“Your life is your fault.”
Whoa, my father traveled 203 miles across Texas and flew out of my mouth just then. That infamous sentence is one I frequently heard and absolutely hated in my youth. Now that I am an adult, I find myself reluctantly agreeing with my father’s signature tagline.
As an eccentric person, I don’t accept the excuse so commonly tossed around by friends and foes alike; “My life is so boring.” I’m about to shatter that illusion. There’s no such thing as a boring life, only a boring person.
Oftentimes people simply sit and wait for their life to pick up; however, you can’t depend on lady luck to drop an exciting event into your life when you hit a lull. You have to be the one to bring the excitement to you.
Hobbies help us unwind and destress, Head to Health published an article showing that people with hobbies tend to be less stressed and are less likely to be depressed. Similarly, the Society of Behavioral Medicine conducted a study that examined the relationship between leisurely hobbies and well-being. The results were found to have a significantly positive correlation between the two.
Wow, look at that, who knew becoming a knitting grandma could save you from being lackluster? Me. I did.
I have been an avid crocheter since I was 13 years old and nothing has gotten me through hard times like my crochet hook and yarn. I crocheted my heart back together during a particularly rough breakup, I win the award for best gifts every year and have increased my hand dexterity tenfold.
I never let myself slip into self-pity or the “My life is boring” dynamic because I’m not boring. So why would I let my life reflect that? Find a new interest like jewelry making or weight-lifting. Unleash your inner Picasso and take a painting class. Unwind while making collages out of old magazines. Create.
Life can be difficult, but what might seem like small meaningless crafts or a waste of time can be the thing that stitches your life back together.
Teaching yourself something new is opening the door to so many possibilities: you could meet your soulmate in that woodworking class or your new best friend at the local Michaels craft store and you can fall in love with yourself while sewing some new clothes. The possibilities are endless.
College students are quite notorious for having a lack of healthy hobbies. I’m sorry, but I don’t count bar hopping and frequent appearances at the Dixie Chicken as a hobby. Simply by deciding to destress with a coloring book rather than a blurry night at Northgate you won’t remember, you’re actively choosing to better your life and yourself.
By picking up a new skill, you’ve given yourself an immediate conversation starter in tricky social situations. We’ve all experienced the dreaded interview “Tell me a little about yourself” inquisition. A quick answer with your preferred hobby could be a bonding moment you will benefit from in the future.
Employers enjoy seeing the longevity of hobbies because it proves to them that you can stick with something even when it gets tricky and difficult. It’s a great addition to an interview and the especially quirky hobby can get you to stick in someone’s mind for a long time.
Hobbies bring people together and bring you closer to aligning with your true self, and there is absolutely no possibility that being true to oneself makes you boring. How could one be uninspiring when they are shining with authenticity?
This is when Fate, the tricky mistress, becomes an active participant in your life. When you take the initiative to make your life fulfilling, you will start to see small particles of happiness sprinkling all around you like confetti; It’s the simple joys of giving a gift you made or eating the brownies you baked. Those small moments and small crafts add up and create a perfectly interesting narrative.
You can’t count on other people to bring spice to your life, but your hobby will never fail you. Hobbies are what make your experiences not only with others but more importantly, with yourself, so enjoyable. When you feel like life has hit a plateau, put down your pride and pick up a hobby.
So the next time you find yourself complaining about your dull, unsatisfying life, take a moment to think about my father’s haunting words. The only person responsible for your “boring” life is you.
Maddie McMurrough is an agricultural communications and journalism sophomore and opinion writer for The Battalion.