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Aja Barber had always wanted to try ballet. But growing up, her family couldn’t afford it. Today, however, the London-based author of Consumed: The Need for Collective Change: Colonialism, Climate Change, and Consumerism enjoys ballet classes two to three times per week, depending on her schedule. After a tweet about her classes went viral, Barber unintentionally inspired others to either take up or revisit ballet as adults.
Apparently ballet is REALLY big with adults right now. I’ve noticed all my classes are pretty much filled. It could just be a New Years thing too. Anyway I think you should do it! Cmon, life is short, what are you waiting for? Here’s some etiquette tips for ballet classes:
— Aja Barber (@AjaSaysHello) January 25, 2023
“Our society does this thing where we think the only adults who can have hobbies are rich people,” says Barber. “It’s like the rich old man building a ship in a bottle because that’s what you see in films. But I think hobbies are for everyone, and they make you a more well-rounded person.”
When she began taking ballet classes roughly 16 years ago in Washington, D.C., a city where “So, what do you do?” is the go-to conversation starter, Barber says people were taken aback to learn that she was practicing ballet for fun.
“This idea that you would just do something simply for joy—not turn it into a monetary thing or a side hustle—but doing something that you genuinely really like went over a lot of people’s heads,” they recall.
As it turns out, Barber may be onto something. Research shows that taking on a hobby can have a positive impact on our psychological and physical well-being. Learning a new skill, or even revisiting an old one, can provide a much-needed mental and physical boost when you’re going through a rut, as well as improve your confidence and brain health.
To learn more about the health benefits of having a hobby, and perhaps even picking up one from your childhood, we spoke to Courtney Cope, MS, licensed marriage and family therapist and senior manager, clinical operations at BetterHelp.
1. Hobbies can anchor us back to our most positive childhood memories.
Positive memories and experiences from our childhood can create what is known as a “happiness anchor,” explains Cope.
“These powerful memories can often connect us back to a simpler, happier, enjoyable time in our early life. When we revisit a ‘happiness anchor’ for us, it can bring some of those good feelings from childhood back into the present day,” she says. “Often, this experience will allow us as adults to feel a sense of joy, connection, or relaxation that perhaps hasn’t been felt in quite some time.”
2. Hobbies can remind us that life doesn’t always have to be so serious.
“Revisiting an old hobby can make us remember parts of ourselves that we have forgotten about or have fallen by the wayside during adulthood—a time where responsibility and duty tends to dictate our actions and how we spend our time,” says Cope.
3. Hobbies can promote mental relaxation.
“Hobbies can be the one thing we do that doesn’t even require us to be good at them,” she continues. “We can do them simply because we love them or because they make us feel good versus many of the other activities we do that make us money, help us stay productive, or that have a specific end goal in mind.”
Some hobbies, such as puzzling, even have built-in benefits, such as improving visual-spatial reasoning, short-term memory, and problem-solving skills as well as combating cognitive decline, which can reduce the risk of developing dementia.
As trauma therapist Olivia James told Wired in 2021, “Focusing such that your mind is occupied but not excessively challenged is incredibly helpful for people with depression, anxiety, and stress” as the activity offers “a little holiday from yourself.”
4. Hobbies can reduce our blood pressure and improve our mental health.
Studies have shown that participating in hobbies can have positive impacts on both our mental health and our physical health. People who regularly participate in hobbies can be less likely to suffer from symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, or loneliness. Some folks have also seen a decrease in blood pressure and an enhanced overall sense of well-being.
5. Hobbies allow us to feel successful and competent in a world that can feel very much outside our control.
Creative hobbies, such as baking, jewelry-making, candle making, woodworking, or sewing, that have a distinct beginning, middle, and end to them allow people to reap the benefits of a finished product.
“When many factors of life can feel outside of your control and lead to physical symptoms of stress, there can be something very reassuring and relaxing about coming home and making a batch of cookies,” says Cope.
How to find a hobby
Sometimes deciding on a hobby can often be easier said than done. If you’re unsure where to begin your search, Cope suggests taking stock of what you enjoyed as a kid.
“Whatever themes that surround your happy childhood activities can be a great place to revisit as an adult and look for an opportunity to start a new hobby,” says Cope.
However, if nothing is immediately coming to mind, it may be time to try a new hobby altogether. To do this, she encourages people to ponder this question: What would you spend your time doing if you didn’t have to work to make money?
“What would you do with your time? How would you spend your days? Would you paint, would you play more sports, would you travel, would you study a topic you love, would you learn how to play an instrument?” she asks. “Your answers to these questions can inform some areas of interest for potential hobbies to explore.”
Making time for hobbies as an adult
If you’re pressed for time and can’t imagine how any hobby—old or new—can fit into your already busy schedule, Cope suggests swapping social media use for more purposeful activities. Above all, she recommends intentionally carving out time for hobbies by reserving 30 minutes or one hour a week for them and putting that time on your calendar.
“As adults there will nearly always be one more to-do list item or work demand, along with kids to care for, or a family obligation to attend to,” she says. “Hobbies will unfortunately not spontaneously show up on your schedule.”
If you’re still feeling hesitant or, say, you’re embarrassed by the idea of picking up an old hobby for fear you may no longer be good at it, Barber encourages people to “just do it.” And if you need additional encouragement or accountability, enlist a friend.
I was not expecting my ballet tweets to take off like they have. Wow! Please do the things in life you’ve always wanted to do. Give yourself some of the things you wanted as a child as an adult. (My family couldn’t afford ballet). Anyway don’t wait ♥️ pic.twitter.com/nzzJoOnLTw
— Aja Barber (@AjaSaysHello) January 26, 2023
“Life is short, and it gets faster with every year,” she says. “If you’re waiting for another year or for the right moment, just give it a try…Everyone feels silly in their first ballet class. Everybody feels silly when they make a mistake, or have no idea what’s going on, but who’s judging? We’re all here to have a great time and let go of our inhibitions.”
