Asklemmy

Biking.

Moving under your own power has so many benefits:

• It's fun
• It's cheap (or can be, to be fair)
• It's good for your health
• It's good for the planet

Baking - fresh warm bread is so good!

Sewing - it's nice to add pockets to things 😁

Thinking of learning sign language....

An instrument. It's soul food and extremely therapeutic. Even if you suck, just learn to let it go. I find it's really good for my mental health. I dunno, it's music ya know? Lol

Public Speaking

You never know when you'll have to say something in front of a crowd.

Learning a new language. You learn a bit about how languages work, understand other cultures a bit better, usually learn new vocabulary for your native language, understand the relationship between different languages, learn the roots of loan words and generally helps your brain stay healthy, even by only studying the basics.

Hiking.

Getting up amongst the fells and mountains, mostly in isolation from noise and other people. Sure there's touristy spots where alot head to but there's still plenty of other, maybe slightly more difficult to hike places if you wanted pure zen.

Navigation is important, don't just go up with Google maps expecting her to tell you when the next left is. Get some research done, and head out. Don't overcomplicate things with buying loads of gear that youtubers "recommend", don't send it up a 3000ft hike either. A slight ascent, around a lake - start small, find your feet and grow from there.

The best thing I could ever have started for my mental health.

Self-hosting. You learn how to use Linux, security, managing services, and after all that you have your own little ship on the internet. After all that you gain a massive understanding of how the internet and the technology you use daily work and run (to an extent).

Crochet

Pros

• Documented mental health benefits
• Cheap to start, can learn from online tutorials
• Easier than knitting
• Make cool toys, clothes, home accessories, whatever you want
• Get to smush yarn into your face on a regular basis

Cons

• Fibre crafts gateway drug

3D printing. Suddenly you are able to fix small plastic shit in your house which would otherwise mean throwing out the whole goddamn thing. Best feeling ever to repair and save stuff.

Sewing, at least to the level of basic mending. Helps one realize what well made clothes look and feel like.

Cooking is a very nice, relaxing hobby and you also get to eat some good food!

It’s also very useful and an easy way to impress people.

tying knots. All you need is a couple of pieces of string to get started. The right knot, well tied, is like a good friend - you can count on it. Shipyard workers sometimes make fun of how inexperienced mariners tie up their boats to a dock with "if you can't tie a knot, tie a lot!?" (full disclosure, I am a sailor).

someone else mentioned sign language - that is also extremely useful sometimes! My wife and I learned it when we learned to SCUBA. We do not have any deaf friends, but sometimes you meet a person who is reliant on sign, and if you can at least spell out some words, 'they are so grateful'.

Some form of metal working, and specifically machining. I really enjoy machining, and I've been able to make some genuinely useful things. The tools are actually really quiet and stateful, unlike woodworking power tools which SCREAM at you like horrible demons. Seeing people look at their first top, or pen, or miniature cannon is great. Plus, things made in metal are at least slightly shiny.

For example, you could make dumbbell handles and plates like this: a photo of dumbbell handles and weight plates

Or a metal yarn winder like this: a photo of an all-metal yarn winder

The major downside is that it's not cheap (not as expensive as boats, possibly more expensive than photography), and it requires at least a bit of space that you wouldn't mind getting dirty. Luckily, I feel like makerspaces are starting to have more and more metalworking equipment.

Sewing is useful and satisfying. I'd like to say it's also easy but I have never figured it out myself (which doesn't say much, anything that involves using my hands is... questionable)

Indoor gardening/hydroponics. Even in the smallest flat you can grow your own salad, peppers, radish, tomatoes, microgreens, etc.

Like a tiny stardew valley at home.

Running. Fairly cheap. Can set your own schedule. Improves physical and mental health, increases self confidence, can help with sleep and weight loss.

Everyone should try to regularly do something that lets them 'play' and be creative, like music, singing, writing, acting, etc. Our day to day is largely rule based so I think it's important to have some time operating outside of that.

Also people should try and do something with their hands (no not that). I've been getting into Lego and jigsaw puzzles as a way of reducing my screen time and it's doing me a lot of good. Picked up crochet recently and going to try and make a baby blanket for my incoming niece.

Juggling!

• It can be done dirt cheap

• It's really therapeutic

• You can practice it almost anywhere but especially alone in your room

• If you git gud at it, you have a cool skill to show off

Basic knitting. It's a great way to relax in the evenings. And makes for good gifts.

• making bread
• brewing beer (or making wine or cider, as one prefers)
• repair sewing

I suspect I'd feel the same about welding or smithing, but I haven't tried those (yet).

Drawing! We all start life drawing, scribbling, experimenting etc. But often we drop the activity or don't think were good enough to try. But everyone should take a pencil/pen and paper and just try to draw things, if you want to try and improve quickly look into https://drawabox.com

Pros - It's cheap, easily available to most and often very cathartic.

Cons - if you get into it it takes a lot of time investment to get really good.

Cross stitching is fun and pretty inexpensive to get into! All you need is cloth (Aida), needles, thread, and a pattern. There are plenty of free patterns available, and a skein of thread is under a dollar.

Ham radio. It's a lot of fun and has something for everyone. I like the outdoors, so I took my portable gear to a park and operated Parks on the Air today. There are all kinds of digital modes for people who love computers, there's morse code, there's using kites to hoist your antenna, hot air balloons, talking with the space station, etc. All kinds of stuff. If you're the least bit nerdy, it likely has something for you.

Wood working. Can fix things and build things. It’s very rewarding. Can find second hand tools and slowly build your collection and upgrade them as you develop and hone your skills until your wife surprises you at home with your closest friends and family and they proceed to tell you that you have a problem and have to decide between investing time and energy into a living family or your woodworking hobby.

Playing an instrument. The challenge of playing successfully a melody will give you more reward than listening to a good one.