12 Hobbies That Help Reduce Stress & Anxiety

Keep scrolling to read over 12 different ways you can ease stress and anxiety.

I have had an anxiety issue for as long as I can remember and I have done my best with trying to deal with it. One of the many different ways I cope with anxiety is with relaxing hobbies.

Hobbies help take my mind off things and also give me something to look forward to. I am by no means saying that hobbies cure anxiety but they have definitely helped me bring joy and relaxation into my life.

Below is a list of different hobbies I find calming and maybe you will to!

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Gardening

I decided to take up gardening this year after learning about the benefits of gardening for mental health. I can honestly say that I really enjoy it and find it very relaxing. It is such a rewarding feeling to grow things in your own yard and I also like that it gives me an excuse to go outside every single day which helps me get vitamin D.

If you don’t have a yard it is still possible. You can have a container garden on your balcony or a small inside garden.

I have a small backyard and I am currently growing strawberries, tomatoes, peppers, lemons, lettuce, cantaloupe, zucchini, cucumbers, mint and cilantro all in containers.

Painting

You don’t have to be artistic to enjoy painting! You can just grab some paint and splatter it on paper or just paint something that reflects how you feel in the moment.

Something that is popular right now is rock painting. Which I think would be great for someone who just wants an easy project to start out with or you can check out some of these art kits below for ideas.

Walking/ Hiking

One of my favorite activities to do when I am anxious is to simply just take a walk. It helps clear my head and relax my mind.

Some of my happiest times were when I was in a hiking group. We would take one or two hikes a week and I really enjoyed it. If this is something you have the ability to try then I would highly recommend it. You can find hiking groups on social media sites like Facebook which are great for people who don’t want to hike alone.

If you cannot hike/walk around easily where you live then something I like to do is go on my treadmill and turn on a hiking/walking trail video on Youtube. These are not as beneficial as actually getting outside and walking around but it is better than nothing.

Check out the videos below for some of my favorite videos.

The cool thing about these videos is it allows you to imagine yourself taking walks in different parts of the world!

Autumn Forest Walk

Wailea Beach Path

Amalfi, Italy Walking Tour

Virtual Hike Near River through the Fores

Exercise

Any type of exercise greatly reduces the frequency of my anxiety.

There are tons of different ways you can exercise like swimming, running, biking, sports, boxing, yoga, group classes, dancing, etc. Just find something you enjoy and make it a habit.

I personally really enjoy lifting weights and Pilates because I always feel energized and happy after which makes my day less stressful.

I have also tried various Yoga workouts on YouTube that are for anxiety with great results. Check out the list below for some recommendations.

Yoga for Anxiety – 20 Minute Practice – Yoga With Adriene

20 min Full Body Stretch/Yoga for Stress & Anxiety Relief

Journaling

Journaling is a great way to be creative and express your feelings. You can write about how you are feeling in the moment or you can find some journal prompts on the internet that will help you find topics to write about.

I try to journal at least once a day. I usually do gratitude journaling in the morning to help me set a positive tone for the day.

Knitting and Crocheting

knitting and crocheting are great ways to distract you from your anxious thoughts. I think these are great activities for the Fall and Winter seasons because you can make yourself warm accessories like beanies and scarves.

There are tons of tutorials and free patterns on the internet so you will have plenty of ideas to get you started.

Below are a few easy tutorials you can check out to get you started.

Easy Knit Scarf Pattern By Handy Little Me
Boho Crochet Coasters By For The Frills

Reading

Reading books you find interesting is actually very relaxing! The key is to find books you actually enjoy and want to read.

I personally love reading self-help, finance and health books. These may be boring to some people but I really enjoy anything that teaches me how to be the best version of myself. This way I am able to learn while I relax and unwind for the day.

Coloring

Coloring books are one of my favorite ways to reduce stress, especially at night before I go to bed. Check out some of these cute adult coloring books below.

Makeup

The possibilities are endless when it comes to makeup. You can experiment with things like Eyeshadow looks or go all out and practice some Halloween or cosplay looks.

There are tons of tutorials on YouTube that can teach you just about any look you want to learn or you can just let your creativity shine and come up with your own!

This is actually one of my favorite hobbies. I like setting time aside to create different eye shadow looks to see if I like it before I actually have to wear it out. This way I can experiment without risking having to go out with makeup I don’t like.

It’s very relaxing to experiment with makeup while I listen to music and forget everything for a while.

Drawing

Drawing or doodling is actually very relaxing. I like to just grab my journal, put on some soft ambiance music and practice different doodle tutorials that I find on the internet.

Checkout my “Bullet Journal Doodle Tutorials” board below for ideas.

Hand Lettering

This is something I have recently started doing and I find it very therapeutic.

Hand lettering is basically a form of art with letters. The possibilities are endless and it’s actually a very rewarding hobby. You can create beautiful works of art and learn a new skill in the process.

Checkout some of the tutorial books below.

Spending Time With Animals

I absolutely love animals! Just looking at their adorable furry faces makes me feel so happy and at peace.

I can honestly say my anxiety has greatly reduced since I adopted my cat. I make sure to spend time with him everyday and it really helps calm me down.

If you can’t or don’t want to adopt an animal that is totally okay. You can volunteer at your local animal shelter! That way you can spend time with animals and help socialize them.

Even just looking at pictures of cute fluffy animals can ease stress. Checkout the images below!

Follow My Cute Animals board on Pinterest!

Just a quick tip.

I like to play relaxing sounds in the background to help relax me when I am doing things like journaling, coloring, crafting, painting, etc. I prefer to have relaxing sounds rather than complete silence when I am trying to relax. Try it out for yourself!

Check out the videos below for examples.

Cozy Manor Ambiance

Rain Sounds & Thunderstorm

I hope you enjoyed this list. These are just some things that I enjoy doing to help ease my anxiety. These might not get rid of your anxiety or prevent it from happening but they will help distract you and help you calm down.

Please let me know in the comments below if you have any questions, comments or concerns and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

Thanks For Reading!

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