Twenty Pleasures:
A Look Back at the Hobbies You Enjoyed as a Child…
“Twenty Pleasures” is an exercise assigned by Julia Cameron as part of the second week of the Artist’s Way Program. The assignment involves getting creative, and listing 20 things that you enjoy doing, and then identifying how long it’s been since you last did those activities.
When I completed this assignment I was surprised at how long it had truly been since I’d done some of my 20 pleasures. When I was in elementary school I used to paint pictures of animals using pastels. I loved doing it, and was actually getting quite good at it (in my opinion), but then for some reason I stopped.
This exercise is all about re-visiting those things you love to do most, and remembering that life is not just about work, it’s also about play.
After you complete your list, Julia challenges you to do two things on your list which you haven’t done in a long time. Today, I decided to make a soap sculpture (because it has been a long time since I did something really crafty and creative with my hands, and I remembered once making a soap sculpture as part of class when I was in elementary school and really enjoying it. Also, soap is really cheap).
Here are some pictures from my trip down memory lane:
![I started with a bar of ivory soap (my hands smell very clean now that I'm done)](http://thepositivityprojectdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/photo-111-e1356764607619.jpg?resize=544%2C391)
![Stage 2: Making a Mess](http://thepositivityprojectdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/photo-211-e1356764706457.jpg?resize=541%2C405)
![And finished. IT'S A TURTLE! Can you see it? I had so much fun doing this, and now my hands smell like soap :)](http://thepositivityprojectdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/photo-38-e1356764857210.jpg?resize=542%2C384)
Do this exercise yourself, AND to help you out I’ve compiled a list of 150 activities you might have once done in your past. You You can use this list for the purpose of the above exercise, or you could just use it as a way of brainstorming a new hobby you’d like to adopt. Whatever your reason I hope you enjoy my list of
150 Creative Hobbies
Team Sports
- Hockey
- Ringette
- Soccer
- Basketball
- Baseball
- Football
- Curling
- Volleyball
- Rugby
- Ultimate Frisbee
- Lacrosse
- Polo
2 Person sports
- Badminton
- Tennis
- Table Tennis
- Raquetball
- Squash
- Handball
- Bowling**
- Fencing
- Golf**
- Wrestling
- Darts**
- Billiards
Fighting Sports
- Boxing
- Kick-boxing
- Karate
- Krav Maga
- Jujitsu
- Tae Kwon Do
- Judo
- Aikido
Single Person Sports/exercise/activities
- Swimming
- Running
- Kayaking
- Biking
- Canoeing
- Rock Climbing
- Snowboarding
- Skiing
- Surfing
- Skating
- Roller blading
- Archery
- Target Shooting
- Fishing
- Gymnastics
- Yoga
- Pilates
- Tai Chi
- Hiking
- Horseback riding
- Juggling
- Scuba diving
- Snorkeling
- Baton twirling
Dance
- Ballroom
- Hip hop
- Tap
- Modern
- Swing
- Belly-dancing
- Latin dance
- Jazz
- Ballet
- Breakdancing
- Pole dancing / Burlesque
- Zumba
Creative Hobbies
- Cooking
- Baking
- Cake Making / Decorating
- Sculpture (soap)
- Sculpture (stone)
- Sculpture (clay)
- Sculpture (ice)
- Sandcastle building
- Woodcarving
- Scale model building
- Flower arranging
- Painting (water colours)
- Painting (pastels)
- Oil painting
- Painting (paint by number)
- Glass painting
- Toll painting
- Chalk drawing
- Rapping
- Collecting (stamps, spoons,etc)
- Origami
- Calligraphy
- Jewellery making (earrings, bracelets, necklaces)
- Gardening
- Bonsai sculpture
- Pooktre
- Magic
- Photography
- Writing (poetry)
- Writing (prose)
- Puppet Master (ventriloquist)
- Sewing
- Knitting
- Crochet
- Embroidery
- Quilting
- Making dream-catchers
- Weaving (baskets, etc)
- Scrap-booking
Instruments you could learn to play
- Beatboxing
- Singing
- Guitar
- Violin
- Banjo
- Piano
- Flute
- Clarinet
- Drums (percussion)
- Bagpipe
- Trumpet
- Horn
- Saxophone
- Harmonica
- Trombone
Things to do just for fun
- Kite Flying
- Trip to the Museum
- Peruse a second-hand shop
- Trip to an Art Gallery
- Attend a theatre show.
- Trip to an amusement park
- Attend a concert
- Visit a zoo or animal shelter
- Spend the day at the beach
- Go see a movie
- Volunteer (at a shelter, old folks home, etc)
- Fruit picking (strawberries, blueberries, apples, etc)
- Explore a corn maze
- Read
- Spa Night
- Skipping rocks
- Puzzle building
- Sudoku
- Crossword puzzles
- Word searches
- Chess
- Checkers
- Scrabble
- Card games
- Create card pyramids
- Jenga
- Dominoes
- Learn to meditate
_______________
The blog you’re reading right now is about my personal explorations into growth – the parts that don’t follow a list. This post was written on December 28th, 2012. A lot has happened since then. Here are some of my personal favourite posts:
- I’ve carried my laptop like a heart from cafe to cafe – Explorations into Workaholism and Love
- My spoken word poem: Between the Lines about supporting each other in our dreams.
- What I learned at the National Voice Intensive about Joy.
I like the 20 things you used to enjoy idea! Thats a great way to get a reboot when stuck 🙂
I agree. When I did the exercise I found myself returning to what I used to do for fun when I was a kid, as I found that I’ve become much more work-centered now. Sitting on my living room floor carving a turtle out of soap was a good escape. I spend far too much time at my computer.
[…] 150 Activities/Hobbies to start or revisit when you’re bored […]
Thanks for your Creative Hobbies list Christine! I was writing a piece for our email subscribers and needed some more creative hobbies than I could come up with on my own. Clear sign that I too am far too work-centered!
Thank you Sara! I looked at the website that connects to your profile and it looks really interesting. I don’t know if being work centered is necessarily a bad thing. I’ve started to read biographies and autobiographies of people I really respect who became successful, and they all have some sort of obsession about their work. I guess it’s just about finding balance.
[…] a list of 150 ideas to get you […]
[…] point A to point B trips more worthwhile. If you’re lacking ideas, here’s a list of 150 hobbies to get you started. Granted, physical activities mentioned like karate and archery may best be […]
Sports are not creative hobbies, God! You dumb idiot. Then, you have the audacity
to have a little section called “Just for fun.” Yeah, going to an amusement park is really fucking creative like your shitty soap idea. Now that. . . I don’t even have the word to describe how degrading it is to be considered “creative.” I’m ashamed of you.
How old are you? Twelve or thirteen? Because you sound like a troll found in Youtube comments. I found this article very helpful for improving characterization in my writing. Don’t be such a child just b/c you disagree with what activities are in which sections.
“explore a corn maze” !!! completely agree with ‘Yes’, terrible list
If you hate it, you didn’t have to read it. And aren’t you being a little harsh?
This list is actually better than many I’ve found so far.
Unpoliteness usually gets us nowhere in life.
You could simply do your own list if you’re so displeased with this one 🙂
Completely agree that @#$* is just not on and i can’t stand when people are so ignorant and plain stupid. It really enrages me from time to time.
real smart Mikey, any hacker with minimal skills can track your comment to your home address, good luck with that one buddy
I meant Yes, not mikey
ooo scrapbooking. Thanks!
I like scrapbooking too! Its sparks interest within my soul belly.
care to meet up and chat about scrapbooking? xx
[…] of us don’t find enough time for ourselves, and this isn’t healthy. This year, be sure to find a hobby or activity that makes you feel happy and allows you to focus on yourself. Maybe this is crocheting, boxing, […]
This helped me a lot with filling my list with stuff I want to try out! Now I’m ready to go! Thank you
You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life.