At the start of a new year, many of us think about restarting exercise regimens, meal prepping and other weight-loss oriented goals. While losing weight is good for our self-image and our health, it can often be difficult to achieve. If we aren’t successful, it can cause us to “throw in the towel” – at least until the start of the next new year. What if there are other pathways to become healthier, happier versions of ourselves?

What is often overlooked is that our health goals are usually more about how we feel than how we look. We want to be able to do the things we used to do, be happier, have more energy and a greater sense of meaning in our lives. While running a 5K or eating the recommended daily servings of vegetables will help us achieve those goals, there are other ways we can get there.

Think back to when you were 7, 11, or 20 years old. What brought you joy? Were there hobbies or activities you enjoyed doing, that made you feel good about yourself; where you got to put your unique skills to the test, or share your gifts with others? As a child I loved reading and journaling from a very young age. By the time I graduated from college, I had abandoned both of those pastimes. I simply hadn’t had time between going to school and working full time. Once I began to reintroduce those activities, I felt my old self coming back. And that prompted more awareness of what I needed to feel fulfilled. And what was draining my energy.

Maybe it’s time to get out your golf clubs, tune that instrument or dust off your art supplies. Or, maybe this is the time to make your someday start today. What is the thing you have caught yourself saying multiple times? “Someday I am going to ‘do the 52 hikes challenge,’ or ‘grow a vegetable garden’ or ‘learn how to crochet.’” There are free, local resources to help you get started with all of these activities. Our local library system offers Mango, a free language learning app. They even have a “library of things,” like binoculars to go bird watching or tools to start that woodworking hobby. The possibilities are endless.

I know what you’re thinking. This is all well and good but I do not have time for such frivolities. The truth is that most of us are spending at least some of our disposable time on social media, streaming, or watching television. If we reprioritized 30 minutes a day of time spent doing passive activities and dedicated it to pursuing a hobby, we could experience significantly more joy and meaning in our lives. 

Here are a few tips for success:

• Conduct an inventory of your favorite hobbies, past and present
• Consider what you could realistically reintroduce into your current schedule
• Notice activities others do that you admire or find yourself being curious about
• Research what it would take to start a new activity and break down the process into small, manageable chunks (for example, if you want to learn to crochet, reach out to Latimer Quilt Factory and ask about lessons, groups, mentors or other ways to get started)
• Schedule time for your hobby/activity so you are more likely to keep it a priority
• Invite a friend to join you
• Share your favorite hobbies on social media or at info@tillamookcountywellness.org

Written by Michelle Jenck, M.Ed., Certified Behavior Change Coach & Tillamook County Wellness Coordinator

For more local health and wellness information, visit www.tillamookcountywellness.org or follow Tillamook County Wellness on Facebook and Instagram.