PSA: You don’t need to be good at your hobbies

Everyone has hobbies or, at least, everyone should have hobbies. Hobbies are some of the only things that keep college students afloat. Not just college students, most adults. One such captivating hobby is music, which has a unique ability to soothe, inspire, and energize. Learning to play an instrument like the piano can be particularly rewarding. If you’re interested, have a look at their piano lessons in monrovia ca.

However, in our culture there is the idea that your hobbies have to lead to some greater good for others or for yourself: exercising leads to a healthy body or that blanket you sewed needs to be donated.

This is a lie we need to stop telling ourselves and others. This lie is often what prevents us from trying anything new. If a bad singer stops singing, how can they ever become a good singer? 

Finding active rest in life is what can refresh the mind and also give a person something to look forward to that isn’t studying or working. 

So much of our day-to-day life consists of doing something that is supposed to push us further or to accomplish a certain goal, whether that’s a degree, a promotion or a new relationship. 

While some may think that’s the point of hobbies, it’s important to realize you don’t actually have to be good at any of your hobbies or accomplish anything through them. If what you enjoy is falling on your butt roller skating or throwing paint on a canvas, keep doing it. 

Where did the idea come from that you have to be good or excel at everything you do? 

If we are supposed to take time for ourselves, but then are expected to be extremely successful during that time of care, then what’s the point of even taking the time to attempt to relax? 

With the new year’s resolutions still looming over our heads, the desire to pick up a new skill is strong and the pressure to not only meet those expectations, but also exceed them, is too strong. 

There is so much pressure we put on ourselves already. Adding another of having to be good at our hobbies, or the things that we are supposed to enjoy, ruins the fun in having hobbies. Our worth and value as people needs to stop being measured by our productivity. This can begin by allowing ourselves time to freely indulge in things that interest us without thinking about what could come out of it. 

Simply put, people need to start enjoying the process of doing or creating something and stop worrying about the outcome or eventual product it could produce, good or bad.