Looking for a hobby?

Maybe you are looking for something to get excited about, or maybe you are looking for a new group of friends. Here are seven ideas to explore. Even if you don’t feel a connection to any these suggestions, they just might inspire you to try something you haven’t done before.

If you feel drawn to nature, bird watching might appeal to you. Set up bird feeders and bird houses. Get a couple of bird guides to learn the names of the species found in your area. Grab a camera and a pair of binoculars. You might even combine it with our recommendation #2, and start a Bird Watching journal!

Need a little push? Visit Audubon Society website. You can get a membership, or not. Sign up for a magazine, or wait. However, even a quick glimpse at the beautiful pictures should give you enough of a nudge to pursue a new hobby.

There is a lot more to journaling than you may realize. Personal Journaling is just one type of the craft, and it does not have to be a chore. Grab color pencils and scrapbooking supplies at the store, and start creating. Book Journals, Garden Journals, Dream Journals can become a fascinating record of various aspects of your life.

Need a little push? Find more tips and ideas on journaling by reading this article.

Always wanted to learn how to knit and crochet? Find a local knitting club (check at your local crafts store or Craigslist), and jump right in. You are likely to discover a group of laidback people who will help you learn how to make beautiful things and will keep you motivated to complete one project after another. We are social creatures, and combining a hobby with a pleasant company can be fun.

Need a little push? Visit a local yarn store. You are bound to be smitten with the smells and textures around you. Before you know it, you'll be asking questions and buying needles.

Choose a specific goal: do you want to master pastries? French dishes? seafood dishes? Then set one night aside to try one new recipe a week. I find that combination of books borrowed and on-line resources can help compiling a number of fool-proof recipes. Go to the library and check out a few titles that cover the cuisine you’d like to learn more about. Make a list of basic reoccurring spices and ingredients. Find images and recipes that appeal to you, and then go on line, and search the titles of the recipes that you have selected. Websites like Allrecipes.com provide honest feedback on what works and what doesn’t. Hundreds of people rate the dish they’ve tried and make recommendations for improvements. If you choose high-ranked recipes, you are more likely to succeed and keep going.

Need a little push? When I decided I wanted to learn a number of Indian dishes, I found this recipe of naan bread, and it has never failed me. No matter how much I make, the entire pile of warm breads is gone within 24 hours.

Everyone has an idea for a book. Everyone. However, only those who sit down and actually write have a chance at publishing books. Maybe it’s an autobiographical novel, maybe it’s a fantasy set in a magical world, maybe it’s a simple collection of short stories about a nurse working night shifts. Whatever your idea may be, put it on paper. Schedule a weekly date with Microsoft Word and tell your story to the world.

Need a little push? Visit this forum dedicated to people at various stages of writing and publishing. Get your questions answered on how to organize your manuscript, how to resolve a problem with a character, get tips on what not to do, and simply connect with likeminded folks who call themselves writers.

Share your skills and time with someone who needs it. Maybe a hippotherapy farm needs extra hands to lead horses during therapy sessions, or an elementary school nearby needs someone helping out at the library and running copies. Someone always needs help.

Need a little push? Stop by at a local Pet Shelter. Just spending 10 minutes in certain places will be enough of an inspiration for most people.

How about learning about another culture from a PenPal? Expand your horizons by making friends from all around the world. No commitment, no pressure, just share a conversation and your own language and culture. Put as much time or as little as you'd like. SnailMail or E-Mail, take you pick.

Need a little push? Visit this network of people who are pursuing the same goal to gather some inspiration.

Don't be afraid to try something new. You will have nothing to lose, but quite possibly will gain a new hobby.