6 Hobbies to Keep You Happy - The Smiling Heart

6 Hobbies to Keep You Happy

Everyone needs a hobby. Not only does it allow you to embrace a much-loved passion, but it can help you feel a million miles away from your worries or problems.

A pastime can, therefore, help to lift your mood and care for your mental health. If you are looking for a fun form of escapism from the pressures of work or a busy household, here are six hobbies to keep you happy.

1. Hiking

Hiking not only allows you to absorb a beautiful view, but various studies have found it can be beneficial to your brain. For example, walking in the great outdoors can provide you with some mental clarity so that it can clear your mind of any worries.

What’s more, the exercise will result in the release of endorphins, which will lift your mood, and it can also help to improve your stamina and physical fitness.

2. Cooking

Cooking can be one of the most productive ways to spend your time. After all, it forces you to be in the moment and simply focus on the products and processes, so you will not have time to think of anything else but creating a delicious dish. Plus, you’ll always have a homemade meal to come home to or take to work, so you will have something to look forward to every day.

3. Attend the Theater

Of course, the theater offers the ultimate form of escapism, as it allows you to enter a whole new world for a few hours at a time. Whether you’re watching a play or musical, you’ll be transported to another place and time, and will meet different characters facing different problems, which can make the stresses of daily life feel like a million miles away. If this sounds like the perfect pastime for you, buy London cheap theatre tickets to watch a superb production.

4. Start Writing

Writing is the ultimate form of self-expression, as it allows you to channel all your energy and emotion onto the page. It’s a place where you can write down your hopes, dreams, thoughts and desires without being judged, so it can be a healthy coping mechanism when stressed.

There are also numerous writing options for you to embrace, such as writing screenplays, radio scripts, stage plays, articles, novels, or diary entries. It’s an ideal way to unleash your creative side and articulate your feelings.

5. Yoga

If you want to fill your days with a productive, healthy hobby, look no further than yoga. Every age, ability, and gender can embark on the discipline, which requires you to close off external thoughts and focus solely on your body’s movements. So, not only can it care for your physical health, but it can also support your emotional and spiritual wellbeing.

6. Gardening


Spending between 8 to 10 hours at work each day might make you feel disconnected from the world around you, which is why gardening could be the perfect way to spend your spare time.

While it can help you to transform your garden for the better, it has also been scientifically proven to lift a person’s mood. That’s because it’s a form of exercise, which can lead to increased levels of serotonin and dopamine in the body, which can counteract the stress hormone cortisol.