Why Are Hobbies Important? 8 Reasons To Start A New Hobby

It’s been a recent goal of mine to really invest in my hobbies – if you’ve read any of my other recent hobby blogs (linked at the end ✨) then you’ll have been on the early stages of this journey with me. And it’s been an interesting one! So today, I wanted to answer the big question on the topic: why are hobbies important?

“If you are losing your leisure, look out! — It may be you are losing your soul.” – Virginia Woolf

It makes you more interesting

As far as personal development goes, there’s little you can do to enrich your character more than investing in hobbies. They add a burst of colour to your life, and help you develop your character. We often adopt hobbies as cornerstones of our personalities. They become part of us.

Relieves stress and helps you relax

Hobbies are great challenges, and (hopefully!) an activity we love, we get wrapped up in them and thus, they can be great outlets for stress. Even if your hobby doesn’t seem relaxing on the surface, indulging in something you love and taking your mind away from whatever may be stressing you is the real definition of relaxation. It doesn’t have to be spa treatments and yoga. Hobbies can be a great alternative meditation.

Enhance your skill set

Hopefully you’re always learning, but hobbies are one of the best ways to keep yourself growing and developing. Besides the specific skills and knowledge of the hobby itself, the art of practicing, of dedication, research, listening and sharing that come from hobbies are really important and can be transferred to every other part of your life.

Good place to meet friends

It can be tricky, as we get older, to meet new people. But starting a hobby is one of the best ways to do so. It guarantees you’ll find someone who you’ll share an interest with, even if you’re completely different otherwise. And don’t think your hobby isn’t social enough for this – you can seek out online and in person communities for almost any hobby you choose, you can attend events and workshops, you could join competitions. Even striking up a conversation with someone speaking about your hobbies and interests is a great way to find potential connection points.

Increases confidence and self-esteem

Investing in yourself and giving yourself the time to enjoy yourself and relax will help to boost your happiness within yourself. Seeing your progress and diving deeper into something you care about will also help to boost your confidence and self-esteem.

Alleviates boredom

Whether you have time where you find yourself struck with boredom, or whether you feel boredom in your life in a broader sense, having a hobby is a great place to invest your time. Even if you don’t find yourself particularly bored, you may find yourself wasting your free time away, for lack of something better to do: a hobby’s a great fix here.

New perspectives

Exploring your hobbies will give you new perspectives on the world. By broadening your knowledge and the people you connect with your ideas, ideals and thoughts may shift as you take on a new element to your personality and new concepts from your hobby.

They make you happier

People who invest in the things they care about are likely to be happier, and why shouldn’t they be? By stimulating your brain and having something to care and invest in, your brain will be more awake, more relaxed and ultimately, more content.

So, 8 reasons why hobbies are important. If you’re looking to start a new hobby, I’ve got a few other posts to help you on your way:

Happy hobbying! Love, Ella-Rose xx