As the year 2016 is comes to an end, it is about that time to start thinking of new year’s resolutions. Of course, there is no need to go to the extreme of saying “new year, brand new me.” Perhaps you just need to try something that would help with self-improvement. Basically, you can take up a new hobby and start to add a new skill to your resume.
Pick something that is fulfilling and that can help you grow in a direction you wish, this way it will be fun learn. Here is a list of hobbies that you can try, or at least use as inspiration to find something you’ll gladly master. All of these hobbies can also help you earn a living, so you do not have to consider them as a waste of time but as a personal investment.
1. DIY
You can become addicted to DIY projects, which basically translate to craftsmanship. You learn how to create furniture out of items you don’t use, or garden decorations, or any sort of accessory. These are really popular and they give you a chance to add a unique touch to your home. Moreover, you can start creating jewelry or ornaments, since these are sold on etsy for good price.
When you are honing your skills and researching, you are improving your coordination, your creativity, and also learning how to fix various things without relying on a handyman. Also, it gives you a good skill set to build a tree house or something else your children will enjoy. So in a way, it is a skill that can also contribute to quality family time.
Just pick something you find interesting and that you would like to master and start searching for tutorials. It is a good skill to know and a wonderful hobby, so there is no way you can go wrong with this.
2. Photography
Can you be patient and wait for a perfect moment to capture something majestic? Do you love visiting different places and traveling? Then photography is a hobby you will enjoy. Bear in mind however that the more you commit, the harder it will get. You’ll start to learn photo manipulation, you will start to save money for better equipment, and you most definitely become a perfectionist.
As a budding photographer, you will also most likely want start mastering Photoshop, then begin searching for cheap travel deals just so you can take new pictures. Plus spending time on Google Earth will definitely become your thing, because good photography is all about location.
If you have a serious interest in this hobby, you should go through this guide for beginners, to find the best camera for your purposes. You can go through Photoshop tutorials and see what the procedure for uploading stock photos is, in case you eventually want to make money from your photography.
3. Making Videos
You can also make video material and upload it on various networks that support it. Many people have made a fortune from vlogging, making videos and entertaining or educating people. It really looks like a fun and easy way to earn money, but don’t be fooled. Making videos requires a lot of devotion, but it is still really fun hobby. You’ll need to acquire a good camera and a good microphone for starters, and you’ll also need to have an idea about the theme of your channel and the topics you’d like to cover.
Once you have the idea, you need to write a script for a video, then film it, and then comes video editing. This can also take awhile if you are still new to how the software or video editing tools are used, but mastering the basics should not be too difficult.
It is definitely a hobby you will grow to like and if you upload quality content frequently, people will notice you. Almost anyone who succeeded claims that it took at least two years for the videos to be noticed and featured, so it is a question of determination.
4. Gaming
In addition to making videos, you can take up gaming as a hobby. Games actually offer quality material for a video topic. New games are constantly coming out, and people who are not certain whether they should buy them want to see a video review, so the two hobbies can go hand-in-hand.
The gaming community is very wide today, but if you were never intrigued by video games, you probably won’t like this hobby. Alternatively, you can go with board games, which are are also fun as you can play them with your friends, and if you are invested enough, you can even start designing them. It is really a fun hobby and it is great for all ages.
5. Gardening
If you have knack for aesthetics and harmony, and if you like plants and decorating, then gardening is definitely a hobby for you. It takes patience, but allows you to practice peace and serenity while you create your own slice of heaven, and is relatively inexpensive as a hobby. You will need seeds and a place to grow plants, so without a backyard it is not really possible. Sure you can collect and cultivate plants indoors, but it kind of defeats the purpose of gardening.
If you get good at this, people might call you to redecorate their garden, or you can even increase your home’s property value. However, profit should not be the main motivation here; you should pick up gardening for the sake of creating beautiful gardens and cultivating plants.
6. Cooking
Finally, you can always take up cooking as a hobby. You will most likely love it, and what’s more your friends will love you for it, so everybody wins. It gives you a chance to become good at something that is generally needed and there is a lot of room for you to be creative.
You have seen how a lot of people have become famous simply because they are good at cooking, they even have their own TV shows, and some of them get to act like real prima donnas and yell at their underlings. Not that you should be that way, this only shows how a hobby can grow into a passion and lead you to fame.
Much like gaming, cooking can be a topic for your video-making hobby. As mentioned, you can be creative so that people will view it just to see something new. Another upside is that you probably have all the necessary equipment, you only need the ingredients and some good recipes.
To sum up, the year 2017 offers a lot of possibilities for improvement, and you can turn that quest for improvement into a hobby or hobbies. Hopefully this list inspires you or at least pushes you in the right direction. Pick something that you find fun and interesting; the learning experience will be more pleasant and you will therefore advance at a rapid pace.
