Part of the process of creating a fulfilling life in recovery is taking up a hobby or two. Having a hobby to engage in not only improves your quality of life, but is also shown to help prevent relapse. If you are looking for some great reasons to take up a new hobby in recovery, please read on.
7 reasons why having a hobby is beneficial to recovery
A hobby is an activity or interest you engage in that has nothing to do with your work or responsibilities that is solely about your enjoyment. Having a hobby in recovery can provide many benefits, including being a preventative measure against relapse. Consider these seven benefits of having a hobby in recovery:
- To give you renewed purpose: Along with building a healthy new sober lifestyle, taking up a hobby offers an opportunity to find new purpose and meaning — something to focus on and converse about.
- To help prevent boredom: Boredom is a common cause of relapse in early recovery, which can be thwarted by partaking in an enjoyable hobby. A hobby can fill those empty hours and prevent boredom from seeping in.
- To grow as a person and learn something new: Recovery can be an amazing time for personal growth. One of the best ways to stretch and grow as a person is by pursuing an interesting new hobby.
- To make new friends: Some hobbies involve participating in meetings, group outings and classes, which are excellent settings for meeting people and making new friends.
- To relax and unwind: Stress is another trigger for relapse. Becoming engrossed in a new hobby helps to relieve stress and foster a sense of relaxation.
- To boost your self-esteem: A hobby can help you master a new skill, which results in a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment, as well as improved self-esteem.
- To keep your brain’s reward system satisfied: Participating in a hobby that is fun and enriches your life causes your brain to take notice and then prompt you to continue engaging in it.
Hobby ideas to consider in recovery
When you sit down and start brainstorming hobby ideas you may be surprised at how many possibilities you come up with. Grab pen and paper and create a list of potential hobbies to explore. Start this exercise by listing activities or hobbies you enjoyed in the past and might consider rekindling in recovery. In addition to those, here are some other hobby ideas:
- Plant a garden: Growing a vegetable garden is both rewarding and relaxing. Nurturing a budding garden gets you outside in the fresh air and sunshine, and eventually nets an array of delicious produce to take straight to the table.
- Learn to play an instrument: If you are musically inclined, go ahead and sign up for piano, guitar, saxophone or ukulele lessons.
- Express your artistic side: If visual arts are your thing, stop at your local arts and crafts supply store and grab paints, brushes, canvases or whatever you’ll need to get creative.
- Get involved in the community: Pick a local charitable organization and volunteer your time and talent to help improve your community.
- Join a book club: Love to read but need motivation? Join a local book club to help you finish reading the books, and then meet up to discuss them.
- Join a recreational sports club: You don’t have to be a high school or college student to enjoy playing sports. If you loved soccer, baseball, volleyball or softball back then, refresh your skills by joining a rec team in your community.
- Take up a new activity: Learn how to sail, play pickleball, practice martial arts or tap dance — the possibilities are endless!
Getting involved in a new hobby is a valuable aspect of cultivating a successful recovery. Start brainstorming hobby ideas today and enjoy the many benefits to come.