Long before the earliest chess boards were carved, humans were already playing board games. A game called senet, for example, was played in ancient Egypt as early as 3000BC. Sports, too, have been a favorite diversion for many centuries: ancient cave drawings in France depict wrestlers, the first Olympics included four different running contests. Music, painting, dance, and poetry have been intertwined with human existence, it seems, since the dawn of our race.
We as humans have always striven to grow, to challenge our minds and bodies and imaginations, and hobbies have long been a method of doing so. While some might brush off hobbies as a waste of time, others, like myself, believe they are an integral and necessary part of who we are. Hobbies provide us with a way to relax that is also productive, because they engage our muscles- either those in our mind or those in our body. Studies have even shown that participating in a hobby helps reduce stress.
So, if you haven't found a hobby yet, I want to encourage you to start looking for something that interests you. Or maybe several things. A lot of people say they don't have time for a hobby, but I challenge that sentiment. How much time a day do we spend browsing the internet, playing with our phones, watching TV? Or even working when we don't need to be? Sure, it's nice to just check out for a little while sometimes and turn on the TV- there's nothing wrong with that, but what if we moved just a little bit of that mindless time to restorative time?
What if we lessened our stress by doing something we enjoy, with people we enjoy being with, rather than spending time on unnecessary or fruitless tasks?
I'm a firm believer in getting things done, but I'm also a firm believer in taking time to enjoy the richness of life, whether it's reading books, playing games, climbing rocks, or painting yard gnomes. Do what makes you happy, what drives you to be better and do better, and you might just start finding more drive in your overall life as well.
For me, hobbies are just another way I come to understand myself better and recharge my batteries. What about you? Do you have a hobby? What makes you love it? What could you do to make that hobby even better, be more inclusive and productive? If you have thoughts you'd like to share, feel free to comment below!
Until next time, keep growing.
Resources and additional reading:
some of our happiest times were playing games as a family
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