Hope all are alright. Anyone picked up any cool new hobbies lately? Anyone play harp? I’m thinking of picking it up, I already play quite a few instruments, but harp has the highest initial investment of any I’ve done so far.
this post was submitted on 15 Oct 2023
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Depending on how long you keep those hobbies up you just described adhd
Want to learn to play the guitar -> buy a cheap, used guitar -> try to learn one song -> never touch it again
Want to start gaming -> build a decent-enough gaming computer -> only use it to browse the internet and play Minecraft sometimes
Want to start streaming -> download OBS -> never even open it
Want to get into parkour -> can't find any spots that look good to a complete beginner in ten minutes -> yeah well maybe not
Want to learn calligraphy -> get a fancy pen -> learn the basics -> now I'm not interested in it any more
Want to get back into drawing -> start a rough sketch -> don't look at it for a week -> start a new sketch -> lose interest in drawing again
Want to start photography -> get a low-end camera -> go out and take some nice photos -> maybe even edit them -> post a few of them on social media -> randomly stop
Want to get into woodworking -> plan a project -> buy wood -> build half of
I'm really glad that I started a few hobbies many years ago, before my mental health went down the drain, and those are the ones that stuck around. Except for photography, I just kinda lost interest in that after a handful of years.
Seems you're like me. All your hobbies stop at the step "now here's the part that actually requires effort". 😅
I just wish I had the discipline to commit to literally anything. I know that I can put in the required effort because I've done it in the past, but it always feels like I'm a car stuck on ice, and no matter what I do, my tyres keep spinning out.
That's where ADHD medication helped me! I can actually practice drums now rather than only playing along to songs randomly. And I can follow through on my plans to build things, like I've got a pretty barebones but fully functional DDR pad and that just wasn't happening before medication.
tbh at this point, I kinda suspect that I have ADHD, but getting diagnosed costs money, and to get money, I need a job, but nobody is dumb enough to hire me lmao. Maybe I'll get around to it later this year / next year because I'm currently waiting to hear back from a couple of companies. Randomly playing along to songs is relatable, I often do that on my bass and rarely learn to play songs properly. Your comment gives me some kind of hope that things can get better. Thank you for that :3
That is an apt metaphor. I still struggle with this myself, but what I have found that has helped me maintain my most recent hobbies longer than I typically do:
Daily/Weekly Schedule and disciplined adherence to set schedule. For example, I study Chinese for at least one half hour a day, every day, no matter what. I just went to a music festival, and I still managed to find time to study every single day. It’s fucking hard at first, for sure. Once I got the habit set, I get anxiety if I don’t do my hobbies instead of the other way around, and they always leave me peaceful and calmed. A reliable part of my day that is for me and builds me up, but in no way takes from other people, is very good for my mental health also.
Teachers, teachers, teachers. This can be hard, because you really do have to find a teacher that gels with you, but you also have to be willing to do what the teacher tells you, even when it seems boring or pointless towards what you want to accomplish. By remaining humble, we open ourselves to change, and through change progress.
Accountability. If you can get someone to do it with you, and hold each order to doing it on schedule, even if it’s just while you establish a schedule, it can be very helpful. Not possible for everyone, as same as teachers, it relies upon access to the necessary resources. Any way you can hold yourself accountable for maintaining the habit is good though, outside of negative punishment or shame. Those can have the effect of associating the hobby with negative emotions.
Usefulness: use it or lose it. If you’re learning to play guitar, play with other people who are better than you are, constantly. Tell them you’re terrible and you just want to jam, and accept any advice they give. Go to open mic nights with your guitar and watch a few times until you feel confident enough to get on stage. If you’re learning a language, find native speakers and try to talk to them as often and as much as possible. Put your newfound skills to work, so that they don’t just become more random Wikipedia style facts in your head, but a tool which you can use effectively when the opportunity or need arises.
Hey now, I said let's not worry about that.