Why Ambitious Women Need a Hobby (and How to Find One You’ll Actually Love)
by Shannon Kate Murray, founder & editor of High Flying DesignSuccess isn’t just about scaling a business or hitting goals - it’s about how you feel while you do it. And for ambitious women building brands, teams, families and futures, it’s easy to forget:
You’re allowed to do things just because they bring you joy. You don’t need to monetise it. You don’t need to be good at it. You just need to let yourself love it.
Hobbies aren’t indulgent. They’re essential. Especially if you want to grow without burning out.
TL;DR: Why Do Ambitious Women Need Hobbies?
Hobbies help high-achieving women reduce stress, reconnect with themselves, and build identity beyond work. They’re proven to improve mood, lower cortisol, and even boost creativity in business.
If you want more peace, energy, and joy in your daily life - it might be time to find something that’s just for you.
The Hobby That Changed Everything for Me
For years, my life revolved around work.
Wake up. Work harder. Skip lunch. Push through.
I was chasing the version of success I thought I should want - but I was disconnected, tired, and uninspired.
Then came a global pause. The pandemic cracked something open in me. I left my job, launched High Flying Design, and finally joined the adult ice skating school I’d been eyeing for years.
Skating became my joy. My anchor. My reset. It reminded me that I don’t need to earn everything I do.
Joy can be a strategy. Hobbies can be healing. And choosing pleasure - not performance - can change everything.
Why Every Woman Needs a Hobby (Yes, Even You)
We talk about burnout and balance. But what if your exhaustion isn’t from doing too much...
It’s from doing too little of what lights you up.
Hobbies - from skating to collage to gardening - give you:
1. Less Stress, Less Screen Time
You spend hours replying, planning, reacting. Hobbies pull you offline and back into your body.
Skating turned into my weekly nervous system ritual. 6 hours a week. Phone off. Breath deep. Heart full. My sleep improved. I smiled more. I stopped grinding - and started feeling again.
Think of it as self-care with edge. Fun that actually restores you.
2. More Meaningful Friendships
Adult friendships can be tough. Hobbies introduce you to people who see you beyond your job title.
My skate circle? We don’t talk strategy. We talk toe loops and playlists. We laugh. We fall. We cheer each other on.
Real connection, no performance required.
3. Deeper Body Awareness + Confidence
Many women live from the neck up - stuck in to-do lists, disconnected from their bodies.
Movement-based hobbies like yoga, climbing or skating help you drop back in. Since hiring a coach, I’ve felt stronger, clearer, more alive - not just physically, but emotionally too.
You don’t need to be “fit.” Just curious about feeling more.
Best Hobbies for Women Who Want More from Life (and Less from Their Screens)
Creative: Journaling, painting, photography, collage
Movement: Skating, dance, yoga, hiking, swimming
Skill-based: Baking, sewing, puzzles, chess, DIY
Social: Book clubs, pottery classes, group walks
Mindful: Gardening, aromatherapy, slow fashion
Whatever you choose, it doesn’t have to make sense. It just has to make you feel something.
Hobby Essentials for a Joyful Reset:
Joy lives in the small things. Don’t underestimate the reset a £15 product can give you.
How to Find a Hobby That Actually Suits You
If you’re asking “What hobby should I start?” - start here.
1. Look to Your Past
What lit you up before life got noisy?
2. Follow the Tiny Pulls
What are you curious about - even if it feels random?
3. Try Once, Just for Fun
Go to one class. Watch one YouTube tutorial. Let it be play - not performance.
This Isn’t a Luxury. It’s Self-Leadership.
Your hobby isn’t “extra.”
It’s not silly. It’s not selfish.
It’s a reminder that you matter - outside your work, outside your brand.
Because the most magnetic women I know? They’re not just building businesses. They’re building lives that feel good to be in.
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