Dear Self, Breathe.

There comes a time when life shakes you to your core—whether it’s heartbreak, loss, or simply waking up one day feeling like a stranger to yourself. It’s terrifying, isn’t it? To realize that the version of you that once felt so solid is now slipping through your fingers like sand. But here’s the truth: you’re not gone. You’re just in transition. And in that transition, hobbies can be your lifeline.

I learned this firsthand. After my breakup, I felt empty, as if the person I had been was no longer there. I questioned everything—what I liked, what I wanted, even who I was. But little by little, I started to rebuild. I even had a note on my phone named ‘I don’t know who I am now’ where I wrote everything new I found for myself so I can start from somewhere. And hobbies? They were the foundation.

Hobbies Give You a Sense of Purpose

When you’re going through a healing process, even getting out of bed can feel overwhelming. But having something—anything—to look forward to can make all the difference. A hobby isn’t just a way to pass the time; it’s a small promise to yourself that you still matter, that you are still capable of creating, learning, and experiencing joy. It reminds you that you’re more than your pain, more than your past. Because I was travelling with my partner all the time, when we broke up I was left with a lot of free time – I didn’t want to go abroad alone and my friends were busy at the time, so I looked into different hobbies.

They Help You Process Emotions Without Words

Not everything you feel can be put into words. Sometimes, emotions are too tangled, too raw. That’s where hobbies come in. Whether it’s painting, writing, playing music, or even gardening—these activities give your feelings a place to go. They let you express what you don’t know how to say out loud. I didn’t realize how much I was holding inside until I started painting by numbers, watching my emotions spill onto the canvas in ways I never expected. As a teenager, I used to paint but at that time, I was at a very bad place in my life and now I associate painting with this, so finding paintings by numbers was a jackpot.

Movement Heals More Than Just the Body

There’s something about moving your body—whether through yoga, dance, hiking, or simply stretching—that reconnects you to yourself. Trauma and heartbreak aren’t just mental; they live in your body, in the tension in your shoulders, the tightness in your chest. Movement helps you release what’s been stuck inside. I found that every time I did yoga or took a long walk, I felt just a little lighter. And when you start feeling lighter, you start feeling more like yourself again.

They Push You to Step Outside Your Comfort Zone

Healing isn’t just about finding comfort—it’s also about growth. And growth doesn’t happen in the familiar. Picking up a new hobby forces you to challenge yourself in small ways, whether it’s trying something you’re not instantly good at or pushing past the fear of failing. After my breakup, I decided that if I was going to rebuild, I might as well make it interesting. I tried things I never thought I would—some stuck, some didn’t. But every time I stepped into something new, I felt like I was taking another step toward myself.

They Show You That Joy Still Exists

When you’re in pain, it’s easy to believe that happiness is something from your past. But hobbies remind you that joy isn’t gone—it’s just waiting for you to find it again. The first time I got lost in a book post-breakup, I forgot about the pain for a little while. The first time I laughed while trying (and failing) a new hobby, I realized that happiness wasn’t out of reach. These small moments build up, and before you know it, you’re living again, not just surviving.

Final Thoughts: You Are a Work in Progress

Healing isn’t about returning to who you were—it’s about discovering who you are now. Hobbies help bridge that gap, giving you the space to explore, create, and grow without pressure. They remind you that you are more than what happened to you. You are still here, still capable, still worthy of joy.

So if you’re feeling lost, if you’re questioning who you are, start small. Pick up a brush, take a walk, try something new. Your hobbies won’t solve everything, but they will remind you that you are still you. And that’s the most important step of all.

What hobbies have helped you heal? Let’s talk in the comments. 💛