'Circle you' - offering you information about recreational activities

Recreation is a product of any activity which can be described to have fun and enjoyment from any kind of task either sports, music, travel, hobbies etc. Recreation is very important for our lives to keep us fresh and happy.

Circle You.com is a site offering information about recreational activities. Recreational activities naturally deal with recreation produced either from hobbies, leisure, travel or any relevant way.

More about 'Circle You':

This site helps you understand how recreational activities help in relaxation and contentment and also the need of recreation in your daily life. There is a necessity of making recreational activities a part of your daily routine to imbibe fresh spirit and gain strength and energy to lead a healthy and happy life. Make recreation a habit and strengthen the fabric of your life.

Currently they have these topics discussed at their site:
Music, Photography, Books, Electronics, Toys, Art & Crafts, Cooking, Literature, Sports, Internet, and Collecting

Site link: Circle You.com

Tips for saving money on Hobbies and Pastimes

Usually we forget to save money when we are concerned about our hobbies, leisures or recreation activities. I am also one of the hobbyists who are very passionate about their interests and don't think about saving money in this regard. But reality is that we can still save money by just estimating how much a hobby or leisure is providing us the joy or happiness and is the price we are paying for it is reasonable?

This article would help you realize how much extra cost we are paying for our hobbies? Tips offered in this post would be useful for all of us, who want to save money.



In a recent post of "The Simple Dollar" blogger says:

'Earlier this week I found an old credit card statement and spent some time evaluating what sorts of stupid things I spent my money on just a year ago. I decided to circle everything on the list that was directly related to a hobby and total each hobby up to see where it led.'

For the full article: Ever Looked At Your Credit Card Statement, Whistled, And Said “I Need To Find A Cheaper Hobby?”

Tips for Saving Money on Hobbies and Pastimes

* When you begin pursuing any sport or hobby, it can be difficult to decide where to spend your money. The initial temptation is to buy the best gear now. But I’ve learned from experience that the best gear is worthless if I’m not skilled enough to use it. Before you spend money on a new pastime, consider the following:

* Know your goals. What is your aim? What kinds of photographs do you wish to make? Or, if you’re looking to purchase a bike, what is your objective? Do you want to commute five miles back-and-forth to work? Do you want to train to ride one-hundred miles? Are you just looking for something to putter around on with the kids? Be realistic. Be honest. Use your answers to help guide your decision.

* Educate yourself. When I was starting out, I didn’t like the quality of my photographs, so I did what many people do: I threw money at the problem. I bought expensive filters and lenses. I bought Photoshop. None of these things helped. My images still looked lousy. What did help was spending $150 on a community college photography course. An amateur photographer is going to get a much better return for her money by taking a photography class (or three) than by purchasing a new lens.

* Practice, practice, practice. Too often people believe that the equipment is going to increase their skill at something — golf, photography, whatever — when actually it’s practice that will help them improve. There’s no sense buying an expensive driver if you can’t hit the ball straight off the tee. Once you’ve hit a few thousand balls (or snapped a few thousand photos), then you might begin thinking about how new equipment might further improve your strengths.

* Don’t take advice from a salesperson. Yes, she knows a lot about the subject, but in general, her primary goal is to sell things. She wants you to buy more. Instead, find a friend who can give you advice on the equipment you’re researching. Use Google. If you need advice, get it from somebody who doesn’t have a vested interest in your purchase. Once you’ve done your research, then ask for a salesperson’s help.

* Borrow from a friend. Kris’ sister thought she might want to learn how to knit. Rather than buying a bunch of equipment, Tiffany borrowed a few of Kris’ knitting needles to give it a try. She did take up the hobby, but by borrowing Kris’ stuff first, she was able to learn the ropes before shelling out her own money.

* Consider used equipment. Check Craigslist or eBay. Find a dealer of used equipment in your town. You can often find high-quality items for cheap if you’re patient and know what you’re looking for. A friend of mine recently saved 33% off a fancy heart-rate monitor simply because he was patient and willing to buy used.

* Rent! For many sports and hobbies, renting is a great way to get a taste of the high-end. How often do you scuba dive? Ski? Instead of buying equipment that will mostly sit unused, consider renting when you need it. This not only will save you space, but can actually be less expensive in the long run. Renting is also a good way to try before you buy.

* Beware a hobby or sport that is driven by purchasing more stuff. Some hobbies are simply sales pitches in disguise. I’ve written before about my own obsession with the card game Magic: The Gathering, a game specifically designed to get suckers people to spend more money. Kris was once into scrapbooking. She loved it, but she came to realize it was more about buying new Stuff than actually creating memories. Like many scrapbookers, her supplies now sit in the closet, unused.

* Fancy equipment is not a panacea. In most hobbies and sports, skill is more important. Good equipment can make your pastimes more pleasurable, but it’s difficult to know which equipment is worth the expense until you’ve gained some experience.

* My photography instructor used to tell us, “A professional photographer can produce amazing shots from a crappy disposable camera. But a $5,000 camera won’t help a beginner make better photos.” This idea isn’t just true with photography — it’s true with knitting and biking, and even with running, too.

Source : Get Rich Slowly

Hobbies and Recreation in 'Art Therapy' For Life Enhancing

It is obvious that art is a form of creativity and hobbies or recreation activities can enhance the quality of life. Importance of hobbies relating to art forms is proved by 'Art Therapy' for the development and enhancement of humans.

Let's learn what is "Art Therapy"?

Art therapy is a mental health profession that uses the creative process of art making to improve and enhance the physical, mental and emotional well-being of individuals of all ages. It is based on the belief that the creative process involved in artistic self-expression helps people to resolve conflicts and problems, develop interpersonal skills, manage behavior, reduce stress, increase self-esteem and self-awareness, and achieve insight.

Art therapy integrates the fields of human development, visual art (drawing, painting, sculpture, and other art forms), and the creative process with models of counseling and psychotherapy. Art therapy is used with children, adolescents, adults, older adults, groups, and families to assess and treat the following: anxiety, depression, and other mental and emotional problems and disorders; substance abuse and other addictions; family and relationship issues; abuse and domestic violence; social and emotional difficulties related to disability and illness; trauma and loss; physical, cognitive, and neurological problems; and psychosocial difficulties related to medical illness.

Art therapy programs are found in a number of settings including hospitals, clinics, public and community agencies, wellness centers, educational institutions, businesses, and private practices.

Art therapists are masters level professionals who hold a degree in art therapy or a related field. Educational requirements include: theories of art therapy, counseling, and psychotherapy; ethics and standards of practice; assessment and evaluation; individual, group, and family techniques; human and creative development; multicultural issues; research methods; and practicum experiences in clinical, community, and/or other settings. Art therapists are skilled in the application of a variety of art modalities (drawing, painting, sculpture, and other media) for assessment and treatment.

The American Art Therapy Association (AATA) is an organization of professionals dedicated to the belief that the creative process involved in art making is healing and life enhancing,
ABOUT ART THERAPY

Importance of Recreation and Leisure Activities In Our Lives

* A man can never be idle with safety and advantage until he has been so trained by work that he makes his freedom from times and tasks more fruitful than his toil has been. By~Hamilton Wright Mabie

* It is in his pleasure that a man really lives; it is from his leisure that he constructs the true fabric of self. By~Agnes Repplier


We all need recreation and leisure activities to bring some joy and fun in our lives. It is a fact that recreation provides relaxation to our minds and as a result we can participate in our daily routines with more energy.

According to a difinition by "Open Site" Free Internet Encyclopedia:

Recreation is the undertaking of activities in spare time not spent working and sleeping. Such activities usually offer a balance of relaxation from work and stimulation from relaxation.

Recreation involves pursuing personal interests and includes games, sports, video games, watching television and movies, listening to music and the radio or participating in outdoor activities such as tramping and fishing. Eating, although necessary to survive, has turned into a recreational activity, pursued in free time to gain personal satisfaction.

In developed societies weekends and holidays are usually devoted to recreation. People often travel during longer holidays or on periods taken off work called vacations.

Recreational activities may also be played professionally as an occupation, at which point they cease to be recreation. This is most notable in sports, where some sports people made be paid high salaries to play their sport.

Cultural activities are an integral part of leisure and recreation. People participate in cultural activities for a wide variety of reasons: for enjoyment and entertainment, for personal growth and development, as a means of expression, to learn new skills, to meet new people and to pass on cultural traditions.

Leisure time is a crucial component of a balanced and healthy lifestyle. It is a time when people can do what they want to, separate from work and other commitments

Participation in physical activity is a source of enjoyment and has positive benefits for people’s physical and mental health. It can also contribute to personal growth and development and is a good way to meet new people.

Leisure and recreation are both crucial components of a balanced and healthy lifestyle. Leisure time is a time when people can do what they want to do, away from work and other commitments.

Recreation and leisure play an important role in social wellbeing by providing people with a sense of identity and personal autonomy. Involvement in leisure-time activities adds meaning to individual and community life and contributes to people’s overall quality of life. Recreation can encourage personal growth and self-expression and provide increased learning opportunities, satisfying needs not met in people’s non-leisure time.

For many people, participation in leisure and recreation improves their physical and mental health. Recreation often involves a physical activity or sport. Research clearly shows increased physical activity can lead to fewer health problems and higher productivity at work, especially when combined with a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.

The benefits for mental health are equally important. Several studies have demonstrated links between regular physical activity and a reduction in the symptoms of mild or moderate depression, stress and anxiety. Passive leisure also has benefits for mental health, by providing an outlet for the mind. It may provide physical rest, tension release and opportunities to enjoy nature and escape from the daily routine.

Participation in leisure and recreation activities can also have social benefits. It creates opportunities for socialisation and contributes to social cohesion by allowing people to connect and network with others. It can also contribute to family bonding when families do things together in their leisure time.

How people feel about their leisure time and also what they do in their leisure time?

- satisfaction with leisure time,
- participation in physical activity and
- participation in cultural and arts activitie.

The first indicator is satisfaction with leisure time. This measures how people feel about both the quantity and quality of leisure time available to them.

The second indicator measures people’s participation in physical activity. It gives us a sense of how active New Zealanders are. Moderate physical activity can improve a number of health outcomes.

The final indicator measures people’s involvement in cultural and arts activities. Cultural activities contribute to individual growth and provide opportunities for social cohesion and passing on cultural traditions.
Desired outcome:

Everybody is satisfied with their participation in leisure and recreation activities. They have sufficient time to do what they want to do and can access an adequate range of opportunities for leisure and recreation.

Leisure and Recreation


Recreation Plays an Important Role in Cancer Management

Recreation and Leisure Activities play a vital role in our everyday lives.
Passive activities relax the nervous system and help reduce stress.
Recreation and Leisure Activities contribute to significant reductions in inner tensions, depressive thinking and sleep disturbances.

Source: Eastern health

Hobbies and their importance for women

Hobbies, leisures or recreation are not pastime activities but they help us keeping our mind relaxed and it effects our health also. Peter Lichtenberg, Ph.D., director of the Institute of Gerontology at Wayne State University says:

"Hobbies can engage you physically and mentally. People who have a hobby "are generally healthier. We also know they are at a lower risk for depression and dementia. The great value of hobbies is they're a way for people to stay engaged on multiple levels."

So hobbies are important for all, but it is very strange fact that we don't take women's hobbies very seriously. Women are supposed to engage themselves in daily life, work and home chores. But women also need recreation in the form of hobbies or pastimes activities. I read an article at "Lifescript" which is from "Samantha Rhodes". Article is very informative but I abstracted few benefits she has mentioned in it.

1- It allows a woman the chance to relieve stress and revitalize the mind and body. Whatever hobby you choose to learn and enjoy, remember that not only are you allowing your creativity to flourish but you are also improving your overall well-being.

2- A hobby is a chance to allow your creative side to thrive. We all have hidden talents within us and no one but ourselves can discover what it is. By trying out different crafts you are interested in learning, you will be more likely to discover your hidden creative treasure.

3- It allows you the chance to do something with your children, your spouse, or your friends. A hobby can bring you closer to someone, especially if you share the same passion and interest for a particular area. Children are great examples of why hobbies are important. Kids love to get elbow-deep in a craft project because it gives them the feeling of accomplishment.

4- Hobbies even make great gifts for friends and family because you are creating something unique and from the heart.

5- Hobbies can even save you a few dollars. As an example if sewing is your forte, you can make clothes for your children without having to fork out a load of cash for an outfit they will outgrow in a year.

Why Hobbies Are Beneficial For Women

Related post:

The role of hobbies in our lives

Recreation, hobbies and leisures providing refreshment to life

We often use the terms "hobby", "leisure", "recreation", and we know it very well that recreation, leisure or hobbies are an essential part of our lives, providing refreshment to us. Hobbies, leisures or recreational activities keep us occupied between work and family, and cultivating a good hobby have calming or helpful therapeutic side effects.

"Research has shown that recreation contributes to life satisfaction, quality of life, health and wellness, and that the use of recreation as a diversion may have clinical applications to individuals with chronic pain and other health impairments.

Recreation is essential to the longevity of human beings, especially because it helps counteract stress. According to research cited in Time magazine, stress is a major factor in many of the leading causes of death in the United States"

Do you know the difference between them these terms?

"Hobbies and leisures" have the similar meanings, as per their definitions.

"Leisure" - according to Wiki pedia:

"Leisure or free time, is a period of time spent out of work and essential domestic activity."
whereas "hobby" is defined as:

"A hobby is a spare-time recreational pursuit."

Here comes another words "recreation":

"Recreation or fun is the expenditure of time in a manner designed for therapeutic refreshment of one's body or mind. While leisure is more likely a form of entertainment or rest, recreation is active for the participant but in a refreshing and diverting manner."

To read more about the topic at "Wikipedia": recreation

Few links to the sites with leisure or recreation information:

- Leisure activity.co.uk experiences and researches all kinds of different leisure activities and then review them to give you an idea of each one. There are many fun and leisure ideas and suggestions according to occassion like for winter, for sunny days and fun for all family.

- A blog to share harder to find information about a variety of recreational topics and ideas. Recreation ease

Related post:

Benefits of hobbies and leisures