Why exactly do I need to stick with just one hobby?
I’m lucky to be surrounded by fascinating people, most of whom happen to also have numerous hobbies and interests that fill their lives. And I’m beginning to think, the connection between being interesting and having a multitude of outside passions and interests is no coincidence.
Gardening. Bike touring. Live music. Board games and puzzles. Reading. Writing. Visiting museums and going to ballgames. Cooking. Woodworking. Volunteering. Photography. Drawing. Painting. Fitness. Designing experiences.
These are just some of the hobbies of my closest friends and acquaintances. And to tell you the truth, I’ve noticed that many go in and out of engaging in these activities, with a great deal of comfort and ease…and little guilt.
These days, I’m mildly obsessed with finding and committing to “a hobby”. Noticing the value they bring to the lives of others, I’ve started to wonder, have I developed a bad habit of replacing downtime with work-related commitments?
The simple answer…is yes.
If I’ve learned anything since the onset of a global pandemic, there’s more to life…than work. There’s 168 hours available to us all each week. And a small fraction of that is (and should be) for actual work.
I’ve also noticed that it’s not necessarily the hobby that makes people well-rounded. It’s the diverse groups of people who share a common and unique interest. And it’s what someone takes away from an isolated experience and then blends it with a new experience. That’s what makes people with hobbies so interesting: the cross-pollination of ideas, people, and experiences that all converge and create a uniquely new experience.
So I’m in pursuit, in search of one or more new things to try. It’s an experiment of sorts, one in which I will go easy on myself with the 30 or so idle hours I have in my otherwise very busy week.
It’s time to get busy, diving deep into this.
Suggestions are welcomed!
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