7 Hobbies That Are Good For Your Mental Health

It’s amazing to have a hobby, something you can make progress with, learn from and be great at, but I want to address hobbies that are good for your mental health.

Sometimes hobbies that are good for our mental health can relax us after long days of hard work or they can even bring us together with like-minded people who may even be our best friends now.

Sometimes, a hobby can even help our good mental health habits grow by encouraging us out of our comfort zone and making friends.

So, which hobbies are good for mental health?

Gardening

There’s something really relaxing about gardening, the great feeling of being outdoors in the fresh air and recharging your body at the same time. Going outside and gardening is great for days where you’re recovering from being super duper busy or you need to focus on something to distract you from other things like negativity. It’s even better if you can grow your own fresh fruit and veg, because you are exercising, eating well and improving your mental health all at the same time!

Writing

Writing this blog has helped me alot, but I really do think that if you enjoy writing, it can be extremely beneficial to your overall mental health. It’s such a lovely and creative process to write down your thoughts and feelings, especially if you write specifically about your experiences and if you choose to share your writing publicly, you can help so many people who are feeling exactly the same way. The art of journaling and blogging is also becoming increasingly popular because of how much it helps us to realise exactly what the pandemic has brought us through and to truly understand and accept us for who we are.

Art

Another really relaxing and creative way that I love, that helps to process your feelings is through art, like drawing and painting or even photography. You can paint or draw or digitally illustrate pieces that reflect your experiences and feelings or you can just learn a new skill and use it as a way to escape every day life problems. Your paintings or art don’t have to be perfect or detailed, they can just be colours that you like or that reflect what you’re feeling.

READING

Reading books takes you to another world, I have already talked about how amazing reading is for your brain in my earlier post, “Why Is Reading So Good For Your Brain,” but how good is it for your overall mental health? Reading helps you sleep and feel happy and proud of your achievements, making you more self-aware, not only that but also knowing what others lives are like by standing in their shoes.

EXERCISE

Any exercise is good for your mental health but Yoga is up there for people looking to improve their mental health. I recommend Yoga with Adriene, she is amazing and does videos to specifically target things like your mental health. Boxing and Martial Arts like, karate can also relieve all the tension and stress that daily life causes. Imagine having an awful day and then beating up a punching bag instead of lying in bed doing nothing but complaining? Yes, please! You could also try different types of swimming, which is a good all-rounder or maybe an exercising and zumba class where you can meet new people and step out of your comfort zone.

COOKING

Cooking is another one of my favourites hobbies for improving my mental health. Yes, sometimes it can be stressful, but try cooking something that you love, like cake! There’s something really satisfying about chopping vegetables and fruit and seeing a recipe come together as a beautiful meal. The food you eat can also affect your mood. So cooking healthy meals from scratch, instead of ordering from fast food stores is also great for your mental wellbeing.

DANCING

Dancing is another way to express exactly what you are feeling. I personally like dancing because it gives me a chance to express mood and feeling. Even following simple dance videos or flexibility type videos, if that is something you like is great too, because they are absolutely free! But, if you want something more serious or you want to make it an everyday habit, check out some studios or classes online.

Hobbies allow you to express your mood and feelings, they let you feel free and alive. Your mental health is important, so you need to take care of it. Try some of these hobbies, and if you already do or are going to try, make sure to comment!:}

Stay Bright and Happy!!! Come back here to see more posts like this!

XOXO The Sunshine Blogger