Truly Happy People Usually Have 6 Hobbies They Do When They Need A Lil' Dopamine Boost
PeopleImages | Shutterstock Even truly happy people need a little boost sometimes. That's basically what dopamine is. It's a neurotransmitter that's associated with motivation and reward. That's why dopamine-boosting hobbies are so important, because they make you happier emotionally and psychologically.
The 6 hobbies that truly happy people rely on for a dopamine boost:
1. Trying unique and fun exercise classes
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As Elle Woods said in "Legally Blonde," "Exercise gives you endorphins; endorphins make you happy; happy people just don't shoot their husbands." Woods was right, by the way. Brooke Windham did not, in fact, shoot her husband, but that's beside the point. What she was referencing is the fact that Windham is a fitness instructor complete with a DVD instruction set.
While Woods and Windham are fictional characters, exercise does genuinely boost your endorphins, which boosts your dopamine. What really gives happy people a boost is that they aren't just going to the gym and walking on the treadmill for an hour. Snoozefest, right? They are always trying something new. From goat yoga to circus trapeze classes, happy people don't think exercise should be boring.
2. Happy people often have plants they take care of
Gardening is a great hobby because it gives you a sense of purpose and accomplishment. Being able to grow your own fruits and vegetables and prepare meals with them is a huge plus of gardening for you and your wallet. And if you prefer indoor plants, sometimes just keeping them alive and watching them get bigger is just as satisfying.
Studies have also shown that gardening improves overall quality of life by reducing depression and anxiety symptoms. Plus, putting your hands in the dirt is literally the definition of touching grass. It keeps you grounded and off of social media.
3. Creating all kinds of art even when you aren't artistic
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Creating art, any kind of art, can be extremely rewarding and fulfilling. This is why many people take part in art therapy. Art therapy allows people to create art where words fail them so that they can express themselves fully.
Truly happy people don't stick with the things they're talented at, though. They let themselves be bad as long as they are letting their inner artist out. Singing karaoke or making really bad pottery counts. So does that trend when you paint your partner and only reveal it when you're both done.
A 2016 study even found that people who created art for two or more hours a week had "significantly better mental well-being" than those who didn't. That's exactly what people who are happy are trying to do when engaging in their dopamine-boosting hobbies.
4. Revisiting childhood hobbies like that ol' sticker collection
It seems to be a trend to heal your inner child, but it is genuinely important to know and heal them. Your inner child is the younger version of you that still lives inside of you. We all grow up, but inside, we're all still little kids.
Revisiting childhood hobbies is also a great way to get a dopamine boost. Have you ever been rummaging through old boxes in your basement and found your favorite childhood toy? It probably made you feel that same sense of wonder you did as a child.
Diana Van De Kreeke, a clinical neuropsychologist, noted, "Playfulness exposes us to positive experiences, which can be protective against negative feelings, like depression. It impacts our brain chemistry by making the happy chemicals more readily available, like dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins."
5. Happy people enjoy baking delicious treats and eating them
Baking is a science. A very rewarding and delicious science. Because baking is genuinely so specific about how much of each ingredient you put into your final piece, your dessert actually coming out good at the end can feel like a miracle.
A 2022 study found that baking was one of a few hobbies that lowered the odds of depressive symptoms in participants over the next two years by around 15-19%. Making something special, especially baking it because of how hard baking can be, is rewarding in and of itself, and the brain rewards you with dopamine.
6. Trying to finish the New York Times Sunday crossword puzzle
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Crossword puzzles can be challenging, and because of that, incredibly rewarding. We seek out challenges because we want to build resilience in our brains, and the feeling of finishing something difficult can't be beat (that feeling might just be the dopamine hitting, huh...).
A 2021 meta-analysis of multiple studies found that engaging in leisurely activities can improve your health in multiple ways. Additionally, a 2023 study found that, on average, people who engaged in hobbies boosted their well-being by 8% and dropped their stress and anxiety by 10%. You might not be able to get even one crossword clue from the Sunday Times, but that's part of the fun. And it's always a blast getting other people involved. You could start your own weekly crossword club!
Lyss Micalizzi is a writer covering human interest and pop culture, with a master’s in Literature and Culture, a bachelor’s in English Literary and Textual Studies, and over six years of writing and social media experience.
