A recent study from activity holiday company Neilson has revealed that the average UK adult hasn’t tried a new active hobby in five and a half years, despite 80% feeling positive effects on their wellbeing when they do.
UK children, on the other hand, try a new activity every six months and whilst the time gaps between adults and children greatly differ, it transpires that all age groups feel similar emotions whenever they do get around to learning a new activity. The adults surveyed in the research said they felt excited (38%), proud (24%) and more confident (18%); massively comparable to the top three emotions children said they felt why they learnt a new sport (62% felt excited, 44% happy and 22% more confident).
But it’s not only new activities that improve our wellbeing. Picking up an activity we used to enjoy, or developing skills within an existing active hobby, can have equally beneficial effects. Adults said they felt excited (27%), proud (23%) and confident (21%) when they re-engaged or learnt a new skill within an existing hobby. Yet, almost two thirds of adults (64%) have given up the activities they enjoyed in childhood, and of those who have kept them up, they only develop a new skill every one and a half years.
The mental benefits of playing sports
Wellbeing consultant and founder of The Authentic Life Company Robert Hutchinson explains why we get such a rush of postivie emotions when we engage with a sport in a new way: “Physical exercise is crucial to the way we think and feel, and it can even reverse some of the effects of ageing on the brain.
Our Western world-view tends to see the mind and the body as separate, however recent research is showing that they are not, and are in fact one integrated and very sensitive system. Neuroscientists who study the brain are uncovering a riveting picture of the biological relationship between the body and the brain. Instead of seeing the brain as an independent blob of grey matter that runs the show, we now see the brain more like a muscle which needs to be exercised to keep it in good condition.
New experiences are a fundamental requirement for mental growth and the brain loves stimulation; it grows with use and it withers with inactivity.
Neuroplasticity is the ability of the brain to lay down new connections or even to re-structure itself completely differently. Recent research with seriously brain-damaged war veterans, has uncovered the brain’s incredible ability to re-wire itself and to re-learn. We used to think this ability to lay down totally new brain connections or to learn dropped off significantly into adulthood, however it turns out that age doesn’t have a significant effect on the brain’s ability to re-wire.”
Taking the leap
It can feel extremely hard to break an old routine and overcome the mental blocks and excuses we tell ourselves when we’re scared about trying new pursuits. Robert has provided five tips to help you get out of a mental rut and embrace learning a new activity:
- Don’t fall into the Catch 22 : The study shows that one of the main reasons for not trying a new active pursuit is that the participants lacked confidence about their fitness levels. This is a real Catch-22 because of course by practicing a sport you will become fitter, however it’s a genuine mental block for a lot of people. The problem here is self-comparison, comparing yourself unfavourably to others who may be fitter, younger or appear more confident. Most active hobbies have many different entry levels and age bands from beginner through to expert level, so the best answer to this block would be to find the right level to match your fitness and age. Avoid thinking about how you match-up to your fellow enthusiasts, remember that this is about you, not them.
- Be inspired by your family: Humans are very sociable by nature and highly influenced by the people closest to us at home and at work. In fact, the five people we spend the most time with have a significant effect on our thinking, behaviour and outlook. If we see the process of learning a new physical activity having a positive effect on someone close to us then that will inspire us to go after the same benefits.
- Make the most of holiday time: Research shows that the ability to learn a new sport does not diminish significantly with age so why does the gap between trying new things widen as we get older? It’s likely to come down to opportunity. Learning a new activity takes time to try it out and it then takes even more time to become proficient. One of the ways to overcome this is to start a new active pursuit on holiday when there is less pressure on your time. Going on holiday forces you to switch off your everyday autopilot and to be fully present in the moment. Being out of your familiar world physically creates the mental time and space to try something new, to exercise, to stimulate the brain away from the everyday pressures and commitments that might get in the way at home.
- Be mindful (without meditating): Instead of seeing the brain as an independent blob of grey matter that runs the show, we now understand that the brain functions more like a muscle; it needs to be exercised to keep it in good condition. New experiences are a fundamental requirement for mental growth and the brain loves stimulation; it grows with use and it withers with inactivity. The process of learning is great for concentration and focus, and learning a new sport naturally brings full focus into the present moment. You don’t need to think about being focused when you’re learning a new activity, you just focus automatically. There’s a huge amount of evidence to show that mindfulness reduces anxiety and stress and boosts mood and feelings of wellbeing. The state of full focus in the present moment while learning a new sport is a mindful state.
- Rekindle an old passion: We’ve given up on so many of the activities we used to enjoy as children, Neilson’s survey shows that almost two thirds of adults have given up the activities they enjoyed in childhood. However, rekindling an old passion such as netball, hockey or swimming is just as good as trying something brand new. Finding the thing you love doing the most helps you to confidently express who you are as a person and will lead to greater self-confidence as a result. You’ll also find you’re likely to join a new and appropriate group of like-minded individuals meaning you’re more likely to stick at it and continue to develop your skills and fitness doing something you love.
Anecdotal stories gathered as part of the research show that it’s normal to feel nervous or scared when you learn a new sport, but the rewards are well worth it:
- “I was dragged along to a skiing trip with some friends from work, but had never skied before. Using the chair lifts alone made me nervous, and the first few times coming down the slopes was very scary. However, I’m glad to say I absolutely love it now!”
- “I’m not a very good swimmer at all, but I took the leap, learnt to scuba dive and passed my exams. This lead to me scuba diving into the open sea from a rib boat and it was incredible. I was trembling at first but once I was at the bottom of the guide rope and saw all the fish and fauna, I was too busy being amazed about things to be scared”.
- “I had been looking to lose weight and came across a ladies only kickboxing class that was 5 minutes away from my house. I was really quite dubious when I first attended, however it was a really small down to Earth group and I had great fun. They encouraged me and gave me the confidence boost I needed”.
- “I had always wanted to learn archery but suffer with anxiety, so I finally took my kids with me as they love new things and activities. We all had a great time together as a family, and I got to learn something I had my eyes on for a long time”.
Following this research Neilson has created a ‘Do Your Thing’ hub, designed to inspire you to find your new activity and passion, before the next five years rolls around! Find out more https://www.neilson.co.uk/doyourthing