A value for your hobby that's not necessarily monetary

When we sit down to do something we love; whether it’s art, music, dance, or anything that proves therapeutic/ gives us peace of mind, we don’t necessarily actively think about the activity as much as we feel our way through it. But in our current lifestyle that sees money or visibility as the only acceptable outcome for doing anything, we are at risk of jeopardizing this very important aspect of the hobby- the feeling.

It’s no surprise that by giving yourself this mental space and focusing on feelings, you can reawaken your creativity. Neuroscientists have found that rational thought and emotions involve different parts of the brain. For the floodgates of creativity to open, both must be in play. -Harvard Business Review, “Why You Should Work Less and Spend More Time on Hobbies”

Social media is indeed a great platform to share, support, and flaunt (why not!) our own and each other’s creative escapades. But sometimes you find yourself comparing your work to another’s. You notice a good few people proactively churning out quality work, seeking out opportunities to monetize their hobby or be noticed by a wider audience. This, of course, is not a problem in itself. There’s definitely a proven satisfaction and validation to it. The problem arises either by internal guilt or an external push to do the same with your own hobbies.

Even with 5 to 10+ years of experience in any co-curricular field (maybe on and off), we may not be heavily monetizing/publicizing our work. My parents had me enrolled in at least 3/4 activities (super thankful) to keep me busy beyond school hours. I’ve actively stuck onto 2 (music and dance) and pursued both in whatever capacity possible for the last 13 years. I’ve given programs, participated in events, expanded my circle, and earned some cash occasionally. In retrospect, there’s been a good amount of effort and money gone into these hobbies, both by me and my parents.

This awareness coupled with the aforementioned social media pressure can make anyone question how much justice they did to their years of training, leading to a self-doubting spiral. To help deal with these thoughts, I’ve put down a couple of points below:

1. A “hobby” by definition is something you do in your leisure time for pleasure. When you unnecessarily stress over it, it ceases to be pleasurable. It’s important to note the stress-to-happiness ratio when you set out to do something more with your hobby. “Is this outcome that I desire really worth the stress + some not-so-fun work that comes with the process?” if the answer is Yes, definitely go ahead, if not, maybe tweak certain aspects to get more fun out of it. Sometimes the results despite the effort are disappointing. But we learn from every experience, and hopefully, apply it to forthcoming ones. Which seamlessly brings me to my next point.

2. Enjoy the process. This one applies especially to those of us who’re taking/have taken classes for our respective hobbies. Having a personal goal with a hobby is always very helpful to test your own limits, and trying to achieve these with your training definitely adds more meaning to the process. That being said, every class you take/every minute you spend personally on your hobby can really just be an escape from reality, an outlet for creativity, or just simply about de-stressing. It REALLY doesn’t have to be anything more than fun. Even if you mess up in class, even if you haven’t practiced, show up, have a good time, and really let go. That’s enough to do “justice” to your time and money.

3. Respect your journey and capabilities. If you wanna compare yourself, only do it with your own previous limits. Realize you’re better than you were yesterday, even if by 0.001%. Everyone has their own set of perks and obstacles in their lives that either aid or curb their progress in that hobby, both physically and mentally. Whether your goal for happiness lies in monetizing the hobby or not, neither is a better way to do it than the other. So go about it however you like, since it’s ultimately something you’re doing for yourself. Don’t let that cause go awry.

So whether you’re at a noob, expert, or intermediate level in your hobby there will always be someone better. The happiness/satisfaction associated with doing it will always be the ultimate criterion for any decision. This may have been more of a personal monologue with things you already know. But current times spent amidst a pandemic call for constant positive reminders. I really hope this was one of those reminders for you.