I met Dr. Adel Al-Zayed a few years ago at one of the hotels on Hamra Street in Beirut over breakfast at around 8:30 AM. He told me that he had just returned from a diving trip that started at 6 AM, as it is a pleasant hobby he enjoys while traveling, where there is ample time and new places to explore.

We had a delightful conversation about his love for exploration and travel, whether on foot at times or by bicycle at others. It is a hobby associated with training, knowledge, reading, and culture, not merely intellectual luxury but rather a pursuit of scientific enrichment and broad horizons. That is why I find him full of confidence in what he says—how could he not be when he is a consultant in psychiatry whom the Faculty of Medicine at Kuwait University lost?

Practicing any hobby enhances an individual’s confidence and mental health, regardless of whether they are male or female, young or old, a scholar, an intellectual, or an ordinary person, wealthy, middle-class, or poor, religious or not. This is why we find that great leaders engage in their own hobbies according to their physical, mental, and motor abilities. For example, Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales and heir to the British throne, plays polo and enjoys painting; Russian President Vladimir Putin practices tennis and judo; former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak played squash; Sultan Abdul Hamid II enjoyed woodworking; and the late Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him, practiced falconry and fishing. Similarly, social figures such as Abdulaziz Al-Babtain were passionate about hunting and literature, while Sheikha Suad Al-Sabah loved literature and poetry, and so on.

We should promote this culture among our generations—it is better late than never. Let us encourage our children, both boys and girls, according to their interests and abilities. They should have more than one hobby, both at home and outdoors. A hobby is not limited to sports alone; in fact, I consider sports more of a key to maintaining general health rather than merely an entertaining hobby. There are many other hobbies, such as drawing, reading, writing, manual design, computer programming, farming, fishing, hunting, raising livestock, photography, videography, acting, public speaking, radio hosting, sewing, embroidery, cooking, cycling (both regular and motorized), various sports, car and machinery repair, and more. Some even reach a professional level in their hobbies, creating innovations and new ideas.

There are hobbies that can be practiced individually and others that are group-based, each with its own advantages, allowing knowledge exchange and collective enjoyment. Examples include motorcycle clubs, the "Wathiq" project for promoting values in schools, and recycling teams, among others. Scientifically, all these activities have been proven to enhance mental well-being, self-confidence, a sense of achievement, and resilience against failure, weakness, or dependency.

Therefore, state institutions should support such hobbies and facilitate their practice when needed, investment institutions should provide financial backing, and civil society organizations should offer moral and logistical support. Strengthening hobbies within a society reduces social and behavioral problems, particularly bullying.

Engage in a hobby that boosts your confidence and mental health, whatever it may be. Start now if you haven’t already—you will notice a significant difference in yourself and those around you. Do not succumb to discouragement, enjoy the experience, and remember to pray for me.

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Source: Al-Anbaa, 20/10/2020.

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