Sharing – Finding A Hobby That Brings True Joy

When I was depressed I not only had a hard time finding the energy to get into a hobby, but I also struggled in another way that I think this really resonates with:

“In fact, finding an engaging hobby can help us each find true joy. Because if we find a hobby that exposes us to new things and keeps us learning, it can help us to stay on that positive plain.
But it’s important to choose the hobby that is right for each of us, as individuals.”

I struggled because I didn’t feel like I had a right to do something “just because I enjoyed it”. I thought that was selfish, that anything I was going to spend time doing had to be toward an end-goal, learning, studying, helping others, etc. If it wasn’t “productive”, in a very large sense of the word, it was just me wasting time.

What a horrible way that was to live. It never allowed me to have any joy, or to recognize myself as worthy. It never allowed me to understand that taking care of myself was just as important as helping other people, or being good at my job, etc. They are not competing interests, they are all part of life.

Understanding that allows me to enjoy my hobbies, find things I truly love doing, and have the energy to do all the other things I want to do as well. They may not be the same hobbies I have, or the ones mentioned in the article below, but they bring me joy, they are part of a self-care routine that works for me, and that’s what ultimately matters.

https://kindness-compassion-and-coaching.com/2019/10/01/finding-a-hobby-that-brings-true-joy/