you dont need a hobby, you need inspiration

no one wants a hobby

In the past, I’ve found myself directionless and bored. Unsure of how to spend my time, and so it passes by without my consent. It’s upsetting. Didn’t I have things I wanted to do?

Of course, it’s ok to do nothing. It’s healthy to establish a rhythm by which you cycle between doing and being. But sometimes you’ll find yourself stuck in the being state for longer than you care to admit. If this is the norm rather than the exception, you may have been told you “need a hobby”.

This can be frustrating. It feels impossible. How do you materialize a hobby out of nothing?

You begin to brainstorm.

What do I like? What should I do? What do I want to learn? What do I care about?

When you feel that you need a hobby, you start to feel empty because of the perceived lack. You let those questions float in your head a bit more and they begin to sting.

Do I not care about anything? Don’t I want to improve at something? I need a hobby!

Do you even want a hobby? Why? For the sake of having one?

I don’t think anyone wants to have a hobby. They really just want to see the dividends of how they spend their time.

what even is a hobby?

Whenever I search for a hobby, I come out empty-handed.

I can never manage to find the elusive thing that all of the busy, cool people around me so readily sell. “You really need a hobby”, they say. Where the hell is the hobby store?

I eventually realized why I could never uncover the Holy Hobby. Because a hobby is not tangible - a hobby is the process by which you commit yourself to something you want.

the tale of two voices

A hobby is a part of the package. Set your sights on something, show up regularly, and presto: you’ve got your hobby.

So then, how do we know what we want? Your higher self probably has the answer. The cartoon-ish angel on your left shoulder saying how you’ve loved music since you were a kid, how whole you feel when connecting with others, that you’ve always thought illustration was so cool. That knitting seems kind of cool. What if you tried to make something with your hands?

There is, of course, another being that has taken up residency on your right shoulder. This one has an itemized list as to why you cannot, or should not, do those things.

You have two options:

1. Reduce the negativity in your life
2. Increase the positivity in your life

Just kidding. Do both.

embracing what you actually want

There are of course many reasons not to do things. There are many books written on the topic of how we get in our own way, so I’ll focus more on the positive.

If you truly want something, aren’t hurting yourself or others, and are going to feel a sense of deep satisfaction upon pursuing it, what the fuck are you waiting for? There’s no room in your life, or in your head, for a voice actively working against you.

Get inspired. Tell yourself how cool the thing is. Picture yourself doing it.

Get on social media if only to observe how far other people have pushed the envelope. Do this not with the perspective of “I could never do that”, but instead, “look at what I’m working toward”. Look at what people are sharing, what people have made, and what they are making.

Join a community where people are doing that thing. Look around. Notice the enthusiasm, the excitement, the raw satisfaction of doing something just because you want to do it. Breathe it all in. Participate. Ask questions. Take a class!

Hype yourself up. It’s incredibly rewarding to get out of your own way, sidestep your excuses, and take an active part in your own life.

Your one goal is to make your supportive, nurturing voice louder than your inner critic.

So, really: you don’t need a hobby, you need inspiration.