Maybe, what you really need, is a hobby...

the life changing magic of the humble hobby

Hello, I’m Jodie. I write about life post burnout with themes of rest, living slower, healing and self discovery. Subscribe to support my work & to read more. Or, join our Slower Space community to access all content and the monthly journaling club!

What’s your hobby?

For some of you, it will be a simple question with plenty of lovely activities at the tip of your finger tips, for others, it may not be so simple…

If you’d have asked me this 3 years ago, I would have said my work, and maybe my irregular gym sessions at a push.

This is pretty bleak, but let me share my honest reality… Most of the free time I did allocate myself was usually taken up by passively scrolling on my phone, reading self development books, watching random shows I’d been recommended via an algorithm or occasionally seeing friends (thanks to myself and core friendship group all moving to new cities).

I spent a few years post studying like this. Exhaustion was high. I was close to burnout and honestly felt so dissatisfied with life. I’d convinced myself hustling was the only thing worthwhile. No time to “waste” and everything had to be effort and of-course, productive…

In a therapy session back in 2021, during a random session, we got to the bottom of why I felt triggered seeing my husband allocate so much of his free time to hobbies…

You guessed it, because I wasn’t allowing myself the same privilege.

Hobbies, and the things that bring you pleasure and joy, are so worth your time.

3 years ago to the month I started a Yoga Teacher Training course. I realised I needed something to pour myself into that was purely for me, for pleasure, for the sake of learning something new just because I wanted to. I’d been meditating for a few years and it seemed like a good next step.

It was one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself.

Of-course, the nature of a Yoga teacher training (if you get a good one) is likely to be life changing, but in the context of simply doing things PURELY because you want to - that’s where it unlocked something in me.

Now I garden, bake more, paint, read more fiction than ever, practice Yoga, attend retreats and workshops, allow myself to go on a long walk - just because!

Taking that step made me realise that a huge element of my dissatisfaction in life came from not having a hobby and things I did that were purely for pleasure.

Hobbies perfect for autumn

By definition, a hobby is… an activity that people do for pleasure during their free time.

I think for so many years I felt like a hobby had to be this big thing I mastered during childhood and was a pro at in adult life. I’d turned hobbies into something bigger than they are. It turns out, a hobby is simply an activity you do for pleasure, so, here’s a few things you could pick up this autumn…

• Reading fiction

• Planting bulbs for spring

• Baking

• Cooking more in the evenings

• Candle making

• Hiking

• Knitting

• Punch needle (one that’s on my list)

• Puzzles

• Writing

• Yoga

• Painting

• Photography

• Getting round to attempting that DIY project

• Paint by numbers

• Play board games

So, for the love of hobbies and celebrating the joy of just doing things for fun, I’d love to know, what’s yours?

p.s. On the 2nd of October I’m hosting the Monthly Journaling club at 8pm (more info and Zoom link here). It’s part of the paid membership for Slower Space, and is about the price of a coffee! Would love to see you there ❤️

Until next time,

Jodie x

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