Hobbies are optional activities, so they should be fun. But hobbies can also provide other benefits, such as greater self-confidence. Imagine an activity you enjoy that also has the potential to enhance other parts of your life.
That’s a powerful activity!
Of course, any activity that builds your self-confidence could also stretch your comfort zone a bit. But that’s what life is all about: increasing your comfort zone a little each day.
The best hobbies will challenge you in new ways and help you to learn more about yourself.
Consider hobbies like these:
1. Dancing. Dancing is good exercise, and a lot of people find it intimidating to dance in front of others. To build confidence through dance you don’t need to dance in front of anyone. This is about you! Developing your dance skills can do a lot to boost your confidence and social life.
● You’ll no longer have to sit on the sidelines pretending you have better things to do.
2. Skydiving. Not many people have the nerve to go skydiving. Even fewer have the nerve to do it a second time.
● Getting your skydiving license can take anywhere from a few days to a few months depending on where you train, your time, and your budget.
● Knowing that you voluntarily jump out of a plane while others are too afraid to consider it is great for your confidence.
3. Stand-up comedy. Getting up in front of a crowd is hard enough. But delivering your own material in front of judgmental strangers requires nerves of steel.
● There are numerous classes and workshops that will teach you the basics and help you along.
4. Travel. Traveling to anywhere outside of your comfort zone especially alone can do a lot to boost confidence! Traveling alone to a foreign country will build even more confidence. You’ll learn a lot about the world which helps you to connect better with others. You learn a lot about yourself, too when which in my opinion is most valuable.
5. Martial arts. Knowing that you can flip, kick, punch, and stomp anyone at any time will make anyone confident. Maybe that’s going a little too far but learning how to handle yourself in a violent situation does help to boost confidence. When you are a part targeted population, learning to defend yourself can be an important survival tool.
● You can get physically stronger, more agile and build your confidence simultaneously.
6. Acting. Acting is another way of putting yourself out there with the risk of being judged. Most people don’t have the nerve to get up on stage, but if you do, you’ll benefit from a great boost of confidence. Acting in plays is also a great way to make some new and interesting friends.
7. Public speaking. In surveys, many people claim they fear public speaking more than death. That’s pretty scary! Mastering public speaking will bolster your confidence in ways you can’t imagine.
● Toastmasters is a well-respected organization with an excellent training program for public speaking. It’s inexpensive, too. This program is a great way to dip your toes in the water while you learn.
● Maybe performing poetry or reading essays at the local coffee shop is more to your liking. There are more now than there ever have been to get experience speaking to an audience! Starting that YouTube channel you’ve been thinking about is another way to gain confidence through public speaking.
8. Music. Sing or master an instrument. If you can get up on stage, so much the better. Just being able to play Christmas carols on the piano for your friends will enhance your confidence and it’s also a way to build mastery.
Do any of these hobbies appeal to you? Do you have any other ideas? You can use these ideas as a springboard to jumpstart your own ideas. There are literally thousands of hobbies to choose from. You can find one that you’ll enjoy that will also make you feel more confident.
Start making a list of possibilities and give a couple of them a try. Remember to be kind to yourself when you try new things and have fun! You have nothing to lose and so much to gain.
Now go out there and share your own personal brand of magic!