3 Unconventional Hobbies to Improve Your Mental Health (Amanda)
Hobbies. When people typically mention hobbies, they talk about baking, gardening, sports, gaming, and stuff like that. These hobbies can be cool for many people, but they might seem complex or uninteresting when you’re not in your best state of mind. You’ve heard it all before. However, exploring new, uncommon hobbies can spark interest and inspiration in you.
Unconventional hobbies give you new ideas to explore, new conversations with friends, and even new friendships to be made, if you are interested in that! There are hundreds (limitless!) hobbies to choose from. Below are just three I’ve thought of for our friends at Letters Against Depression and beyond.
1. Upcycling: The Hands-On Hobby
Upcycling is the act of taking a discarded (or soon-to-be discarded) object and recreating something better. Upcycling is typically associated with commercial recycling, but it’s actually a wonderful and productive hobby.
One of the most common efforts of upcyclers is to make unique art. Even if you’re not typically an artist, you’d be amazed at the limitless DIY tutorials available for various household items and discarded materials. One of my favorite DIYs is faux stained glass. You can find tons more ideas at Recyclart! Here are some ones for kids at Upcycle My Stuff.
In the same way, you can upcycle for functionality. Alter candle jars into plant vases or pots. Make old clothes into headbands, facemasks, or small tote bags. Cut cardboard boxes and retape them into a perfect size for whatever you need. The possibilities are endless!
Upcycling is part of the recycling process. Reduce, REUSE, and recycle. Not only are you having fun, but you’re also helping the environment!
2. Worldbuilding: The Creative Hobby You’re Already Doing
Whether you like daydreaming about living it up in the city with big influencers, fantasizing about castles and magic, or thinking about a cute romance, we all daydream a bit, right? Whenever you’re going through a rough time mentally, you might just like to escape into your little fantasy world. Please don’t see this as wasted time. Think of it like watching TV; you’re spending your free time engaging in entertainment. In fact, it’s more beneficial than TV in some ways: you’re creating! One thing you can do to expand this hobby is to write it down.
Not saying you have to try to write a book or anything. Just take little ideas and factors you’ve come up with and put them in a notebook, physical or digital. Search for pictures online that represent your ideas and paste them in, or even try doodling them yourself. Be as organized or disorganized as you want — maybe you like color coding with highlighters, or maybe you just want to get your thoughts onto the page. Don’t worry about an end goal. Just materialize that world onto a page or digital note. You’ll thank yourself later when you go back and realize the cool things you can come up with.
3. People-Watching: The Easiest Hobby in the World
You know you should go outside, soak up the sun. Maybe you struggle, though, to think of a reason to do so. People-watching is an easy hobby that requires no tools or expertise, and it’s a reason to get outside!
It sounds a little creepy, right? It might help to know that we all do it subconsciously anyway; we are constantly observing the mannerisms, voices, and interactions of people around us all the time. Participating in the hobby of people-watching is just acknowledging those observations consciously. You’re just looking at people, seeing what they’re up to, trying to figure out how they’re feeling. Maybe you’re trying to figure out where they’re from by their accent. There are numerous observations we can make about the people around us that help us be more present and awake in our daily life.
Go to the park, library, coffee shop, mall, market, museum, or even just take a stroll down the sidewalk. You can do it at work or on the way home (maybe not while driving, though). What more could we ask for than a hobby that is free, requires no skill, and gives us the opportunity to go outside and be active? People-watching helps you mentally by teaching you about human nature as well as helping you feel mindful and present in daily life.
Conclusion: Support Your Mental Health With a Simple New Hobby
Check out this Wikipedia list, click on various things. One incredibly random thing I have personally found is fusilately, the collection of prepaid phone cards! It sounds ridiculous, but hopefully this gives you some insight into the extent of hobbies available. Give it a chance, share with your loved ones, and meet new people. Above all else, have fun and be happy. Find passion and embrace feeling.
I’ll suggest one more hobby; writing letters for Letters Against Depression. We send letters of hope and support to those who need someone there for them. Put your thoughts and compassion on the page for those struggling with mental health. Your time is going to a great cause volunteering and helping others, and it can even help you learn more about yourself in the process. Learn more about writing letters for us here.
On the flip side, if you are feeling down and need support, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us here at Letters Against Depression. You can request to receive letters here.