New Year Older You: Five Hobbies You Can Start

After the stylish attire, grand entrances, lively parties, and spectacular fireworks, the realisation sinks in—it’s a new year. But that’s not all. A new year means you’re going to be one year older, too. That awareness shouldn’t dim your New Year’s joy but should heighten it. Ageing comes with great rewards. You’re more confident about your identity and more definitive about what you want. Additionally, you’re honest about what you know and what you don’t. The best part is you’re not afraid to learn new things.

The New Year Older You series is all about life one year older. It’s everyday living tips to get you out of the familiar and to engage you in change. Haven’t you heard? The 40s are the new 20s. So, it’s time to get up and try new things. Aren’t you bored with your routine? Why not try something different and learn a new skill?

We want to help you explore new interests and expand your knowledge. So, we’ve listed five new hobbies to get you started. Let’s take a look.

Play chess. There is something about chess that seems exclusive, but that’s only a misconception. Anyone can learn the game, and there are significant benefits to becoming a chess player. Healthline observes that it improves memory, concentration, empathy, intelligence, planning, problem-solving, and creativity. The challenge of learning the game is certainly worth the benefits it offers.  

Write a book. Writing a book can seem daunting, but you’ll be fine if you start with a basic truth. The fact is, everyone has a story to tell—everyone. Yours may be autobiographical or purely imaginative. It can even be a story that you’ve witnessed. It’s how you tell it that makes the difference. You use a child’s perspective and create a children’s or coming-of-age story. You can even delve into adult fiction. Simply dedicate some time on evenings or weekends to get started. 

Gourmet cooking. For many, cooking can seem a chore. It’s not that you don’t love it, but over time, the joy you get from preparing meals seems to have disappeared. So, why not put some excitement back into cooking by trying gourmet recipes as a hobby? You can begin with easy, fancy recipes and later expand into more elaborate dishes. Another option is to focus on fancy desserts. You can have fun trying out crepes, beignets, palmiers and more.    

Learn to play a musical instrument. It’s never too late to learn to play an instrument. However, it will require patience and persistence as it’s mentally challenging. Also, for those who do not live alone, hopefully, your family is very understanding. They’ll need to be during your early stages of learning. Still, don’t be deterred. Fortunately, instruments like the harmonica, guitar, ukelele, keyboards, drums, and flute are relatively easy to learn. You can choose to go with a professional instructor or use YouTube videos and become self-taught.

Gardening. In addition to being very relaxing, gardening offers a sense of achievement and productivity. It’s also dynamic, allowing you to focus on different types of plants. You can test the waters with easy-to-grow herbs or low-maintenance plants. Chives, rosemary, aloe vera, snake tongue or a fern fall into these categories and can be easily grown in pots. Of course, you can step it up by creating a flower garden or vegetable patch.

These activities provide an excellent opportunity to venture into new experiences and acquire new skills. It may even lead to you feeling like you have a new lease on life. Also, who says you must choose only one? You can select two or three from the list and work on them throughout the year. The most important thing is to have fun!

Stay tuned to our next edition of New Year Older You, where we discuss how to give up sugar!

Sources: Best Life and Healthline.