Redditors share advice for finding a hobby as an adult

There’s no doubt that hobbies are good for us. From improving mental health and making us fitter to helping us live longer, picking up something to do in your spare time and sticking with it can be incredibly rewarding. However, getting started with a hobby as an adult can also be a daunting experience. It always seems like there are a million great hobbies out there until you try to find one for yourself—especially when it seems like everyone is already an expert at whatever hobby that takes your fancy. To find out how people get started with hobbies as adults, just look at Reddit. After all, a great way to start anything is to get some inspiration from others first.

If you’re looking for a sporty hobby but are not a super competitive individual, a great piece of advice comes from Redditor u/Snoo11600. Responding to the thread What is a rather unconventional, but interesting hobby?, their advice is to pick a niche sport. “Sports that don’t have NCAA sanction—like pickleball and dragon boat racing and disc golf—tend to be very sociable and beginner-friendly,” they say. 

For some adults, taking a class is another great way to pick up a strange hobby. Responding to the thread “Redditors with interesting hobbies, what do you do?” Redditor u/verticon1234 described how they got into fire juggling through a college course. “At my college, we have to take what is known as wellness classes. Basically, you can do anything from talking about your feelings to learning underwater basket weaving and parkour. My roommates asked me if I wanted to take the juggling course, and now after a few years of practice, all three of us can juggle fire!”

On the other hand, sometimes a friend can be an inspiration to try something new. In the same thread, Redditor u/ElodiaRyder described how a friend’s passing inspired his knitting passion. “I’m a (male) knitter. I took it up in honor of a very good friend who died suddenly on the eve of her 31st birthday because of an aortic aneurysm. She would spend all year knitting scarves and hats for the homeless and needy to give out at Christmas. I inherited all her knitting stuff and kept up the tradition in her honor,” he says.

The variety of hobbies Redditors are into is mind-boggling. In the thread Redditors with interesting hobbies- what do you do and why? Reddit user u/jayhsanghvi described their magnet fishing hobby: “It’s taking a strong magnet and putting it in canals/lakes or any water bodies and pulling metallic objects out. People find all kinds of cool stuff like guns, old coins, metal safes, swords, and it helps clean the water bodies as well.”

Even if you do find a hobby you like, keeping up with it is a different story. While there are lots of tips about how to stick with something, Redditor u/commandek has one straightforward piece of advice, “Get concrete and achievable goals. Don’t learn an instrument, master one song or technique.” It’s good to start small.