Loss of interest in long term hobby/interest..

[thefooloftheyear]

Just curious if anyone else had experienced this type of thing...

 

I have/had a hobby/passion for many years...During that time, I took it to a high level...I became somewhat immersed in it, to a point where I was considered something of a "guru" of sorts, that people would often come to and seek advice or just to be a part of, as I was always on the cutting edge of things, so to speak...

 

Well...over the last few years, the passion has left....People still seek me out, and I often get invites to events and such, but I always turn it down..I just really don't want to be a part of it anymore..

 

Most of the stuff I had accumulated during that time would make anyone interested green with envy, yet I couldn't care less anymore..It just lays around gathering dust, and even though I have tried, its just not working...

 

Last year I got an invite from a fellow hobbyist, who is also a business associate, that was really supposed to be an awesome time...In years past, this would have really got me pumped...I went, as I didn't want to insult the guy that invited me(it was all VIP treatment), but I really didn't have a good time, and couldn't wait to get home...I did put on a happy face, and did everything I could to not be the wet blanket..

 

I guess it just seems kinda odd, that after some 35+ years of being heavily involved with something, to just lose interest...I guess I could say its some form of depression, and maybe it is, but I really don't have too much to be depressed over at this time..I've lost contact with some friends over it, as they think either someone/something pissed me off, or some other negative shyt, and no one wants to be around someone that isn't at the same level of enthusiasm as they are...I can fully understand..

 

There was no notable event and there isn't anything wrong...Its just gone(or gradually going) away..

 

Anyway, Id be curious to hear general opinions and your own experiences, if they are similar..Did you just pull away and never look back, or did you just take a break, and became re-energized and jump back in??...It seems I am at a turning point on this...Not really sure what to do at this point, and while it doesn't really keep me up at night, I guess the hardest part is turning back on people you know and enjoyed company of, for no real apparent reason..

 

TFY

Edited March 11, 2017 by thefooloftheyear

[MrBojangles]

Yes. I am going through something very similar with a life long hobby. I am taking a break at this time, and have every intention of resuming in the near future. FWIW, I think taking a break from a hobby or activity that we are passionate about is normal, and necessary to prevent burnout sometime. In my case, I just can't enjoy myself at this time due to other things taking place in my life ATM.

 

Personally, I would not worry about taking a break, then seeing if you can re-ignite the passion and interest your once had. After an almost 1 year break, I find my desire building to get active in my hobby once again, in a big way.

[jay1983]

I used to be into music production. I started playing with a keyboard and recording early in highschool, a beat machine, then graduated to pro tools, learning how mix and master. In 2009 I took a loan and bought my own studio. It was a disaster, even when it was busy I barely made the rent. 3 months later, I took everything apart, sold it for 10 cents on the dollar, closed up shop going in the hole for an embarrassing amount of money.

 

I no longer make beats or do anything with music at all, it created some sort of phobia. Same thing with weed and video games, I wasted so much time doing that I have no interest in it anymore. I even bought a PS4 in Christmas of 2015 I played it for 30 mins and it just sits there collecting dust.

[Popsicle]

It's just time for a new hobby. What's wrong with that? I don't see anything wrong with developing hobbies, then running its course with them, then developing new ones. I'm all over the place with mine. Hobbies are highly personal and designed to make you and only you happy. Do what makes you happy!

[HanGoesSolo]

Yeah same thing with me a video games. Bought a new game one day and as I was playing it, I just felt like "man, I've done all this crap before." It's like it just hit me hard how repetitive it all was. So I started playing through old favorites, lost interest in new games. I felt like the old ones did it better. Then one day I just stopped playing. I don't even miss it. It's strange because I figured I would always play videogames. Then one day it just became boring and I had no desire left for it.

 

But it makes way for new passions and obsessions to grow. I'm now so hardcore into backpacking and hiking that I'm constantly thinking about gear, watching videos on gear reviews and other people's trips. Looking at places to backpack and planning routes. Downloading topo maps of wilderness areas and studying the terrain and estimating where good camp sites are and already exist. Purchased a food dehydrator and read up on recipes for dehydrated meals. I mean, just about anything to do with backpacking I'm in to pretty hard. Where it consumes a lot of my free time, practically all of it.

 

So did you pick up something else in it's place?

[Els]

I tend to come and go a lot - there's no way I would ever be able to stick with a hobby for 35 years, so kudos to you on that. I think the human mind naturally desires some sort of variety, a bit of a change to keep things fresh. And that's the beauty of hobbies - you can usually come and go as you please, which is why it can always remain fresh and exciting in your mind. Jobs/career on the other hand are a bit different.

 

I wouldn't be worried about depression if you can find interest in other things - can you?

[carhill]

Change is OK.

 

I've also noticed energy cycles change with age. I used to feel guilty when not maximizing use of every second but nowadays, nah, if it's curl up with a good read or sitting on the bank with a worm in the water, that's OK. Everything doesn't have to be go, go, go. I think losing interest in hobbies is fine. There is so much in life to explore and only so much interest and time to go around.

 

As example, I still get a kick out of working on and driving my old cars. If I looked out there and went meh, then I'd sell them and move on like I did with the racing stuff. Didn't have the interest anymore so bye bye. There's always someone else to pick up the torch.

[Mr Scorpio]

I've been playing guitar for about 25 years. I've spent thousands and thousands of hours practicing and hundreds of hours on single pieces. But every now and again it starts to feel like too much work. Too much monotony. Too much investment of time. And so I'll step away for months at a time (which I've done perhaps a half-dozen times in my life).

 

I always end up coming back. Guitar was/is "it" for me. I dare say anything that you devoted 30+ years to will bring you back eventually. Nothing wrong with taking a break though. Especially assuming it isn't something like bodybuilding or musical performance where you lose massive gains by walking away.

[thefooloftheyear]

Thanks for the replies...

 

Yes, its been kind of a tough decision...Not giving up the hobby, per se, but really giving up the social aspect of it...I really don't get out that much anymore with friends..I kind of miss that..These guys are all good people, but more often when we'd get together with the hobby, they'd spend the off time getting liquored up...Nothing wrong with it, those guys are hard workers and just want to release, but as a non drinker it got a bit odd...I always felt like an outsider...and didn't share in the revelry..so to speak..

 

I think I am gonna hang onto my stuff for a while and see what happens...This way if I want back in, I can do it easily...

 

I have had a lot of interesting hobbies over the years...They all had some impact on my life..Right now I have a friend that is heavily into Falconry...This is right up my alley...We've gone out with the bird a few times and its really an amazing thing to watch..And you get to spend time outdoors, which I enjoy..There isn't much of a social aspect to it, though..They have meetings and conventions now and then, but its a sport that really isn't social..

 

I'd be interested in something that forces me to get out and get together with people of like interests and goals....I was thinking of a few different things..Perhaps an investment club that meets regularly as I do enjoy that..

 

I wish my daughter was a bit older...At her age now(14), she doesn't want too much to do with me..Id get a thrill out of starting some small company with her and teaching her all I have learned over the years...I've talked to her about it, and she seems interested, but its too early to know if even that type of thing is what she'd really be interested in...

 

Opinions welcome and thanks again..

 

TFY

[thefooloftheyear]

I've been playing guitar for about 25 years. I've spent thousands and thousands of hours practicing and hundreds of hours on single pieces. But every now and again it starts to feel like too much work. Too much monotony. Too much investment of time. And so I'll step away for months at a time (which I've done perhaps a half-dozen times in my life).

 

I always end up coming back. Guitar was/is "it" for me. I dare say anything that you devoted 30+ years to will bring you back eventually. Nothing wrong with taking a break though. Especially assuming it isn't something like bodybuilding or musical performance where you lose massive gains by walking away.

 

 

interesting...

 

I was once accomplished in music as a kid.,..But it conflicted with the sports I did in HS, so I dropped it...My family was crushed..At that time, I observed that the hotter girls were more into the jocks than the musicians, so that's why I dumped it...Made sense at the time, but its one of my many regrets..

 

I'd love nothing better to be a musician and have some weekend gigs in local joints..That would be awesome and a lot of fun...One of my buddies does this(hes an attorney by day, btw)...He loves it...

 

TFY

[Mr Scorpio]

I'd love nothing better to be a musician and have some weekend gigs in local joints..That would be awesome and a lot of fun...One of my buddies does this(hes an attorney by day, btw)...He loves it...

 

I would highly recommend that (though I'm obviously biased). It is a great hobby. You get out what you put in. It will also help to keep you mentally sharp into your older years. You could be to the point of gigging within a year if you are very diligent. Plus, your prior musical experience will be a huge asset regardless of what instrument you played before and play now.

[misspond]

I've recently experienced something similar with two hobbies, both of which gave me great pleasure when I was immersed in them. One was a type of dance and the other was jewellery making. I gave up the dance two years ago and feel relieved in a way, I just wasn't feeling the former passion that I had had for it and being asked to attend events and perform became too stressful. The second, the jewellery making (and I guess general crafting) has fallen by the wayside as the children have gotten older and spend more of their time with me in the evenings and to some extent I think I felt I had no mojo left.

 

The idea that this might be connected to some kind of depression has occurred to me too - I do feel that there's a part of me that's missing by not being creative, but I just can't summon the energy to pick up my supplies and tools and just play. To help my headspace I got rid of excess supplies, things that had never inspired me nor were ever going to, but I do have enough things left to be able to pick it back up without having to spend money if the muse calls. I'd like to get back into making things again sometime as I find that once I get started my brain fires up and starts to run with ideas.

 

I do still have a massive stash of costumes I should sell, but I can't quite bring myself to sell them or pass them on.

 

For now I'll concentrate on the everyday things of life; work and the kids and just the day to day living, but I do feel a little sad that I can't pull out of myself any desire to play.