Have a Hobby

CEBU, Philippines - In this day and age when the population is exploding and the competition for available resources is so intense, people need to veer themselves away from the rat race of life every once in a while. Otherwise, the struggle to keep one's head above water is going to drown him instead in stress and fatigue. Some kind of breather is very necessary.

Many people do a favorite activity on the sides, in their spare time. It's their hobby, something they do for the pleasure of it, and not as a regular livelihood undertaking. Although, yes, some hobbies eventually become big income generators too.

Yet even without any heavy pressure in his life, a person may just take on a hobby because he finds it fun to do. The liking for a particular pastime may develop over time. At times, the fascination may come quick and instantaneous, something of a "love at first sight." The basic point is that one wants to involve himself in something he likes to do.

As mentioned, a hobby is a diversion from one's usual grinds. It has long been known to bring relaxation, for both mind and body. Even a hobby that involves high mental and physical dedication is still relaxing, since the person does it not because he has to but because he likes to.

Thus, a hobby is a positive activity. For those who don't have anything significant to do on a regular basis - say, the jobless and the retired - having a hobby is a good way for spending away time. And, again, for busy employees and business executives it provides a much-deserved respite.

A hobby is equally important for young people, as it can help a lot in personality development. As the young person becomes adept in something he loves to do, his self-confidence strengthens. First of all, he gets the opportunity to master skills related to his hobby.

The best hobby is one that fits the person's line of interests and his personal means to undertake, mainly his physical condition and financial capacity. A hobby in the area of sports obviously requires good physical condition. On the other hand, activities that entail expensive equipment and procedure need solid financial backing. Or, painting may not be the right hobby for one who cannot even draw a straight line.

The range of possible activities for hobbies is wide - from collecting stamps to flying airplanes. Gardening, having a pet animal, writing, reading, listening to music, watching movies and going to the park are just some of the common activities that many people fall for. Hobbies like baking, cooking, and making handicrafts often lead to a moneymaking enterprise.

Sometimes one hobby leads to another. For example, many people who love to do sports as a hobby move on to running a business in sports gears or nutritional supplement for athletes. Many of today's accomplished fashion designers started with a simple interest in sewing.

Even such activities as cloud gazing or taking time to be alone can be good hobbies if done regularly. But while internet surfing has the potential of being a positive way of spending one's idle time, young people shall see to it that it does not become an addiction with them, leaving aside all other important undertakings they need for self-development. It is true that too much of anything is not good.

Overall, if the hobby you like to do seems to speed up your perception of time, restores your lost energy and cheers you up - that is the right one for you. The mere sense of satisfaction that you get from doing your hobby is enough to justify for the time and effort you devote to it.

The thing to watch out for, though: A hobby is an activity that one does for relief and relaxation from the tedium of everyday life; it is not an excuse for indolence. (FREEMAN)