- Hobbies that reduce anxiety
- Hobbies that promote self-care
- Hobbies that boost health and wellness
- Hobbies that promote creativity
- Hobbies that introduce you to new people
- Hobbies that activate your brain
Your divorce is over. You’ve divided the property, crafted a co-parenting agreement, and navigated the bumpy road of post-divorce grief. You’ve settled into a new groove, and it’s not that bad.
But you may feel slightly unmoored and unsure of who you are without the “spouse” label. You remember who you were pre-marriage and the things you enjoyed. But you were younger and crazier then. After marriage and divorce, you may be feeling a little less sure of yourself … and a little more careful.
Jump-starting your post-divorce life entails getting to know the person you are now. Is it possible that meeting your emotional needs and rediscovering who you are could be as easy as picking up some old interests or exploring new ones? Just maybe!
Hobbies that reduce anxiety
Looking back, you might say that nothing was more anxiety-producing than your divorce. Now that it’s over, you’re ready for something to soothe your frazzled nerves and lull your soul.
The more obvious solutions aimed at promoting mental health and quelling anxiety might include creating a meditation, yoga, or tai chi practice. But doing anything that puts your racing mind on temporary hold can be soothing. Word puzzles, jigsaws, crocheting, listening to new music, reading … endless activities exist for you to discover.
Hobbies that promote self-care
Looking back, you may feel like you took care of everyone during your marriage but yourself. Your needs may have been placed on a back burner to take care of the kids, your ex-spouse, your job, the house, or whatever loomed large in your life.
After a divorce, you deserve some essential self-care. This means so much more than long naps, herbal tea, and bubble baths.
There’s nothing like spending time in the sunshine and fresh air to help you quiet your mind and reconnect with yourself and the world after these huge life changes. Scope out city and state parks, and find time to immerse yourself in a quiet natural setting every day. If you’re lucky enough to live in the mountains or foothills, go for a hike. If you live by a lake or ocean, spend time by the water.
Pack a picnic, and gift yourself a quiet lunch by a lake or pond. Learn to garden. Go birding. Create an aquarium or koi pond. Find a group that teaches the art of bonsai.
Even if you live in a more urban setting, there are pockets of nature to enjoy. Pursue them, and you may soon find yourself craving the fresh air and sunshine that can give your mood the best possible boost.
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Hobbies that boost your physical health and wellness
During a divorce, it’s easy to neglect your physical health. While movement can do wonderful things for your body, it can also do a lot for your mental health and outlook, decreasing your stress and anxiety.
You could join a gym and sweat away your anxious thoughts. But you don’t have to be a gym rat to benefit from movement. You could also take a dance class, join a walking group, or find a place to regularly swim laps.
Have you considered traveling? Many group tours are designed around physical activities like walking, hiking, and bicycling. There’s nothing more motivating than training for a bicycle trip abroad!
Hobbies that promote creativity
Creativity heals trauma, improves critical thinking, creates new synapses, and helps people become more empathic. Finding something creative to do doesn’t just aid in your divorce recovery, it can also give you personal validation as you watch something new and exciting take shape within your hands.
Many creative outlets are available to adults today. You could take up photography and compile a scrapbook. You could join a writing group and write your memoir. There are painting classes, pottery classes, and cooking classes to explore.
A bonus perk of creative hobbies is that some of them become marketable. Before you know it, you could be selling your handmade candles at the local green market! But there’s something to be said for creating art for the sake of art, too. As Picasso said, it can help wash away the “dust” from your everyday life.
“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” – Pablo Picasso
Hobbies that introduce you to new people
While you were married, you may have spent most of your time doing couple- or family-related activities. As a single person, you may feel a bit isolated and low on self-esteem. A new support system may be just what the doctor ordered.
Fortunately, many hobbies put us in touch with other people. Positive new relationships can blossom from similar interests. Join a running club or other adult team sport. Find a local trivia night. Get involved with a charity that means something to you. Audition for a community theater production. Join your church choir. Check out your local Meetup.com to see what groups are available in your area.
Meeting people with like minds can open your mind to a whole new social world as a newly single person.
Hobbies that activate your brain
Learning new things keeps us mentally engaged with life. Going back to school or taking lifelong learning classes at a local college or high school can ignite your brain and make life more interesting.
Chess? Once a consummate “nerd” activity, this ancient game is trending everywhere. Taking up a musical instrument or learning a new language creates new neural pathways that can support you cognitively. And if you’re a gamer, there are plenty of video games available now that will challenge your gray matter.
Going from the chaos of marriage to the quiet of singlehood can be a shock to your system. Reconnecting with yourself and others will take time. It may also require a shift in your perspective.
Take the time you need. Allow yourself to be slightly uncomfortable as you explore options. Personal growth often requires us to step out of our comfort zone. It’s okay.
As a newly divorced person, you are now renegotiating life on your own terms. Let us help. At Hello Divorce, we offer professional services and lots of resources to help make your post-divorce life your best life. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
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