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Why Should I Pick Up a New Hobby?
My husband has always been known as the man with many hobbies. Just last year he woke up one morning and mentioned he wanted to learn how to play the ukulele. By 3 pm he had a used one in hand and was taking his first YouTube lesson. A new skill to learn or adventure to pursue has always been intriguing to him.
For years it drove me crazy as our basement and garage became the storage place for the equipment and tools these hobbies required. Then three years ago he pulled me into his madness by convincing me to test ride a tandem bike. Within two weeks we had purchased our bike, and we’re learning a new hobby together.
Whether it’s tandem biking, learning to play the ukulele, gardening, fishing, or climbing fourteeners, finding new hobbies benefit us in so many ways. Riding a tandem has strengthened our marriage and given us something to do together as our nest has emptied. Playing the ukulele has given my husband a break from the stress of work.
Too often we associate hobbies with people who have too much time on their hands when it should be the reverse. Hobbies should be what we work to make time for. Anything that stretches us, gets us up and moving, and trying new things helps us mentally, physically and socially. Here are just a few of the many benefits a new hobby can offer.