Inside: 6 Great Hobbies to Try Starting Today

It might seem difficult to get into new hobbies as an adult, but any effort you make to do so will be worth it. That’s because hobbies give you a break from the stress of everyday life, teach you new skills, and may even help you earn a little cash along the way. Most importantly, though, time taken for hobbies is time taken for yourself.

If you can’t think of anything you want to try don’t lose sleep over it. This list of 6 different hobbies can get you started.

Make your own hot sauce

You may have been among the millions who found their first quarantine refuge in cooking and baking. That being said, you might want to try something new in the field of culinary arts, and that something might just be making your very own hot sauce. By doing so, you can focus on perfecting that flavor, while customizing the heat level to something you can handle.

Since you basically only need peppers, vinegar, and salt to begin with, you can get started in a pinch. And with so many possible flavor combinations to choose from this endeavor is all the more worthwhile.

Challenge your brain

Many people are concerned about losing their brain function as they age, and you can easily combat this by regularly exercising your brain with the likes of sudoku and crossword puzzles. As previously discussed here on Dad on the Edge, constantly training your cognitive functions means you’ll continue thinking and feeling young as you age.

So if you haven’t yet, grab a newspaper and find today’s crossword. Or, look for a particularly challenging book that people laud as a must-read, like David Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest.

Learn how to play chess

With the Queen’s Gambit bringing chess to a wider audience now is the perfect time to start playing. The good news is that chess is easy to learn. The bad news is that it is hard to master, which is why grandmasters are held in such high esteem. What makes chess the perfect hobby is that it can be played online, with dedicated sites like Chess.com holding tournaments for every level, as well as providing multiple guides and tips. Chess is also another effective way to challenge your brain.

Play some poker

If you are looking for another competitive hobby, and one with a greater element of chance, then poker is the game for you. And like chess, you don’t necessarily need a physical set to play either.

With online casinos, you can easily play on your PC with friends or complete strangers. A game of Texas Hold’em, arguably the most popular poker variant in the world, can be an exciting way to spend time with others and hone your analytical skills. Based on the hand you’re given, you’ll have to make calculated decisions on risks versus rewards, and have lots of fun while doing it. You might even get good enough to play professionally, and win pots of real money.

Make an impossible bottle

When you were younger, you may have seen a ship in a bottle and wondered what kind of sorcery was needed to make it. And regardless of whether you now know the trick to it or not, this hobby might be perfect for you if you like doing intricate projects with your hands.

You’ll definitely need the dexterity to make a ship that will conform to the bottle that you choose — and decorate it in miniature detail, to boot. It’s also a great way to keep the tradition alive for future generations.

Build a model train set

If a model ship is too small for your hands, though, you might want to consider dabbling in miniature art by building a model train set. Much like The Sims, miniature art is satisfying because it offers an escape to an alternate life.

After all, you’ll be fitting a table out with railroad tracks, greenery, pebbles to serve as gravel, a tiny train station that possibly has people in it — the works — and the end result is bound to be extremely rewarding.

What’s your hobby of choice? Let us know in the comments below.

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