Trying Something New: Finding a Hobby

There are several ways you can pick up a new hobby. Maybe it’s something you’ve always wanted to try, or it’s something a friend of yours has done already and mentioned was fun. Or maybe it was just something you saw on TikTok that looks like an interesting way to pass the time. How you get into it isn’t all that important as long as you enjoy doing it.

Online tutorials 

If you’re interested in trying out a new hobby but aren’t sure what exactly you want to get into, a good way to look around is to watch YouTube videos. You can look up tutorials for all sorts of things to get a feel for new talents and activities. If you can dream it, there’s probably a video of someone else doing it already online.

The best thing about watching someone else do it is that you can get a feel for the process and materials you’ll need before making time or monetary commitment. You can also shop around for some of the stranger hobbies before deciding on something too. Maybe you’ll come across something you didn’t consider while you’re at it.

TikTok and Facebook are also good places to find how-to’s, tutorials, and other resources for all sorts of pastimes. From crafting to costuming, cooking, gaming, magnet fishing, hiking, geocaching, candle making, or art, there’s going to be a lot of people eager to share their experience with you and help you figure out if you can share their passion. 

You might also be able to find some videos on how to try easy projects to dip your toe in and test whether it might be the right activity for you. If you don’t like it as much as you thought you would, there’s no shame in moving on and trying something new. The point of having a leisure activity is to enjoy it after all.

Tools of the trade

No matter what pastime you pick up, you’re probably going to need something to do it. If you’re trying your hand at cooking or baking, you’ll need measuring tools, pans, pots, access to appliances, etc. If you’re knitting or crocheting, you’ll need materials, fabric or yarn, and needles. For gaming, you’ll need a console and the proper controllers plus new games, etc. 

Usually, it’s pretty obvious where you can get what you need for your new hobby, but you might want to do some research on the best places locally or if you can find some deals on certain websites online. Don’t be afraid to ask employees at craft stores or wherever else you’re getting your supplies for their recommendations.

Normally there are going to be better tools and materials for beginners to use vs. pros. You probably want to take it easy until you have more experience under your belt, no need to make the learning process unnecessarily hard.

Give yourself some slack

If you’ve decided on your new hobby but are feeling discouraged because, well, you kind of suck, don’t let that stop you from continuing. If you enjoy the process, you’re going to get better with practice eventually. You just need to keep at it. If you’re still bothered by your lack of progress, there are some things you can do.

Take a class

If you’ve got the money to spare, you can always take a class taught by someone who knows their stuff. Even if you can’t fund a proper class, you might be able to find some workshops at the very least where a professional can help guide you and give you personalized tips on how to improve.

There are even some options for online classes. With websites like Skillshare, you can access thousands of classes and videos for hobbies and other skills that can even help with work. (It can be a little pricey, but if you’re just looking for a little help to get you going, you can always start with a free trial or only pay for a month or two. If your friends are interested, you can even go in on a membership with someone else to keep costs down).

The community

If you ever come up against trouble, you can always ask other people in the hobby community for help. Older, wiser members of the community are often pretty happy to help out newcomers and encourage anyone interested in the craft, trade, game, etc. 

Once you find the corners where other enthusiasts like to hang out, you may even make some new friends. Whether that’s at your local community center, online, or one of the classes I recommended above. There are a lot of people and resources who will be more than happy to help you out.

Just go out and ask or reference someone who knows what they’re doing. They might even know how to overcome the same problems you’re facing because they faced them before too. 

If you get really good with your new skills, you may even find a way to make a living off of it. If you’re wondering how to make a pastime profitable, you can head over to our blog on freelancing! Of course, hobbies are supposed to be low stress and something just for fun, so don’t sweat trying to make a job out of it and just enjoy something new.

What’s something you’ve always wanted to try?