What do you like to do for fun?

Be honest with me for a minute: Do you have a hobby? 

A real hobby that you engage in simply for the sake of enjoyment? Something you’re willing to get lost in even when it doesn’t have a deadline or dollar sign attached to it?

If you had asked me what it means to live intentionally five, or even 10 years ago, I wouldn’t have mentioned hobbies because I didn’t have any.

Somewhere along the way, hobby pursuit and development missed me. As a student, I was an overachiever who settled for nothing less than straight As. School and education filled my time. And then I went on to be a high-performing employee who thought about work (and mostly work) at all times. But as the gap between student life and adulthood widened, the amount of “free time” I experienced grew. And then, people began to ask:

What are your hobbies? What do you like to do for fun outside of work?

And I quickly realized: (1) I had none, (2) I hear crickets chirping in my mind when I don’t know how to respond to a question (lol), and (3) I might be a boring person?!

Many barriers prevent people (myself included) from discovering hobbies they love. Here are some that come to mind:

• Time constraints and busy schedules — School, and then overindexing on my career, created self-imposed time constraints and an “I’m too busy for that” mindset. In addition to work, having children and other family responsibilities (like caregiving) likely eats up even more of your time.

• No mental energy left outside of work — If work sucks the life out of you (mentally, physically, or both), you might not have an interest in trying a new hobby. (And Netflix and social media scrolling take over…)

• Perfectionistic tendencies — The desire to be perfect or do something well can prevent people from trying a hobby and being bad at it.

• Fear of failure or judgment — Not being immediately skilled at, or being judged for doing something poorly, are real feelings people experience when trying something new. And for many, these feelings can be nearly impossible to overcome.

• Financial obstacles and ongoing time commitments — Tons of hobbies require an initial investment in supplies, training, or both. Not to mention that some skills require practice, meaning you may not know whether you enjoy a hobby until you’ve done it multiple times.

• Analysis paralysis or not knowing where to begin — Overthinking your choices and feeling overwhelmed by the options available can prevent you from taking action. Or worse, not knowing where to start can hold you back from pursuing a hobby at all.

It’s no wonder it’s so hard to find and stick to a hobby, but Jared Leong, creator of Not Just a Hobby, is out to change that (and he can help you find or try a new hobby, too!).

I recently met Jared and had the chance to talk to him about his commitment to creating a single, reliable resource for picking up new hobbies. His passion for helping people find hobbies they love is inspiring and deeply admirable. Watch this one-minute video to experience Jared’s excitement and get a feel for his work:

I asked Jared for his three best tips for removing guilt and overcoming the initial barrier of starting a hobby, just for you, Time Intentional readers. Here’s what he said:

1. Hobbies are for fun. It’s so human to see an incredible hobbyist online and feel like you’ll never reach that skill level. Nobody is asking you to get to that level. There are no written requirements for how you need to experience any hobby. They’re all activities that you can try out and enjoy their unique qualities. You can go out and collect pretty rocks, gaze upon the birds that fly all around us, and sip on the countless types of teas.

2. Everybody wants to share. If a hobby sparks your interest, the community is eagerly waiting for you to say hi. It’s true for every single hobby, Not Just a Hobby is only possible with the eager hobbyists warmly welcoming us in. Ask questions – any question – and somebody will share their answer. It’s okay not to know anything because they all understand that we all start from somewhere.

3. The right hobby is out there for everyone. It’s easy to get into a rut if no hobby is catching your eye. We’re here to share that there are so many hobbies out there, it’s practically infinite. And with that fact, we can assure you that there is a hobby out there for you. There’s no perfect hobby, but with an open mind, there’s something that will pique your interest. As a starter, notjustahobby.com has 40+ hobbies for you to learn more about. Your friends, family, and neighbors will have plenty more; you just have to ask.

When we talk about what it means to live an intentional life, sometimes it’s as easy as having more fun and enjoying a hobby for the sake of sheer enjoyment. Time passes quickly, so find what you enjoy, do more of it, and live a curious life full of wonder and possibility. You never know what (or who) you might find along the way.

Time Intentional 🕰️ Reader Love 💞

• Lucy N. loved and related to the recent issue on seasonal impermanence. I’m slowing down and enjoying the last of the season even more after our notes back and forth.

• Laura H. and Olivia Z. sent me brief notes to share how much they loved last week’s issue about monochronic vs. polychronic time systems. (A secret: it was one of my favorite issues to write, too!)

• Rachel M. (my badass freelance coach) gave Time Intentional a shout-out in her LinkedIn post.

• Kara D. at Wishful Working featured Time Intentional in her newsletter this week! It’s a great read if you’re curious about freelancing and how to get started. And if you’re new here and came from Wishful Working, welcome! It’s great to have you!

I’m Alyssa Towns, and this is Time Intentional, a newsletter exploring what it means to spend our limited (and precious) time intentionally. Extend your love and support by sharing this newsletter with someone you know or buying me a coffee! ☕

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