What Is a Hobby?

A hobby is a personal pursuit of an activity for enjoyment rather than for financial or professional reasons. People often take up hobbies to avoid boredom, and some develop a passion for them over time. Hobbies can help improve mental and physical health by giving people a purpose outside of work or school. They can also bring social benefits, such as being a way to meet new friends and make connections. Hobbies can also be a good way to relieve stress. Whether it’s playing video games or gardening, a person who engages in a hobby can feel relaxed and accomplished afterwards.

There are many different types of hobbies, and anyone can find one that suits them. For example, some hobbies are creative and artistic in nature, such as painting, writing, sculpting or cosplay (creating and wearing costumes based on existing creative property). Other hobbies are more active and involve sports, such as karate, gymnastics, golf, tennis and swimming. There are even some hobbies that can be a bit of both, such as scrapbooking or keeping family history records.

People can choose to pursue a hobby by taking up a class at a local community college or learning from online resources. They can also look to their childhood for inspiration — did they enjoy dancing, playing music, or playing sports as kids? Then they can look to the future and decide if it makes sense for them to turn that interest into a more formalized hobby. Hobbies can help you structure your time, experience flow, build your confidence and make you a more interesting person. So what are you waiting for? Start a new hobby!