YouTube videos. Instruments can be found on Craigslist and eBay.
- Writing. You’ll be amazed at what you can learn about yourself through regular writing, whether it is in a journal or a blog. Plus, there’s no better escape from the drudgery of life. If you really like to write and find that you’re not half bad it, you can even make a few extra dollars doing it. Check out content development sites like AssociatedContent and HubPages or start your own blog.
- Reading. Reading is the single best way to increase your knowledge, or escape from the dull realities of your everyday life. The best part is - it’s absolutely free through your public library. With the Internet and inter-library exchanges, you can find most any book at your local library. You’re already paying for it with your tax dollars, so why not use it?
- Knitting and Crocheting. My wife loves to knit. It’s pretty rare in our generation, but it is a soothing hobby for her and she’s even made some hats, scarves, and the obligatory sweater for the kids. Having a relaxing hobby to unwind after a day of chaos AND making your own clothes for mere pennies - that’s a good thing in my book.
- Astronomy. OK,I know what you’re thinking: “Astronomy is acheap hobby? No way!” The problem here is that any hobby can get expensive if you get carried away, it’s just that getting carried away with astronomy entails dropping a couple grand on delicate equipment like telescopes and lens. But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can get quite a bit out of a pair of binoculars (much less expensive than a telescope), and a star map.
- Photography. You can get a decent digital camera for less than $200 and if you get really good at photography, development is dirt cheap now as well.
- Walking, Hiking and Running. These are excellent hobbies because they’re cheap AND healthy, and who doesn’t like that? It’ll only set you back the cost of a good pair of shoes and maybe some appropriate clothing.
- Painting and Drawing. Paints and paper are relatively inexpensive, and you may have a budding Rembrandt or Picasso inside you. Hey, you never know!
- Meditation and Yoga. Two more healthful hobbies that cost little to nothing. You may want to sign up for some classes to get a proper introduction to the techniques, but there are also many how to books for the DIY enthusiasts. I bought a couple such books back when I was still in high school. The techniques I learned from them have helped me get through some pretty tough times over the years. I’ve haven’t practiced either for quite a while, but writing this post makes me want to get back into the habit again. What can I say, after having two small children I long for the peacefulness these hobbies can bring.
- Baking and Cooking. If you love to cook, or bake, then this is a win-win hobby! You get the pleasure of making your own meals and desserts, while saving money on groceries. And again, this one can be loads of fun with young children involved.
You're never too young or old to learn more in life. If you take the time to learn new things, you'll develop new interests. Let your curiosity run wild, and develop more knowledge over the things you don't know or are familiar with. Here is an idea. Each week, write down 3 things you know very little, nothing about. Then, read about these things and you might not just learn something, but develop a real interest.