Hobbies are a great way to lower stress and improve your quality of life. They let you take a break while still having a sense of purpose, and give you time to relax and refocus your energy.
Hobbies also allow you to stay present and in the zone. This calms the nerves and creates a sense of well-being. Seeing a project through creates a feeling of accomplishment, and hobbies help provide balance in the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Hobbies can also give us “Positive Stress” or “Good Stress” that helps us view stressors in our lives as challenges rather than threats. This is the type of positive stress that keeps us vital and excited about life
We’ve asked some guest bloggers to join us to talk about their hobbies – here’s Millie ‘can’t draw for toffees’ but LOVES getting arty.
Getting arty is a brilliant hobby that almost anyone can get involved with, sat in the comfort of their own home.
Maybe you are blessed with talent to paint and draw, and if you are wow – embrace it! Get out there and create – do it just for you. Pencil, pens, watercolours or oils - and who cares what it ends up like – it’s the doing that matters. Don’t start judging yourself – just see what happens.
But if you’re not conventionally artistic (ie like me can’t draw anything faintly recognisable) there are hundreds of other arty things to try. I’d love to try calligraphy – it looks so great on invitations and cards and scrapbooking is another one on my list. I’ve had a go at decoupaging and made some lovely unique presents - again, no special talent required.
But my favourite arty pastime is doing COLLAGES.
So I start with a design – either I sketch it freehand or more usually have a photo or image and copy it in grids onto a canvas. Pick something you love! There’s no point creating an artwork that you don’t want to see every day!
You can use anything to collage – paper squares or strips, screwed up paper, bits of wool or fabric. You could use household packaging and other stuff around the house.
I quite like to use some more unusual things – I’ve used buttons, pompoms but most of all love odd bits of junk. The horse is made from the smashed up innards of old computers. I’m quite sure it is not everyone’s cup of tea but it is mine!
Collaging is great because it requires very little ‘normal’ artistic talent to create something unique and amazing. It is fun to gather the materials, absorbing to create and makes me smile whenever I look at it!
But whatever takes your fancy, have a go! Get some bits together this week and explore your arty side 😊 Feel free to share your artworks in the comments - we'd love to see.
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