Ideas for New Hobbies

To find ways to distract yourself from depression or anxiety, one must find something new or challenging. A challenging project can boost chemicals in the brain bringing back interest and enjoyment from achieving something. If you weren’t very good at let’s say cooking or drawing... try watching some cooking tutorials or look up recipes. For drawing why not start out by tracing an easy picture and challenge yourself with harder images along the way. Exercising, creative writing, drawing, cooking, crocheting, sewing, etc. something new you can learn that keeps your mind away from negative thoughts that bring you down. Going to the library and taking a few free classes on learning a new language or trying this app called “Duolingo” will help you learn new languages for free.

Cooking

A fun way to create something new like cakes, cookies, or even savory items like try curry, fish dishes, vegan or vegetarian options. Really anything you feel like experimenting with. Create a new diet, maybe even write down recipes you created yourself from recipes you tweaked and publish them in your own book. Make your own unique diet or bring back the good old granny’s recipes that used real ingredients like butter for one.

(Seriously, who misses the good old butter recipes that grandma used to make!)

Even make your own business out of cooking like catering. Granny’s recipes would be the perfect type of catering food, just saying.

Drawing, Painting, CreativeWriter

If you’re creative and need an outlet to let those creative impulses flow? Try drawing, painting, or creative writing.

Drawing:

Drawing is very therapeutic for some, if you feel sad, lonely, angry, anxious, depressed, irritated, etc. one great way to get your feelings out is to draw a picture to express your emotions. Like for anger, just let your anger out by scribbling on the page, or concentrate and draw a person expressing that same emotion you are feeling. Concentrating on something else helps to distract you from the current emotion you are feeling. Causing you to forget what you made you angry in the first place. This is a much healthier way to get out your aggression and relax yourself.

Painting

Painting can be used as the same thing. This method is perfect if you don’t know what to draw and want to get out that negative emotion quickly. Similar to what kindergarteners do with finger painting which is very therapeutic for some, painting can help with distracting from your current emotions. Making a mess with paints where you feel the paint on your fingers just like sensory copping skills: smell, see, touch, taste, and hear. Touching gooy paint can be fun.

Creative Writing

Everyone has an imagination. If you like emersing yourself into your imaginary world; then write a story of what this world is like and how you interact in it. Some people’s imagination could be based off of other’s imagination like JKRowling’s Hogwarts, True Cross Academy (blue exorcist), Ancient Egypt, Heaven (various interpretations), etc. make yourself the main character, a Mary-Sue (better than the main character and loved by all), anything you want to do, it’s your story and your imagination. Now if you want to share your story I suggest websites like:

www. wattpad.com

www.deviantart.com (for any medium of art; photos, drawings, paintings, stories)

www.fanfiction.net

www.archiveofourown.com

www.qoutev.com

<Do not publish these stories unless they are 100% original ideas: settings, characters, plots, themes, conflict, resolution, sub-plots, etc>

These are a few outlets I personally use. You can always find ways to distract yourself from depressive anxious thoughts. Just remember you have outlets that are willing to help you and willing to talk to if needed. Know that you are loved and cared for, you are precious to this world even when you don’t feel like it some days. People do care and want to make sure you are alright, remember to contact a friend, look up a help hot-line, or for those who need some guidance I suggest church even if you’re atheist or don’t agree with them; you might be surprised that they want to listen to you and help you anyway they possibly can. There are people out there who can help you and remind you that you are loved, you are precious, that you can get through this hard time and they will be there to help you when you ask them.

Thank you for reading and I hope this helped you today. HAPPY HOLIDAYS🌹