Picking Up New Hobbies and Unlearning perfectionism
image credits to @redbubble
I have tried to pick up many hobbies throughout my life, but the process usually looks like this: I would get excited about something, become determined to do it, and give up after realizing that I am not talented enough for it. I often wondered: “If I gave myself more time to develop the skill, would I have been a successful prodigy by now?”
The missing puzzle to the piece, I realized, was patience. After reaching a certain age, I, along with many of our generation, started developing the impression that everything we did must be added to a resume. The whole idea that we need to be great at something to get into an esteemed college and have a wealthy and happy life has taught us that we as human beings need to be marketable. In turn, we’ve lost the art of doing things for ourselves, for our own pleasure and joy.
This was brought to my realization during quarantine- when the world decided to shut down. For months, I had no schedule, no obligations. My time was entirely my own, and I had the choice to decide what I wanted to do with it.
For the first time in what feels like forever, I baked my favorite treats, I allowed myself to get lost in stories again, and I watched a good amount of Netflix. Once I ran out of shows to watch and had exhausted every social media app available, I decided to learn. I taught myself how to paint, with YouTube as my sole guide. I knew that I wasn’t perfect at it, but for the first time in my life, I was okay with that.
Painting was just me. A great playlist along with colors that I could put anywhere on my canvas instilled in me peace and happiness. I realized that I was patient. I was patient at myself for messing up at times, for still learning. I was not looking into how I could possibly sell this aspect of myself; I was simply having fun being me.
Hobbies are so, so important. You just have to remind yourself to be nice. Doing something where the end goal isn’t at high stakes may seem like a waste of time to a lot of people, but everyone needs a break, and our desire to be good at everything can be harmful.
It might be a difficult start- to allow yourself to emerge in things you love, without thoughts on your responsibilities and to-do lists. But from time to time, we all need a break. Understanding that you’re human and not a product on sale in a society where money is the bottom line is the first step. Sing badly, dance awkwardly in your room. Don’t forget that life isn’t found in being the best, it’s found in having little moments of joy. As hard as it is, having fun is worth it.