I’ve been wondering for a long time now: why do I like the things I like? There’s a lot to this question, since it comes down to so many personality traits. What people enjoy doing is a natural source of common ground between people.
I feel like most, if not all, interests stem from exposure and serendipity to a degree. I’ve been thinking about surfing more recently. Maybe if I’d grown up on the West Coast, I’d be more inclined to have surfing as a hobby. Unless someone exposes you to the sport and gives you space to try it out, you’re unlikely to try it independently. The more I think about it, almost all my more low‑key interests stem from being invited to do an activity. I bet there is some sort of human‑nature law that can help explain this. Regardless, yeah, hobbies are cool; they keep you interesting and help release neurotransmitters.
So what do I like to do?
- Hiking/Camping/Adventures
- Tennis
- Techno/Progressive House Music
- Exploration in general
- Art
What do I want to get into?
- Surfing
- Multi‑day hiking
What’s stopping me at the moment?
Probably just finding people who are also into this. It’s tricky to find people you share common ground with who also have the same interests. But with anything, it’s just an exposure issue, and I just need to increase my exposure to more people. The biggest realization is you have 100 % control over each day and what you do during your free time.