Lucía couldn’t understand what her mirror was telling her. Whenever she stood in front of it, she was hoping to find a celebration. She was hoping to see the embodiment of happiness. On paper, her life was a checklist of accomplishments: a flourishing career, a nurturing relationship, and a lifestyle many would envy. In fact, her social media feed would eclipse that of some influencers, merely by being ‘herself’. Yet, beneath this facade of success, Lucía wrestled with an intangible void, a sense of emptiness that her digitally saturated routines couldn’t fill.
Lucía’s story unfolds in an age where ‘detachment’ often masquerades as leisure, blurring the lines between engagement and passive entertainment. Her evenings were a testament to this modern dilemma, spent scrolling endlessly through her phone, a habit that offered no real fulfillment, only a momentary distraction from the emptiness she felt.
It was during one of these digital detachment sessions that Lucía stumbled upon a video that would change her life. The video featured an all-women’s choir performing her favorite song, their voices weaving together in a harmony that resonated with Lucía’s long-forgotten passion for singing. This choir ignited a spark within her, awakening a joy she hadn’t experienced since her days in a children’s choir. But the real kicker was realizing that this ensemble was from her own city.
Motivated by the profound connection she felt with the music, Lucía reached out to the choir, only to find out that it was a ‘hobby’ ensemble, which started a journey that led to an audition and, ultimately, membership. This decision to engage actively with a hobby transformed Lucía’s life in subtle yet profound ways. Choir rehearsals became a sanctuary: a time set apart from the demands of her professional life and the passive consumption that had once filled her evenings.
The psychological landscape of hobbies and their impact on our well-being is complex. Engaging in a hobby, particularly one that fosters creativity, community, and personal growth, can significantly enhance our quality of life. For Lucía, the choir represented more than just a pastime; it was a conduit to a richer, more fulfilling existence.
The transformation Lucía experienced is just one example of the latent power of hobbies to enrich our lives. Unlike the ephemeral satisfaction derived from day-to-day forms of ‘detachment’, hobbies offer tangible rewards as diverse and profound as humans themselves. For Lucía, singing in the choir was a rediscovery of the joy of active participation and belonging, a stark contrast to the one-dimensional act of scrolling through a screen.
There’s too many Lucías, there’s too many Davids, there’s too many people around the world who need to undergo this narrative. A universal tale of finding meaning in an increasingly ‘detached’ world. When you find a hobby (under the real definition of what a hobby is), the benefits start to come. From cognitive engagement to emotional uplifting, from the satisfaction of honing skills to the warmth of a community, every person can find a unique, personal psychological benefit that will resonate at levels that detachments or ‘pastimes’ simply can’t.
These journeys from detachment to ‘transcended engagement’ serve as a compelling argument for the value of hobbies. In a society where productivity and passive entertainment often eclipse deeper pursuits, hobbies become beacons of fulfillment. They offer a path to rediscovering our own selves, connecting with others, and enriching our lives in immeasurable ways.
So, if you find yourself ensnared in the endless scroll, remember Lucía’s story. It’s a reminder that sometimes, to truly find fulfillment, you need to step away from the passive and ignite the active. The list of ‘Subjects’ (read: hobbies) is immense, but be sure that, no matter what your lifestyle is like, there’s a hobby out there that can offer not just an escape, but a gateway to a more enriched life. Your hobby doesn’t just fill time; it has the potential to fill your life with joy, purpose, and a sense of belonging.
In the end, you don’t just need a hobby: you deserve one.
A Journey Begins
Hello everyone! I wrote this blog post to serve as a soft “preface” to an idea that I’ve been nurturing for years now, and that I feel that it’s finally ready to be put out there in the world. This is a simple idea, but it’s not a short idea. In fact, it is an idea that I have developed so deeply and for so long, that I went beyond a discussion. I want this idea to transcend the confines of the abstract and resonate with you, inviting you on a journey of discovery and transformation.
But first, let’s review the facts: while there’s scientific evidence that proves that hobbies are essential as a cornerstone of well-being, there is a lack of consensus (and, more specifically, academic consensus) around the very definition of what a hobby is, how to classify them, or how can they be leveraged as a measurable and objective tool for enhancing personal growth and fulfillment.
Based on these facts, I developed my idea: a psychological theory that encompasses the definition and life-cycles of hobbies, as well as a framework for classification, understanding, and interaction with hobbies and hobby-ists.
I called this theory: The ‘Kitsch & Murphy Theory of Transformative Hobbying’.
Unlike traditional academic pursuits, my goal for this theory is practical applicability. I aim to present it in simple, understandable terms, incorporating humor, real-life examples, practical guides, and responsive adjustments based on real audience interaction.
The Transformative Hobbying Theory isn’t destined to gather dust in a journal; it is crafted to be a dynamic, accessible force for good to anyone who comes across it. Whether you can see yourself in Lucía’s story, or you consider yourself an avid hobbyist, there will be something for you. A classification method for hobbies, a hobbyist typology framework, a ranking method for activities and much more are parts of the topics that will accompany this idea and, hopefully, will enrich your life and bring clarity to the active side of happiness.
But first, we need to understand, once and for all, what a hobby is. That’s what our next post will be about. We will lay down the foundations of a more efficient way of interacting with a pillar of your well-being. In the end, we’ll find out that hobbies, like everything else in life, can transcend and transform us, one passion at a time.
Stay tuned, and please follow us on our social media outlets and subscribe to our newsletter, where you’ll find exclusive content and additional insights.
Thank you for beginning this journey with me, let’s get started!
