If I tell you there’s someone in this world right now planning to ditch that one weekend party to enjoy watching their sourdough rise. This someone is around 26 years old and they want to change something in their life. It could be the fast paced environment of the modern society or even a break from brightly lit screens.
Why have these slow trends made a comeback?
A few years ago if you said ‘I love knitting’ chances are it would’ve meant the same as ‘I collect stamps’ to others. But now the conversation follows, “Really?!” “Yes!” “OMG, show me, and can I get a beanie made?”
The choice is deliberate, not a trend
Slow paced hobbies like gardening, knitting, crocheting, bread making and such have not been revived purely out of luck. Some people genuinely feel drawn to them for their slow pace, relaxing process, satisfaction after the process and patience. These are the virtue people have been feeling attracted to with these hobbies.
The fuel giving rise to this comeback
The civilised society today fuels itself through the fast paced environment. Everything from transportation to corporate deadlines are ‘Make it quick please.’ But a genuine question remains, why? Through the rapid expansion of internet and technology, our lives have been made comfortable, leaving small room for processes and movements that do not fit in the dopamine bar.
Are we actually taking a break, as we are now?
Today, taking a break from everything is ‘binge watching’ on streaming platforms or just your favourite internet stuff online. There’s nothing wrong with it, but our brain is never at rest in this process. We’re still stuck at some kind of screen.
Coming out of a Loop
This is the realization that has fueled the young adults to approach something that truly breaks this loop. These old-fashioned hobbies are a perfect remedy to the screen-struck society and people who want to leave it.
Meditation in the form of Hobbies
The reason these hobbies hit is because they do not give you immediate results, you have to walk towards it, every loop in crocheting leads to a pattern, each pattern is forming a large shape, each shape is being connected, each connection leads closer to the final result. During this process, you’re not looking at the result anymore, you’re going with the flow and tackling real-life problems whenever arising.
A Peace Lily who needs peace (and water)
I bought a plant almost 1 and half years ago, before last year’s winters. It was a peace lily, first ever flowering plant I had bought. My apartment barely has lights coming through and yet, it sits there looking pretty everyday. I was promised that it will flower the following winter yet more than a year has passed and it still hasn’t flowered. But even if it never does, I’ll keep watering, repotting and adding fertilisers whenever needed.
Why get involved in old-fashioned hobbies?
These hobbies teach a very important lesson, patience and enjoying the process. Sometimes, the key to achieving success is to enjoy the process so much that you forget about the goal you started with. And when you reach your goal eventually, you’re left with a valuable road down to it that you built yourself. Success.
My adaptation to this wave
I didn’t even water my peace lily for like 8 or so months and kept forgetting. My family helped me keep it alive. These habits are never going to be smooth and will always have bumps along the way, sometimes you give up and sometimes you’re tired, but you still enjoy it whenever you get back to it.
Grandma, you’re the best
So you see, grandma wasn’t just passing time. She was building strong bonds, perceiving life through different lenses, meditating, and growing herself. How about we try it ourselves and promote it as well? Who’s gonna care about being friends when we’re sitting together counting how many stitches we’re in.
