Sticking to a new hobby for a little longer

Seeing the title, I know, right?? Not me talking about sticking to a new hobby for a little longer, seeing as how I am a serial hobbyist myself, haha! But, yes! Let's talk about hobbies! If there’s one thing the pandemic has taught us is that hobbies are great to keep us centered, focused, and happy. Hobbies are wonderful in many ways. I am happiest when I make, and it is always a joy to learn something new and create something. Whether you are knitting, drawing, painting, or simply filling a personal planner, hobbies are like little anchors in the tumultuous sea of life. They keep us sane. I know this for a fact because these are the few things giving me joy at this time.

Just look at these beautiful colors!
My kind of eye candy :)

The thing is, some people can stick to the same hobbies for a lifetime. Others, like me, tend to treat hobbies like butterflies' flowers. They hop from one to another, never quite sticking with anything long enough to become a master. It’s not that they lose interest. It’s quite the opposite, in fact. They have too much joy, interest, and curiosity that it’s really hard to do only one thing at a time. There is so much to discover! Does it sound familiar? If that’s you, be assured that you are not on your own. A lot of people are hobby butterflies, nibbling at everything as they explore life. There’s genuinely nothing wrong with that. But it can be frustrating as you commit to a new hobby only to discover something new and lose interest. Why is it that your mind can’t focus on one thing and stick with it?

Turn hobbies into useful skills

The truth is that your mind still focuses on one thing at a time and learns the basics of it. So, while it might feel like you are frolicking in a field of hobbies, you are, in fact, picking some skills on the way. Granted, you are not the yoga master or expert knitters you thought you’d become. But you’ve now got all the equipment and knowledge you need to indulge whenever you need to. Unfinished hobbies are a treasure box of useful skills, such as these ninja foodi recipes from GrillingMontana.com that you learned when you fancied yourself a chef. All the things you’ve learned are safely stored at the back of your mind, ready to pop up when you need to prepare a meal, do a quick yoga workout or surprise a pregnant friend with a knitted baby hat. 

I used to think I didn't have my Mom's green thumb, but look at my beautiful plants now :,)

Monetize your hobbies

How about finding new value in your old hobbies? Perhaps knowing how to knit can be the start of profitable side hustle on Etsy? Monetizing your hobbies adds a new perspective to crafting. You are more likely to stick to hobbies and develop your skills if you have an incentive to carry on. What better incentive as someone ordering cute knitted baby boots from your Etsy shop? You may not become rich overnight, but you can undoubtedly find the motivation to stay focused.

My next thing is learning digital art with the new iPad J gave me

Share it with friends

Sometimes, all we need is to be accountable for the promise we make ourselves. Where is the novella you promised yourself you’d write or the hand-sewn dress you wanted to make? Sharing hobbies with friends can help make you more accountable for your decisions. They can get excited when you’ve lost interest or simply remind you of the dreams you had. Sharing a project, for instance, such as hand-sewing your friend’s summer outfit while she does yours, is a great plan to keep with your hobbies.

My friends do not play Animal Crossing any more, but I still play every day. Nonetheless, I share images like this to my social media followers every now and then because it's beautiful and comforting.

The bottom line: Everybody is different. Some like to dig deeper into a specific hobby until they’ve become a true master, while others like to experiment with many different things. If you’re a butterfly hobbyist like me, you can find a way to make peace with your crafting approach!