Hobbies Don’t Have to be Grand to be Good Ones

Photo Credit: ua_Bob_Dmyt_ua | Pixabay

Naomi Kim | Writer

There’s a lot of concepts that might make people think highly of others, a remarkable personality, fine looks, intelligence, or even an impressive hobby. These ideals could cause people to try a hobby that is seen as cool in the eyes of others. The truth is, a good hobby doesn’t need to be that complicated.

Merriam-Webster defines hobby as “a pursuit outside one’s regular occupation, engaged in, especially for relaxation,” but it feels like a variety of people are forgetting the key part of that definition: relaxation. People force themselves to learn things they might have never been interested in, such as playing the piano, painting, photography, sports, etc. Hobbies aren’t activities that we have to force in order to gain approval, they’re the elements needed to relieve ourselves of stress. 

It’s important to note the difference between trying something to gain experience rather than pushing yourself to do something you gain no joy from to impress others. Practicing a skill to add to your arsenal isn’t an issue, and is recommended to keep your mind sharp. However, we should remember that not every second of our lives have to be dedicated to direct improvement. Even rest is necessary for said improvement.