Part of my transition to living in community - specifically a low-impact community - is learning about and enjoying sustainable and affordable or no-cost hobbies. Of course a hobby COMPLETELY FREE OF ANY FINANCIAL INVESTMENT AT ALL is gonna be VERY difficult to find. (It costs money to live and breathe in this modern world.)
What are your favorite ways to pass the time in healthy and holistic ways?
I would love it if we could avoid answers like youtube/instagram/websites - because at least personally I know I can become very addicted to the internet and find myself dissatisfied with all other things when I’m in the thick of it.
Here’s my current list:
- Self care (mental health): self-help books, journalling, meditating
- Self care (physical): spa treatments, yoga, makeovers
- Sewing, embroidering
- Reading
- Cleaning (I actually enjoy this when my body permits it haha)
- Chatting
- Painting, drawing
- Making or listening to music
- Gardening
- Cooking, baking
- Foraging
- Goin for a walk
- Magic
- Writing letters
- Weaving
- People watching
Most of my favorite hobbies don’t cost much of anything but time; reading, board games, hiking, singing and playing instruments, gardening…
Walking out and about. Playing in the water (I can walk to three different swimparks on the rivers near my current apartment! And yes I said rivers, because two of them confluence right here, its paradise. Going to the farmers market and artisan markets, I can walk around and talk to everyone and look at all the pretties and buy very little as long as I decide beforehand that is how it will be. Having friends over for tea and snacks and visiting. Watching shows (yes not a very community oriented hobby I know, but watching shows with friends is also fun). Reading novels. I’m able to garden while spending very little money, my MIL has a composting system so I get compost from her meaning I don’t have to buy it anymore, I plant seeds I get for free along the way, when friends and family have extra, I have several pots going now so don’t need to buy more very often.
Playing pretends, this doesn’t cost money because all you need is some friends and often some dice to make it fair. Hiking.