There are a lot of reasons why you might want to find a new hobby. Maybe you find yourself with some newfound free time and want to make the most of it. You might be bored with your existing hobbies and looking for something to switch things up, even if that means becoming a beginner all over again. Maybe you just want to feel a bit more productive than you do coming home to rewatch that same show on Netflix for the umpteenth time.
Whatever the case, if you’re looking for inspiration to try new hobbies, you’ve come to the right place. There are more appealing options to try than you likely have time, so pick a favorite and give it a try. Not a good fit after all? You have plenty of options as to what to try next, with similar hobby ideas or something completely different.
Get Creative
There are plenty of reasons why various crafts are some of the most popular hobbies out there. From creating homemade holiday gifts and opening an Etsy shop to upcycling old items around the house and adding an extra touch of DIY joy to your home décor, crafts can bring happiness to you and those around you. You might pick up a cross-stitch kit or set of knitting needles and find a hidden talent for needlework. Longing for the simplistic joy of school art classes? Pick up a pencil to sketch or doodle, grab a pack of Crayolas and a coloring book for some relaxation, or head to your local craft store to grab supplies for arts like painting, sculpture, or pottery. Look up some origami tutorials and try something simple with a piece of printer paper before you invest. Print out your favorite photos and start a scrapbook of your best memories.
If you’re not particularly crafty in the traditional sense, rest assured that creativity isn’t limited to crafting. Home DIY projects, from woodworking to upholstery, can give you a great sense of accomplishment—and remind you of that feeling each time you walk by the finished product in your home. Puzzles are a simple hobby that unites creativity with thought, giving you a low-stakes challenge to tackle. Performance arts, like dance, music, or theater, can give you the creative outlet you’re looking for without a tangible product, which is great if you’re short on space.
Another more fleeting way to indulge your creative side is through makeup. Whether you play around with a vivid eyeshadow palette and dive into cosplay looks or simply aim to perfect that ideal no-makeup makeup look, you can be as wild or as subdued as you’d like. Learn to enhance your natural lashes with the perfect eyeliner and long magnetic lashes for the best of both worlds: you can embrace your existing look while still packing a punch. With a bit of practice or some helpful tutorials, you can even get a confidence boost as a result.
Get Confident
Learning the perfect application for false lashes isn’t the only way to build your confidence through a new hobby. Diving into personal or professional development is a great way to better yourself while filling your free time with a productive pastime that’s still enjoyable. Learning a new language, for example, can give you opportunities to travel in a whole new way, to take on the job of your dreams, or talk to your new neighbor from a foreign country. With free apps and websites, you can learn not just a language but nearly any skill online, from coding to public speaking. Once you’ve mastered a new skill (or have gotten just good enough to see results), you’ll have a brand-new hobby ready to enjoy, too.
For a confidence boost that’s more for building confidence in your professional life, consider picking up a workout routine or starting meditation. Something as simple as documenting your day-to-day life in a diary or managing your time in a bullet journal or planner can revolutionize even the most boring of days. For an option with a bit more of a financial investment—a great way to keep yourself motivated to develop your new interest—consider hiring a life coach to do a deep dive into your mindset and achieve your goals, one step at a time. Or, for a little bit of self-coaching, find a podcast that lets you learn about your mindset and habits as you listen.
Get a Companion
Making new friends can be a great way to introduce yourself to new interests and hobbies. If your new friend loves to ski, accompanying them on the slopes could give you the chance to try it for yourself, and maybe even fall in love with the sport. And, while spending time with friends isn’t necessarily a hobby in the traditional sense, it’s still a way to spend time doing something you enjoy—being around one of your favorite people.
If people-ing isn’t quite your style, animal companions can be a great way to stay social, and come with their own new hobby opportunities. Bringing a pet into your life can bring you a new best friend, a running buddy, a shoulder to cry on, or even a talking point when it comes to greeting potential human companions. Training your pet can easily become a hobby in and of itself while spending time with them can let you decompress after a long day.
Of course, getting a pet is far more of a commitment than investing in a calligraphy set. If you think an animal companion is the best route to new hobbies for you, be sure to do your research beforehand, especially if you’re considering a more exotic breed or species. You could even consider the research to be a hobby itself! Never owned an amphibian before? Spend some time studying Pacman frog care before bringing your new buddy home—your experience playing the classic video game won’t translate. With the proper research, you’ll be prepared to find a properly sized enclosure and know to use caution in maintaining your new friend’s temperature (a heat lamp like you’d use for many reptiles, can be too drying to a Pacman frog’s skin). The proper care will make sure your new companion is around to entertain you for a long time.
Get Cooking
Whether you love to cook, love to eat, or have a loved one who adores sweet treats, a hobby based in the kitchen can be a fun way to spend time developing a new skill, with tangible, (hopefully) delicious results. Pick a culture or region’s cuisine and try your hand at some unique dishes from that area of the world. Pick a classic cookbook, like Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and create one meal at a time, going page by page through the collection. More of a Great British Baking Show fan? Daydream about your own Hollywood handshake as you perfect the perfect biscuit week-worthy snap.
Cooking and baking aren’t the only ways to bring the kitchen into your list of hobbies, though. Try taking up beer brewing, winemaking, or another DIY-style pastime for a fun way to spend time, both in the making and in enjoying the final products. For an even more creative take, try your hand at decorating cakes, cookies, or other treats. This makes for a particularly fun hobby if you’re looking to embrace an artistic talent but don’t want to store finished projects—the results disappear with just a few bites.
The perfect time to start searching for your perfect hobby is right now. From learning new skills to making new friends, the options are practically limitless. You can create a masterpiece on canvas, on your eyelids, or on a tasty treat. You can feed your friends their favorite foods or feed your frog their go-to crickets and Dubia roaches. As long as you’re trying new things and enjoying yourself along the way, you’re sure to find the best hobby for you.
