Having a hobby I really enjoy helps ground me. It helps me focus and bring everything back into perspective. My hobby is trains — big trains, little trains, model trains — honestly, any train will do.
When I’m around them, I feel calm. My anxiety fades away like rain clearing after a storm.
Today I went to a local model railway show and it was amazing. Sometimes busy places can make me anxious, but I had my camera, my sidekick, and it turned out to be such a good experience.
It got me thinking about how much hobbies can affect us and how they play such a big part in our mental wellness. We get caught up in the humdrum of daily life and sometimes forget to make space for the things that bring us joy. For me, that’s model railways, galas and all things steam. Sometimes it’s just an hour laying grass on my layout, other times it’s building a whole station on a rainy Sunday.
Today reminded me how important it is to make time for myself — for the things I love — and to really listen when my body says, “you need a break.”
Disclaimer: I wrote this article post and used chatGPT to edit it and create the image.