Go to step 1 to dispel boredom!

Steps

Cook or bake something. Baking or any other cooking is a great pastime, and at the end you will have a delicious (hopefully!) result of your labors. Dust off your cookbook or find a fantastic recipe online and get started!

• You can bake cookies. You can cook it in a wide variety of flavors, and it's easy to do.
• Pie, cake, or muffins are also good options, especially if you don't have the time or ingredients to whip up something.

1. Bring beauty. Try different makeup styles and see what suits you best. Open your wardrobe and pick out outfits for the next few days. Find jewelry and accessories that match your clothes and think about makeup.

   • Get into nail design. Cover them with fun designs using special brushes or paint all your nails in different colors.

2. Watch a movie. You can find a movie online or go to a video store and choose the right one for you. You can even organize a real trip and go to the local cinema. Watch something you don't normally watch, such as a documentary or detective.

   Practice doing something. When you don't have anything better in mind, take the time to hone the skills you've already acquired. If you play football, take the ball to the backyard or park and practice dribbling or scoring goals. If you play the piano, sit down and play a few pieces. You don't have to practice scales, try playing your favorite song instead.

   Put things in order. If you have some free time at work or school, this is a great opportunity to organize your workspace a bit. Sometimes it will even help you regain your productivity. Tidy up your workspace or tidy up your school folder. Make sure everything is in its place where it's easy to find.

   Clean up your computer . Wipe the screen, clean between the keys. If it was white before, try to return it to its original state.

   • Organize your computer desktop so that you can easily find everything. Place the photos in appropriately named folders and make sure all documents are saved in the correct folders.

3. Meditate . If you have some time and you are bored, use it for meditation. This will help you calm your mind and focus on the work you have to do. Great tactic to renew energy!

   • Sit quietly at your desk and close your eyes (or pretend to be working). Take deep breaths in and out and focus on your breath. If you find yourself starting to think about something, accept and let go of those thoughts.

4. . Reading is exciting, you can choose a book, magazine or newspaper. Reading will help you pass the time while giving your brain an interesting activity. Free time is just what you need in order to try something new.

   • The book can be hidden under the textbook (at school) or under the table (at work). This will make it look like you are learning or very passionate about the material while you are having fun.
   • Read a detective and try to solve the mystery before the detective, try fantasy or science fiction. You can take not a fiction book, but something spiritual, philosophical, paranormal or even religious, like the Bible or the Koran.
   • See what books you can borrow from the library and pop in on your way to work or school. If the library's database is available online, you can check for book availability even when you're at work or in class.

5. Go online. If you're sitting at a computer, then with its help you can go online and surf there a bit, just be careful not to notice the teacher or boss. So you can have fun or learn something new.

   Chat with a colleague. Sometimes the best way to have fun when you're bored is to start a conversation with someone else. Choose someone with whom you do not know very well and ask where he is from, what school he went to, what he likes to do in his free time. You might even make a new friend.

Finding fun with a friend

Find a compromise. Okay, you can't agree on one thing. Choose what you want to do and pair it with something your friend likes. Let's say you want to watch a movie and your friend wants to bake a cake. Bake a cake with a red carpet and other edible movie-themed decorations (if you're really that good with baking) and then watch a movie about cakes. It may not be the best example, but you get the idea.

How often we, having tried our hand at different guises, wonder why cross-stitching or felting from a favorite hobby cannot turn into a profitable business. After all, any creator wants recognition, even the smallest one. And, of course, which of the creators does not want to receive money for their work?!

Psychologists say that unrealized creativity is the most common cause of prolonged depression. Because of unfulfillment and uselessness, people despair much more often than because of unrequited love. The myth that work and a favorite thing are different things has been dispelled a long time ago. Therefore, in this article we will only reveal some secrets, following which you can find strength, desire and opportunities to earn money on your work.

If you have no problems with the muse - she comes to you with enviable regularity, and you don’t suffer from avarice of fantasy, then these 7 tips. If the idea of ​​​​a big income visits you much more often than creative undertakings, then you should, first of all, develop creative abilities or, with particular zeal, take up the implementation of point number 1. And here he is.

1. Decide

Numerous "Julius Caesars" are common. Today he is a photographer, tomorrow he is a fashion designer, the day after tomorrow he decides to write another fantasy novel about how uninvited guests of the Universe entered the Earth and now roam the streets, disguised as flower sellers. The first rule of potential development is to precisely determine the scope of application of creative potential. Or at least direct your energy to related areas.

2. Keep learning

Behind the air halo of any creative process is painstaking and long work. In order to be an outstanding musician, it is not enough to know musical notation, one must also be able to work with sound, compose poetry and melody, and solve technical and organizational problems. Only a true professional who is not afraid to constantly learn and improve his skills can climb to the top of Olympus.

3. Know how to present yourself

If you do not belong to the number of quitters, are the happy owner of some kind of talent and know for sure in which creative direction you want to move on, then this is still not enough to create a successful career. Further, an important point in climbing the career ladder is the ability to correctly present yourself and your own capabilities. Social networks, blogs, forums, special communities and even personal sites are all low-budget and very effective ways to make yourself known and advertise the fruits of your creativity.

4. Right price

And now, finally, everyone knows about you, you work hard and successfully, and there is a demand for your services. The time has come to set the price for hand made. This is where you need to think carefully. Set a price too low - future potential buyers will think that your product is not of great value, and you just want to sell it as soon as possible and refuse to buy. Analyze the prices of typical goods and services, estimate your chances, conduct a survey among friends and acquaintances on the topic of how much they would agree to pay for your creations. , because this is not only a very nice gift, but also a great marketing ploy, advertising for you.

5. Take every chance

Sometimes life itself gives us a signal to do what we love, and for money. One of my friends became interested in fashion today scrapbooking. She designed handmade albums and postcards for all her friends for the holidays. At the next holiday, the anniversary of a school friend, she also presented her with her handmade album. In addition to the birthday girl herself, this gift captivated another of the guests, who turned out to be the owner of a large gift shop. He invited the self-taught needlewoman to sell her work in his shop. A year later, such a pleasant part-time job turned into the business of her whole life. And now she is a successful designer and illustrator.

6. Creativity for money is work

Be prepared that you may even get bored with a hobby and lose its former charm. You will have to face harsh conditions, where there are customers who demand one thing, and then quite another; where there are tight deadlines and no place for a long search for inspiration. Creative work is exactly the same work as any other, which requires a lot of strength, high efficiency and!

7. Don't despair

If you decide to make your own creative path to wealth, then be prepared for the fact that hundreds and thousands of times you will fail a lot. The muse can come and go, the fruits of labor will not be in demand for a long time, there will be many strong and worthy competitors, and even the closest people may not share your zeal. But in any situation, you should not despair and quit what you started halfway, if you are sure that this is what is your life's work. Go ahead without any hesitation!

Learning to play the guitar is a skill that will keep you and your loved ones entertained for years to come. Besides, girls like guys who can play the guitar. Personally, I used my ability to pluck the strings to serenades Kate and apologize for anything. In later life stages, you can gather the whole family in the backyard around the fire and sing along. Of course, learning to play any instrument is an activity suitable for men, but guitars have advantages. They are relatively cheap and easier for beginners to learn from. There are tons of resources online with free lessons, including our article on the three chords every man should know.

Dancing

Your grandfather knew how to dance - why not bring out your inner dancer and take up dancing? They can boost your self-esteem and improve your posture and balance. It's also a very fun way to get cardio. And, of course, girls like guys who know how to lead a partner on the dance floor. In most cities you can find dance studios. Google it and go chat with instructors to see their style and check out their resumes. If you are married or have a girlfriend, then dancing is a great way to spend the evening. If a bachelor - a great way to meet.

parkour

Parkour is a sport where you jump off buildings and over walls. More specifically, parkour is the physical art of moving through the environment in the most natural and efficient way possible. It can be exciting to watch a person traverse the terrain in unthinkable ways, and it is very inspiring to see how the human body pushes the boundaries of what is possible. Today, we consider parkour to be a fun way to have fun, but it was invented as a tactical way to improve the fitness of soldiers. The benefits of this hobby are many: it's fun, it's great exercise, it pushes the limits of your creativity, it's a challenge for both body and mind, and it could save your life if you ever have to run and jump over obstacles. And it's completely free. All you need is arms, legs and a cityscape.

Woodwork

I have always admired people who can take an ordinary piece of wood and give it some useful and beautiful shape. These people make gifts themselves instead of buying them, and can proudly point to a piece of furniture and say, "I made it myself." You can become that person by taking up the wonderful hobby of woodworking. In addition to useful skills, this hobby reduces stress levels and trains patience. Bringing a chisel to a tree, it is easier to enter a state close to Zen. Many technical educational institutions offer woodworking lessons. On the Internet you can find many projects for woodworking.

garden care

Perhaps one of the most powerful male images for America is the farmer. A self-reliant man who cultivates the land on his own to provide for himself and his family. To work with the land, a huge estate is not needed - a small plot in the yard will be enough. If your job forces you to spend all your time in an office with artificial lighting and stale air, then earthwork is a great hobby to exercise and get your fill of sunshine and fresh air. As you watch your garden grow, from seeds to plants, you will find that you have a better sense of the changing seasons. When you reap your small harvest, the fun of reaching your goal will surpass any computer game. And having prepared the first dish with products grown on your own, you will feel a surge of male pride.

Canoeing/kayaking

Slow rowing and moving on water is one of the greatest pleasures for a man. Whether you're doing it with a girl, or enjoying the outdoors on your own, there are few entertainments that compare to this hobby. While rowing may seem as natural as cycling, it does require certain skills. You can start by renting equipment, and if you like it, you can buy yourself a boat. When you master this science, you can go from easy walks to multi-day trips.

opening locks

Picking locks is not only useful in emergencies, it's also terribly exciting to know that you can fool a mechanism that everyone else considers insurmountable and amenable only to brute force. With some skill and knowledge, a burglar can save doors and save the cost of calling a lock specialist.

Restoration of classic cars

In days gone by, men used to spend hours in garages fiddling with cars. Now machines have become more complex and have begun to rely on computers, and home mechanical work is dying out. However, if you have an aspiration to be a mechanic, you can always make classic car restoration a hobby. You'll learn engineering, improve your problem-solving skills, and experience that feeling of victory when your rebuilt engine purrs like a kitten. This hobby can get pretty expensive. Not only will you have to buy a classic car - you will need space, tools and custom-made parts. But time and money can pay off - fully restored cars can sell for a high price (although you may not want to part with your brainchild). To get started, you can visit the website for lovers of restoration Second Chance Garage.

BBQ/kebabs

Cooking is also on our list, but cooking meat over an open fire is a separate hobby. Whether it's a brazier or a grill, roasting a good piece of meat and serving the finished dish is a satisfaction to both the mind and the stomach. The barrier to entry is low - you only need a grill (brazier) and meat. Once you get comfortable with the tools and food, you can start experimenting with different methods and types of meat (and even fruits and vegetables), make your own spice mixes, and of course cook delicious meals for friends and family. We recommend our training videos for cooking meat.

Metal work

Working with metal has all the benefits of working with wood, only instead of the sweet smell of sawdust, you surround yourself with the deliciously noxious smell of burning metal. My brother-in-law got into metalworking in high school and makes amazing things: headboards to decorate the bedroom, hanging flower pots, garden arches and more. In a vocational school near you, there may certainly be courses in metalworking. Metalworking.com is a great site for finding this kind of information.

target shooting

Learn to enjoy the shooting range and become an expert shooter. Shooting requires high concentration and a steady hand. Shooting ranges exist in sufficient numbers, and in different shooting ranges you can find different types of shooting. Choose between clay shooting, pistol, shotgun and more. Hobbies can be expensive - guns are not cheap, and the cost of ammo is constantly increasing. You will also need a place to shoot safely - if you do not have such a place, you will have to rent a place in the shooting range.

Collecting

Collecting is liked by many men and incomprehensible to most women. Women are able to do several things at the same time, and the male brain is tuned to focus on one subject. We often become very addicted to something. If you combine this feature with the fundamental desire of a man to hunt - and you get a man's passion for collecting. A man can spend all his time looking for the last item to complete the collection. She becomes his passion, his white whale. Of course, completing a collection is usually disappointing. The essence of collecting is in pursuit. Pick what you like - stamps, baseball cards, antique typewriters, whatever. Just don't get too carried away.

Singing

If you like to sing in the shower or sing along to the radio on your way to work, you might need to get more into singing. It may seem to you that there are only two options - either you are a professional rock singer, or you will not be able to use your voice for productive and entertaining purposes. Nothing like this. There are a large number of singing communities, choirs, karaoke bars (which often host competitions on weekends), and if you are serious about singing, you can even organize your own group. Always try to hone your skills by taking singing lessons and deepening your music theory and performance skills.

hiking

Modern man is restless and unhappy because he has lost contact with nature. Every man needs to regularly return to nature for the sake of physical and mental health. He periodically has to be distracted from everything and spend the night under the stars. Leave behind your workplace in the office, spend a few days breathing fresh air and sitting by the fire. Another obvious benefit of hiking is that it is the most budget-friendly way to get away from everything. This is a great opportunity to improve your outdoor living skills, find spiritual intimacy with friends, and also be alone with a loved one.

Ship in a bottle

A classic hobby of the elderly is assembling complex models in a glass bottle. Surprise the kids with your ship in a bottle collection! They will spend the rest of their childhood trying to figure out how you did it. Placing a ship in a bottle requires good concentration, patience and a steady hand. Usually the ship model is built from the outside with the masts lying down. After inserting it into the bottle, you raise the masts with long tongs. In addition, you can make "impossible bottles" by placing objects such as decks of cards or tennis balls in them.

Making candles

Once upon a time, making candles was a profitable and extremely important business. Electricity killed the profession, but candles still make their way into many homes as coziness and scent devices. Who doesn't like watching a twinkling light on a cool evening, or inhaling a pleasant aroma in the early morning? Store-bought candles can be expensive, while home-made candles can be cheap—plus, they're easy to learn how to make yourself. All you need is wax, a wick and containers.

rocking chair

Some men lift weights in the morning to bring into perfect shape not only the body, but also the spirit. If you're just starting out, it can sometimes be hard to find the motivation to lift weights or go for a run. But as you start getting into shape, you'll figure out how to structure your day to cram an hour of physical activity into it. Instead of going to the garage or woodworking, you try to increase the deadlift weight. Being strong is not only practical, it also makes you look better (hello girls!) and it's really cool to know that you can lift 200kg off the ground.

Hunting

For thousands of years, the role of the man has been to provide for the family. For most of history, this involved tracking down and killing animals. Many cultures and tribes performed a rite of passage for young men through hunting and provided men with the opportunity to establish bonds in an all-male company. Today, most men get their meat wrapped in paper labeled "Big Mac" or in a plastic container at the grocery store. Usually this meat is stuffed with hormones and antibiotics. The connection between the man, his food and nature was broken.

If you want to return to the "circle of life", it's time to go hunting. The benefits of hunting are numerous. First, it gives your family a chance to access quality lean meats free of the antibiotics and hormones (and even ammonia) found in most grocery stores. Secondly, it brings you back in touch with nature. Thirdly, you will support wildlife, as funds spent on licenses and equipment are transferred to environmental protection agencies. Fourth, even if you don't shoot anything, hunting gives you the opportunity to strengthen your friendship with your friends, on which your overall happiness depends greatly.

Wood cutting

What if you're interested in working with wood but don't have the money to set up a full-fledged carpentry job? Try cutting with a knife. All you need is a knife, a piece of soft wood, a rocking chair, a smoking pipe, and most importantly, a lot of time. Planing with a knife is one of those pastimes that help you relax and calm your nerves after hard work. A book on this art can be borrowed from the library. There you will find many ideas and plans to get started.

Geocaching

Have you lost your childhood love of hide-and-seek? Ever wanted to go on a treasure hunt? Then geocaching might be right for you. People all over the world hide objects or containers in different places and post their coordinates online. Others, armed with GPS-navigators, are looking for these "treasures". This is a great excuse to get out of the house and explore those parts of the city and suburbs where you have never been before. More information on this subject can be found at geocaching.com.

Modeling

Modeling, or making replicas of cars, planes, ships, may have been interesting to you when you were a child. But what's stopping you from resuming this hobby when you've grown up? Modeling sharpens your attention to detail and motivates you to explore the history of the things you work with. In addition, you will have something interesting that can be placed in the office or the "man's corner" of your home. This is very easy to do - head to Amazon or your local hobby store and buy a kit that almost always has all the instructions and supplies you need.

gold digging

This hobby will not make you a millionaire, but it can become an interesting entertainment with self-sufficiency, and maybe a source of additional income. Gold prospecting is no longer the purely commercial enterprise it used to be. In the modern world, this is usually one of the outdoor activities that the whole family can do, usually on a small stream. You can start with a simple shovel and gold washing bucket, and over time you can move on to more professional washing chute and dredger. Being on the banks of any stream is already entertainment, but an experienced gold prospector knows that the lion's share of his profession is occupied by the research phase: where gold was before, where it will go and where it will accumulate, how the precious metal behaves in nature. Only then can you go to nature, knowing that you have increased your chances of success. In this way, you can become both a tourist and a gold digger.

Leather work

The smell of leather excites in man the primitive feelings and the part that has always enjoyed stories about cowboys and Indians. Leatherworking is a great way to reconnect with your inner cowboy and learn a truly masculine craft. An experienced leatherworker is able to create a variety of goods: wallets, bags, belts, holsters, saddles. The downside is that this hobby is quite expensive. You will need all sorts of special tools. To get started, you can buy a starter kit at the Tandy Leather Factory store. It has everything you need to make small items like a wallet or a keychain. With the help of the starter kit, you will be able to assess your interest before ditching large sums for large projects.

Bowling

Team sport

Every man, whether a nerd or an athlete, should go in for sports in a team. Exercise increases testosterone levels (modern men desperately need it, our average testosterone levels are constantly declining), maintains your health and fitness, ward off depression and relieve mental stress. Sports, in which the competitive spirit of men can find an outlet, are especially important for the development of masculinity. Take up football, basketball or something else with your friends, or go to a special section. The type of sport does not matter, the main thing is that the blood accelerates and the heart beats.

Online courses

Every man should learn throughout his life. Reading is a great hobby that can promote learning, but online classes give you a variety of learning methods (videos, reading, discussion) and check your progress with quizzes and assignments. Experts in their field can answer your questions and help you in case of difficulty.

What's great is that in most cases this hobby will be free. Sites like Coursera and EdX offer a variety of topics, from programming to critical thinking to classical music. The most difficult thing in this case is not to miss classes, since you have not paid anything for them. To keep yourself motivated, try doing this at the same time as someone you know.

riding a motorcycle

Many men love motorcycles and riding motorcycles, from tinkering in the garage to riding cross country. The pleasures of this hobby extend beyond mere miles of travel and technical knowledge. Books like Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance and The Moto Shop as the Craft of the Soul claim that riding a motorcycle has philosophical and moral benefits:

Traveling on a motorcycle, everything around is seen very differently compared to other types of wandering. In a car, you are always in a closed space, and as you get used to it, you practically do not realize that from the car window you see only one more picture, like on TV. You are just a passive observer, and everything tediously floats past you as if in a frame.

There is no frame on the motorcycle. You connect with everything around you. You yourself are on stage, and not just watching it from the side, while the feeling of presence is simply amazing.
- Robert M. Pirsig, "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance"

You can start by buying and learning to ride a motorcycle.

Trinkets and antiques

Vinyl

In the 50s and 60s, parties often revolved around the turntable. People could gather to listen to the new album. Like many nostalgic pursuits of the time, vinyl is making a comeback. Vinyl sales have skyrocketed over the past few years, while CD sales continue to fall. For the music lover, switching to vinyl means a new experience with familiar melodies. Vinyl lovers claim that it has a richer and more accurate sound in the recording.

Listening to vinyl also forces you to focus on the album as a whole rather than jumping between your favorite singles. You absorb it as a work of art, and do not perceive it as four minutes of entertainment - and often this is how the musicians meant the album.

bird watching

Recreational ornithology offers many of the benefits of foraging, an organized gathering of knowledge about a particular subject, and even the excitement of hunting - all for free. Instead of buying items and cluttering your house with them, you keep a diary of what you find or cross off a list of species. For young people, this hobby seems like an old man's pastime, but even to me, at the age of almost 30, birds already seem a little more interesting than before. Perhaps it's all about their peacefulness or envy of their ability to fly - in any case, they are beautiful creatures with the same variety in color, shapes and habits as people. Birdwatching is an amusement and pleasure that can be obtained from a short walk and a long search for certain rare species, as well as from the study of these creatures that we humans try so hard to imitate. Grab your binoculars and let's go!

Housework / DIY

Some men go out of their way to refuse to do something around the house, and consider it an unpleasant duty. But for many others, it is quite a pleasant way to spend a day off. Finishing the basement, doing the necessary maintenance on the house, repainting the room, tidying up the garage is a chance to work with your hands and learn a new skill.

At home, they need to be loved and cared for just like our bodies, in order for them to stay healthy. If you learn to enjoy it, you will benefit from it, and you will probably save money by not hiring specialists. Of course, you need to be careful - safety is paramount, and you don't want to pay more to fix something that you break. On the Internet you can find a lot of resources on this topic, articles and videos, as well as books and TV shows.

Board games

Dwight David Eisenhower liked to play bridge with his colleagues until early morning. Winston Churchill liked to play mahjong and gin rummy with his homemade before dinner. Many of the Founding Fathers, including Franklin, Jefferson, and Madison, loved chess. US presidents from Roosevelt to Truman have played poker with advisors. Abraham Lincoln played backgammon with his sons.

Almost every great historical figure had a favorite board game - as well as almost every ordinary man whose names have been lost to the ages. Join them and discover the many benefits that come with playing board games with your friends and families.

Volunteering

Even men who do not consider themselves selfish can be greedy for their time. But if in the short term, not wanting to share your time and resources seems to be the way to happiness, then in the long term this selfishness destroys the soul. A certain service should become a part of every man's life - by devoting ourselves to helping others, we often find that our lives have improved as well.

Instead of devoting all your time to your goals, why not help others through volunteering. By helping another, you can find your purpose, take a different look at your problems, overcome prejudice, and so on. And while men certainly need some time to be alone, spending time helping others is also a great way to recover.

Photo

If you've always wanted to draw, but you couldn't, try photography. Digital cameras and editing software are getting cheaper and photography is becoming a more popular and accessible hobby. Its advantage is that other activities can be combined with it. Love walks? Take a photo of nature. Do you like going to restaurants? Take pictures of them all. There is an active photography community online, and many hobbyists run free photography tutorial sites.

Surfing

This hobby can be enjoyed only by a certain part of the population living on the shores - but these people often build their entire lives around this activity. Walking on the sea on a boat is great, but it is very different from the feeling of being directly on the water with a surfboard. You feel every wave, adrenaline, and suffer defeat when you lose the board. You are competing with yourself and with Mother Nature herself. Few activities will connect you with nature as much as riding the waves. Where this hobby is common, it is impossible to miss specialty shops. Visit one, tell them you want to start surfing, and get ready to look stupid on your first few tries.

Billiards

Every time I watch the movie "Billiard Player" I'm tempted to head into a smoke-filled billiard room and become a cue master. Billiards combines strategy, geometry, psychology. It's also a great way to spend time with friends. If you couldn't convince your wife that a games room would be incomplete without a pool table, head to the nearest pool or bowling alley. You will not have to pay very much for the game - of course, if you are not beaten by a professional.

Mountaineering

If you love hiking, hiking, and are looking for new adventures, then turn to mountaineering. Why do climbers climb mountains? Because mountains exist! Few things are as satisfying as climbing to the top after a tiring climb, enjoying the mesmerizing view and the fact that you have just conquered the mountain. We recommend a good one with tips on mountaineering.

Walking on a tightrope

The hobby began in the 1970s on a college campus, when a group of climbing friends strung a rope between two trees and challenged each other not only to climb it, but also to perform some acrobatic stunts. Since then, it has become not only a popular way to spend time with students, but also one of the team building activities. In today's variation of this hobby, the rope is stretched between the trees at a height of 30-50 cm above the ground. Usually people are trying to just walk along its entire length and not fall, and not just to show some tricks. It requires not only good physical shape and practice, but also mental concentration and stamina. It's also a great way to be in nature without being distracted by electronic devices, and of course any number of people can do it, making tightrope walking a great social activity. Having learned to walk on a tightrope, you can try to learn various tricks. Getting started is quite simple - find a rope, a couple of trees and go!

Cooking

We do not get tired of repeating: every man should be able to cook. This skill has a thousand benefits: it makes you independent, it saves you money from buying ready-made meals, it impresses girls, it helps you stay healthy (have you seen the ingredients of fast food?), and it's just fun. You have to eat every day, so you can learn and enjoy it. In addition, it is an inexpensive and affordable hobby. You can move on to more exotic tools and products later on, but since you can find the basic ingredients and tools in the kitchen, send the prepared food away.

Piloting

Many of the most manly men in history have conquered the skies - Charles Lindbergh, Chuck Yeager, Wiley Post. You may not break records, but you can still soar like an eagle. Of course, the biggest obstacle to this hobby will be its cost. It is expensive. Flight lessons will cost several thousand dollars, and a license - several hundred. Also, you need a plane. Some people combine their love of flying with their love of mechanics by designing their own airplanes. But still, you will need a place to store it, for which you will have to pay rent monthly. But despite the high cost of the hobby, many amateur pilots I know tell me that it is definitely worth it - this is a feeling of complete freedom in the air.

Focuses

Every man should learn a couple tricks to wow his friends, wow the girls, and entertain the kids. Few hobbies are as fun to do as magic tricks. And after people ask you to reveal the secret of the trick, you will walk around with a smile on your face for a long time. Practicing showing the trick over and over again, in order for everything to go absolutely smoothly, is the kind of work that does not look like work. And every man knows that the only interesting way to shop is in a magic store. Tricks are an inexpensive hobby, you will need a good book and a deck of cards. And then you can gradually increase the complexity of the tricks until you saw the mother-in-law in the living room in half.

Learning languages

Few hobbies can be so unequivocally attributed to useful activities as learning foreign languages. How often have you wanted to be able to communicate with the waiter, the student, the parent, the victim - and do not pray. And how often would you like to speak the local language while traveling? Learning a language can be tricky, but when you think about it, being able to speak different languages ​​is really cool. You can find courses in educational institutions or try self-study methods such as Rosetta Stone. The key is constant practice, or you will never improve your skills and keep what you have already learned. It also helps to watch movies, television and listen to songs in the language being studied.

Blogging

Paintball

Remember when you were a kid playing war games with your friends using imaginary grenades, bazookas and bullets? Now that you're a big boy, you can still play war games - but this time you can feel the impact of a paintball flying at 150 km/h. Trust me, it greatly enhances the emotional response. Paintball is not too expensive to play - renting a gun, CO 2 cartridge, mask and paintballs for the whole day will set you back about $30. And if you get carried away, you can buy your own equipment and pay only for the use of the sites.

Fencing

Enguard! What do the Three Musketeers, Zorro and Luke Skywalker have in common? Of course, incredible swordsmanship! This sport has existed since the time of the ancient Greeks and Romans, and is a truly masculine pastime. Take part in the tradition trained by the knights and lords of old in the last real duels. Develop your sense of balance, coordination, flexibility and concentration by learning the ancient art of parrying your opponent's blows. There are three types of weapons used in fencing: rapier, saber and sword. They have different weights and different usage rules. Do a little fencing research and see video from the match to understand what it is. This is different from long movie fights with the clash of swords. A big part of fencing is jumping, looking for unprotected spots and opportunities to hit your opponent.

Brewing

Saturday morning. Your favorite team will be shown on TV, and you have invited your friends to watch. What drinks will you serve them? You can, of course, drive to the store, take a package of Miller High Life - but wouldn't it be cooler and somehow more courageous to offer them your own beer? This is possible if you start brewing beer as a hobby. It's pretty easy and inexpensive to get started. The Simple Dollar website has a great step-by-step guide with photos and all expenses. As you become more familiar with the brewing process, you can start experimenting with flavors and give away your limited edition beer as gifts.

Drawing

Winston Churchill was an avid artist. He could sit for hours in the garden or in his home studio, painting and smoking a cigar. This is how he dealt with depression. He understood what a life-giving effect creativity has on a man. Many men do not draw, because they believe that they do not have an innate talent for it. Maybe so, but courses and practice can improve your ability. Drawing is the most accessible form of art. A few pencils and an album will keep you busy for a long time. For painting, you need a little more equipment and funds, depending on its type. Watercolors are cheaper (and easier to clean) than oil paints. Most hobby and art shops offer painting workshops. If that's not enough for you, you can always watch video tutorials from the white man with the greatest afro hairstyle in history, Bob Ross, on his Joy of Drawing show.

amateur astronomy

Space, the last frontier. You probably won't be able to visit space, but you can still be struck by its enormity, even if you're in your backyard at the time. You will be surprised how many different things you can see in space with a small telescope or powerful binoculars. If you want to look into deep space, you will need a powerful telescope that will cost you about $1,000. But this can be followed by a long-awaited result, when you find something in your yard that even the experts from NASA missed. Amateur astronomers have made several major discoveries. Doing astronomy is not just about staring through a telescope. This means learning as much as possible about the amazing Universe from books, shows, lectures and. You can start even before buying a telescope by memorizing the constellations and the stories associated with them.

Genealogy

Genealogy is a funny thing. This hobby seems terribly boring from an observer's point of view. But when you get carried away with it, it can completely capture you and become something that you sincerely love. An apple does not fall far from an apple tree, but how do you know what kind of apple you are if you do not know where you fell from? Every man should know and understand his roots. You will understand more about why you are the way you are, and why your parents are the way they are, and their parents, and so on. You will learn to appreciate the people who made you. As you begin to build your family tree, you will be surprised at the length of the lines leading to you. You are not just an individual - you have a long lineage, and your ancestors are in a sense part of you. Start building a tree by talking to relatives who could already do this, and you can also use specialized sites available on the Internet.

Knitting

Knitting? Knitting?! What does your grandma love and why did your great aunt make you a scarf for Christmas? Yes, knitting. This is not such a woman's occupation as men imagine it to be. Men invented knitting, and it's time to reclaim its place in its history. The first professional knitters were men, they worked in Europe in the 16th century. And, of course, sailors knitted knots. They knitted fishing nets and sweaters to keep warm. Today, knitting is making a comeback as a male occupation. It is both helpful and relaxing. A friend of mine learned to knit while serving in Bolivia and was the only male in the law school knitting club. And his courage is undeniable. about knitting and men.

Programming

What the amateur radio hobby of the 1950s was today is programming. Many men have made it their profession, but there are millions who do other things at work and in their free time code for fun. There are people making wacky online games, useful open source apps, and cool web projects. You can learn many programming languages. I personally love web programming and the lessons on W3Schools will let you learn related languages ​​and technologies like SQL and CSS for free.

Obstacle racing and multi-racing

Steeplechase grew out of training courses for the military and is an ideal sport for runners who are bored with running 5-10K. Running for many kilometers, overcoming walls, crawling under barbed wire will strengthen your strength, cardio system and agility, and test your physical and moral strength.

Another type of load is adventure, or multi-race. They last all day and include a variety of activities. You may have to run 15 km, then row 15 km, and then mountain bike through the forest for 30 km. Along the way, you must stop at checkpoints that can only be found with a map and compass. Physical activity, nature, orienteering is a very masculine occupation.

Fishing

Maybe killing a deer or a bear is not for you. But you can still get all the benefits of foraging for food on your own and connecting with nature if you go fishing. Fishing is a classic hobby for men. A great way for buddies to become stronger friends, and for fathers and sons to spend time together. The cost of a hobby for a beginner is not too high. A decent rod and reel will set you back $50, while bait and bait will cost you a few dollars. Some places require a permit to fish, so check the rules before you go fishing. In addition, I recommend immediately learning how to unhook from the hook.

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This article is for those who want to start doing creative work, but are afraid. This applies both to the very first steps and to another kind of creativity that is new to you. Why is it so difficult to start and how to overcome it?

Let's first look at very young children who can already hold a pencil in their hands. What do they do to start painting? Never mind! They took whatever came to hand and painted on any surface! They can even make an order - draw a mother, a dog, a house. Do they tell you in response - “I can’t draw”? Not! They just draw it. And so were we all!

What happened, why can't we do the same? What happened to us is education with a grading system. In my opinion - a very vicious system. We are not taught to develop, we are taught to be standard, like others. Breaking the standards? Get bad luck, ridicule of classmates (and even classmates in kindergarten!), Punishment of parents, etc. After such a comprehensive processing, only a few will be able to preserve their essence, not betray their inner world, and most often they are at the bottom of the “prestige ladder”.

So many learn to listen not to themselves, but to those around them. And most of them will go out of their way if you express a desire to take up drawing at 50! Here and age, and disorder with the head, and intimidation by hunger. Yes, you yourself know this set very well - “Where are you climbing? Do you want to be better than us? It is especially striking that the closest ones often behave this way, and this can discourage the desire to continue for a long time. But why do they do it? Yes, all for the same reason - the fear of being "not like everyone else", including living next to such a strange person. So, one of our actions is to reassure people who are close to you, to explain that it is very important for you to try. But it's not the first step the first is to calm yourself down.

Just think - what's wrong with trying? After all, there are so many interesting things around! Further, I will consider drawing as one of the universal types of creativity, but you can apply the principles described to any kind of art, creativity, needlework.

So, first you need just try. And for this you do not need to buy canvases and oil paints. Just grab the first pen/pencil you find and a piece of paper. Sit where no one will disturb you, you only need 10-15 minutes. And just draw whatever you want. By the way, doodles (doodles) and a style called zentangle (zenart) are very popular now. Surely you have already seen pictures in these styles, and if not, Google to the rescue, or look at the search results on Pinterest. The biggest plus of these styles is that you can draw freely with any skill level.

I recently did. It is very good for beginners. Follow the link to find the full description so you can go through it yourself. At the end you will find additional recommendations.

So you've tried and want to continue. But it turns on inner critic, which notifies you about the place where your hands grow from, eye health and more. Well, the above is included in the set. My dear, creative ones, it is quite natural that your first strokes, stitches, loops, etc., will be somewhat uncertain and uneven! In no case should you blame yourself for this! And others should not be allowed to do this! Protecting your inner artist or, as it is also called, a child, is your duty. So treat this process as teaching a child. Will you scold him when he falls while learning to walk? Or for fuzzy diction in the first words? Sounds absurd, right? And it is no less absurd to demand from yourself an ideal in your first (and not only) steps!

The same evaluation system taught us to achieve results and pay little attention to the process. Sometimes it seems to me that most people live for some ticks: ☑ house, ☑ tree, ☑ son. And what happens in the process with them and these same houses, trees and sons - it doesn’t matter! But life is a process, a flow. We cannot stop time, you are always in the process of life. Therefore, to achieve a result at any cost, enjoy it for a minute and a half and rush to a new goal - you will not envy such a life. Just do not take my words so that goals are not needed. How much more needed! Without them, nowhere at all. I say that both the result and the process are important. Moreover, the process takes just the lion's share, and to ignore it is to rob yourself.

Means the second step is to choose a project where the process will be the main one. The same mandalas that I wrote about above, or something similar. The main thing is that the result does not matter much, you can not show it to anyone. Why is that? And so that you can feel confident, and soon take a more difficult step. And if your very first job is laughed at (including yourself), then it will be oh so difficult to continue. Take care of a safe space for your nascent talent, no one but you will do this in due measure. I also wrote about criticism.

When it comes to drawing, create your own artbook, where you will draw anything and how you like, experiment with techniques and materials, express your emotions through drawing. Take any notepad or album you like, your favorite materials. This is enough to start, then everything you need will be added. Just don't show it to anyone, absolutely anyone! And then you will feel free. And over time, you will gain confidence and courage to “go out into the world.” Now it is very easy and easy to find a pleasant circle of like-minded people. Now I'm just preparing such a project - we will learn how to make our first artbook, don't miss it - . And at this stage, you can talk with loved ones and explain how important your classes are to you.

Next, the third step is training and development. If you know exactly what you want to learn, immediately contact the masters you respect and learn from them specific techniques.

For example, Marina Trushnikova recently had a very interesting course "Pencil Fantasies", which, among other things, is good for beginners.

And if you don’t know what you want to learn yet, then try different techniques and materials until you find your own. To do this, it is very good to participate in various marathons, which are easy to find on social networks. You can find recordings of my marathons. And every 1-2 months I spend new ones.

I would also like to invite anyone who wants to try a variety of painting techniques and materials by painting a little each day to my yearly project 365 Days of Tea Bag Painting. You can read about the project, and you can join a small but warm company

Programming is a typical hobby of the modern geek. There are a lot of opportunities - from programming for the web to game development. There are a lot of spheres and various directions in programming, so you can certainly find something really interesting for yourself. And it does not require any financial investment. But most importantly, you don’t even need additional space, except for a table with a computer or a laptop on your knees (and I’m sure that you already have it).

2 Raspberry Pi

The Raspberry Pi is a very small computer, essentially a single board a little bigger than a credit card. But nevertheless, it contains a processor, memory, ports for external devices, Internet connections and graphic output. Initially, the device was created as an inexpensive system for teaching computer science, but caused a real sensation among geeks. Its main advantage is that it can be used in almost any way. You can start with simple projects, such as turning an old TV into a monitor. And then show all your creative imagination. In addition, not so long ago, an improved version of the device was released at the same price - $ 35.

3.Arduino

Like the Raspberry Pi, the Arduino is a small microcontroller that is fairly easy to use. The board can be purchased both on the website from the official manufacturer and from third-party developers - the fully open architecture of the platform allows you to copy and supplement the line. But the most chic is, of course, to try to make the device yourself. We recommend watching Arduino co-creator Massimo Banzi, in which he talks about how a small device sparks the imagination in people.

4. Amateur radio

Despite the fact that the practical value of amateur radios is a thing of the past, the amateur radio community is as enthusiastic as ever. This is an opportunity not only to test your knowledge of radio in practice, but also to start communicating with people around the world. For starters, you can try to build walkie-talkies to talk with a friend, and then take on a more difficult project.

5. Opening locks with master keys

You probably thought that only criminal elements needed lockpicks, but do not rush to conclusions. Not everyone who learns to use lockpicks in their free time does so in order to break into houses and open safes. In fact, lockpicking communities do not in any way welcome illegal activity.

Lockpickers enjoy figuring out how to bypass complex mechanisms. Therefore, among lovers of master keys there are so many fans of puzzles and quests. Moreover, if you suddenly find yourself in a dangerous situation where you need to quickly open the lock, this skill will come in handy.

6. Rocket simulation

In Soviet times, this hobby was very popular, in almost every locality there was such a circle. Today you will meet those who are passionate about modeling infrequently, and very in vain. After all, now it is not necessary to make all the parts by hand, so anyone can assemble the rocket alone. We have added this hobby to the list of things that you can do from the comfort of your home, because preparing for the launch is a painstaking and mostly indoor activity. But when the model is ready, go to the open air and be sure to invite your friends with you: everyone will be interested in watching a real rocket flight.

7 Lego

Many of us grew up with Lego blocks. Perhaps the multi-colored bricks will again be able to interest you after so many years. If you don’t have enough time to get to the store, you can play Lego directly on the Internet using Google.

Lego isn't just a fun hobby, it has a few added benefits. For example, the constructor helps to develop managerial skills. In addition, by sharing a common hobby, you will be able to spend more time with your children. So don't wait and choose Lego to your liking.

8. Woodcarving

You don't need an entire workshop to work with wood. For starters, you can learn how to cut out small figures. At first, it will not turn out very neatly, but over time you will gain experience and be able to do interesting things with your own hands.

9. Homebrewing

If you're a fan of craft beer and don't mind picking up a new hobby, it's time to try making your own beer. Start small - a small batch of a few liters. If you like the result, take on large volumes.

Some brewery owners started out as hobbyists. Some enjoy the process itself, experimenting with their own recipes. And others can't wait to try the result.

10. Making canned food

Canning is the general name for all the hobbies that involve wrapping food in jars. Where to buy jars, your mother or grandmother will probably tell you, but keep in mind that you will have to deal with freezing, drying, salting, smoking, distillation, storage and much more. The canning process itself is quite simple, but there are many subtleties that you will have to figure out if you do not want to end up with an inedible product.

11. Hydroponics

Gardening is an occupation for those who have at least a small plot of land, which in a modern city can be a rarity. Fortunately, there are alternative methods of growing plants, and one of them is hydroponics. This method does not require soil at all, but only water and nutrients.

12. Production of homemade candles

If you regularly buy scented candles for your home, you know that this is not a cheap pleasure, especially when it comes to top-notch manufacturers. So why not try making your own candles? It's surprisingly easy and doesn't require much investment. All you need is wax, wick string and a mold. In addition, this hobby can make good money.

13. Bookbinding

Have you ever wondered how books are made? Why not learn how binding is made and collect at least a couple of notebooks for yourself? To begin with, it is worth trying simple techniques, such as saddle stitching, and only then move towards something more complicated, for example, Coptic binding. You can try to work with leather, you can come up with a cover design - and no one else will have such an original notebook as yours.

14. Origami

Origami is a great way to develop fine motor skills, and again, no additional financial investment is required for such a hobby. At first, origami is difficult. But there are so many educational materials on the Web that you will quickly get off the ground.

15. Beaded drawings

Beaded drawings are the creation of pixel art using Perler beads and a special board. Each bead corresponds to one pixel. You can create famous game characters with your own hands - the main thing is to choose the right colors. A pack of 1,000 Perler parts can be purchased online for just a few dollars.

16. Knitting knots

A fascinating activity, if you do not stop only on superficial knowledge. There are hundreds of different knots, each of which will prove useful in different circumstances. In some activities, such as rock climbing, rafting on boats, even in a normal hike, you can’t go anywhere without knots. But knots are interesting in their own right and can be a great hobby. For this hobby, you need to develop logic, be able to solve puzzles, so it is perfect for assiduous and attentive people.

17. Balloon Animals

Everyone loved the circus as a child. Clowns are real monopolists in the production of animals from balloons, but this does not mean that you yourself cannot do the same for your own pleasure. If you capture the essence of this technique, you can show your creativity and imagination. And if you have children or younger brothers or sisters, believe me, they will be completely delighted with your hobby.