Struggling With Your Mental Health? Try a Hobby!

I cannot stand the words, “Get over it.” All of us are under such pressure to put our problems in the past tense. Slow down. Don’t allow others to hurry your healing. It’s a process, one that may take years, occasionally, even a lifetime – and that’s okay.

Beau Taplin

I have a lot in life to be grateful for, I have a beautiful home that I share with beautiful people, I have a job that, whilst challenging at times, is ultimately deeply fulfilling, I have a great network of close friends that I spend lots of time with, I have a loving family that I’m in touch with almost daily, I have a wonderful Second Life with the most amazing, inspiring, creative, diverse, global friends, I have my health, I love food and wine and I love to cook and be cooked for, I love my vacation and to travel and I’ve been fortunate to go to some amazing corners of the globe, I’ve seen some amazing things and experienced fascinating cultures quite different to my own, even as a FWB, (if you know me, you know!!).

I’m consider myself a very, very lucky girl so, why is it that occasionally I get anxious, occasionally I feel down and occasionally I feel very alone and isolated in the world… Well, of course I know the answer to that question, I’ve had some amazing counsellors and CBT partitioners over the years that have helped me identify my triggers and give me skills to deal with the demons that are now, I’m pleased to say, relatively absent in my life!

A great piece of advice I was given by some time ago was to take up a hobby as part of my selfcare regime. It’s all well and good being told to take long walks with the dog or have a me day that involves binge watching the latest series on Netflix but, what if you don’t have a dog or, you, like me can’t sit on the sofa for longer than an hour without getting itchy feet?!

We all need play in our lives, even if we’re leaning a skill at the same time. Hobbies provide that for us. Skill and play that doesn’t require you to be good at them right away or even ever, that don’t end up feeling like a chore!

For the next couple of weeks, I’m going to explore what the benefits are of having a hobby that supports your mental health. I’m not a mental health practitioner so, the following articles are based of research I’ve done over the last few weeks, research that come from genuine practitioners and not doctor Google!

What exactly ARE the benefits of having a hobby relative to your mental health?

Having a hobby that brings joy and purpose into your life has been shown to improve mental health and wellbeing. Research has demonstrated that having hobbies can reduce stress and lower blood pressure and people who participate in a hobby can feel a positive affect even days later.

If you also pick up a hobby that takes you outside, just think of all the added benefits that comes with! I mean, I don’t know about where you live but here in the UK we’re all a bit Vitamin D deficient, especially in the winter. So as much time spent outside the better in my humble opinion!

Even without all the chemical and physical benefits, isn’t it just nice to have something to look forward to or to keep your mind active and engaged?

Hobbies can either get you reconnected with nature, give you a chance to meet new people or get some well needed solitude and a break from all the noise and chatter.

Walking and Hiking

Today, I’m going to start with something, you’ll know if you’ve followed my blog, that is very close to my heart! Walking and Hiking! Not long after I was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD, it was suggested I might benefit from going outdoors more, what started with walking and hiking has now developed into a Love for running but, it was walking and hiking that got me out there, that have me rosy cheeks, that helped me reengage with mother nature so, whilst I Love to run, I still very much enjoy pulling on my boots and going for a walk in the beautiful surroundings I’m blessed to live near or, jumping in the car and heading down to somewhere like Ashdown Forest which feels like a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of London!

Not only is walking and hiking an incredible exercise, the benefits of walking seem to be endless. Do you ever come back from a walk feeling clearer headed? Do you feel a sense of accomplishment and peace? Wouldn’t it be fabulous to have something that uses up a lot of your bottled-up stress, adrenaline and anxiety and replaces them with good happy feelings?! Well, imagine that being your hobby.

Why is Walking so good for your Mental Health?

As well as being great exercise (which is always beneficial for mental health) walking is great for your mental health for many other reasons, including:

Reduction in stress and anxiety
Better sleep
Improvement in energy levels
Releases endorphins
Improves endurance
Increases mental alertness

How do I get Started

If you’re overwhelmed by the idea of going for 8 mile hikes and walking through tough terrain, I get it. You don’t need to start off big. You don’t need fancy hiking equipment or 4 hours of free time to do a big massive walk. Just start off small. Set the timer on you phone to go off after 15 minutes and just walk from your house in any direction.

If the timer goes off and you feel like carrying on, then carry on.

But I think telling yourself that you only need to do it for 15 minutes, or you only need to start off with a walk around the block, really helps to cut out the need for too much motivation. The first step (pardon the pun) is just getting out of the house in the first place. Especially if you’re feeling low!

How do I make walking a fully-fledged Hobby?

Once you’re into the swing of walking and you want to make it more of a hobby, you might want to start planning some bigger walks. As an keen walker I would fully recommend the following:

Good walking shoes

If you’re going to spend a lot of time walking or hiking, then proper footwear is absolutely essential. If your budget isn’t massive or you don’t want to spend too much upfront in case you don’t actually walk enough, then it doesn’t need to be expensive. I bought my trail shoes on the internet having tried them at my local sports store – cheeky I know but, in the sale, and they had 50% off. I’ve seen some people by their walking shoes/boots off vinted second hand, personally I wouldn’t recommend it!

Garmin or Alternative Tracker

I like to wear a Garmin when I go walking (I don’t always bother or remember) because it makes me feel a sense of achievement when I look at how many steps or miles I’ve done. Even if you’re not particularly concerned about the miles you’re putting in, sometimes it helps to track the first few walks to give you a sense of how many hours it takes you to do X amount of miles. It also helps you to track progress.

But these aren’t essential and if you’d rather just switch off and enjoy the walk then leave the tech at home!

Trail app

As much as I hate organising and planning because it has the potential to make something dull as dishwater, I do absolutely LOVE using a trail app to plan a new route. I use an app called Plotaroute. It kinda feels like a game for me. Find a new route map, follow the gps and then take pictures along the way of things that I see.

Also, if you’re completely rubbish with directions like I am, this will help you find somewhere to go for a proper good nature walk without getting lost.

Walk in all Weather

This isn’t a “thing” you need, this is just a general tip from one walker to another. Don’t shy away from what is considered as “bad weather”. Yes, walking in the sunshine as a plethora of benefits but so does walking in the rain.

Actually, walking in the rain is my favourite!

It gives me a sense of peace and calm like nothing else but also, most people hate the rain so there’s never anyone else around, perfect when I’m having feelings of social anxiety!

Today, I’m going to leave it here but over the next few weeks I’m going to cover several other hobbies that have real benefits relative to maintaining good mental health – stay tuned!

What’s on this week?