When A Person Loses Their Sense Of Joy, These 11 Hobbies Go First
PeopleImages | Shutterstock While seeking out, expressing, and even losing joy in your everyday life are incredibly nuanced topics, according to a 2025 study, people tend to miss out on the happy feelings when they cultivate a negative mindset. They're pessimistic, quick about leaning on drama, and often sacrifice their healthy routines for a sense of fleeting comfort that keeps them stuck in this cycle of negative, unhappy energy.
So, while hobbies can boost personal well-being and happiness, according to Harvard Health experts, they're one of the first "non-necessities" to go when someone's grappling with a loss of joy or the presence of negativity. When a person loses their sense of joy, it's these hobbies that go first, even if it's subtle for everyone else.
When a person loses their sense of joy, these 11 hobbies go first
1. Making spontaneous plans with friends
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If someone is missing out on social connection, chances are they're also missing out on joy. According to a study from the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, our subjective well-being is largely influenced by the quality of our social lives and relationships.
So, if a person loses their sense of joy, it's likely tied up in their connections, relationships, and social interactions, even if there are other personal, solitary hobbies that also worsen in the face of this negative energy.
2. Reading
Alongside a loss of empathy and mindfulness that typically come from reading on a regular basis, if someone loses their sense of joy in life, they're also probably avoiding alone time altogether. They're lonely, disconnected, and swarming with negative energy, but the quiet time and restfulness that reading often encourages is still scary.
Their emotional turmoil is enough to turn them away from this quiet, scary, anxiety-ridden solitude and the hobbies that come along with it.
3. Listening to music
Listening to music tends to boost our mood and well-being, which is part of the reason why it's a popular casual hobby for people in stressful lifestyles, and is even used as a form of therapy for deeper struggles and trauma.
However, when a person loses their sense of joy, this hobby goes first. Not only are they missing out on the joys of listening to music on an everyday basis, but they're also struggling to avoid feelings of nostalgia and depression that come from music that's too "spot on."
4. Creative writing or journaling
According to a Nursing Open study, people who regularly indulge in positive writing hobbies are largely more joyful than those who don't. Not only does it provide space for them to appreciate life and reflect on their own behaviors, but it also has the power to boost mood through mindfulness and intentional alone time.
Even if it's regularly overlooked, especially in conversations of mental health, solitude can be incredibly healthy for boosting mood, well-being, and joy.
5. Cooking at home
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On top of the mental health and stress-relieving benefits that the "flow" of cooking for yourself at home often cultivates, it also can boost personal well-being on a physical and nutritional level. When a person loses their sense of joy, it can be tied up in their physical well-being and how well their body is being actively nourished, even if we often overlook these causes.
So, if someone isn't cooking for themselves but relying on fast, convenient, and overly processed foods to eat, they're likely less happy because of it.
6. Taking care of plants
When plants die in someone's home, it's often a sign of neglect. So, it's no surprise that this is one of the hobbies that seeps away from someone's life when they're unhappy or feeling depressed. They can barely take care of themselves and their own minds, let alone another living creature that needs a lot of care and attention to thrive.
Dead plants are one of the things deeply unhappy people always have in their homes, even if it seems like a subtle, unsuspecting harm to their feng shui.
7. Watching new media
Whether it's a new movie in the theater or a new show streaming on their TV, when a person loses their sense of joy, hobbies like watching new media go first. Not only are they often more reliant on their "comfort shows" for a fleeting sense of control and predictability, but they also avoid newness to protect their inner uncertainty.
If they're struggling to regulate their emotions in other areas of life and boost their mood, they need second options and alternatives — like a comfort movie or show — to assist.
8. Playing board games
According to a Cureus study, people who play board games are not only more intelligent and satisfied with life, but they also boast a higher sense of personal well-being and health. Even if they seem unsuspecting, they teach people a ton of healthy skills, from problem-solving to empathy, under "stressful" conditions.
However, when a person loses their sense of joy and excitement about life, these hobbies go first.
9. Volunteering
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Even if it takes a layer of motivation and emotional regulation that many lack, volunteering and helping people are both associated with higher levels of happiness. People who appreciate being helpful to others and lending a hand without expecting anything in return are happier and healthier because of their altruism.
So, when a person loses their sense of joy, it's not just because they're disconnected from social connections and healthy rituals — it could also be because they're not helping people and bonding on that deeper level.
10. Celebrations
Whether it's getting out of the house to celebrate with their friends or making time to celebrate small accomplishments in their own daily lives, when a person loses their sense of joy, these hobbies go first. They're not only missing out on the joy and appreciation that come from little celebrations and moments of self-love, but also all the social connection that comes from sharing these positive feelings with others.
So, if someone is less joyful, it could be because they're missing out on moments of connection and celebration.
11. Collecting things
The hobby of collecting things and nurturing them as sentimental objects often becomes less common as people struggle with joy and well-being. These moments have less emotional certainty and strength because they're dimmed by uncertainty, fear, and emotional turmoil.
If someone no longer finds relief and meaning in these hobbies, they become less motivated to make time for them.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor's degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
