this post was submitted on 01 Jul 2025
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Doing any nature related activities away from screens, whether it be daily walks, gardening, hiking, kayaking, mountain climbing, swimming, camping is really good for both mental and physical health.
In that blue zones documentary, it's said that daily walks and daily gardening help your mind and longevity more than any other activity.
Learning a musical instrument is always good, and is something you can show off. Knitting, crocheting, or any kind of ravelry works your mind, and you can also listen to audiobooks while doing it. Woodworking (you can start small, even doing spoons and things).
I wouldn't be too focused on doing mentally challenging activities. Screens wear out our brains enough, and what we really need is time away from them to recharge.
Outside of that I'd just recommend reading a lot of non-fiction, audiobooks where available.
I got into doing nature photography over the pandemic as a way to get out of the house, and it's been amazing for my mental health. It forced me to get out and just live in the moment really paying attention to the environment around me. I've realized how little we notice of the world around us normally. I've also found martial arts are a similar experience in a sense that you're really just focused on the moment and forget about everything else you've been thinking about.
I'd really love to get into that, especially bird photography as it's been fun to try to learn bird calls and try to spot them. Nature really recharges the brain in a way nothing else can. Esp for those of us who are goal oriented or always feeling the need to be accomplishing something, being out in nature helps us drop all the expectations and distractions.
It's definitely a fun hobby, although a bit pricey in terms of gear. And I very much agree, just being around nature makes you feel better and allows you to think clearly. I was between jobs for a couple of months a few years ago, and I spent the whole summer going to the park. I'd get up around 6 in the morning, leave my phone at home, and go spend the whole day at the park. It was the happiest I can recall being in my adult life. Completely disconnected from everything, and just vibing.