Asklemmy

Go to a pet shelter and volunteer to walk the dogs.

Go swimming in the sea

Uninstall/disable the YouTube app. Trust me you will be a happier person

Echoing others, outdoor exercise is definitely the most restorative activity for me.

To add to this though, I also have taken up Photography as a way to add to or enhance my hobbies and activities.

I usually bring a camera with me on hikes, trips, walks, bike rides, nearly anytime I leave the house. It helps me see the world with my creative switch “on” but without the pressure of having to take an amazing photo - something I feel when I only bring out a camera for special occasions.

I also want to stress the importance of taking photos for yourself as the primary goal, and if only sharing photos that you personally like, not photos that you think others will like.

Cycling did wonders for my mental health. It's something I can do solo but I also do it socially (I represent a local advocacy club). Being outside, feeling the wind, exploring your surrounding in a new light, etc. For working out, I believe than in the beginning it requires more discipline than motivation. Set yourself a goal, like riding/running/lifting/whatever for x amount of time (say 30min everyday o 2-3x a week) and just. do. it. Do it even if you don't feel like it, make a routine out of it to create anticipation. In time you'll notice that it gets less and less hard to get up and do the activity and then comes the movitation (like wanting to go farther, faster, lift heavier weights, etc).

If you're not feeling like going outside and since you mention wanting to make something, I'd recommend crochet or knitting. With crochet you can make amigurumi (stuffed toys) and with knitting you can make small items to gift (beanies, hats, cowls, scarves, etc). I recently discovered this craft myself and after noticing a positive effect I looked it up and turns out repetitive hand motions actually increase serotonine release. Plus the feeling of achievement after completing an item after some/lots of effort (and cursing) is very rewarding.

A really simple creative hobby could be drawing mandalas.
You can completely freehand it, or use a circle tool like a compass to make guides to make it more symmetrical. Search for "mandala shapes" if you want some ideas for basic shapes to use.

Kernel mainlining

One that you spend time on. They call it "behavioral activation", basically just keep pushing.

D&D and tabletop gaming in general has helped a lot with my social anxiety and mental health.

I’d recommend an in-person game of Pathfinder or DnD. The great thing about the game for me is getting rid of the electronics for a while and trying to be as creative as possible. If you can think it up, and convince the DM, you can do it be anything you want. Be as creative as you want. Come up with a character and their backstory and have fun.

Once you’ve played for a bit and have a good handle on things trying DMing. I was more afraid than I should have been and found that it is a ton of fun. Between getting to come up with and run the games I like to add my own twists and turns, bring things from previous sessions in as a surprise and most of all I love to see the creativity from the players and seeing how they ~~fuck up all my carefully laid plans~~ come up with amazing ideas and surprise me.

It can be an amazing outlet and a place to make some new friends. If you find a group that doesn’t work with you don’t be afraid to find a different one though, and remember that it’s meant to be fun.

I picked up plants when I got depressed. Not only are they cool, but it is nice seeing something grow and nurtured. Plus, I learned that there isn't enough sunlight in my home which contributed to my depression.

The only thing I recommend is not to get a hard starter plant like calathea/goeppertia but like a spider plant. Really cool seeing them explode with growth!

What kinds of stuff are you interested in?
What do you like?

Music, art, working out, programming, biking, gardening, modding cars, woodworking, cooking... Any hobby can be a great thing for knocking out depression. You just have to be honest with yourself about things that you like, your current level of skills, what kinds of projects it makes sense to tackle on your own, and so on.

Exercise. Not kidding, it will help.

And cooking. Healthy food will also help. Make sure you get liver in there.

For times when you want to do nothing but watch youtube, learn to knit or crochet so you can feel a little better about doing something.

I play a video game (usually a retro one) on a low difficulty level. Then beat the computer over and over again. Bonus points if it’s a game I usually avoid because it’s too hard.

Gives a constant feeling of satisfaction at beating the computer over and over.

Knitting. The basics are really easy to pick up and you get something out of it surprisingly fast. As an added bonus knitting supplies can be gotten for around $10 at walmart all in

Try writing anything. It doesn't matter what. It doesn't matter how much. Just try. Whenever you have the impulse, just write something. Don't worry about what it is, just let it out. Do it for as long as you like: 30 seconds or 30 minutes.

You never have to show any of it to anyone... until you suddenly decide one day that you'd like to. Until then, it's just for you.

Peace.

but im probably dreaming too big

No you're not. You underestimate yourself. There is not "too big" when it comes to having a hobby. You don't need to prove anything, just do something you enjoy and that makes you feel good about yourself. The difficult part is getting out of the house, not the actual activity. I won't recommend anything specific here because lots of people in this thread have already, and also the activity does not really matter, only that you do something that engages you.

As I don't see it already mentioned - needle felting. It's really fun, simple to learn yet hard to master and can be a great creative outlet. I'm still a beginner myself, but have already managed to make some okay looking things, and as you get better the things you make can be great small gifts for friends and family.

I believe there are some fairly inexpensive beginner's kits you could get that contain everything to get you started, and youtube has some really nice tutorials. There are also several ebooks with needle felting ideas and templates. What I like to do, to not feel too bad when my thing looks nothing like the thing in the picture, is to look up a tutorial to get a basic idea and then amend according to my ability and colors I have available.

In any case and whatever you end up actually doing, I really hope you find something you enjoy.

Sports outdoors with other people

Since you mentioned that you want to create something to share, then art of any kind, including music, is what I'd suggest too. Pour yourself into whatever art or music you are creating and it will turn out well. The key word there is "creating." Art and music, when you are creating it, forces you into the present. There's no room for you to wonder out into the past or the future, which don't exist except in your head. Art forces you into the present and the present moment is the only place you will find peace, joy, creativity, and love.

My hobbies change with the seasons. Woodworking, tinkering with electronics, amd gaming in the colder months. Biking in the summer months. Anything that requires your undivided attention helps forget about depression.

Ultimate Frisbee

Wow, you're being bombarded with good suggestions. Although I'd like to add an ingredient that helped me with my constant boredom; if you are going to go exploring or hiking, I found going outside to be incredibly dull personally unless I kept my mind occupied.

For me, that was creative writing brainstorming (plot, character development, etc) almost like organized daydreaming. I'd write it all down when I got home. Although I never did make the game given time constants, I had fun thinking of worlds of my own design.

Making music is a great outlet for any kind of emotion. But it's a long journey so you should manage your expectations. You won't be writing the most sophisticated songs at first, but as long as it's from your heart, it's good nonetheless.

I can't relate to your depression, though, so I don't know if this would be too overwhelming. If you manage to stick with it, the sense of fulfillment is amazing though.

Any kind of exercise, and social interaction. A combination is best, ie a team sports like basketball, soccer, etc. Check for local leagues, and so forth. It's a really good way to meet new friends as well.

try programming. starting to learn python is easy and then if you like it keep on learning.

Whenever I feel this way, which is often, I tinker with my homelab or play music. Oftentimes I don't feel to motivation to, but I know once I start I'll get sucked right in.

If you live somewhere rural...birdwatching.