9 Tips for Exploring a New Hobby

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Style My Soul Explores ... 
​What is one tip for people shopping around for a new hobby? What are the do's and don'ts of trying out a hobby?

​Disregard the Trends
Don’t force a hobby on yourself just because it’s what everyone else is doing. Instead of following a trend, follow your heart and get involved in something that you’re truly passionate about. A solo hobby that you love will always bring you more joy than a group hobby that helps you “fit in.” Regardless of what the cool thing is right now, you’ll feel a lot more purposeful choosing your own hobby. -- Bradley Hall, Co-Founder & CEO, Sonu Sleep

Try Out Hobbies that Inherently Get You Motivated
Try to find hobbies built around a community to help keep you accountable. Sometimes it can be hard to stick to a new hobby or find the motivation to practice consistently. Relying on social motivation and making friends within a community is one way to build a new skill or interest while opening up to a new group of friends. Depending on your motivations and interests, taking up a team sport like volleyball, dodgeball, or soccer can be a great way to get exercise, meet new like-minded people, and build a skill set simultaneously. Hobbies work best when they allow you to explore or develop parts of your life that need more attention. Take a course to dip your toes in the water and find a community of people who make you feel like yourself and that you can have fun with.
-- Jason Panzer, President, Hexclad

Find the Opposite of Your Day Job
Find a hobby that’s the opposite of what you do on a daily basis. If you have a physically demanding job such as retail or healthcare, consider finding a hobby that helps you relax. This could be knitting, learning a new language, or joining a book club. On the other hand, if you sit at a desk all day, find something athletic or invigorating. This could be rock climbing, gardening, or yoga. The takeaway is to mix it up. The best hobbies are those that are different from your day job. -- Michael Bell, Founder & CEO, Manukora

Do What You Love
Do what you love! That may seem cliche, but if you don’t do something you love it won’t be a hobby that will stick. Starting off with things you think you would enjoy or be beneficial for your life are a great way to begin. Thing like hiking or running are good things that can better your life and keep you healthy. Avoid things that you think are cool or should be doing but don’t really interest you. Focus on the long term and find a hobby that will stick. -- Ian Heyman, Founder, MDP

Get Inspiration From Hobby Stores
Hobby stores have historically been linked to hobbies like model-making, miniature painting, remote-controlled cars, and similar things. Most hobby shop businesses still sell the majority of these items, which is obviously a positive thing. However, it could be a good idea to use a little more creativity. Toys and other items that appeal to your pastime are excellent, but you need to add more than just a passionate attitude to them. The world of RC drones, or quadcopters, is one of the main areas where hobby shops are growing in sales. Drones are gaining a lot of popularity, and flying them is an excellent pastime. You may try it too, as many amateurs are making their own drones. --Alexandra Cotes, Social Media & Marketing Director, Flowercompany

Something that Gives You Peace, Not Stress
A hobby should be something that requires commitment, but not utter devotion. You don’t want your new activity to be something you obsess over or get burned out on. That often happens when someone tries to play an instrument late in life, or tries to learn a new foreign language. If you want to pick up that old six string, go for it, but don’t do so with the intent on joining a Led Zeppelin cover band in the next six months. Do something fun. Do something that is a welcome diversion from your stressful day-to-day life. You may even want to choose something that doesn’t require too much brainpower. Find something that’s easy to do that gives you peace. Maybe choose something that releases some endorphins into your system — running, fly-fishing, hiking, etc. Choose something that will enhance your life, not bog it down. -- John Sarson, CEO, Sarson Funds

Think Independently
Think independently when exploring new hobbies. You do not have to partake in hobbies that are popular or that most of the people you know are pursuing. Instead, you should choose a hobby that speaks to you so that you can truly enjoy it. No matter what hobby you choose, there is always a chance to make new friends by connecting with like-minded people. So, do not get too self-conscious when selecting a hobby that excites you, and be proud of the one you choose.
-- Nancy Eichler, Senior Vice President of Marketing & eCommerce, iwi life

Set Benchmarks to Hold Yourself Accountable
Set benchmarks to hold yourself accountable. There’s always the romantic period of starting a new hobby, where everything feels possible and new and exciting. In almost every case, this sunny feeling doesn’t last. Giving your hobby a real college try means not abandoning it when the honeymoon phase ends. If you picked up the guitar, set a goal of learning ten songs and then check in with yourself to see how you feel then. You might be inspired at that point to learn another ten, perhaps even write a song or two yourself. I can’t tell you how many people give up just because their fingers hurt. Don’t move from hobby to hobby because of your attention span. A hobby is beneficial because of the discipline it requires to keep growing at it. -- Karden Rabin, Co-Founder, CFS School

Check Out Your Local Community College
When shopping around for a new hobby, check out your local community college! Most community colleges offer hobby-related classes from glass-blowing to fly fishing, pottery to quilting. A 10 or 12-week college class is the perfect way to try out a new hobby. Classes are affordable and often taught by experts you would have to pay 10x more outside of the community college environment to learn from! -- Scott Krager, Founder, TubeSplit.com