As adults, many people don’t have any hobbies. People are far too busy working and taking care of families, and when you do have any spare time, you can feel very tired so you don’t want to actually do anything. However, it’s a good idea to make time for hobbies; they are good for you in many ways. Plus, when you actually get started, you’ll feel less tired and have more energy, so that is another positive. Read on to find out why hobbies are so important and why you need to have one – or more – to enjoy.
More Self-Esteem
Having a good level of self-esteem is important for many different reasons in life. The better your self-esteem, the more successful you are and the more opportunities you will have. You’ll believe in yourself, and this is what is so important when you are trying new things and aiming high; your positive attitude in this regard could make all the difference.
So clearly, having self-esteem is crucial, but how can you build it if you don’t currently have a high level? The answer is having a hobby. The more you get involved in something, whether it’s sport, art, collecting something, or learning new information, the better your self-belief will be. You’ll know you can achieve things in life because the evidence is right there before you in your hobby and the skills you’re developing. You don’t have to be an expert in whatever hobby you choose, and you don’t even have to become a professional, or reach that kind of level. As long as you can see progress from where you started to now, your self-esteem will grow.
Hobbies Give You Friends
How many friends do you have? Maybe you have one or two. Maybe you don’t have any at all, and don’t feel as though you want any. What about when you were younger? It’s highly likely you had a lot of friends, and many of those would have been made through your hobbies. Why bring this up? It’s because friends are actually very important, and therefore, if you don’t have many as an adult, it’s a good idea to try to make some, and to do that, a hobby can work wonders.
Studies have actually shown that having friends gives you lower blood pressure, and that means you are at less risk of heart disease and stroke. Depression is something else that can be avoided – or at least reduced – when you have friends, since loneliness is a leading cause of depression (although, of course, there are other reasons). What’s more, hobbies can also be something your children can get involved in. So joining the HSB Academy together as they have both youth and adult activities or starting an evening pottery class, or anything else that sounds appealing will allow you to make friends a lot more easily.
Less Stress
Life is stressful a lot of the time. This might be large stresses, such as not having work, not enjoying your work, having a bad relationship, or perhaps health or financial worries. It could also be smaller stresses such as bad traffic on the way to work or having a deadline to complete something by. Big or small, most people can quite easily find something to feel stressed about on a daily basis.
When you have a hobby, you can reduce your stress. Firstly, it’s something to look forward to, which keeps you feeling positive and reduces the amount of cortisol (the stress hormone) in your body. Secondly, when you are fully immersed in your hobby, you’ll find you aren’t worrying about whatever it is that is causing you stress, and you will feel a lot more relaxed. This is much better for your overall health, as well as your happiness.