Seriously, getting involved in and excited about something tangible is SO important for mental health. You meet new people, you engage in a skill, and when you finish something that you’re proud of there is a HUGE boost to your self confidence and happiness.
And learning something keeps your mind young and active. Don’t let your brain basically atrophy from disuse.
So many of us are scared to learn something new because we will suck at it, we won’t be pros immediately so what’s the point? What’s the point at all when so many people are better at it than me? And of course I could say the usual shtick about how everyone started somewhere once, and blah blah, BUT! Learning and failing can be very good for your mental health, too. I know, right? But learning to accept failure and reward yourself for small improvements is so important.
And when you do figure out that bit that was difficult, or finally get a bit right that’s taken so many tries, that success is so much sweeter than if you did it right first go.
Try a bunch of stuff! You may end up finding you really like something you would have never thought to try, or you might branch off from a hobby you thought you would enjoy and get involved in something related but not the same. There are hobbies and skills out there that most of us have never heard of, but people are out there doing them and keeping them alive.
Finally, having a hobby that you involve yourself in (for you, not for the glory of winning trophies or being popular) makes you a far more interesting and agreeable person. I know I adore when someone goes off on a tangent about something they are passionate about. I want to hear people talk about their weird specialist knowledge of the thing they are into! It can tell you so much about a person. But it also tells you they can commit to something, that they can dedicate themselves to learning, that they can accept failure and grow from it, and much more.
Seriously, if you’re depressed, if you’re bipolar or have ADHD or are just not neurotypical in any way (and if you are!) go and find yourself a hobby and get involved. It’s not a cure. Nothing is a cure. But it can be a bright spark in an otherwise dark and lonely tunnel.
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