Do you have a hobby?

 

 

 

BY NILIMA RAI 

 

 

DURING a conversation with my younger sister Lakshmi, I discovered she had stopped attending her guitar class, which she had joined with so much excitement. Since her college days, she had the fantasy of learning to play an instrument, particularly guitar. And I was thrilled when I learned that she finally picked up the hobby and joined a guitar class. However, she shared that she could not continue for more than three weeks because other things took over, priorities changed, and learning guitar became the last on the list. How relatable! Isn’t it? Many of us are so consistent in not pursuing our hobbies consistently due to our shifting priorities. I know so many people who are excelling in their fields however, their priority list struggles to strike a work-life balance most of the times, giving little room for pursuing a hobby. Where is the time? - The most commonly used justification. I’m curious about the fact that we are all given the same 24 hours in a day and why and how some people manage to do so many things in those 24 hours and they are more efficient, effective, and productive than the others. Do they follow Wallace Wattles’ “The Certain Way”? This means it’s not about doing certain things; it’s about doing things in a certain way. Initially, we may begin by spending just 15 minutes a day on the hobby that we pick and gradually increase the time fitting it well to our priority list. Mark Zuckerberg, the Founder and CEO of Facebook, says, “Having a hobby shows that you have passion and drive.” Hobbies are undoubtedly important, with so many benefits, and we certainly understand that.

 

As soon as the academic sessions end, we start getting beautiful posters and flyers with the message, “Summer is here! Make the most of it by joining our Hobby classes”. We eagerly await such flyers/posters because we want our children to pick up a hobby and enjoy learning it for a reasonable amount of time. We desire our kids to utilise their vacations productively and stay away from digital screens for some time. We happily register them for one such class. They not only enjoy but also learn so many new skills along with learning to express themselves. Bill Malone, the great magician states, “Hobbies are great distractions from the worries and troubles that plague daily living”, and Phyllis McGinley, an American author believed, “A hobby a day keeps the Doldrums away”. The three famous quotes mentioned in this article tell us about the many rewards of having hobbies. such as- Hobbies relieve us from stress and anxiety and break the monotony of our daily routine. When challenged to learn new things, they boost self-confidence and give us a sense of achievement.

 

At the start we may have to face some challenges in learning new things; like Lakshmi took one whole week to learn to strum the guitar. Well, it’s crucial to display and improve consistency in every aspect of life: career, hobbies, associations, etc. Engaging in a hobby can be a great way to beat back boredom and add excitement to your daily life. Lakshmi also mentioned that although her husband supported her hobby, other family members were surprised to see her interest and suggested she join a yoga class or a gym for her overall fitness and health benefits. These external influences are one of those many reasons, why people hesitate to pick and pursue their hobbies. Nevertheless, we should remember that hobbies are personal and the source of personal fulfillment that does not require validation. We must overcome hesitation in pursuing a hobby and embrace the process by taking small steps and focusing on the final rewards. Let’s try and dedicate some time to a hobby this year and uplift our spirit, and enhance our overall well-being. Time to move forward and take that first step and discover the happiness of pursuing a HOBBY! Learn more, Learn often!