A Shelf of Side Quests: Always Starting New Hobbies

Gabby
Sep 28
2 min read

If you walked into my space right now, you’d probably laugh at the number of projects quietly taking up corners of my apartment. There’s the newly purchased watercolor set I just had to try, a stack of crochet kits that coworkers asked me to create, Canva open on my laptop where I’m working on thumbnails for my husband’s YouTube channel (shoutout to Nazirite Media), yarn tucked in places it definitely shouldn’t be, my junk journal supplies piled into their own little corner, and of course, games and books sprinkled everywhere. It’s cozy chaos, but it feels like home and you can see that I am always starting new hobbies.

The Joy of Always Starting New Hobbies

My most recent creative adventures have been writing more consistently, experimenting with YouTube videos, and dipping into watercolor painting. But if I had to name the core hobbies I always come back to, it would be crocheting, reading, blogging, and video games. Those are my constants, the ones that ground me. The other hobbies rotate in and out depending on my mood, like side quests waiting for me to pick them back up when I need a new spark.

Collecting Hobbies Like Keepsakes

Sometimes I do feel guilty about the unfinished projects, like I should be finishing one thing before chasing the next. But I’ve learned to see them differently since they’re not abandoned, just paused. One of my favorites right now is my partially finished Stardew Valley cardigan. It’s extra special because it’s one of the few projects I started just for myself, after spending so much time crocheting for others. Plus, I started it while crocheting at the Joe Jonas concert earlier in the year. Even half-finished, it makes me happy, especially since it already holds so many memories.

Creative Hobbies to Try (Even If You’re Not “Good” at Them)

I think that’s really why I collect hobbies the way some people collect figurines or postcards. I’m drawn to the challenge of something new, the thrill of trying a skill I may not be good at yet. Creativity has always been where I find calm, grounding, and joy. Even if the paint runs, the stitches are uneven, or the words don’t flow perfectly, the act of creating is enough.

A Shelf of Side Quests

If I had to give this lifestyle a name, it would be a shelf of side quests. Each hobby, each project, each experiment is something I get to pull down when I’m ready to play again. Not everything has to be finished, and not everything has to be mastered because it’s the joy of trying that matters most.