Hobbies for Depression

Depression is awful!  If you’ve struggled with depression, now or in the past, you know what I’m talking about.  Listen, we all get depressed from time to time but if we stay stuck in it, that isn’t doing anyone any good.  So, let’s talk how to lift it by some hobbies for depression that might help!

But, first – Fuck Depression!

I don’t mean to use “bad language” but Depression is a real jerk!  And, it should have no room in your life.  When we feel depressed, we don’t enjoy life.  It’s hard to feel good about anything.  And, people experience depression in a variety of ways.  Some may not sleep while others sleep all the time.  In some situations, you may not want to eat and others eat all the time (stuffing their feelings with food).  You may want to cry or you may not.  Everyone’s different in how they experience it.  Either way, we need to get unstuck and take control of our lives!

7 Hobbies for Depression that I’ve been “successful” at

1. Gardening – I started gardening many years ago.  I first started with indoor potted plants and I saw that it was really helpful for me to focus on something especially when I found my mind wandering into negativity.  If it wasn’t for this alternate focus, I could have spiraled into an abyss I wasn’t going to be able to get out of.  I then started to do outdoor gardening  Initially, it was a few tomato and pepper plants and then it grew into growing potatoes, various herbs, and squash.  It was enjoyable and it gave me something to do.  I had always seen my mother and aunt garden and it was fun to start the garden and watch everything grow.  Gardening was definitely a hobby that helped.  If you’ve never gardened before, start with a plant and gradually increase from there.  One perfect potted plant to start with is the Pothos.  It doesn’t need much sun and if you neglect to water it for a while, it somehow stays alive.
2. Baking – I love sweets!  I’ve always loved sweets.  I used to bake with my Mom when I was really young and continued to do so.  I even baked with my aunt.  Now, you all know that I am a big proponent of eating healthy.  I choose organic whenever I can and I really do focus on healthful eating.  But, I’m not a robot – I enjoy sweets and I also enjoy making baked goods for people.  So, for holidays, birthday’s and special occasions, I will enjoy a treat.  And, I will enjoy it even more if I knew I could make it because I love making delicious foods.
3. Cooking – I suppose I could have grouped Baking and Cooking together but cooking turned into a separate love for me.  I had always loved baking but cooking was something that I didn’t necessarily mind doing but I didn’t necessarily enjoy it.  (Although I didn’t hate it.)  The hobby of cooking changed for me once I started getting into organic gardening and trying to eat more healthfully.  Now, when I cook, I make a lot of things from scratch – yes, from scratch.  Why?  Because I enjoy it.  I get it that it’s not for everyone but pick a couple of dishes that you really love and make it “yours”.  I’ll even share several of mine.  If you have a dish in mind and you’d like to see if I have a recipe I can share, please contact me and I’d be happy to see if I can accommodate.
4. Sewing – I LOVE sewing!!!!  This is a new hobby of mine and like most people, I learned how to sew at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic when masks were needed.  I had always wanted to sew but never had time to do it or a reason to learn.  My Mom had given me her 1950’s sewing machine to use.  It sat in my house for a few years before I even touched it.  Then, the pandemic hit and I decided I needed to make masks.  I made them for family and friends.  But, it sparked a love of sewing and eventually I bought a better machine. It’s so much fun!  And, guess what?  September is National Sewing Month!  So, eventually, I’ll be sharing some items with you like this cute Halloween bag I made.  I really enjoyed making it.  It took my mind of things when I needed to and I made something really cute!   
   1. Spoiler alert:  Eye-make up remover pads will be in the near future.  What other items would you like to see?  Contact me and let me know!  During the Holiday’s you can also purchase our cute, personalized stocking stuffers.  (Note that these are only available for a limited time and only during the Holiday.)
5. Playing an instrument.  Ugh, this one is a tough one for me.  When I was a kid, I could not play an instrument.  In music class, I tried but I couldn’t quite “get” it.  I marveled at the people who could play after just “hearing” a song.  But, during the pandemic when there was NOTHING to do, I decided picking up an instrument might be something fun to try.  And, it was fun but also frustrating!  I still believe I’m tone deaf but you know what, I don’t care.  I know that learning something and being frustrated when doing it actually helps your brain and I LOVE my brain so I am always trying to keep it healthy.
6. Exercise – I have a love / hate relationship with exercise.  I’ve been exercising since I was a teen but I always just wanted to get it over with.  I’ve tried running and joining different group classes but I’m most successful at sticking with exercise when I can do it on my schedule.  I want to be able to do it when I want to do it – not wait for a class on a certain day.  I know this is different than most people.  But, exercise is a great way to fight depression and one of the other ways I exercise is by walking every day.  So, even if this is the only thing you can muster up the energy to do, it’s a great way to start!
7. Journaling – I never used to write.  I did have a “diary” when I was a young girl but I really didn’t pick it back up until recently.  But, what I found was that it helped me to get my thoughts on paper – and it helped me understand myself better.  When I saw the words on the page, I could realize that my thought was negative and I could actually change it.  It was amazing.  Plus, it helped me to be more productive.  Not only did I journal but I kind of kept it as a daily diary – things to do, thoughts I had, and things I wanted to do in the future.  I could see the things I wanted to do but never had time to and if I really wanted to make it a priority, I needed to make time for it.  It was really good to see it.  It really helped with depression and anxiety.

So, there you have it, 7 Hobbies for People with Depression!  On Day 13 of our 30 Day Challenge, I want you to give one or more of them a try and see if it helps you kick that “jerk” of depression.  Good luck to you!  Let me know how it goes and what you decided to try.