What's your hobby?

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Due to ongoing, never ending stress in my life I've lost my mojo/joie de Vivre/zest for life. Whatever you want to call.it, I've lost it. I think I need to immerse myself in a hobby but I just don't know what kind.

I hate sports of any kind so not at all interests in that. I exercise so have that covered. I adore all kinds of music, enjoy reading, am interested in arts and crafts etc but as I have inattentive ADHD I swing from one thing to another and lose interest really quickly. I really need one thing to focus on and hopefully enjoy enough to stick with it.

I can't really afford a huge outlay so something reasonably affordable.

Any suggestions? What hobbies keep you happy?

Jigsaws are pretty good for a hyperfocus session, same with colouring intricate patterns or detailed colour by number sets.
I love reading, but whenever my brain decides it's in a book rut I pivot to fanfiction which offers shorter bursts of stories with characters I'm already attached to. Also opens up to writing if you are that way inclined, plus community engagement can offer a nice little dopamine hit.

Swimming

Knitting, walking and photography.

I don’t like the H word - to me it sounds a bit nerdish, but my H-word is knitting. I started doing a lot more of it during the first lockdown - something to do! - but then discovered a charity that supplies items* - worry-eaters and hand puppets - to children’s therapists all over the U.K.
There is always a waiting list and therapists do really appreciate the items, which are not available to buy anywhere, even if they had the funds.

I’m somewhat addicted now - dh remarked recently - not entirely joking - that it’s now more or less a full time job! (Just as well I’m retired.)
At any rate, it’s a great excuse for ignoring housework…

*for free - they receive a big box of items, for which they just have to pay post and packing

Playing the piano.

A bit of gardening but I realise as I get older that I don't enjoy it as much as I say I do.

I'm going to get into crochet this winter.

This year I turned my little patio into a proper yarden, with pots of veg and flowers. Having things in pots keeps it small enough that it stayed a joy rather than a burden. I am particularly proud of my runner beans, cherry tomatoes and chard. Disappointed with the courgettes though. The busy lizzies and sweet peas are both lovely, and most of the herbs are doing well. I got pots from Homebargains, compost from Aldi, and the plants and seeds from B&Q. There was some outlay, but not too bad.

I also do embroidery kits, they take me ages because I do them in fits and starts. Not too expensive, I got the last ones in a pack of three from Amazon. I also do some sewing on the machine. I did an in person patchwork course a few years ago, highly recommend it, you can get online ones if there isn't a local one near you.

I'm doing an online art course for beginners, it cost about £40, I think, plus paint, brushes and paper. So that was more expensive. Possibly about £100 for it all.

I read a lot, mostly Amazon prime on the kindle included with Prime membership. Also theres the Library if you have one near you which is free, and I get books as gifts and from charity shops really cheaply.

I can't do a lot of physical exercise, but I do a beginners yoga class on YouTube when I am able to.

Another vote for knitting! You can knit little stuffed toys or baby clothes so they're quick projects. 2 at a time socks to avoid Second Sock Syndrome.
I also make beaded necklaces and bracelets. You just need some Stretch Magic thread and a box of beads (cheap to buy online). I lost my anklet today so I just made myself one quickly with beads.

I like fitness more than anything else really. I have the Peloton app and a few others, plus a spin bike and lots of weights and kettlebells. Also do a martial art once a week and am going to start a second evening too.

Non fitness - nail art, reading, playing my Nintendo Switch

I can crochet, knit and sew but don't do any of them regularly as a hobby apart from knit the occasional pair of socks. I taught my daughter to crochet when she was no age and she's obsessed with it.

If you like music, try the recorder ( I'm serious, don't laugh!) they come in many sizes, the alto and tenor recorders are much gentler on the ears, and they truly are a wonderfully diverse instrument that you can play many genres of music on. Have a listen to you tube, you might be converted!

I really enjoy researching my family tree. An Ancestry subscription isn’t a great deal of money.

Did you have a reasonable singing voice to start with? I don’t and would love to learn to sing but 1:1 singing lessons with a tutor would be deeply embarrassing for both of us, and I’ve tried a “ can’t sing” choir but numbers were excessive and we didn’t really learn to sing

Junk journal/collage/scrapbooking can be as little as buying the glue, scissors and a notebook.

How inspiring reading other people's interesting hobbies!

I love to swim outdoors when I get the chance. Gardening, it clears my head pottering about in the garden. Very satisfying seeing seeds grow and propagating plants I already have.
I enjoy jigsaw puzzles in the winter.
Embroidery, freehand, get some fabric on a hoop and sew flowers, learn new stitches online and practise them.

I used to find calligraphy enjoyable, I should try and get back to that.

Good luck.

I do bird/wildlife photography.

Now whilst I do have an expensive camera and big lens, you don’t need to have that. You can pick up great second hand bridge cameras, that take fab shots.

What you take pics of is entirely up to you and what things interest you. But being out at a nature reserve, local park, garden etc with the camera is a great stress reliever and fab for mental health.

I desperately want to crochet well. I took my kids to classes when they were younger. DD and I just could not get the hang of it but ds, 10 at the time picked it up so quickly. I was rather jealous lol!

Electric guitar / electric keyboard so you can learn wearing headphones / so can do at any time of the day.

photography, walking, litter picking, painting, drawing, a new language on DuolIngo?
either way good luck.

I couldn’t sing a note. My first lessons were just in listening to some notes on the piano. Then matching pitch with 3 notes. It took 2 years to do my first singing grade, then one a year from there.

I absolutely love this idea. Do you have the details, I would love to contribute to this.

Forgot to add, a recent Rainbow Mog and Moglet, which used up a few leftovers!

Do you have a link for the online art course, I'd love to do this. Art was my favourite thing to do as a child and I've lost that as an adult, I'd really like to pick it up again.

I used to make stretchy beaded bracelets when my kids were little, I used to find it so relaxing. I need to take that up again.

Thank you for the suggestions everyone, I'm going to jot everything down and have a good think which would appeal to me the most.

2022 became the year of the hobby for me but really, it was all things id loved as a child and decided to re-start as a 41 year old....lego, LOVE. There are many adult sets but kids sets can be just as fun along with free play. I joined a choir that has made my life. Made friends on my wavelength and we travel etc for competitions. Has built my confidence no end. Also began piano lessons, could never get past grade 2 as a child, now on grade 7. I try and walk a lot every day. I also work full time, but shift work so I can make my free time constructive. All of these have contributed to my life/mental health in a way I wouldnt have thought possible...

I’m lucky enough to live near the ocean and swim with an open water group every day. It’s done wonders for my MH. I’m a member of a collage collective - we meet once a month. I’m part of an online meditation group - we meditate together for half an hour every night. It’s gently guided and we’re meeting in person for a retreat next month.

I love walking and exploring my city (London) discovering the history of areas I have known for years. I go with a guide and it’s completely free. There’s an app that gives you suggested walks for your area. It records your steps/distance and you can set yourself targets and challenges.
https://apps.apple.com/app/id1150399087

Family tree and history, can get as detailed as you want and go off on a tangent looking into individuals. I have a membership to Ancestry (£13.99/month) and did my DNA which threw up some interesting results.