New Years resolutions are all fine and dandy, but they’re hard to stick with and implement if you’re too strict on yourself. These hobbies are things you can easily implement into your daily or weekly life stress-free and with no guilt if you miss a “session.” And, they are hobbies that will help you clear your head and spend your time more mindfully, so it’s a win-win!

1. Knitting / Crocheting

Knitting and crocheting are fun hobbies that are super useful. Not only can you create necessities for yourself, but you can create gifts for others on their birthday(s) and at holidays. A bonus of this hobby is that once you get the hang of it, knitting/crocheting is pretty mindless, and you can do it while listening to a podcast, watching your favorite show on Netflix, or even during a lecture if you’re someone who needs “distractions” to focus in class.

2. Walking / Hiking.

Sure, everyone in Bellingham and the whole Pacific Northwest say they love to hike in their free time — but how many of you actually do it? Instead of just throwing “love to hike” in your Tinder bio, get out there and explore. Walking around your city or hiking through the natural wonders in your city’s backyard is a great way to get your body moving, blood flowing, and it clears your head from any stress or events that may be cluttering it.

3. Journaling.

Whether you currently, or want to, keep a diary, bullet journal, or just a random journal — journaling is definitely a hobby or habit you should keep/add in the new year. Bullet journals are all-encompassing planners, you get to customize it to your liking and track things like daily mood, savings goals, and more. But, if creating your own planner as you go isn’t something that jives with you, you can still journal without the calendar aspect. Some other journaling ideas include daily writing prompts (you can find on Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest, and more), daily diary (how are you feeling? What happened today? Was it good? Bad?), and daily gratitude logs (1-2 sentences about what you’re grateful for that day). For more journal inspiration, check out Pinterest!

4. Learning A New Language.

Obviously knowing more than one language can come in handy in countless situations, so why not spend some time each day or week teaching yourself? There are countless websites, apps, and YouTube channels that will teach you the basics and help you track your progress. I like to use Duolingo and listen to music in the foreign language on Spotify to get my brain used to hearing the language.

5. Calligraphy.

Calligraphy may seem like a useless skill in the 21st century, but think again! Beautiful hand-lettering can be used for home-making greeting cards for your friends and family on birthdays and holidays. Fun or fancy calligraphy can be used to liven up your lecture notes or flashcards. And, the process of teaching yourself can be a fun and simple way to clear your head each day while focusing on the new skill. Check out Pinterest, Instagram, or even SkillShare to get started!