by Jennifer Scott, SpiritFinder.org
For Love or Money: The Benefits of Pursuing a Hobby
Hobbies are amazing things: They’re an inexhaustible source of fun and personal satisfaction. They can lower your blood pressure, enhance your sense of well-being, and even provide an enjoyable means of earning money. The benefits you’ll derive from pursuing a long-held interest or finding a new one are well worth looking into. And hobbies can be enjoyed in both the physical and digital realm. At the very least, you’ll have an activity that can take your mind off your troubles. And who knows? You may even find something that can transform your life or lead you toward a new career.
Blogging
Most of us have something — a cause or issue — we feel passionate about. If you do, you’ve got the beginnings of a blog. Getting started is easy and free if you go through the website WordPress, which provides blog templates at no cost. Blog about your favorite subject and share your opinion with the world while gradually developing a following. Many bloggers turn to writing apps like Grammarly to ensure polished content and scheduling apps so they can keep up with timely posts. And once you grow a larger audience, you could find that it’s beneficial to start advertising through affiliates, which can help your blog turn a profit.
Pursue an IT Career
A career in the lucrative, highly technical and rewarding field of information technology begins with earning a degree in IT. There are many programs that allow you to earn a degree, and one that is very popular today is the online IT degree program from WGU. This sort of flexible online-only program allows you to set the pace of your learning, so you are in control of when you start earning!
Say “Cheese”
If you’re an incurable shutterbug, photography can be a satisfying and personally rewarding hobby. If you’re just getting started, taking the time to get really good at it can lead you down a number of paths. The work of freelance photographers’ work often appears in news outlets and on websites, and there are many sites, such as Pixabay or Pexels, which purchase good photography and make it available to the public for free or at a minimal cost. Many amateur photographers end up using their skills to take pictures at weddings and other events. Best of all, you don’t have to shell out a lot for photo editing services. You can easily use apps like Prisma or Adobe Lightroom to take your photographs to the next level.
Find Your Rhythm
You might not think of yourself as a dancer, but that doesn’t mean you can’t cut a rug with the best of them. In fact, dancing can promote improved mental health while helping you incorporate more exercise into your daily life. Dancing classes can also open up an opportunity to socialize and meet new people. More fun, more friends, more exercise. It’s a win-win. You can start out solo using online tutorials if you’re worried about two left feet, and then graduate to a dance studio where you can find specialized styles like salsa or ballroom.
Play Your Own Tune
Do you find yourself playing air guitar, air violin, or air drums when listening to your favorite music? Learning to play an instrument (a real one) is a fulfilling experience, and it’s great for keeping your brain limber because it reinforces cognitive functioning. There are many free online music tutorials and apps that can help you get started and learn at your own pace. If you’re not sure about committing to an expensive instrument, you can also rent one to get a feel for it and then later decide whether you’re ready to take the plunge.
Sports
The great thing about sports is that there are so many to choose from; it’s easy to find one that suits your abilities, temperament and lifestyle. You might find boxing or yoga to be a good physical outlet or enjoy playing tennis with friends as a kind of combination of socializing and exercising. Golf and walking are also great for hooking up with old friends a few times a week. And while sports aren’t something you completely enjoy online, you can easily up your game with apps that help with your golf or tennis swing.
When learning a new hobby, many people find themselves taking a deep dive. That’s part of finding a new passion. If you find a calling and you plan to run an excessive amount of apps or online tutorials, make sure your tablet or smartphone is up to the task and confirm that you’ve got a solid data plan that doesn’t put you into overage charge territory. Look for unlimited data options from your carrier so you can dive in and make the most of this new hobby.
Whether you’re in it for fun or profit, a hobby can become a source of great personal satisfaction and a much-needed way to relax and focus on something that you love doing. A hobby can also be shared with friends or provide a way of meeting new people. So what are you waiting for? Go out there and find your joy.
Excited to make a positive change in your life but need a little help getting started? Contact BeMeBetter at 505.293.2881 to learn more about how the program can help you achieve your goals!
