5 Reasons Why A Hobby Can Make You Smarter
There’s a lot of talk these days about how training the mind can enhance a person’s overall health. Options for mental exercise include many popular hobbies like painting, gardening, quilting, sewing, woodworking, and other crafting.
Five Benefits You Can Enjoy by Turning your Leisure Time into Learning Time
- Higher self confidence. Learning a new skill shows you’re capable of doing pretty much anything to which you set your mind. You can apply your newfound self assurance to tasks like increasing your income, completing a college degree, or overcoming addiction.
- Improved memory. Activities like travel, chess, and Sudoku can keep your recollection sharp as you age, helping you to live a longer, fuller life.
- Reduced stress. Many hobbies can relieve or even remove inner tensions. While we’re on the subject, we should mention that meditation is a great hobby all to itself. There’s no need to change religions or move to California in order to benefit from meditating. Just relax, close your eyes, and direct your thoughts towards serene images and words.
- Heightened popularity. Nothing brings people together like sharing a common interest. You might meet a few lifelong acquaintances by pursuing your passions. It’s something to think about.
- Increased income. Who knows? You may love painting, crocheting, or crafting so much that you decide to sell some of your creations at local fairs or online. This is a perfect way to put more money in your pocket while doing something you love.
Tips for Choosing a Hobby
“All this sounds great,” you say. “But I have no idea which hobby to pursue.” We understand your dilemma. The list of potential pastimes is almost endless. Here are some ways to find your true passion:
● Ask yourself what you enjoyed doing as a child. Let’s say you could never get enough of drawing animals or playing with clay. You might have a budding sketch artist or sculptor inside, just waiting for a chance to come out.
● Think of the last thing you did that made you forget to eat. Any activity that overcame something as primal as hunger probably ranks high on your list of favorite activities.
● Look for a hobby that will make you forget about your cares. All of us carry a little residual baggage home with us after a hard day at work or school. If immersing yourself in flower arranging or photography can make you forget about those things, then chances are strong that you’ve found your hobby.
How Hobbies Can Help Those in Addiction Recovery
More than 20 million Americans suffer from drug or alcohol addiction. One way to help yourself recover from these unhealthy attachments is to take up a hobby. Of particular help are activities that involve repeating small, precise actions over and over. Examples include:
● Fishing. Many fishermen could care less if they land a fish or not. They enjoy the simple act of casting a line and reeling it back in. Plus, fishing takes you to soothing natural locations rich in scenery and free from the noise, pollution, and congestion associated with uptight urban environments.
● Knitting. LIke fishing, this involves repetitive steps that can send the mind into sort of a blissful trance while you create a thing of beauty.
● Wood carving. This hobby gives the carver lasting satisfaction from seeing the results of her work.
Everyone needs a break from the daily grind now and then. So try a hobby on for size and see if it gives you the tranquility you crave. You have nothing to lose and a world of enjoyment to gain.
