By Sivonna Stringham, Resident in Counseling
Finally, the new year has started. People are resetting from the chaos of the holidays and are looking
forward to the beginning of the year. With the beginning of the year come people’s aspirations to set
goals and accomplishments they didn’t get to the year prior. January is a month for new beginnings.
January is also coined as National Hobby Month! One of the main hobbies that are started for people is
learning to bake and/or cook with reading coming in a close second
(https://www.statista.com/forecasts/997050/most-popular-hobbies-and-activities-in-the-us).
A factor for implementing a hobby into your schedule is to also help with the SAD (seasonal affective
disorder) months, typically during the end of the year where the days get shorter and the nights get longer.
Hobbies also have the effect of strengthening problem solving skills (https://clermontlibrary.org/find-
your-new-passion-during-national-hobby-month/). If you’re stuck trying to figure out some possible ideas
for hobbies to start, visit your local library! They may have some resources you can utilize to look into
some ideas for hobbies such as: sewing/crocheting, assembling puzzles, building and/or remodeling your
space, etc.
On a whole other note, 2025 has started out kind of rough for a lot of people. Still, the days are long and
nights are exhausting. It may almost seem impossible to get out of bed and face the day. Having hobbies
implemented in your routine and schedule won’t fix everything that’s going on, but it’ll help you to keep
going and doing something that you enjoy. My encouragement to you is to start small – find one or two
hobbies that you have either utilized before or have wanted to. Set a time each week, one or two days, to
practice your hobby, and go from there.
Finally, don’t forget to check in with yourself and your supports!
