A couple days ago, I had a conversation with a friend. We started off about what we did over the weekend and then dove into a relevant topic regarding the practical lives we lived: how we spent our free time.
As my friend listed all of her academic and hobbyist pursuits, I felt a feeling I didn’t expect to feel. I felt happy for her.
Obviously, happiness for another is a predictable and healthy feeling. 2 years ago, however, I wouldn’t have felt happiness. I would have felt jealousy because I had nothing for myself.
Having hobbies to pursue is like a search for individuality. It helps you feel connected to what you do, to work for yourself rather than for an outcome controlled by someone else.
Today, I have my individual pursuits, but they took time to find. In this post, I go over what I did to find the hobbies and pursuits I continue to stick to.
Openness
The first roadblock I ran into was trying to pursue the first option I had seriously. I came across a YouTube video of a professional artist making a vase. I was in awe of the skill the potter possessed, and set my mind to reach that skill level after just one video.
To begin, I invested in a cheap children’s pottery wheel. I started off making miniature pottery with the limited clay the set came with, and I dreamed about becoming a professional. To my surprise, I never finished the small pack of trial clay the set came with.
I was bored, but I wasn’t willing to admit it. I didn’t want to move on until I made pottery work for me, which prevented me from being open to new hobbies.
Eventually, my pottery phase faded away.
Today, I understand my interests stem from a combination of genuine interest and thorough research. The first option is only an option. Pursuing new hobbies requires flexibility to consider all the options and thorough research to understand what it offers to you.
So I went wide. I looked through all the hobbies one could have, and then I went deep. I found the ones that I was genuinely interested in and explored all they offered. Openness is the key to finding your true interests.
Starting Off Small
Once you find your interests, don’t purchase professional equipment immediately. The learning process should be slow and not rushed.
When I wanted to learn the piano, I printed one out. Sure, the experience wasn’t the same (I mean it wasn’t even a real piano to begin with), but once I got the hang of playing the paper instrument, my desire grew to purchase a real one. Once I bought a proper instrument, I was determined to sticking with it
If you would like to read more about learning the piano as a hobby, consider reading this post: How I taught myself the piano
Limiting Your Options
Although every hobby has its own appeals, you shouldn’t pursue more than one when starting off.
Only after I got serious with the piano, I took up drawing again. Handling more than one interest at once is hard, especially if you can’t balance how much time you spend on each. I would play the piano for an entire day, then draw for the whole next day, then write short stories the day after. I wasn’t advancing at neither because I wasn’t practicing regularly.
Focus on only 1-3 hobbies with consistency. If you don’t know which ones to pursue, look back on your previous experiences to find the ones you already have a connection with. Narrow your list from there and continue with a select few hobbies to make them your own.
