Multiple studies have shown that there’s a direct link between being creative and your overall happiness.

Creating something out of thin air feels good every time. Whether you consider yourself a “creative person” or not doesn’t really matter. There’s always something you can do to let out your artistic side and generate some creativity.

In this post, we’re going to tell you five hobbies to keep you creative in your spare time. Sometimes all it takes is a little inspiration to get started on the path of creativity, so keep reading and try some of these awesome creative hobby ideas out.

1. Pick Up An Instrument

One of the most fun ways to be creative is to pick up an instrument and start playing. Guitar, bass, drums, or piano are all really fun and easy to learn fairly quickly.

Once you get your chops up to speed, you’ll be able to play loads of different songs. With that, you can find some other like-minded musicians and start a band. Take that even further and you can start writing your own songs to perform in front of audiences – that’s the peak of musical creativity.

2. Photography

Taking pictures and editing photos is another fun, creative hobby. You don’t even need to buy an expensive camera anymore because we all walk around with expensive cameras in our pockets.

Learn about things like framing, composition, and technical camera terms like exposure, saturation, and aperture.

When it comes to editing, there are loads of amazing cheap or free software out there that can help you touch up your images, remove background from an image, or animate your photos. You can really let your creativity shine.

3. Knitting

Knitting or crocheting is a calming thing that you can do while you watch television or read a book. All you need is a few knitting needles and some yarn then you’re off and running.

Start out with something simple, like a scarf or a knit hat. Eventually, you’ll be able to incorporate patterns and images into your knits to really get creative.

4. Cooking

You may not realize it, but cooking can be incredibly creative. To be able to take raw foods and spices, and turn them into something delicious is as artistic as writing a song or painting a picture. It takes years to become an effortless chef, but it sure is fun to practice cooking.

When you gain more confidence, start inviting friends and family over for dinners to showcase your newfound skills. It’s great to start by making lots of different cookbook recipes, then slowly altering those recipes until they become something unique to your culinary tastes.

5. Painting/Drawing

Drawing and painting are classic creative activities. Taking a blank canvas and putting an image down, whether it’s a portrait or something abstract, is one of the best feelings in the world.

You’re not going to become Picasso overnight, but the real thrill of painting is in the act of painting itself. Pick up some brushes or pencils and become the artist you were always meant to be.

Choosing Different Hobbies to Keep You Creative

These are some of the best hobbies to keep you creative, but creativity is all about being spontaneous and following whims. Whatever makes you feel creative is a hobby worth pursuing and learning how to stay creative is important for your long-term happiness. Try each of these out and see what works for you.

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