Ep 3: Hobbies
Hello everyone, and welcome to another episode of B1 English Talks. I'm your host, Brandon. This podcast is here to help you improve your English at the B1 level and feel more confident in your progress. Each episode, we'll dive into fun, real-life topics to help you sound more natural and practice your listening skills. So let's get started.
In today's episode, we will talk about hobbies. This is actually one of my favorite things to talk about, because many of us have busy schedules. So making time for activities that we love can be a great way to relax and have fun, but can also be difficult, depending on your schedule. For a lot of people, the weekend is the perfect time to explore a new hobby or focus on a favorite activity. Some people prefer outdoor activities, like going for a hike or for a run, while others enjoy staying indoors and maybe reading a book or trying a new recipe.
For me personally, I have a few hobbies. One is to go running. Another is to just go to the gym. I love to spend time with friends. This is very similar to how I would spend my weekend, as we talked about weekend plans in a previous episode. Or I love to go dancing, as I've said, bachata specifically. I have not learned salsa yet, but I would love to learn.
I know some people who love creating things in their free time. For example, a friend of mine took up painting and spends hours in her little art studio. She even said, if I had known how relaxing it was, I would have started sooner. That's something we could all probably relate to. When you find something you love, it can be hard to remember how you felt before you started.
Maybe you've never thought of joining a club or group before, but doing so can be a great way to meet new people with similar interests. If you join a sports team, for example, you'll not only get some exercise, but you'll also build some new relationships. And if you're nervous, remember this: if you tried something and didn't enjoy it, at least you would have gained the experience.
I have this experience personally. I tried playing indoor soccer as an adult, and I had not played soccer in like 10 or so years. So it was really intimidating, but I pushed myself. I went and played. I played horribly, and I never have gone back. But I'm grateful that I took the risk, and I'm not wondering what if. No one wants to be wondering what if.
When it comes to making time for hobbies, it's sometimes about balancing what you need to do with what you want to do. Maybe you're thinking, I wish I had more time to enjoy my hobbies. But sometimes it's just about finding small breaks in your schedule. Try to think of moments where you could easily fit in a short walk or spend 20 minutes working on a puzzle to unwind. In the last episode, we talked about managing stress, and hobbies can be a great way to manage stress.
That's why finding the right hobby can be such a great idea for you, whether it's something calming like gardening or something active like basketball. Doing what you enjoy can clear your mind. If you enjoy the activity, you're more likely to keep doing the activity. And who knows, one day you might even say, if I hadn't tried this, I'd still be looking for ways to feel less stressed.
For me, that is the same. I experience this when I go dancing. When I go dancing and I'm dancing with different partners and spinning them around and learning the new bachata moves, I forget about all of my problems, my work, everything. I am totally involved in the dancing process. I just get lost in the music, and I absolutely love it. It can be so relaxing.
Hobbies are a really fun way to spend time. They're a great way to relax, and they're a good way to even grow in new skills and step outside of your comfort zone. So, next time you have free time, try something different, or go back to a favorite activity that you haven't given enough time to.
If you'd like, share with me what hobbies help you feel your best, and let me know about any you've always wanted to try but haven't yet. Thanks for listening to today's episode of B1 English Talks. Remember, if you're ready to connect with me, feel free to reach out with your thoughts. Have a great day, and I'll see you next time.
