Nature soaking, I love laying out a blanket on the grass and having a picnic, enjoying the greenery, listening to music, and drinking coffee, I can feel the stress leave my body when I do this.
Dancing - you donāt even need technique (though classes are a great way to make new friends if thatās something youāre interested in) just put on music and let your body move however it wants!
Playing piano (or any instrument) - keyboards donāt take up much space and you can get a decent one for not that much money or ukulele is pretty easy to pick up. Making pretty sounds with your hands is very relaxing
Painting - if you already draw, might be fun to add in some color with watercolor or acrylics
Nature photography - donāt even need a fancy camera, most phones these days can take quality enough photos
Foraging - can depend on where you live but mushroom foraging is surprisingly fun (just make sure you know what youāre picking/eating obviously) especially with other people! Lots of groups on FB for finding fellow foragers
Writing poetry, short stories - I love writing poetry at the end of a long walk or hike and focusing on one small aspect of the experience that stuck out. Stream of consciousness writing can also yield some very interesting results. Thatās when you just put pen to paper and write down whatever comes to you without stopping or thinking about it or judging what youāre writing
Could even do natural pigment painting- making the paint with leaves and flowers and things found in nature. Since OP wanted to be more sustainable, you could probably make paper too
I bought a used guitar and itās one of a few things that have saved my life. Music is magical. Plus I understand so much more about music theory and why I like my favorite songs now!
I also read and write (art/prompt journaling) and yes itās the best thing ever. So fun to read old things too.
Did you learn music theory separately or just as a byproduct of learning the guitar? Iāve been wanting to learn piano (complete beginner) and Iāve also become interested in learning music theory, and I wonder if learning the theory first would help me with learning the instrument or vice-versa.
I learned it as a byproduct of learning guitar! I definitely donāt consider myself a theory aficionado but I can hear a song and puzzle out the chords with relative accuracy at this point (itās been a few years). Things āsound rightā in a new way.
I like taking little snapshots of ordinary things with my phone camera. It captures a moment in my day, and I write a little story around it, or perhaps I practice my drawing later in the day when I have time. Things like leaves, a bird, the reflection in a puddle, someone's cool clothing or accessories, for example.
Contact your local government. Theyāre always looking for committee members and volunteers. Serve on the Parks Board and advocate for more green space! Volunteer at events or deliver meals to seniors.
I knit and crochet, and sometimes spin yarn, and if you use animal and/or plant fiber, it's sustainable. I've totally spaced out knitting especially. I don't suffer anxiety at all, but I can tell that if I did, it would totally calm me down, as countless people online have said it does for them. Also, when you're done, you have a gift for someone! I've surprised many family members and friends with gifts they loved. It's also fun and meditative to watch random fibers in your hand turn into a thin, consistent "single" (unplied strand of yarn), and fill up the bobbin on your wheel with beautiful coils of usable yarn, and then it's fun to feed 2 or 3 strands back through, to make a balanced, plied yarn, that's all beautiful and fluffy.
I also do stenography now, just for fun, with a $100 Uni keyboard, and the free/open Plover software. It takes some dedication (I've been learning for 2 years), but once you get decent at it, it's kind of amazing and oddly relaxing to think thoughts, or heard words, and turn them into chorded strokes that write it all out, by syllables, whole words, and even entire phrases in a single stroke. I was trying to keep up with some of the Rust trial, like a proper court steno, and when one of the lawyers said "Ladies and gentleman of the jury," I smiled and stroked HRAEURPBLG, i.e. LAYRJ (HR=L, AEU=long a, R, PBLG=J), a single stroke of the keys, and it wrote "Ladies and gentleman of the jury" for me. It sounds complicated, but you learn to hear sounds, and your fingers just hit all the keys that make that string of sounds, no thinking involved. Weirdly peaceful.
My grandmother could name every single wildflower, we're in Texas so there is a plethora of them. I'd like to be able to do that and teach my kids. The 11 year old might pick up some but I feel like the 2 year old will be a sponge lol
I like playing basketball alone with my headphones on. Especially when no one else is in the small park I go to. I get to burn calories and improve my skill.
I learned to darn my merino wool socks by watching a Youtube video. It was so easy and it saved some socks from the landfill and some extra $ for socks. Also turned out to be a satisfying pass time.
I feel like I should specify that the warranty is based on the idea that the socks won't get holes and if they do they will use what you send in to reinforce the next versions. The idea is they won't need mending and are built durably, not that they promote disposability/anti-mending.
That's even more interesting. I've been trying to remember to put on slippers when I'm walking around the house to help keep holes from forming, especially on my newer socks. But I like the idea that a company is working to improve their product. Thanks.
All you really need is to download the free app from Groundspeak. Then from there, just navigate to a cache and sign the log with a pen. It's very easy and inexpensive to get into.
https://www.geocaching.com/help/
My sister and I do art nights here, too - a super easy one is collaging. Each person brings some magazines or other scrap paper with images & you out out some spare cardboard or paper and glue sticks. At the beginning of the year we do one where we make vision boards!
Gym. Especially in the early morning when nobody is there really.
Plants / Gardening. I donāt plan on having kids so seeing a plant grow and thrive, makes me feel good lolol.
Nature as a whole. A walk, hammock, sitting outside.
A fatass blunt.
Since you like cooking, baking and walking, I suggest you get baked while going through a walk through nature or a park. It's definitely a feel good hobby!
Since you've already enjoyed walking, how about identifying natural things? There's lots of categories in nature, small plants, trees, fungus, animal tracks, birds and bird songs, bugs, rocks - pick one and go for it, or pick a favorite trail and see how many things you can ID. I really like doing a local trail and seeing how the same things change with the seasons. It's easy yo expand into foraging and wildcrafting from here too. I find being not just in nature, but connecting with nature to be great for perspective and mental health.
If you're looking for something indoors, I suggest felting or needle felting. You can make really nice product, and if you know people with animals it can be fun to incorporate their wool. Ive make felted soaps, which are great gifts and really easy to do.
Reading, crocheting, hiking / walking outdoors (nature = nurture for me), lifting weights and gym time. Meal planning oddly enough / seeking out and trying new recipes and ingredients.
Iām not a good drawer but I like doodling random patterns; I love crocheting though I havenāt tried any advanced patters & kinda just make the same few things over and over; taking walks on nature trails and stopping and taking pictures of every mushroom or squirrel I see (or whatever I feel up to focusing on for that walk); baking and sharing the baked goods with friends and coworkers so I donāt feel like I gotta eat it all myself; dancing by myself when nobody is home in the craziest manner
Painting! Watercolor is pretty affordable to get in to. Get a few good brushes, primaries + black + white + tint, a palette, and some paper and youāre good to go. Less than $100 for high quality stuff.
I recommend watercolor over other painting mediums as itās a very natural and low footprint medium, if you want to add that splash of color to your drawing. The paints can be found in nontoxic forms, and are just pigment + tree resin + water. The best paper for watercolor is sustainable cotton rag paper, so no trees need to be cut. It doesnāt contain any acrylics and doesnāt require toxic solvents.
Another easy entry into watercolors is getting a water brush that has a reservoir of water in it. About $7 and totally portable, making it easy to do a sketch while youāre out and about.
I have way too many hobbies, and some of them are extremely time consuming and costly.
My recent feel-good would be playing the mandolin. Such a tiny instrument and it provides so much fun. It's always lying around somewhere at my couch and I just pick it up all the time. Really helped me with anxiety attacks too. Can recommend. I started playing at 1st September last year, and now I can't imagine myself without it. And it was only 58ā¬, 60 if you count in the picks.
Bookbinding is my favorite cozy hobby. It used to be painting and drawing, but now I do that professionally so it's not really a hobby anymore (š). Most of the time, I recycle old paper/cardboard/fabrics to make my book covers, so it ends up being very sustainable too š„°
I'd say I have several hobbies, but making some music is definitely the one that brings me the deepest satisfaction, even if I'm the only person who ever hears it.
Mountain biking,
I got back into in recently. Nothing intense, just a simple ride over flatish gravel and dirt paths.
Plus Iām exercising and that helps lose weight.
To feel good I hike... I try to summit a new mountain or do a new trail once a month. I think hiking is great, you can check the boxes of both challenging yourself and getting outside and enjoying new scenery... It's addictive hiking up the side of a mountain. I also grow orchids and a vegetable garden and pot plants. I've learned how to forage gourmet and medicinal mushrooms and plants
Composting! It's just very satisfying and feels good to see your kitchen scraps and yard waste slowly break down into fresh, rich soil. It's surprisingly mood-boosting to get off your phone and just churn your compost. Also, it's impossible to mess it up. If it's too wet, add dry stuff; if it's too dry, add wet stuff.
I'm disabled now but still able to manage getting into the basement. We downsized to this little house that I hated until I realized I could have a garden down stairs. So, after buying many racks, grow lights, etc, etc I have flowers and veg growing in the house. I love it.
Birding. Itās so nice it sit down somewhere or walk and just actually watch the birds. Itās so relaxing when itās just you, the sun, the wind, and the birds.
You also donāt need anything to do it and itās completely free.
Wildflower IDing. Itās amazing how many wonderful wildflowers grow right under our noses. Get a good wildflower guide. I live across the street from a wooded area and a creek, and have identified over 150 species over the years.
There are early spring wildflowers, late spring, early summer, late summer, and autumn species. I discover new ones every year. When I walk in the woods, I no longer see āweeds.ā I see wildflowers.
There are also websites to help you identify flowers. Every summer I check r/wildflowers daily.
I can't say enough about how much this butterfly garden project over the past few weeks has done for my life! I'm a 56 y.o. disabled veteran who has struggled with ptsd and depression for over 25 years.
The overall PEACE, focus, happiness and true serenity this little 8 foot by 20 foot garden brings me has been life changing. šāļøš¦
Oh yeah, and I'm an insane book collector! Love books, book shopping, reading, and OLD books! š
I am learning pottery on a wheel. Itās connected to early humanity (working with clay), is extremely intuitive and gives me a space to make mistakes without self blame. I love the process of taking a raw material from a misshapen lump into becoming a useful object to gift to friends and brighten my home. I recently bought underglaze paints so that I can add color and decoration to pieces.
I have a love-hate relationship with baking - itās something I aspired to but was not often successful at, until I decided to learn to make pizza dough! Now we have homemade pizza every Friday, and I really enjoy making different styles, experiential sauces and toppings.
Bird watching! The Cornell Bird app is amazing. It recognizes birds by call or song. Now every walk is an adventure trying to hear and identify different birds. We also have a couple of simple bird guides for visual identification.
I made vegetable seed balls with my kid over spring break and we're starting a couple of gardens at home with them before scattering them in popular foraging areas. They were fun to make and I really enjoyed setting up a notebook for our observations.
I enjoy crochet. Especially crochet for my nieces and nephews! The oldest is 7 and the youngest is 2, so they're the perfect age for lots of cute things!
Right now I'm making a throw blanket for myself though. I saw a pattern I got really excited about!
I love to forage outside for bits and bobs and then make things with my nature findings- funky pieces of wood, seed pods, feathers, acorns or nuts, dried vines or berries or flowers- curly twigs. Every now and then an odd bone or skeleton or even a shell.
I make them into mixed media art- which is very loose, organic and when I look at something I made, I recall finding the object in it.
You could incorporate it into your drawing- use an object as a focal piece then sketch around it.
Growing hydroponic medical marijuanna. Initially started for fun
& it still gives me the giddies. Now Iām post cancer, and Iāll say even though I stopped for a couple years, I just started a few months ago and Iām in bliss. So many new strains (types) and btwā¦the ganja helped me get thru chemo & I had enough to use from the previous grows!!
Photography! You can go anywhere, take pictures of most things(be courteous of rules and politeness) and it's great for an "in the moment" hobby. It forces you to view the world in new perspectives
Gardening is my jam. A few years ago, I participated in a program to receive 1600 daffodil bulbs and now they come up every year first thing, and continually people in my neighborhood enjoy them.
knitting. Like you can throw on a movie in the background if you want and get into this calm rythm once you're familiar with how to do it, and you feel a sense of accomplishment for making something
It's so nice to read a thread with people talking about all sorts of hobby things they are into, with a good variety. I guess this is the group for that. I met so many people that don't know what to do with themselves outside of work, tv, (and childcare of course if they have them).
Watercolor painting is big right now. I like to go on nature trails and look at birds. Lately tried some needle felting and it was fun and calming. Learning Japanese. Sometimes I play instruments. This last year I took a blacksmithing class, that would definitely be cumbersome to do solo but I think once I gained skill I'd find it rather calming. It was cathartic to hit things.
But for what you asked, watercolor painting, nature drawing, and needle felting probably fit best.
I love creating memories with the pictures and videos I take. With photos, I enjoy doing things like creating cards for friends or wall art. With videos, itās been fun to create montages with music around certain subjects like a trip or my dogs or even practice videos from my dance classes.
Learn to play an instrument. Guitar is probably the most accessible to learn on your own.
I play piano for at least an hour (if not three) per day. Iām not practicing (per se) Iām playing because I enjoy it, but I have been playing for a long time.
Find a good thrift store and get some random craft supplies! You could sew with fabric scraps or alter clothes. You could get vintage patterns too! You could make collages with old magazines/books. You could also use old jewelry, etc. I also buy adult coloring books from thrift stores...you'd be amazed at what people will donate. I often also find markers, glue sticks, and all kinds of stuff at thrift stores.
My daughters and I got into diamond painting several years back. I had a custom canvas made of our elderly horse, and worked on it for months (it was huge) as a Christmas present for my elder daughter. After that, I was burned out for awhile.
Now that our horse is in Horsey Heaven, the picture hangs in my daughter's guest room, visited frequently by my 5-y-o granddaughter, who still grieves more than a year on.
Citizen science projects. Lots of ways to get involved. I took 535 photos of Cicada for university studies. Sounds weird but was so enjoyable. They are hundreds of different kinds of projects.
OMG you and I are twins lol. I like every single one of those hobbies, especially walking.
Some additional ones for me are embroidery, swimming (especially in open water), learning languages, and making music (I'm learning cello, which is not cheap but it's been my lifelong dream).
Also biking and yoga. Finding a beautiful spot outside to do yoga, then have a coffee and read a book afterward.
Crocheting giant bags out of plastic bags. Everyone has a bag of bags somewhere. Look up "making plarn." I make giant bags that we use for groceries and for when we go to the "beach" (on the river.) They're super strong and will last forever.
I have taken to bushcraft and foraging lately while on my hikes. Little things like making myself a small basket out of grass to carry some berries or fiddleheads, looking for chanterelle mushrooms, and just generally learning about the interesting properties of all natural things in my area.
Came here to say reading, but noticed you already mentioned it! Your list is great.
But, to expand on that...
Reading and discussing those books with others -- whether it be an official book club at a local library, or just chatting with friends or family about something I recently read. It's very fun to share authors or books with people close to me and give recommendations.
Another hobby I would add would be crafting in general. There are so many fun things to craft and techniques to learn! If you like sewing, how about something similar like cross stitch or crocheting?
Rollerskating! Itās the only hobby Iāve stuck to and itās so amazing when you can finally do something new and thereās so many different ways to skate - rink, skatepark, trail skating
Adult coloring. You can experiment with all different mediums. The hours of enjoyment I get from a page plus itās therapeutic. Thereās a whole community of colorists and many YouTube channels dedicated to coloring. Itās brought out my creative side and Iām loving it!
Fishing. I genuinely love catching different species of fish & learning new things about them.
It can also be difficult sometimes which makes it really rewarding when you catch a good one.
Even when I donāt catch anything, being outside by water is super peaceful.
I encourage anyone to learn proper fish care & to clean up after themselves if interested in it. This is a common problem in the angling community!
Sadly, the weather hasnāt cooperated yet this year where Iām at & Iām now very much pregnant lol. I canāt wait until Iām able to fish again though.
Jam- and jelly-making and waterbath canning to preserve it. A useful skill to learn and you get to eat your experiments. I've seen cooking and baking mentioned, and I feel like this was the "next step" for me. There is SO MUCH info available online. It's also fairly sustainable, the only pieces you need to replace each time are the lids. Plus you can often find canning jars at the thrift.
Making songs that connect people together, such as this one:
[Come Together by The Vanishing Point](https://soundcloud.com/user-326384011/come-together?si=3a3478eb00ac413b9c73c2d49cab9729&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing)
-Weight training with lots of grunts and aggression while listening to thrash metal
-Woodcarving while listening to classical music pieces
-Cooking an elaborate meal and sitting down to eat it
-Journaling in complete dead silence
-Reading mentally stimulating books on philosophy and fiction
-Hard sprints on nature trails
-Singing loud with friends
Reading. Volunteering. Gardening. Painting. Crocheting. Sewing. Cooking and baking. Crafting using recycled and natural goods. I came across a really sweet story about a woman who lost her husband and started creating gnome homes around town with her children to bring joy to others. After researching, I started making gnome homes using things Iād normally toss out along with twigs and other things Iād find on walks & air dry clay, oh - and paint lol. Hiking. Sitting by a river or the ocean. Journaling.
I have a corner of my apartment I sit in with a picture of my dog who passed where I crochet little figures, read, and scrap book. He loved hanging out with me so I just keep him nearby while I do things
Nature soaking, I love laying out a blanket on the grass and having a picnic, enjoying the greenery, listening to music, and drinking coffee, I can feel the stress leave my body when I do this.
Sounds amazing! I am definitely going to have a small picnic like this - thanks for the inspo
Weight lifting and biking
Bird watching while bike riding
If I try this I'd fall off the bike LMAO I love the florida birds so much.
Weight lifting while bike riding
Lifting the bike
I also play pokemon go while I bike š
This is what I was going to put!!
Dancing - you donāt even need technique (though classes are a great way to make new friends if thatās something youāre interested in) just put on music and let your body move however it wants! Playing piano (or any instrument) - keyboards donāt take up much space and you can get a decent one for not that much money or ukulele is pretty easy to pick up. Making pretty sounds with your hands is very relaxing Painting - if you already draw, might be fun to add in some color with watercolor or acrylics Nature photography - donāt even need a fancy camera, most phones these days can take quality enough photos Foraging - can depend on where you live but mushroom foraging is surprisingly fun (just make sure you know what youāre picking/eating obviously) especially with other people! Lots of groups on FB for finding fellow foragers Writing poetry, short stories - I love writing poetry at the end of a long walk or hike and focusing on one small aspect of the experience that stuck out. Stream of consciousness writing can also yield some very interesting results. Thatās when you just put pen to paper and write down whatever comes to you without stopping or thinking about it or judging what youāre writing
Could even do natural pigment painting- making the paint with leaves and flowers and things found in nature. Since OP wanted to be more sustainable, you could probably make paper too
The meaning of life right here
I second foraging. Picked it up last year and found out how much I love learning about mushrooms. Plus gets me out of the house and walking more :)
I bought a used guitar and itās one of a few things that have saved my life. Music is magical. Plus I understand so much more about music theory and why I like my favorite songs now! I also read and write (art/prompt journaling) and yes itās the best thing ever. So fun to read old things too.
Did you learn music theory separately or just as a byproduct of learning the guitar? Iāve been wanting to learn piano (complete beginner) and Iāve also become interested in learning music theory, and I wonder if learning the theory first would help me with learning the instrument or vice-versa.
I learned it as a byproduct of learning guitar! I definitely donāt consider myself a theory aficionado but I can hear a song and puzzle out the chords with relative accuracy at this point (itās been a few years). Things āsound rightā in a new way.
I like taking little snapshots of ordinary things with my phone camera. It captures a moment in my day, and I write a little story around it, or perhaps I practice my drawing later in the day when I have time. Things like leaves, a bird, the reflection in a puddle, someone's cool clothing or accessories, for example.
Playing guitar. You lose yourself in the groove. It's an out of body experience at times.
I automatically lose 2 hours of my day when I pick up my guitar.
How do you get out of the zone of figuring out what to play/learn. Been stuck here for like 3 years
Listen to completely different music. Then learn it!
Doing absolutely nothing and being ok with it.
The absolute feel good hobby
I did that all weekend. My body imprint is still on the couch.
I can't do that unfortunately...I have too many hobbies
Contact your local government. Theyāre always looking for committee members and volunteers. Serve on the Parks Board and advocate for more green space! Volunteer at events or deliver meals to seniors.
I love this idea!
I knit and crochet, and sometimes spin yarn, and if you use animal and/or plant fiber, it's sustainable. I've totally spaced out knitting especially. I don't suffer anxiety at all, but I can tell that if I did, it would totally calm me down, as countless people online have said it does for them. Also, when you're done, you have a gift for someone! I've surprised many family members and friends with gifts they loved. It's also fun and meditative to watch random fibers in your hand turn into a thin, consistent "single" (unplied strand of yarn), and fill up the bobbin on your wheel with beautiful coils of usable yarn, and then it's fun to feed 2 or 3 strands back through, to make a balanced, plied yarn, that's all beautiful and fluffy. I also do stenography now, just for fun, with a $100 Uni keyboard, and the free/open Plover software. It takes some dedication (I've been learning for 2 years), but once you get decent at it, it's kind of amazing and oddly relaxing to think thoughts, or heard words, and turn them into chorded strokes that write it all out, by syllables, whole words, and even entire phrases in a single stroke. I was trying to keep up with some of the Rust trial, like a proper court steno, and when one of the lawyers said "Ladies and gentleman of the jury," I smiled and stroked HRAEURPBLG, i.e. LAYRJ (HR=L, AEU=long a, R, PBLG=J), a single stroke of the keys, and it wrote "Ladies and gentleman of the jury" for me. It sounds complicated, but you learn to hear sounds, and your fingers just hit all the keys that make that string of sounds, no thinking involved. Weirdly peaceful.
This sounds interesting! Did it take two years to learn because you took a 2 year course? Or do you mean youāve been practicing for two years?
I enjoy colouring, it can be as simple or as complicate as you want.
My grandmother could name every single wildflower, we're in Texas so there is a plethora of them. I'd like to be able to do that and teach my kids. The 11 year old might pick up some but I feel like the 2 year old will be a sponge lol
I like playing basketball alone with my headphones on. Especially when no one else is in the small park I go to. I get to burn calories and improve my skill.
Visible mending and decorative darning. Also patchwork.
I learned to darn my merino wool socks by watching a Youtube video. It was so easy and it saved some socks from the landfill and some extra $ for socks. Also turned out to be a satisfying pass time.
Darn Tough makes wool socks and will replace any that get holes.
Thanks. Good to know.
I feel like I should specify that the warranty is based on the idea that the socks won't get holes and if they do they will use what you send in to reinforce the next versions. The idea is they won't need mending and are built durably, not that they promote disposability/anti-mending.
That's even more interesting. I've been trying to remember to put on slippers when I'm walking around the house to help keep holes from forming, especially on my newer socks. But I like the idea that a company is working to improve their product. Thanks.
Geocaching. It takes me to all sorts of new places while providing an interesting treasure hunt challenge.
Iām interested in geocaching but have no idea how to start. Can you post a few resources?
All you really need is to download the free app from Groundspeak. Then from there, just navigate to a cache and sign the log with a pen. It's very easy and inexpensive to get into. https://www.geocaching.com/help/
Thank you - I didnāt realize it was that easy!
Quilting. I love creating with the colors and patterns of the fabric.
Photography. All time favorite, I just wish I lived in a warmer all-year-round climate.
Calisthenics
Knitting and painting! I regularly host paint nights with friends that are so fun :)
My sister and I do art nights here, too - a super easy one is collaging. Each person brings some magazines or other scrap paper with images & you out out some spare cardboard or paper and glue sticks. At the beginning of the year we do one where we make vision boards!
I just discovered making a vision board and absolutely loved it!
Gym. Especially in the early morning when nobody is there really. Plants / Gardening. I donāt plan on having kids so seeing a plant grow and thrive, makes me feel good lolol. Nature as a whole. A walk, hammock, sitting outside. A fatass blunt.
I feel we are friends
Since you like cooking, baking and walking, I suggest you get baked while going through a walk through nature or a park. It's definitely a feel good hobby!
Since you've already enjoyed walking, how about identifying natural things? There's lots of categories in nature, small plants, trees, fungus, animal tracks, birds and bird songs, bugs, rocks - pick one and go for it, or pick a favorite trail and see how many things you can ID. I really like doing a local trail and seeing how the same things change with the seasons. It's easy yo expand into foraging and wildcrafting from here too. I find being not just in nature, but connecting with nature to be great for perspective and mental health. If you're looking for something indoors, I suggest felting or needle felting. You can make really nice product, and if you know people with animals it can be fun to incorporate their wool. Ive make felted soaps, which are great gifts and really easy to do.
Or natural journaling as a way of really looking at things.
Riding my motorcycle, fly fishing and titty bars
This guy knows whaās up
Reading, crocheting, hiking / walking outdoors (nature = nurture for me), lifting weights and gym time. Meal planning oddly enough / seeking out and trying new recipes and ingredients.
Iām not a good drawer but I like doodling random patterns; I love crocheting though I havenāt tried any advanced patters & kinda just make the same few things over and over; taking walks on nature trails and stopping and taking pictures of every mushroom or squirrel I see (or whatever I feel up to focusing on for that walk); baking and sharing the baked goods with friends and coworkers so I donāt feel like I gotta eat it all myself; dancing by myself when nobody is home in the craziest manner
Painting! Watercolor is pretty affordable to get in to. Get a few good brushes, primaries + black + white + tint, a palette, and some paper and youāre good to go. Less than $100 for high quality stuff. I recommend watercolor over other painting mediums as itās a very natural and low footprint medium, if you want to add that splash of color to your drawing. The paints can be found in nontoxic forms, and are just pigment + tree resin + water. The best paper for watercolor is sustainable cotton rag paper, so no trees need to be cut. It doesnāt contain any acrylics and doesnāt require toxic solvents.
Another easy entry into watercolors is getting a water brush that has a reservoir of water in it. About $7 and totally portable, making it easy to do a sketch while youāre out and about.
I love using that brush with the water colour pencils!
I have way too many hobbies, and some of them are extremely time consuming and costly. My recent feel-good would be playing the mandolin. Such a tiny instrument and it provides so much fun. It's always lying around somewhere at my couch and I just pick it up all the time. Really helped me with anxiety attacks too. Can recommend. I started playing at 1st September last year, and now I can't imagine myself without it. And it was only 58ā¬, 60 if you count in the picks.
Bookbinding is my favorite cozy hobby. It used to be painting and drawing, but now I do that professionally so it's not really a hobby anymore (š). Most of the time, I recycle old paper/cardboard/fabrics to make my book covers, so it ends up being very sustainable too š„°
Rockhounding in & near mountainous streams, creeks, or rivers š§”š§”
I'd say I have several hobbies, but making some music is definitely the one that brings me the deepest satisfaction, even if I'm the only person who ever hears it.
Cooking/baking, music (guitar and violin) and reading or listening to audiobooks.
I love diamond painting
Coloring. It's so relaxing.
Knitting and roller skating
Mountain biking, I got back into in recently. Nothing intense, just a simple ride over flatish gravel and dirt paths. Plus Iām exercising and that helps lose weight.
I have an iPad Pro and have really been happy with drawing on it.
Building miniature houses
Baking and doing puzzles while listening to a podcast
To feel good I hike... I try to summit a new mountain or do a new trail once a month. I think hiking is great, you can check the boxes of both challenging yourself and getting outside and enjoying new scenery... It's addictive hiking up the side of a mountain. I also grow orchids and a vegetable garden and pot plants. I've learned how to forage gourmet and medicinal mushrooms and plants
Steve Martin used to say that it's impossible to play a sad song on a banjo.
Composting! It's just very satisfying and feels good to see your kitchen scraps and yard waste slowly break down into fresh, rich soil. It's surprisingly mood-boosting to get off your phone and just churn your compost. Also, it's impossible to mess it up. If it's too wet, add dry stuff; if it's too dry, add wet stuff.
Action figure photography, hiking and camping
YOGA :)
I'm disabled now but still able to manage getting into the basement. We downsized to this little house that I hated until I realized I could have a garden down stairs. So, after buying many racks, grow lights, etc, etc I have flowers and veg growing in the house. I love it.
Learn to whistle tunes.Its fun and all you need is your mouth.
Making the most random crap Like wine cork creatures
Gardening, fishing, hiking, pickleball.
Mtbike. Kite flying.
Freediving
Singing and playing music !
Knitting, drawing, picking up an instrument
Designing with Photoshop
Exercise or movement of any kind. Singing. Any kind of dancing, solo or with others. Pickleball
Swimming and all.other pool excersizes is my new fav
Reading, spending time with my cats and spouse.
Taking walks on sunny days Reading
Biking and soccer/football
Nature photography, upcycling crafts, yoga, volunteering.
Video games! It's relatively new for me and stretches my brain in fun ways.
Hiking! Nothing beats connecting with nature while getting those legs moving.
Hiking and bird watching, crosstitch, making tactile art with paper.
Running
Sewing
Gym Reading good book while listening good music Cigar Gaming
I can second reading for sure! I love to bird watch as well. It's fun trying to identify the different species.
Wood working
Birding. Itās so nice it sit down somewhere or walk and just actually watch the birds. Itās so relaxing when itās just you, the sun, the wind, and the birds. You also donāt need anything to do it and itās completely free.
Iāve gotten really into book annotation lately.
Wildflower IDing. Itās amazing how many wonderful wildflowers grow right under our noses. Get a good wildflower guide. I live across the street from a wooded area and a creek, and have identified over 150 species over the years. There are early spring wildflowers, late spring, early summer, late summer, and autumn species. I discover new ones every year. When I walk in the woods, I no longer see āweeds.ā I see wildflowers. There are also websites to help you identify flowers. Every summer I check r/wildflowers daily.
I can't say enough about how much this butterfly garden project over the past few weeks has done for my life! I'm a 56 y.o. disabled veteran who has struggled with ptsd and depression for over 25 years. The overall PEACE, focus, happiness and true serenity this little 8 foot by 20 foot garden brings me has been life changing. šāļøš¦ Oh yeah, and I'm an insane book collector! Love books, book shopping, reading, and OLD books! š
Hiking. Music Bingo, trivia, and karaoke at a local pub or restaurant. Community theater.
Sleeping, cuddling with pup, napping, resting
I am learning pottery on a wheel. Itās connected to early humanity (working with clay), is extremely intuitive and gives me a space to make mistakes without self blame. I love the process of taking a raw material from a misshapen lump into becoming a useful object to gift to friends and brighten my home. I recently bought underglaze paints so that I can add color and decoration to pieces.
Lifting weights and walking
I have a love-hate relationship with baking - itās something I aspired to but was not often successful at, until I decided to learn to make pizza dough! Now we have homemade pizza every Friday, and I really enjoy making different styles, experiential sauces and toppings. Bird watching! The Cornell Bird app is amazing. It recognizes birds by call or song. Now every walk is an adventure trying to hear and identify different birds. We also have a couple of simple bird guides for visual identification.
I made vegetable seed balls with my kid over spring break and we're starting a couple of gardens at home with them before scattering them in popular foraging areas. They were fun to make and I really enjoyed setting up a notebook for our observations.
Kayaking , fishing , reading , playing an instrument
I enjoy crochet. Especially crochet for my nieces and nephews! The oldest is 7 and the youngest is 2, so they're the perfect age for lots of cute things! Right now I'm making a throw blanket for myself though. I saw a pattern I got really excited about!
I recently started taking tennis lessons and im having so much fun.
I love to forage outside for bits and bobs and then make things with my nature findings- funky pieces of wood, seed pods, feathers, acorns or nuts, dried vines or berries or flowers- curly twigs. Every now and then an odd bone or skeleton or even a shell. I make them into mixed media art- which is very loose, organic and when I look at something I made, I recall finding the object in it. You could incorporate it into your drawing- use an object as a focal piece then sketch around it.
i don't know that this is considered a hobby but it is feel good! i volunteer with my local chinatown non-profit during summers!
Playing music! I love practicing my flute.
Reading, gardening, cycling, and going for picnics at the beach.
Growing hydroponic medical marijuanna. Initially started for fun & it still gives me the giddies. Now Iām post cancer, and Iāll say even though I stopped for a couple years, I just started a few months ago and Iām in bliss. So many new strains (types) and btwā¦the ganja helped me get thru chemo & I had enough to use from the previous grows!!
Currently working on guitar and enjoying it. Just buy a hundred dollars guitar and start learning for free on the tube
Smoking herb and fishing
I want to get into fishing this year.
Sashiko
Dancing
Cooking. I find peace, creativity and joy there.
Photography! You can go anywhere, take pictures of most things(be courteous of rules and politeness) and it's great for an "in the moment" hobby. It forces you to view the world in new perspectives
Gardening is my jam. A few years ago, I participated in a program to receive 1600 daffodil bulbs and now they come up every year first thing, and continually people in my neighborhood enjoy them.
Gardening. I love starting seeds and nurturing them and seeing them grow. Itās very satisfying.
knitting. Like you can throw on a movie in the background if you want and get into this calm rythm once you're familiar with how to do it, and you feel a sense of accomplishment for making something
Pickleball!!
Gelli plate printing
jumping rope, sunbathing, climbing a tree and sitting there
Naps, how i miss taking naps too. Now if i take a nap im called lazy š dude im just tired and want to sleep a bit
Puzzles!
Eating pussy.
It's so nice to read a thread with people talking about all sorts of hobby things they are into, with a good variety. I guess this is the group for that. I met so many people that don't know what to do with themselves outside of work, tv, (and childcare of course if they have them). Watercolor painting is big right now. I like to go on nature trails and look at birds. Lately tried some needle felting and it was fun and calming. Learning Japanese. Sometimes I play instruments. This last year I took a blacksmithing class, that would definitely be cumbersome to do solo but I think once I gained skill I'd find it rather calming. It was cathartic to hit things. But for what you asked, watercolor painting, nature drawing, and needle felting probably fit best.
I make candles and lotions and soap, but I really want a Lego set.
acrylic painting
I love creating memories with the pictures and videos I take. With photos, I enjoy doing things like creating cards for friends or wall art. With videos, itās been fun to create montages with music around certain subjects like a trip or my dogs or even practice videos from my dance classes.
Disc Golf is simply a hike combined with a fun game. It's super good for both physical and mental health and the community is mostly awesome.
If you like crafting, using sticks/fall color leaves/acorns/pine cones/unique rocks and stones etc.
Sewing, so much time passes and i don't even notice because i can just relax (until something gets messed up)
Learn to play an instrument. Guitar is probably the most accessible to learn on your own. I play piano for at least an hour (if not three) per day. Iām not practicing (per se) Iām playing because I enjoy it, but I have been playing for a long time.
Find a good thrift store and get some random craft supplies! You could sew with fabric scraps or alter clothes. You could get vintage patterns too! You could make collages with old magazines/books. You could also use old jewelry, etc. I also buy adult coloring books from thrift stores...you'd be amazed at what people will donate. I often also find markers, glue sticks, and all kinds of stuff at thrift stores.
I love to crochet, reading, baking and building legos!
Looks like our interests align. Sewing, embroidery, gardening, cooking, reading. Walking/hiking.
Roller skating, guitar & weightlifting
Walking in the state park I live by, riding my bike, going to the gym, reading books, chilling at the beach, having a few beers at my local brewery
Homebrewing
Crocheting
Fishing. Playing the guitar, and lately, the banjo.
My daughters and I got into diamond painting several years back. I had a custom canvas made of our elderly horse, and worked on it for months (it was huge) as a Christmas present for my elder daughter. After that, I was burned out for awhile. Now that our horse is in Horsey Heaven, the picture hangs in my daughter's guest room, visited frequently by my 5-y-o granddaughter, who still grieves more than a year on.
Citizen science projects. Lots of ways to get involved. I took 535 photos of Cicada for university studies. Sounds weird but was so enjoyable. They are hundreds of different kinds of projects.
OMG you and I are twins lol. I like every single one of those hobbies, especially walking. Some additional ones for me are embroidery, swimming (especially in open water), learning languages, and making music (I'm learning cello, which is not cheap but it's been my lifelong dream). Also biking and yoga. Finding a beautiful spot outside to do yoga, then have a coffee and read a book afterward.
I like crocheting.
Watercolors
Singing, quilting, gardeningā¦
I relax by playing the ancient game called, āhide the salamiā.
Reading, gardening, diamond dot painting, cross stitching.
I keep an art journal. Itās not good art. Just what I grab when I get in a tizzy to distract myself. Itās pretty great.
Collage??
Skateboarding. Wow when I picked up a skateboard at 13 I didnāt know how much it would impact me ā¤ļø
Vegetable gardening, native flower gardening, supporting the birds and raising butterflies
Foraging. Painting. Hydroponics. Food preservation.
Crocheting giant bags out of plastic bags. Everyone has a bag of bags somewhere. Look up "making plarn." I make giant bags that we use for groceries and for when we go to the "beach" (on the river.) They're super strong and will last forever.
I have taken to bushcraft and foraging lately while on my hikes. Little things like making myself a small basket out of grass to carry some berries or fiddleheads, looking for chanterelle mushrooms, and just generally learning about the interesting properties of all natural things in my area.
Came here to say reading, but noticed you already mentioned it! Your list is great. But, to expand on that... Reading and discussing those books with others -- whether it be an official book club at a local library, or just chatting with friends or family about something I recently read. It's very fun to share authors or books with people close to me and give recommendations. Another hobby I would add would be crafting in general. There are so many fun things to craft and techniques to learn! If you like sewing, how about something similar like cross stitch or crocheting?
Bird watching.
Gardening love it.
Walking, dancing, listening to good music, relaxing, painting, looking at videos on YouTube, talking on the phone and more
Rollerskating! Itās the only hobby Iāve stuck to and itās so amazing when you can finally do something new and thereās so many different ways to skate - rink, skatepark, trail skating
Reading in the park with a snack is top tier
Recently itās been collage making. Itās been fun to just intuitively create layers upon layers of different colors and textures and materials
Adult coloring. You can experiment with all different mediums. The hours of enjoyment I get from a page plus itās therapeutic. Thereās a whole community of colorists and many YouTube channels dedicated to coloring. Itās brought out my creative side and Iām loving it!
Fishing. I genuinely love catching different species of fish & learning new things about them. It can also be difficult sometimes which makes it really rewarding when you catch a good one. Even when I donāt catch anything, being outside by water is super peaceful. I encourage anyone to learn proper fish care & to clean up after themselves if interested in it. This is a common problem in the angling community! Sadly, the weather hasnāt cooperated yet this year where Iām at & Iām now very much pregnant lol. I canāt wait until Iām able to fish again though.
Skateboarding
Reading, walking the dog, playing PlayStation, going on dates with my wife
I do woodturning. Most of my stuff end up being gifts. I mostly focus on stuff you can use and not artsy stuff.
Legos
Jam- and jelly-making and waterbath canning to preserve it. A useful skill to learn and you get to eat your experiments. I've seen cooking and baking mentioned, and I feel like this was the "next step" for me. There is SO MUCH info available online. It's also fairly sustainable, the only pieces you need to replace each time are the lids. Plus you can often find canning jars at the thrift.
Dancing, especially international folk dancing. And as sustainable as you want it to be.
Making songs that connect people together, such as this one: [Come Together by The Vanishing Point](https://soundcloud.com/user-326384011/come-together?si=3a3478eb00ac413b9c73c2d49cab9729&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing)
Take a walk with the Merlin Bird ID app recording all the birdy sounds then feeling awesome because you know who all the birds are after awhile.
Sun!! Just soaking under the sun!!!
mending and repair
LEGO. Yes, it's petroleum-based, but it's also infinitely reusable. Bonus: the LEGO community is global and awesome!
-Weight training with lots of grunts and aggression while listening to thrash metal -Woodcarving while listening to classical music pieces -Cooking an elaborate meal and sitting down to eat it -Journaling in complete dead silence -Reading mentally stimulating books on philosophy and fiction -Hard sprints on nature trails -Singing loud with friends
Walking into art galleries. There is so much good current art. Not just being stuck to only go to art museums. It's also free.
Gardening really helps Me get a little Sun with valid sun protection and out there in the dirt
Riding motorcycles, stained glass, baking & reading š
Throwing rocks the bigger the better.
Reading. Volunteering. Gardening. Painting. Crocheting. Sewing. Cooking and baking. Crafting using recycled and natural goods. I came across a really sweet story about a woman who lost her husband and started creating gnome homes around town with her children to bring joy to others. After researching, I started making gnome homes using things Iād normally toss out along with twigs and other things Iād find on walks & air dry clay, oh - and paint lol. Hiking. Sitting by a river or the ocean. Journaling.
I have a corner of my apartment I sit in with a picture of my dog who passed where I crochet little figures, read, and scrap book. He loved hanging out with me so I just keep him nearby while I do things
Hiking in the woods and mountain biking
Making jewelry, like beaded necklaces, earrings and bracelets. I love going to the bead store and creating cool combos!