I’ve personally always thought that any kind of New Year’s resolution should include all the benefits without any guilt so, if you’re planning to improve your health this year, why not do something that boosts your happiness at the same time?
Let’s face it; you’re not going to stick with some restrictive regime or pushy physical plan for long, are you? In fact, you might have already let it slip for a few days this month. But don’t worry – it’s not you, it’s the activity that’s the problem.
Because, if you’re enjoying yourself, you’ll want to do more of it, right? So, maybe now’s the time to ditch those January challenges and do something that you love instead.
I’ve come up with a list of thrifty, low-cost hobbies and activities that you can join in with to improve your wellbeing, both physically and mentally:
Dancing
My number one, favourite ever activity is dancing. It’s something we all do from a young age (isn’t it sweet when toddlers start to wiggle and dance?) and, at that age, it’s always done for fun.
The good news is that the fun doesn’t go out of dancing as you grow – you just need to find the right song or the right style for you. And the added bonus is that you’re getting your body moving, which is the most important thing for your health.
It’s a super frugal activity too because you don’t need anything to dance by yourself at home – just put on the radio and start shimmying! Of course, you might want to learn some steps so you can always join a class – either online or in person – which helps with your social wellbeing too while you learn alongside your classmates.
You might find that you love dancing so much that you want to take it further and learn a particular style you’ve seen on Strictly Come Dancing. If so, it’s still a budget-friendly option; the only gear you need is some ballroom or latin dance shoes with straps to enjoy those dance lessons in style.
There’s no end to how much fun you can have dancing – take dance breaks while working from home to stay active during the day or dance the night away at a wedding. If you make dancing a regular hobby, you’ll certainly see the benefits in your cardiovascular health and improve your balance, so what are you waiting for? Let’s dance!
Walking
So many health websites advise going for walks to maintain good health and, as proven during the pandemic, it’s so important that governments will allow it even when everything else is stopped. The key to getting the physical benefits of walking lies in the pace at which you walk.
The best health benefits are found when you do ‘brisk’ walking. Even just one minute of brisk walking counts as exercise so, in order to make sure you’re getting the speed right, you can download the Active 10 app from the NHS website, which tracks the amount of minutes you’ve walked and how many of those were brisk.
Walking is a completely free activity so there’s nothing to stop you from going for a stroll around your local area. Just choose some shoes that you find comfortable to walk in and get going. It’s really lovely to get some fresh air so try to fit in a walk during your lunch break at work or when going to the shops.
Plus, I like how walking outdoors allows you to observe the changing seasons – even at this time of year, I enjoy seeing the colourful sunrises and the frosty mornings. You can make it a mindful activity by walking silently or listening to a meditation app, which is good for your mental health too.
Singing
I’m not kidding when I say that singing is good for your health. Sure, it doesn’t seem like much of a physical activity compared to dancing, but honestly it’s a good workout for your lungs, muscles and posture.
That’s because singing encourages you to control your breath, which improves your blood pressure and the function of your lungs and reduces tension in the body. Much like exercise, it also releases endorphins too, helping you to feel happier. Sounds like a healthy, stress-busting activity to me!
Again, this is an activity that doesn’t have to cost you anything to do. You can sing along to your favourite songs at home for an instant mood boost. Or you can join a local choir and enjoy the social benefits too. Just imagine the sense of connection you’ll have with the other singers as you don your choir robes and perform together as one – magical.
I hope that these three hobbies have given you some inspiration for some fun activities you can take part in this year to boost your physical and mental well-being. I’d love to hear what hobbies you enjoy doing that also improve your health and happiness so please leave me a comment below with your suggestions. Thanks!
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This article is a sponsored collaboration. The pink links in the content indicate a sponsored link or information source. The blog post reflects my own experience and the sponsor hasn’t had any control over my content 🙂
