To ask what you do with yourself?

[Getahobby]

Not sure how to word this so excuse clunky language.
I have never been happy. Ongoing trauma in childhood lead to poor mental health very early on. Therapy didn't help.

I have always heard that hobbies help people to feel better. To do things they enjoy. I don't know what I enjoy as I can't remember ever enjoying anything other than the DC. I know I liked to draw in primary school, is that a hobby?

I am looking for ideas on things that I might enjoy. What hobbies do you have that a complete beginner can enjoy and that have the option of doing solo not only in a group. I would just like to try to break my day to day cycle and see how it is.

Yes I like arts and crafts. Painting, printing, clay. Also do a bit of sewing. You can attend drawing classes for beginners, or just treat yourself to a nice pad and pencils/pens and draw whatever you fancy at home.

Personally I love dancing. Something like Ceroc welcomes complete beginners with no partners, and encourages people to dance with everyone.

Knitting, crochet and cross stitch can be lovely and it's nice to have something at the end. A craft box subscription can give you a chance to try lots of different types of crafts, perhaps you would find something that you love. I have used makebox in the past.

I also really enjoy reading, a local bookshop might be able to recommend something you would enjoy.

Walking, jogging or swimming or an exercise class might also be lovely, and the happy endorphins after exercise always makes me feel good.

I swim, occasionally go to the gym, do Pilates (sometimes at home from YouTube,), sometimes a class, and I read.

Photography and collecting/learning about things as I am a bit of magpie.

Walking is a super easy hobby

It's free
It's healthy
You can do it anywhere
You don't need any special equipment
You can fancy it up by heading to the countryside, a lake, the beach or some pretty country park
It gets you fresh air
You can do it on your own or with people
You can listen to podcasts, music or audio books
You can track your miles on map my run
The benefits are endless

Drawing and painting, learned from complete beginner. It becomes an obsession and gives your mind something else to think about. It’s very rewarding as you get better.

Walking, running, yoga, gardening, I would swim if I had the time.

Yea drawing is a hobby, so is colouring and painting.
Knitting is easy to get the hang of, as is embroidery - you can buy kits from Amazon which have a pattern on and you just fill it with the colour and looks nice.

Things I've done

Family tree on ancestry
Dog walking for a rescue
Aerial arts (hoop and pole)
Wild swimming
Spin classes

I taught myself to crochet from YouTube videos. I love walking, sometimes running, sewing, baking, reading, gardening. I had a little dabble with a jewellery making course but it was too fiddly for me.

I recently joined a community choir, easy and fun

Drawing is certainly a hobby! I always enjoyed art at school and rediscovered cross stitching in my 30s. I find following a pattern relaxing as I don't have to think too much and can watch something or listen to music at the same time. I can't say I never get depressed, but having projects to focus on and even just the process of researching future projects has probably helped level off my mood a few times over the years. Gardening is also a good one as it encourages you to go outside. I think there's some scientific studies that have shown that having your hands in soil helps to increase serotonin levels.

Puzzles, volunteer at a local dog/cat rehoming place, reading, walking, baking and cooking things like curry and bolognaise from scratch so it’s really delicious!

Walking, especially with a pod cast ( Blindboy is my favourite) he actually kept me sane through lockdown.
Sea bobbing about, don't go out of my depth, love it...
Reading, knitting, growing stuff, bit of cooking...

Oh yes and singing, I'm in a small, friendly choir, it's nice...

Walking, weight lifting, running, learning piano, dance classes...

what about the gym?

Walking in the Summer, fortunately I'm 20 min walk from a lovely beach so great way to kill an hour ad very relaxing.

Crochet in the winter, I taught myself using YouTube and the Attic 24 BLOG. My family LOVE my blankets even with their imperfections and its lovely seeing loved ones cuddled up under them.

I do quilting in a adult Ed class and was a complete novice when I started. It's mentally all consuming when I'm doing parts of it so my mind can't wonder too far. I have made some lovely friends too. Made beautiful things that I treasure. It's my mindful time when I'm not caring for my children

I suffered childhood trauma too op and honestly how much have you persevered with therapy? If you've only tried one therapist it really is worth trying again. Therapy done with someone you 'click' with will help more than any hobby ever will. It's hard, it's painful but then becomes healing and empowering.

I had psychotherapy ten years ago for a year and it is one of the best things I ever did. It really was the making of me.

I'm sorry to hear that you had a traumatic childhood op. A friend of mine goes to the local auction rooms & looks at all the tat stuff then if there's something he like he returns on auction day & bids for it. Sometimes he's successful, other times he's outbid. It struck me as something I'd like to do when I have some time to myself!

Also, planting things & watching them grow is very rewarding.

would 2nd crochet ... i also have got into blankets via attic24...
am trying pottery at the moment..for something different..

Out of interest what do you do with your finished pieces? I really enjoy cross stitch but tend to avoid it because I can't see a use for the squares when I'm done!

When my marriage was collapsing in quite traumatic circumstances, I happened to be doing a sewing course I'd already booked onto.

It wasn't cheap, but for two hours a week I had to concentrate so hard on what I was doing that I actually more or less switched off and forgot about what was happening at home.

If you can afford it then I highly recommend a class of some sort for a term, just to get you in the habit. Then you can carry on by yourself.

I love history and genealogy ,tracing people back ,seeing who lived in local houses .looking at different census .I have a subscription to Findmypast ,just under £10 a month.

And gardening.