5 Things Hobbies Taught Me About Life and Myself
I feel like men have always had this idea that women don’t have hobbies. When that couldn’t be further from the truth. My idea is that women have plenty hobbies, they just might look a lot different than theirs. For example, two hobbies I picked up over the years is knitting & needlepoint. Many hobbies have come & gone, but these two just seemed to be the one’s that stuck.
One thing I don’t think is mentioned enough is how much personal growth you can gain by having a hobby you love. If you’re wondering how that works, I’ll tell you! Here’s what having hobbies taught me about life and myself:
#1. It’s all about the little things
Trying out a new hobby always takes a little trial and error. Rarely does someone pick up a new skill and immediately become an expert. For me, it’s so damn frustrating to consistently suck at something that’s supposed to be a “peaceful” outlet. As the saying goes, “it sucks to suck”. But I found a silver lining!
Looking back at my small wins I had along the way, I appreciate how far I’ve come from when I first started. When I began needlepoint, I had know idea what I was doing, I just picked up a canvas at a needle shop in New Orleans and gave it a go. My first project was…hard to look at, to be honest. But fast forward to now and I’m painting and needlepointing my own canvases! Those initial fails is actually where I learned the most. It’s fun to learn new things. So, if you’re not immediately amazing at your hobby, don’t sweat it, I wasn’t either!
#2. Slow down and take time for yourself
As an aspiring “lady of leisure,” slowing down came naturally to me, or maybe because my hobbies are about taking it slow (they don’t call knitting “slow fashion” for nothing). I’m more patience with myself in the times I need it most. I make more time to stop and smell the roses every once in a while. But most importantly, I’ve learned to embrace the idea of taking time for myself, guilt-free.
#3. Be your own happiness.
There’s something to be said about finding contentment with nothing but your own company (I could write a master class on this). Even if your hobby is social, you’re still actively choosing something that brings you joy. That’s not something to be overlooked! Having hobbies showed me that taking control of your happiness is powerful and that seeking joy is worth every moment.
#4. Not everyone loves what you love, and that’s okay!
Let’s be real, you’re going to be obsessed with your hobbies. Maybe not obsessed, but you’re at least going to be super into them (bc if not then why bother with the hobby??). The thing is, not everyone is going to share your excitement. And that’s okay! I can go on and on talking about knitting, but I don’t think I can withstand more than 2 minutes talking about the “thrills” of weekend fishing. I think it adds to the lore of having a hobby. It almost makes it even more exclusive, like it’s something that’s ✨just for me✨.
#5. Confidence. Having hobbies taught me confidence.
I consider myself pretty self assured, but I still have days (or weeks) where I feel anything but that. Somehow, these hobbies, where I get to feel proud of the tiniest accomplishments, have boosted my self-esteem more than I’d ever expect. When I finally figured out how to knit a button band on a cardigan, I was beaming with pride for days! And don’t get me started on when I learned how to do German short rows (if you know, you know).
In the end, hobbies are so much more than just “passing the time.” They’re little windows into who we are and who we can become. Whether it’s the confidence boost, the patience, or the satisfaction of mastering something new, hobbies have a way of bringing out our best (and sometimes our wildest) sides. So if you haven’t found a hobby you love yet, maybe it’s time to explore and see what sticks. And if you already have one? Keep at it. Who knows what else you might learn about yourself along the way!
