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Civilian control of the militaryFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJump to navigation Jump to searchPart of the Politics seriesBasic forms of governmentPower structureSeparationAssociated stateDominionChiefdomFederalismFederationConfederationDevolutionIntegrationEmpireHegemonyUnitary stateAdministrative divisionPower sourceDemocracy(power of many)DirectRepresentativeLiberalSocialDemarchyOthersOligarchy(power of few)AnocracyAristocracyPlutocracyKleptocracyKakistocracyKraterocracyStratocracySynarchyTimocracyMeritocracyTechnocracyGeniocracyGerontocracyNoocracyKritarchyParticracyErgatocracyNetocracyCapitalist stateSocialist stateTheocracyAutocracy(power of one)DespotismDictatorshipMilitary dictatorshipTyrannyAnarchism(power of none)AnarchyFree associationStatelessPower ideologyMonarchy vs. republic(socio-political ideologies)AbsoluteLegalistConstitutionalParliamentaryDirectorialSemi-presidentialPresidentialAuthoritarian vs. libertarian(socio-economic ideologies)TribalismDespotismFeudalismColonialismDistributismAnarchismSocialismCommunismTotalitarianismGlobal vs. local(geo-cultural ideologies)CommuneCity-stateNational governmentIntergovernmental organisationWorld governmentPolitics portalvtePart of a series onWarHistory[show]Battlespace[show]Weapons[show]Tactics[show]Operational[show]Strategy[show]Grand strategy[show]Organization[show]Personnel[show]Logistics[show]Related[show]Lists[show]vteCivilian control of the military is a doctrine in military and political science that places ultimate responsibility for a country's strategic decision-making in the hands of the civilian political leadership, rather than professional military officers. The reverse situation, where professional military officers control national politics, is called a military dictatorship. A lack of control over the military may result in a state within a state. One author, paraphrasing Samuel P. Huntington's writings in The Soldier and the State, has summarized the civilian control ideal as "the proper subordination of a competent, professional military to the ends of policy as determined by civilian authority".[1]Civilian control is often seen as a prerequisite feature of a stable liberal democracy. Use of the term in scholarly analyses tends to take place in the context of a democracy governed by elected officials, though the subordination of the military to political control is not unique to these societies. One example is the People's Republic of China. Mao Zedong stated that "Our principle is that the Party commands the gun, and the gun must never be allowed to command the Party," reflecting the primacy of the Communist Party of China (and communist parties in general) as decision-makers in Marxist–Leninist and Maoist theories of democratic centralism.[2]As noted by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill professor Richard H. Kohn, "civilian control is not a fact but a process".[3]Affirmations of respect for the values of civilian control notwithstanding, the actual level of control sought or achieved by the civilian leadership may vary greatly in practice, from a statement of broad policy goals that military commanders are expected to translate into operational plans, to the direct selection of specific targets for attack on the part of governing politicians. National Leaders with limited experience in military matters often have little choice but to rely on the advice of professional military commanders trained in the art and science of warfare to inform the limits of policy; in such cases, the military establishment may enter the bureaucratic arena to advocate for or against a particular course of action, shaping the policy-making process and blurring any clear cut lines of civilian control.Contents1 Rationales 1.1 Liberal theory and the American Founding Fathers 1.2 Domestic law enforcement 1.3 Maoist approach2 Methods of asserting civilian control 2.1 A civilian commander-in-chief 2.2 Composition of the military 2.3 Technological developments 2.4 Restrictions on Political Activities 2.5 Political officers3 Military dislike of political directives 3.1 Case study: United States4 Extent5 See also6 References7 Further readingRationalesAdmiral John B. Nathman (far right) and Admiral William J. Fallon salute during honors arrival of Secretary of the Navy Gordon R. England at a change of command ceremony in 2005. A subordinate of the civilian Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the Navy is the civilian Head of the Department of the Navy, which includes the U.S. Navy and the Marine Corps.Advocates of civilian control generally take a Clausewitzian view of war, emphasizing its political character.[citation needed]The words of Georges Clemenceau, "War is too serious a matter to entrust to military men" (also frequently rendered as "War is too important to be left to the generals"), wryly reflect this view. Given that broad strategic decisions, such as the decision to declare a war, start an invasion, or end a conflict, have a major impact on the citizens of the country, they are seen by civilian control advocates as best guided by the will of the people (as expressed by their political representatives), rather than left solely to an elite group of tactical experts. The military serves as a special government agency, which is supposed to implement, rather than formulate, policies that require the use of certain types of physical force. Kohn succinctly summarizes this view when he writes that:The point of civilian control is to make security subordinate to the larger purposes of a nation, rather than the other way around. The purpose of the military is to defend society, not to define it.[3]A state's effective use of force is an issue of great concern for all national leaders, who must rely on the military to supply this aspect of their authority. The danger of granting military leaders full autonomy or sovereignty is that they may ignore or supplant the democratic decision-making process, and use physical force, or the threat of physical force, to achieve their preferred outcomes; in the worst cases, this may lead to a coup or military dictatorship. A related danger is the use of the military to crush domestic political opposition through intimidation or sheer physical force, interfering with the ability to have free and fair elections, a key part of the democratic process. This poses the paradox that "because we fear others we create an institution of violence to protect us, but then we fear the very institution we created for protection".[4]Also, military personnel, because of the nature of their job, are much more willing to use force to settle disputes than civilians because they are trained military personnel that specialize strictly in warfare. The military is authoritative and hierarchical, rarely allowing discussion and prohibiting dissention.[5]For instance, in the Empire of Japan, prime ministers and almost everyone in high positions were military people like Hideki Tojo, and advocated and basically pressured the leaders to start military conflicts against China and others because they believed that they would ultimately be victorious.Liberal theory and the American Founding FathersMany of the Founding Fathers of the United States were suspicious of standing militaries. As Samuel Adams wrote in 1768, "Even when there is a necessity of the military power, within a land, a wise and prudent people will always have a watchful and jealous eye over it".[6]Even more forceful are the words of Elbridge Gerry, a delegate to the American Constitutional Convention, who wrote that "[s]tanding armies in time of peace are inconsistent with the principles of republican Governments, dangerous to the liberties of a free people, and generally converted into destructive engines for establishing despotism."[6]In Federalist No. 8, one of The Federalist papers documenting the ideas of some of the Founding Fathers, Alexander Hamilton expressed concern that maintaining a large standing army would be a dangerous and expensive undertaking. In his principal argument for the ratification of the proposed constitution, he argued that only by maintaining a strong union could the new country avoid such a pitfall. Using the European experience as a negative example and the British experience as a positive one, he presented the idea of a strong nation protected by a navy with no need of a standing army. The implication was that control of a large military force is, at best, difficult and expensive, and at worst invites war and division. He foresaw the necessity of creating a civilian government that kept the military at a distance.James Madison, another writer of many of The Federalist papers,[7]expressed his concern about a standing military in comments before the Constitutional Convention in June 1787:In time of actual war, great discretionary powers are constantly given to the Executive Magistrate. Constant apprehension of War, has the same tendency to render the head too large for the body. A standing military force, with an overgrown Executive, will not long be safe companions to liberty. The means of defense against foreign danger, have been always the instruments of tyranny at home. Among the Romans it was a standing maxim to excite a war, whenever a revolt was apprehended. Throughout all Europe, the armies kept up under the pretext of defending, have enslaved the people.[8]The United States Constitution placed considerable limitations on the legislature. Coming from a tradition of legislative superiority in government, many were concerned that the proposed Constitution would place so many limitations on the legislature that it would become impossible for such a body to prevent an executive from starting a war. Hamilton argued in Federalist No. 26 that it would be equally as bad for a legislature to be unfettered by any other agency and that restraints would actually be more likely to preserve liberty. James Madison, in Federalist No. 47, continued Hamilton’s argument that distributing powers among the various branches of government would prevent any one group from gaining so much power as to become unassailable. In Federalist No. 48, however, Madison warned that while the separation of powers is important, the departments must not be so far separated as to have no ability to control the others.Finally, in Federalist No. 51, Madison argued that to create a government that relied primarily on the good nature of the incumbent to ensure proper government was folly. Institutions must be in place to check incompetent or malevolent leaders. Most importantly, no single branch of government ought to have control over any single aspect of governing. Thus, all three branches of government must have some control over the military, and the system of checks and balances maintained among the other branches would serve to help control the military.Hamilton and Madison thus had two major concerns: (1) the detrimental effect on liberty and democracy of a large standing army and (2) the ability of an unchecked legislature or executive to take the country to war precipitously. These concerns drove American military policy for the first century and a half of the country’s existence. While armed forces were built up during wartime, the pattern after every war up to and including World War II was to demobilize quickly and return to something approaching pre-war force levels. However, with the advent of the Cold War in the 1950s, the need to create and maintain a sizable peacetime military force "engendered new concerns" of militarism and about how such a large force would affect civil–military relations in the United States.[9]Domestic law enforcementThis section needs expansion.You can help by adding to it.(February 2010)The United States' Posse Comitatus Act, passed in 1878, prohibits any part of the Army or the Air Force (since the U.S. Air Force evolved from the U.S. Army) from engaging in domestic law enforcement activities unless they do so pursuant to lawful authority. Similar prohibitions apply to the Navy and Marine Corps by service regulation, since the actual Posse Comitatus Act does not apply to them. The Coast Guard is exempt from Posse Comitatus since it normally operates under the Department of Homeland Security versus the Department of Defense and enforces U.S. laws, even when operating as a service with the U.S. Navy.The act is often misunderstood to prohibit any use of federal military forces in law enforcement, but this is not the case. For example, the President has explicit authority under the Constitution and federal law to use federal forces or federalized militias to enforce the laws of the United States. The act's primary purpose is to prevent local law enforcement officials from utilizing federal forces in this way by forming a "posse" consisting of federal Soldiers or Airmen.[10]There are, however, practical political concerns in the United States that make the use of federal military forces less desirable for use in domestic law enforcement. Under the U.S. Constitution, law and order is primarily a matter of state concern. As a practical matter, when military forces are necessary to maintain domestic order and enforce the laws, state militia forces under state control i.e., that state's Army National Guard and/or Air National Guard are usually the force of first resort, followed by federalized state militia forces i.e., the Army National Guard and/or Air National Guard "federalized" as part of the U.S. Army and/or U.S. Air Force, with active federal forces (to include "federal" reserve component forces other than the National Guard) being the least politically palatable option.Maoist approachMaoist military-political theories of people's war and democratic centralism also support the subordination of military forces to the directives of the communist party (although the guerrilla experience of many early leading Communist Party of China figures may make their status as civilians somewhat ambiguous). In a 1929 essay On Correcting Mistaken Ideas in the Party, Mao explicitly refuted "comrades [who] regard military affairs and politics as opposed to each other and [who] refuse to recognize that military affairs are only one means of accomplishing political tasks", prescribing increased scrutiny of the People's Liberation Army by the Party and greater political training of officers and enlistees as a means of reducing military autonomy[11]. In Mao's theory, the military—which serves both as a symbol of the revolution and an instrument of the dictatorship of the proletariat—is not merely expected to defer to the direction of the ruling non-uniformed Party members (who today exercise control in the People's Republic of China through the Central Military Commission), but also to actively participate in the revolutionary political campaigns of the Maoist era.Methods of asserting civilian controlAn immensely popular hero of World War II, General Douglas MacArthur's public insistence on the need to expand the Korean War, over the objections of President Harry S. Truman, led to the termination of his command.Civilian leaders cannot usually hope to challenge their militaries by means of force, and thus must guard against any potential usurpation of powers through a combination of policies, laws, and the inculcation of the values of civilian control in their armed services. The presence of a distinct civilian police force, militia, or other paramilitary group may mitigate to an extent the disproportionate strength that a country's military possesses; civilian gun ownership has also been justified on the grounds that it prevents potential abuses of power by authorities (military or otherwise). Opponents of gun control have cited the need for a balance of power in order to enforce the civilian control of the military.A civilian commander-in-chiefThe establishment of a civilian head of state, head of government or other government figure as the military's commander-in-chief within the chain of command is one legal construct for the propagation of civilian control.In the United States, Article I of the Constitution gives the Congress the power to declare war (in the War Powers Clause), while Article II of the Constitution establishes the President as the commander-in-chief. Ambiguity over when the President could take military action without declaring war resulted in the War Powers Resolution of 1973.American presidents have used the power to dismiss high-ranking officers as a means to assert policy and strategic control. Three examples include Abraham Lincoln's dismissal of George McClellan in the American Civil War when McClellan failed to pursue the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia following the Battle of Antietam, Harry S. Truman relieving Douglas MacArthur of command in the Korean War after MacArthur repeatedly contradicted the Truman administration's stated policies on the war's conduct, and Barack Obama's acceptance of Stanley McChrystal's resignation in the War in Afghanistan after a Rolling Stone article was published where he mocked several members of the Obama administration, including Vice President Joe Biden.Composition of the militaryDiffering opinions exist as to the desirability of distinguishing the military as a body separate from the larger society. In The Soldier and the State, Huntington argued for what he termed "objective civilian control", "focus[ing] on a politically neutral, autonomous, and professional officer corps".[1]This autonomous professionalism, it is argued, best inculcates an esprit de corps and sense of distinct military corporateness that prevents political interference by sworn servicemen and -women. Conversely, the tradition of the citizen-soldier holds that "civilianizing" the military is the best means of preserving the loyalty of the armed forces towards civilian authorities, by preventing the development of an independent "caste" of warriors that might see itself as existing fundamentally apart from the rest of society. In the early history of the United States, according to Michael Cairo,[the] principle of civilian control... embodied the idea that every qualified citizen was responsible for the defense of the nation and the defense of liberty, and would go to war, if necessary. Combined with the idea that the military was to embody democratic principles and encourage citizen participation, the only military force suitable to the Founders was a citizen militia, which minimized divisions between officers and the enlisted.[6]In a less egalitarian practice, societies may also blur the line between "civilian" and "military" leadership by making direct appointments of non-professionals (frequently social elites benefitting from patronage or nepotism) to an officer rank. A more invasive method, most famously practiced in the Soviet Union and People's Republic of China, involves active monitoring of the officer corps through the appointment of political commissars, posted parallel to the uniformed chain of command and tasked with ensuring that national policies are carried out by the armed forces. The regular rotation of soldiers through a variety of different postings is another effective tool for reducing military autonomy, by limiting the potential for soldiers' attachment to any one particular military unit. Some governments place responsibility for approving promotions or officer candidacies with the civilian government, requiring some degree of deference on the part of officers seeking advancement through the ranks.Technological developmentsDuring the term of Lyndon B. Johnson, the President and his advisors often chose specific bombing targets in Vietnam on the basis of larger geopolitical calculations, without professional knowledge of the weapons or tactics. Apropos of LBJ's direction of the bombing campaign in Vietnam, no air warfare specialists attended the Tuesday lunches at which the targeting decisions were made.[12]Historically, direct control over military forces deployed for war was hampered by the technological limits of command, control, and communications; national leaders, whether democratically elected or not, had to rely on local commanders to execute the details of a military campaign, or risk centrally-directed orders' obsolescence by the time they reached the front lines. The remoteness of government from the action allowed professional soldiers to claim military affairs as their own particular sphere of expertise and influence; upon entering a state of war, it was often expected that the generals and field marshals would dictate strategy and tactics, and the civilian leadership would defer to their informed judgments.Improvements in information technology and its application to wartime command and control (a process sometimes labeled the "Revolution in Military Affairs") has allowed civilian leaders removed from the theater of conflict to assert greater control over the actions of distant military forces. Precision-guided munitions and real-time videoconferencing with field commanders now allow the civilian leadership to intervene even at the tactical decision-making level, designating particular targets for destruction or preservation based on political calculations or the counsel of non-uniformed advisors.Restrictions on Political ActivitiesIn the United States the Hatch Act of 1939 does not directly apply to the military, however, Department of Defense Directive 1344.10 (DoDD 1344.10) essentially applies the same rules to the military. This helps to ensure a non-partisan military and ensure smooth and peaceful transitions of power.Political officersMain article: political commissarPolitical officers screened for appropriate ideology have been integrated into supervisory roles within militaries as a way to maintain the control by political rulers. Historically they are associated most strongly with the Soviet Union and China rather than liberal democracies.Military dislike of political directivesWhile civilian control forms the normative standard in almost every society outside of military dictatorships, its practice has often been the subject of pointed criticism from both uniformed and non-uniformed observers, who object to what they view as the undue "politicization" of military affairs, especially when elected officials or political appointees micromanage the military, rather than giving the military general goals and objectives (like "Defeat Country X"), and letting the military decide how best to carry those orders out. By placing responsibility for military decision-making in the hands of non-professional civilians, critics argue, the dictates of military strategy are subsumed to the political, with the effect of unduly restricting the fighting capabilities of the nation's armed forces for what should be immaterial or otherwise lower priority concerns.Case study: United StatesThe "Revolt of the Admirals" that occurred in 1949 was an attempt by senior US Navy personnel, to force a change in budgets directly opposed to the directives given by the Civilian leadership.U.S. President Bill Clinton faced frequent allegations throughout his time in office (particularly after the Battle of Mogadishu) that he was ignoring military goals out of political and media pressure—a phenomenon termed the "CNN effect". Politicians who personally lack military training and experience but who seek to engage the nation in military action may risk resistance and being labeled "chickenhawks" by those who disagree with their political goals.In contesting these priorities, members of the professional military leadership and their non-uniformed supporters may participate in the bureaucratic bargaining process of the state's policy-making apparatus, engaging in what might be termed a form of regulatory capture as they attempt to restrict the policy options of elected officials when it comes to military matters. An example of one such set of conditions is the "Weinberger Doctrine", which sought to forestall another American intervention like that which occurred in the Vietnam War (which had proved disastrous for the morale and fighting integrity of the U.S. military) by proposing that the nation should only go to war in matters of "vital national interest", "as a last resort", and, as updated by Weinberger's disciple Colin Powell, with "overwhelming force". The process of setting military budgets forms another contentious intersection of military and non-military policy, and regularly draws active lobbying by rival military services for a share of the national budget.Nuclear weapons in the U.S. are controlled by the civilian United States Department of Energy, not by the Department of Defense.During the 1990s and 2000s, public controversy over LGBT policy in the U.S. military led to many military leaders and personnel being asked for their opinions on the matter and being given deference although the decision was ultimately not theirs to make.During his tenure, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld raised the ire of the military by attempting to reform its structure away from traditional infantry and toward a lighter, faster, more technologically driven force. In April 2006, Rumsfeld was severely criticized by some retired military officers for his handling of the Iraq War, while other retired military officers came out in support of Rumsfeld. Although no active military officers have spoken out against Rumsfeld, the actions of these officers is still highly unusual. Some news accounts have attributed the actions of these generals to the Vietnam war experience, in which officers did not speak out against the administration's handling of military action. Later in the year, immediately after the November elections in which the Democrats gained control of the Congress, Rumsfeld resigned.[citation needed]ExtentAs of 2015, military dictatorships, where there is no civilian control of the military, are:[citation needed]ThailandMyanmar ( Although Myanmar do have civilian government, military have tremendous amount of autonomy including 25% of seats in all Parliament houses and self appointed Commander-in-Chief see- Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services)Other countries generally have civilian control of the military, to one degree or another. Strong democratic control of the military is a prerequisite for membership in NATO[citation needed]. Strong democracy and rule of law, implying democratic control of the military, are prerequisites for membership in the European Union[citation needed].See alsoCivil–military relationsMight makes rightMilitary–industrial complexNational Security ActPolitical commissarRevolt of the AdmiralsSeparation of powersState within a stateArmed Forces & SocietyReferencesTaylor, Edward R. Command in the 21st Century: An Introduction to Civil-Military Affairs (pdf), United States Navy Postgraduate School thesis. 1998: 30-32.Mao Zedong, English language translation by Marxists Internet Archive. Problems of War and Strategy. 1938. (See also: Wikiquote: Mao Zedong.)Kohn, Richard H. An Essay on Civilian Control of the Military. 1997.Peter D. Feaver. 1996. "The Civil-Military Problematique: Huntington, Janowitz and the Question of Civilian Control." Armed Forces & Society. 23(2): 149–78."Kohn: Civilian Control". The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 2015-12-11.Cairo, Michael F. Democracy Papers: Civilian Control of the Military, U.S. Department of State International Information Programs.Gottfried Dietze. 1960. The Federalist: A Classic on Federalism and Free Government. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins Press.Max Farrand. 1911. Records of the Federal Convention of 1787. New Haven: Yale University Press. 1:465.Donald S. Inbody. 2009. Grand Army of the Republic or Grand Army of the Republicans? Political Party and Ideological Preferences of American Enlisted Personnel. Faculty Publications – Political Science. Paper 51.Hendell, Garri B. "[1]" "Domestic Use of the Armed Forces to Maintain Law and Order—posse comitatus Pitfalls at the Inauguration of the 44th President" Publius (2011) 41(2): 336-348 first published online May 6, 2010 doi:10.1093/publius/pjq014Mao Zedong, English language translation by Marxists Internet Archive. On Correcting Mistaken Ideas in the Party. 1929."Washington's Management of the Rolling Thunder Campaign", M. Jacobsen, US Naval Historical Center Colloquium on Contemporary History ProjectFurther readingvon Clausewitz, Carl. On War – Volume One 1832 German language edition available on the internet at the Clausewitz Homepage 1874 English language translation by Colonel J.J. Granham downloadable here from Project Gutenberg. 1982 Penguin Classics paperback version, ISBN 0-14-044427-0.Desch, Michael C. Civilian Control of the Military: The Changing Security Environment Johns Hopkins University Press, 2001. ISBN 0-8018-6059-8Feaver, Peter D. Armed Servants: Agency, Oversight, and Civil-Military Relations. Harvard University Press, 2005 ISBN 0-674-01761-7Finer, Samel E. The Man on Horseback: The Role of the Military in Politics. Transaction Publishers, 2002. ISBN 0-7658-0922-2Hendell, Garri B. "Domestic Use of the Armed Forces to Maintain Law and Order – posse comitatus Pitfalls at the Inauguration of the 44th President" Publius (2011) 41(2): 336–48 first published online May 6, 2010 doi:10.1093/publius/pjq014Huntington, Samuel P.. Soldier and the State: The Theory and Politics of Civil-Military Relations. Belknap Press, 1981 edition. ISBN 0-674-81736-2Levy, Yagil. "A Revised Model of Civilian Control of the Military: The Interaction between the Republican Exchange and the Control Exchange", Armed Forces & Society, Vol. 38, No. 4 (2012)Janowitz, Morris. The Professional Soldier. Free Press, 1964, ISBN 0-02-916180-0.vteLawAuthority controlLCCN: sh85026420NDL: 00561021Categories:AccountabilityCivil–military relationsConstitutional lawGovernmentMilitary doctrinesMilitary scienceMilitary sociologyNavigation menuNot logged inTalkContributionsCreate accountLog inArticleTalkReadEditView historySearchMain pageContentsFeatured contentCurrent eventsRandom articleDonate to WikipediaWikipedia storeInteractionHelpAbout WikipediaCommunity portalRecent changesContact pageToolsWhat links hereRelated changesUpload fileSpecial pagesPermanent linkPage informationWikidata itemCite this pagePrint/exportCreate a bookDownload as PDFPrintable versionLanguagesالعربيةفارسی한국어ItalianoBahasa Melayu日本語中文Edit linksThis page was last edited on 28 May 2019, at 22:48 (UTC).Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. 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How to develop a hobby? Well you if you are soo lazy and bored in life to look for suggestions to find one, then i have no questions for you.But if you still want to stay effortless in life, here 17 Hobbies to try if you suck at Hobbies. (For introverts, extroverts, and everyone in between.):1. Upcycle everything you own.Crafting can be hella theraputic, and upcycling means turning the trash that’s sitting in your house into treasure. Once you successfully upcycle one thing you own, re bound to want to continue with everything in your possession. To get started, look through your house for items for which you have no current use. Instead of tossing them, look through this list of 33 Impossibly Cute DIYs You Can Make With Things In Your Recycling Bin to find a potential project. For online resources, check out upcycle boards on Pinterest. Then look at Upcycle That, a blog of upcycle ideas and inspiration.Crafting can be hella theraputic, and upcycling means turning the trash that's sitting in your house into treasure. Once you successfully upcycle one thing you own, you're bound to want to continue with everything in your possession.To get started, look through your house for items for which you have no current use. Instead of tossing them, look through this list of 33 Impossibly Cute DIYs You Can Make With Things In Your Recycling Bin to find a potential project.For online resources, check out upcycle boards on Pinterest. Then look at Upcycle That, a blog of upcycle ideas and inspiration.2. Make cooking fun for yourself.It's simple math: The more you enjoy cooking, the better your food will be.To get started, try simple services that make it less work for you. 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Acrylic paints are ideal for beginners because they dry fast and can be used either straight from the tube or thinned out with water. Then grab the canvas size of your choice.For online resources, The Virtual Instructor offers free painting classes. Get inspired by following Instagram artists like @artistkimberlyb or @paperfashion and post your own work when you're ready!4. Or bust out an adult coloring book.If you want to get ~artistic~ but need a bit of help with the actual art, restore your faith in coloring books. The outlines are done for you, which means you just have to focus on creating colorful beauty. To get started, look into coloring books for adults, like Secret Garden, the book (above) from Johanna Basford. You always have the option to revert to childhood with action-hero books, but venturing into the adult coloring book realm means more intricate pages that will keep you busy for hours. If you’re a marker person, take a look at this Pentel set of 36 colors. For a colored pencil vibe, opt for the Crayola Twistable colored pencils, which don’t require sharpening. For online resources, check Pinterest for free, printable adult coloring pages. Then, look at Amazon&’s list of the best coloring books for grown-ups.If you want to get ~artistic~ but need a bit of help with the actual art, restore your faith in coloring books. The outlines are done for you, which means you just have to focus on creating colorful beauty.To get started, look into coloring books for adults, like Secret Garden, the book (above) from Johanna Basford. You always have the option to revert to childhood with action-hero books, but venturing into the adult coloring book realm means more intricate pages that will keep you busy for hours. If you're a marker person, take a look at this Pentel set of 36 colors. For a colored pencil vibe, opt for the Crayola Twistable colored pencils, which don't require sharpening.For online resources, check Pinterest for free, printable adult coloring pages. Then, look at Amazon's list of the best coloring books for grown-ups.5. Get into podcasts.There’s a podcast for everyone. You can learn a foreign language, sit in on interviews with your favorite comedians, listen to captivating radio shows, and basically anything else you can think of doing with your ears. To get started listening to podcasts on your phone, download the (free) Podcast app then search for topics or people you’re interested in hearing more about. If you love Louis C.K., listen to his interview with Marc Maron. To learn Spanish on your commute to work, listen to Discover Spanish. You can download podcasts directly to your phone so that you won’t need Wi-Fi (or data) while you’re listening. For online resources, take a look at some of the most popular podcasts, like Another Round and Internet Explorer (from BuzzFeed), or Invisibilia, which usually suggests similar podcasts during the show.There's a podcast for everyone. You can learn a foreign language, sit in on interviews with your favorite comedians, listen to captivating radio shows, and basically anything else you can think of doing with your ears.To get started listening to podcasts on your phone, download the (free) Podcast app then search for topics or people you're interested in hearing more about. If you love Louis C.K., listen to his interview with Marc Maron. To learn Spanish on your commute to work, listen to Discover Spanish. You can download podcasts directly to your phone so that you won't need Wi-Fi (or data) while you're listening.For online resources, take a look at some of the most popular podcasts, like Another Round and Internet Explorer (from BuzzFeed), or Invisibilia, which usually suggests similar podcasts during the show.6. Become a documentary buff.Chances are if you have an interest in just about anything from religion to true crime to women in the media (and anything in between), there’s a documentary on the subject. Once you start watching solid, compelling stories, your interests will expand and you’ll become more curious about the world around you. To get started, figure out what it is you’re interested in, and search for a documentary on the topic using the Categories section on Top Documentary Films - Watch Free Documentaries Online, where you can stream all of the documentaries for free. Or take a look on Reddit to search for the best documentaries recommended by users.For more online resources, head to the Documentaries section on Netflix. For recommendations on which ones are worth watching, read 25 Documentaries That Will Make You Cry Uncontrollably, or 13 Chilling True Crime Documentaries To Keep You Up At Night, or 13 Wonderfully Weird Streaming Documentaries To Watch ASAP.Chances are if you have an interest in just about anything from religion to true crime to women in the media (and anything in between), there's a documentary on the subject. Once you start watching solid, compelling stories, your interests will expand and you'll become more curious about the world around you.To get started, figure out what it is you're interested in, and search for a documentary on the topic using the Categories section on Top Documentary Films - Watch Free Documentaries Online, where you can stream all of the documentaries for free. Or take a look on Reddit to search for the best documentaries recommended by users.For more online resources, head to the Documentaries section on Netflix. For recommendations on which ones are worth watching, read 25 Documentaries That Will Make You Cry Uncontrollably, or 13 Chilling True Crime Documentaries To Keep You Up At Night, or 13 Wonderfully Weird Streaming Documentaries To Watch ASAP.7. Start a club with your friends.Whether it’s a book club, a writing club, or anything else, getting a group of friends together regularly for something besides brunch can be ridiculously fun. To get started, talk to a few of your friends and get a sense of what everyone would be interested in. Once you’ve decided an activity, decide on the frequency of meetings and block out your time. For online resources take a look at Doodle, a program that simplifies scheduling problems for groups of people, to find meeting times that work with everyone. Look through 14 Nonfiction Books Your Book Club Needs To Read Right Now for book suggestions. Here are a few tips for leading a book club discussion. Or, if you’re more interested in a writing club, read 21 Creative Writing Prompts That Will Unleash Your Creativity.Whether it's a book club, a writing club, or anything else, getting a group of friends together regularly for something besides brunch can be ridiculously fun.To get started, talk to a few of your friends and get a sense of what everyone would be interested in. Once you've decided an activity, decide on the frequency of meetings and block out your time.For online resources take a look at Doodle, a program that simplifies scheduling problems for groups of people, to find meeting times that work with everyone. Look through 14 Nonfiction Books Your Book Club Needs To Read Right Now for book suggestions. Here are a few tips for leading a book club discussion. Or, if you're more interested in a writing club, read 21 Creative Writing Prompts That Will Unleash Your Creativity.8. Take up hiking.Hiking with friends (or solo) doesn't have to mean that you're a mountain climber. Tackle local parks that have hiking trails with your desired exertion level, or look into more challenging paths to make a day of it. Either way, you'll get some quality time with friends (and yourself!) and your body — and mind — will thank you.To get started, get yourself a well-fitting, sturdy pair of sneakers or hiking shoes, depending on how involved you want to be. REI has an in-depth breakdown of the best kinds of shoes for each trail. Next, look for hiking trails or parks in your area and grab a couple of friends.For online resources, go to Backpacker Magazine - Your Backpacking, Hiking, Camping and Outdoor Gear Magazine, which gives tips for all kinds of hikers from what to wear to when you should start a hike. For group trips that you can join, explore Discover Outdoors, a group of professional outdoor guides who lead both day and multi-day adventures.9. Try your hand at calligraphy.There’s a deep satisfaction that comes from being able to scrawl incredibly beautiful lettering. Plus, it can come in handy when you’re sending out invitations, cards, or letters. To get started, you’ll need a nib (the pointed metal piece of the utensil), a straight pen, black ink, some tracing paper, a practice grid, and any other kind of paper you want to practice with before you move on to heavier cardstock. For online resources, read through Julie Blanner’s “How To Learn Calligraphy” blog series or take an introductory calligraphy class through Skillshare. Then, follow @Seblester on Instagram for inspiring calligraphy videos.There's a deep satisfaction that comes from being able to scrawl incredibly beautiful lettering. Plus, it can come in handy when you're sending out invitations, cards, or letters.To get started, you'll need a nib (the pointed metal piece of the utensil), a straight pen, black ink, some tracing paper, a practice grid, and any other kind of paper you want to practice with before you move on to heavier cardstock.For online resources, read through Julie Blanner's "How To Learn Calligraphy" blog series or take an introductory calligraphy class through Skillshare. Then, follow @Seblester on Instagram for inspiring calligraphy videos.10. Start taking photos with a real camera.iPhone pictures with an Instagram filter can only take you so far. Getting into digital photography will give you a project to dive into, and if you get really good at it, you can use your new skill for extra cash on the side. To get started, find a digital camera you’re comfortable with. (The Sony NEX-5R is an excellent digital camera for beginners.) Once you’re comfortable with your first camera, you can graduate to different, separate lenses that can be attached for higher-quality photos. Sign up for a photography class in your area or online to get a handle on the basics. Then, choose one kind of environment to start photographing — lighting outdoors will be different than lighting indoors — and begin learning firsthand. For online resources, check out CreativeLive: Free Live Online Classes for free photography courses. You can also enroll in Karl Taylor’s free photography course on Online Courses - Learn Anything, On Your Schedule | Udemy, which is ideal for beginners.iPhone pictures with an Instagram filter can only take you so far. Getting into digital photography will give you a project to dive into, and if you get really good at it, you can use your new skill for extra cash on the side.To get started, find a digital camera you're comfortable with. (The Sony NEX-5R is an excellent digital camera for beginners.) Once you're comfortable with your first camera, you can graduate to different, separate lenses that can be attached for higher-quality photos. Sign up for a photography class in your area or online to get a handle on the basics. Then, choose one kind of environment to start photographing — lighting outdoors will be different than lighting indoors — and begin learning firsthand.For online resources, check out CreativeLive: Free Live Online Classes for free photography courses. You can also enroll in Karl Taylor's free photography course on Online Courses - Learn Anything, On Your Schedule | Udemy, which is ideal for beginners.11. Embroider everything.Embroidery is surprisingly meditative. Bonus: Once you know what you're doing, you can stitch while you're watching Netflix (or whatever it is that you watch).To get started you'll need an embroidery hoop, small sharp scissors, embroidery needles, and embroidery floss.For online resources, watch tutorial videos from YouTuber TLCInspirations (like this hand embroidery for beginners video). http://Craftsy.com is a huge resource for learning stitches, shopping for patterns, and classes for more advanced techniques.12. Become a Wikipedia editor.History buffs, grammar gurus and people who have vast knowledge in niche areas are just the kinds of people who are ideal for editing Wikipedia. Anyone on the Internet can become a Wikipedia editor. The best part? You don’t need to register. Any person can edit any unprotected page, no matter how big or small of an edit they make. By editing the site, you’ll be contributing to making Wikipedia what it is. To get started, take a look at Wikipedia’s Help:Editing page. There, you’ll find guidelines on how to make edits, the kind of tone to use, adding references, and more. Once you comb through Wikipedia pages you’re interested in and you want to make edits, you can submit edit requests and get to fixing! For more online resources, read Wikipedia’s guide on editing for the first time.History buffs, grammar gurus and people who have vast knowledge in niche areas are just the kinds of people who are ideal for editing Wikipedia. Anyone on the Internet can become a Wikipedia editor. The best part? You don't need to register. Any person can edit any unprotected page, no matter how big or small of an edit they make. By editing the site, you'll be contributing to making Wikipedia what it is.To get started, take a look at Wikipedia's Help:Editing page. There, you'll find guidelines on how to make edits, the kind of tone to use, adding references, and more. Once you comb through Wikipedia pages you're interested in and you want to make edits, you can submit edit requests and get to fixing!For more online resources, read Wikipedia's guide on editing for the first time.13. Channel inner peace with meditation.Meditation is shown to improve concentration, will power, and will boost your immune system. Plus, it can decrease stress, depression, and anxiety, among other things. Basically, it’s an excellent hobby to adopt for anyone who needs a little zen. To get started set aside time for yourself to meditate. No amount of time is too small, so don’t get overwhelmed by thinking that you need to devote an hour a day to meditation. Next, get into a calming environment to quiet your mind. You can be on a park bench, or on the beach, or on your couch. Just make sure you’re somewhere where you feel at peace. Start small with a short, guided meditation, like this 2-minute video of Deepak Chopra’s method. For online resources read through Here’s Why You Should Learn To Practice Mindfulness. Get the podcast Hay House Meditations for audio guided meditations specifically targeted towards helping you to fall asleep, focus on peace, and more.Meditation is shown to improve concentration, will power, and will boost your immune system. Plus, it can decrease stress, depression, and anxiety, among other things. Basically, it's an excellent hobby to adopt for anyone who needs a little zen.To get started set aside time for yourself to meditate. No amount of time is too small, so don't get overwhelmed by thinking that you need to devote an hour a day to meditation. Next, get into a calming environment to quiet your mind. You can be on a park bench, or on the beach, or on your couch. Just make sure you're somewhere where you feel at peace. Start small with a short, guided meditation, like this 2-minute video of Deepak Chopra's method.For online resources read through Here's Why You Should Learn To Practice Mindfulness. Get the podcast Hay House Meditations for audio guided meditations specifically targeted towards helping you to fall asleep, focus on peace, and more.14. Join a community sports league.As an adult, it can be difficult to get all of your friends together for weekly ball games. But when you join a community sports league you'll get the thrill of playing without worrying about not having enough people for a whole game. Pick a sport you love playing for fun, and find your local league. Bonus: You'll meet a bunch of new potential friends.To get started, decide which sport you want to play on a regular basis. Then look at the community sports leagues in your area to find the right fit for you. If you're intimidated by joining a league alone, ask a friend to join with you.For online resources, head to Zog Sports, a network of sports leagues in major cities across America. A larger selection of community sports leagues can be found at the YMCA.15. Send physical letters to people.Receiving a physical piece of mail that’s handwritten is one of the greatest feelings in the world. Start by sending letters to your family and friends. Then, branch out and send postcards to strangers who may need a boost: prison inmates, military personnel, or senior citizens in nursing homes. To get started, grab stamps from your local post office, grocery store, or on Online Shopping for Electronics, Apparel, Computers, Books, DVDs & more then get some postcards or stationery. Make a list of who you’d like to write. For online resources look through this list of nursing home addresses. Go to http://WriteAPrisoner.comfor a complete guide on how to write letters to inmates. To send letters to military personnel, go to A Million Thanks.Receiving a physical piece of mail that's handwritten is one of the greatest feelings in the world. Start by sending letters to your family and friends. Then, branch out and send postcards to strangers who may need a boost: prison inmates, military personnel, or senior citizens in nursing homes.To get started, grab stamps from your local post office, grocery store, or on Online Shopping for Electronics, Apparel, Computers, Books, DVDs & more then get some postcards or stationery. Make a list of who you'd like to write.For online resources look through this list of nursing home addresses. Go to http://WriteAPrisoner.com for a complete guide on how to write letters to inmates. To send letters to military personnel, go to A Million Thanks.16. Become a gamer.Go old school with chess, get deep into the world of online gaming, or invest in a gaming system. Added bonus: Studies have shown that casual gaming leads to reduced stress. To get started, focus on one specific game that interests you and learn the rules. Play chess against a computer online at Play Chess Online - The Premier Free Online Multiplayer Chess Game (this way, you don’t need to rely on a friend to learn the game too). Check out the iTunes Popular chart for games you can play right on your smartphone. For more online resources, go to the Subreddit /r/gaming for user recommendations on online games.Go old school with chess, get deep into the world of online gaming, or invest in a gaming system. Added bonus: Studies have shown that casual gaming leads to reduced stress.To get started, focus on one specific game that interests you and learn the rules. Play chess against a computer online at Play Chess Online - The Premier Free Online Multiplayer Chess Game (this way, you don't need to rely on a friend to learn the game too). Check out the iTunes Popular chart for games you can play right on your smartphone.For more online resources, go to the Subreddit /r/gaming for user recommendations on online games.17. Learn to DJ.DJs do a lot more than press "play." Learning to DJ will give you the basics of scratching, mixing, and spinning music. Even if you’re not planning on making it a professional gig, you’ll get a handle on how to DJ all of your parties. To get started, learn the basics with this guide from Passionate DJ. Then, look into Scratch DJ Academy, which has DJ locations in major cities across America. Download Virtual DJ, a free program that allows you to digitally DJ with any music on your computer. For online resources check out DJ Courses Online for, you guessed it, DJ courses you can take online!DJs do a lot more than press "play." Learning to DJ will give you the basics of scratching, mixing, and spinning music. Even if you're not planning on making it a professional gig, you'll get a handle on how to DJ all of your parties.To get started, learn the basics with this guide from Passionate DJ. Then, look into Scratch DJ Academy, which has DJ locations in major cities across America. Download Virtual DJ, a free program that allows you to digitally DJ with any music on your computer.For online resources check out DJ Courses Online for, you guessed it, DJ courses you can take online!Here, Read my following answers:How can we develop a new hobby and turn that hobby into business at the same time without any stress?How do I find a business idea and implement that idea?How should I set up a startup business?What are some practical books about running a business?What is the most profitable business to start in 2021?How do I know when my hobby becomes a business, or whether my hobby is fit to even be a business?What are your tips for my first startup?

How to develop a hobby? Well you if you are soo lazy and bored in life to look for suggestions to find one, then i have no questions for you.But if you still want to stay effortless in life, here 17 Hobbies to try if you suck at Hobbies. (For introverts, extroverts, and everyone in between.):1. Upcycle everything you own.Crafting can be hella theraputic, and upcycling means turning the trash that’s sitting in your house into treasure. Once you successfully upcycle one thing you own, re bound to want to continue with everything in your possession. To get started, look through your house for items for which you have no current use. Instead of tossing them, look through this list of 33 Impossibly Cute DIYs You Can Make With Things In Your Recycling Bin to find a potential project. For online resources, check out upcycle boards on Pinterest. Then look at Upcycle That, a blog of upcycle ideas and inspiration.Crafting can be hella theraputic, and upcycling means turning the trash that's sitting in your house into treasure. Once you successfully upcycle one thing you own, you're bound to want to continue with everything in your possession.To get started, look through your house for items for which you have no current use. Instead of tossing them, look through this list of 33 Impossibly Cute DIYs You Can Make With Things In Your Recycling Bin to find a potential project.For online resources, check out upcycle boards on Pinterest. Then look at Upcycle That, a blog of upcycle ideas and inspiration.2. Make cooking fun for yourself.It's simple math: The more you enjoy cooking, the better your food will be.To get started, try simple services that make it less work for you. Blue Apron delivers fresh ingredients and recipes for the meals of your choice to your home, and you can choose how many people you'll be cooking for (2-person or family-size meals). Or if you know the kind of dish you want to make, Epicurious will give you an instant list of recipes to choose from, complete with ratings and nutritional info.For online resources that can teach you how to cook, http://LetsFeast.com is a platform aimed toward teaching even the worst cooks what to do in the kitchen in 30 days.3. Paint something beautiful.Paint a mug. Paint a canvas. Paint anything. The best part? You can make painting a big, messy, daylong event, or you can paint small details while you listen to music. It's downright theraputic.To get started, familiarize yourself with Dick Blick's brush chart and find the brushes you want to work with based on the kind of painting you want to do. Acrylic paints are ideal for beginners because they dry fast and can be used either straight from the tube or thinned out with water. Then grab the canvas size of your choice.For online resources, The Virtual Instructor offers free painting classes. Get inspired by following Instagram artists like @artistkimberlyb or @paperfashion and post your own work when you're ready!4. Or bust out an adult coloring book.If you want to get ~artistic~ but need a bit of help with the actual art, restore your faith in coloring books. The outlines are done for you, which means you just have to focus on creating colorful beauty. To get started, look into coloring books for adults, like Secret Garden, the book (above) from Johanna Basford. You always have the option to revert to childhood with action-hero books, but venturing into the adult coloring book realm means more intricate pages that will keep you busy for hours. If you’re a marker person, take a look at this Pentel set of 36 colors. For a colored pencil vibe, opt for the Crayola Twistable colored pencils, which don’t require sharpening. For online resources, check Pinterest for free, printable adult coloring pages. Then, look at Amazon&’s list of the best coloring books for grown-ups.If you want to get ~artistic~ but need a bit of help with the actual art, restore your faith in coloring books. The outlines are done for you, which means you just have to focus on creating colorful beauty.To get started, look into coloring books for adults, like Secret Garden, the book (above) from Johanna Basford. You always have the option to revert to childhood with action-hero books, but venturing into the adult coloring book realm means more intricate pages that will keep you busy for hours. If you're a marker person, take a look at this Pentel set of 36 colors. For a colored pencil vibe, opt for the Crayola Twistable colored pencils, which don't require sharpening.For online resources, check Pinterest for free, printable adult coloring pages. Then, look at Amazon's list of the best coloring books for grown-ups.5. Get into podcasts.There’s a podcast for everyone. You can learn a foreign language, sit in on interviews with your favorite comedians, listen to captivating radio shows, and basically anything else you can think of doing with your ears. To get started listening to podcasts on your phone, download the (free) Podcast app then search for topics or people you’re interested in hearing more about. If you love Louis C.K., listen to his interview with Marc Maron. To learn Spanish on your commute to work, listen to Discover Spanish. You can download podcasts directly to your phone so that you won’t need Wi-Fi (or data) while you’re listening. For online resources, take a look at some of the most popular podcasts, like Another Round and Internet Explorer (from BuzzFeed), or Invisibilia, which usually suggests similar podcasts during the show.There's a podcast for everyone. You can learn a foreign language, sit in on interviews with your favorite comedians, listen to captivating radio shows, and basically anything else you can think of doing with your ears.To get started listening to podcasts on your phone, download the (free) Podcast app then search for topics or people you're interested in hearing more about. If you love Louis C.K., listen to his interview with Marc Maron. To learn Spanish on your commute to work, listen to Discover Spanish. You can download podcasts directly to your phone so that you won't need Wi-Fi (or data) while you're listening.For online resources, take a look at some of the most popular podcasts, like Another Round and Internet Explorer (from BuzzFeed), or Invisibilia, which usually suggests similar podcasts during the show.6. Become a documentary buff.Chances are if you have an interest in just about anything from religion to true crime to women in the media (and anything in between), there’s a documentary on the subject. Once you start watching solid, compelling stories, your interests will expand and you’ll become more curious about the world around you. To get started, figure out what it is you’re interested in, and search for a documentary on the topic using the Categories section on Top Documentary Films - Watch Free Documentaries Online, where you can stream all of the documentaries for free. Or take a look on Reddit to search for the best documentaries recommended by users.For more online resources, head to the Documentaries section on Netflix. For recommendations on which ones are worth watching, read 25 Documentaries That Will Make You Cry Uncontrollably, or 13 Chilling True Crime Documentaries To Keep You Up At Night, or 13 Wonderfully Weird Streaming Documentaries To Watch ASAP.Chances are if you have an interest in just about anything from religion to true crime to women in the media (and anything in between), there's a documentary on the subject. Once you start watching solid, compelling stories, your interests will expand and you'll become more curious about the world around you.To get started, figure out what it is you're interested in, and search for a documentary on the topic using the Categories section on Top Documentary Films - Watch Free Documentaries Online, where you can stream all of the documentaries for free. Or take a look on Reddit to search for the best documentaries recommended by users.For more online resources, head to the Documentaries section on Netflix. For recommendations on which ones are worth watching, read 25 Documentaries That Will Make You Cry Uncontrollably, or 13 Chilling True Crime Documentaries To Keep You Up At Night, or 13 Wonderfully Weird Streaming Documentaries To Watch ASAP.7. Start a club with your friends.Whether it’s a book club, a writing club, or anything else, getting a group of friends together regularly for something besides brunch can be ridiculously fun. To get started, talk to a few of your friends and get a sense of what everyone would be interested in. Once you’ve decided an activity, decide on the frequency of meetings and block out your time. For online resources take a look at Doodle, a program that simplifies scheduling problems for groups of people, to find meeting times that work with everyone. Look through 14 Nonfiction Books Your Book Club Needs To Read Right Now for book suggestions. Here are a few tips for leading a book club discussion. Or, if you’re more interested in a writing club, read 21 Creative Writing Prompts That Will Unleash Your Creativity.Whether it's a book club, a writing club, or anything else, getting a group of friends together regularly for something besides brunch can be ridiculously fun.To get started, talk to a few of your friends and get a sense of what everyone would be interested in. Once you've decided an activity, decide on the frequency of meetings and block out your time.For online resources take a look at Doodle, a program that simplifies scheduling problems for groups of people, to find meeting times that work with everyone. Look through 14 Nonfiction Books Your Book Club Needs To Read Right Now for book suggestions. Here are a few tips for leading a book club discussion. Or, if you're more interested in a writing club, read 21 Creative Writing Prompts That Will Unleash Your Creativity.8. Take up hiking.Hiking with friends (or solo) doesn't have to mean that you're a mountain climber. Tackle local parks that have hiking trails with your desired exertion level, or look into more challenging paths to make a day of it. Either way, you'll get some quality time with friends (and yourself!) and your body — and mind — will thank you.To get started, get yourself a well-fitting, sturdy pair of sneakers or hiking shoes, depending on how involved you want to be. REI has an in-depth breakdown of the best kinds of shoes for each trail. Next, look for hiking trails or parks in your area and grab a couple of friends.For online resources, go to Backpacker Magazine - Your Backpacking, Hiking, Camping and Outdoor Gear Magazine, which gives tips for all kinds of hikers from what to wear to when you should start a hike. For group trips that you can join, explore Discover Outdoors, a group of professional outdoor guides who lead both day and multi-day adventures.9. Try your hand at calligraphy.There’s a deep satisfaction that comes from being able to scrawl incredibly beautiful lettering. Plus, it can come in handy when you’re sending out invitations, cards, or letters. To get started, you’ll need a nib (the pointed metal piece of the utensil), a straight pen, black ink, some tracing paper, a practice grid, and any other kind of paper you want to practice with before you move on to heavier cardstock. For online resources, read through Julie Blanner’s “How To Learn Calligraphy” blog series or take an introductory calligraphy class through Skillshare. Then, follow @Seblester on Instagram for inspiring calligraphy videos.There's a deep satisfaction that comes from being able to scrawl incredibly beautiful lettering. Plus, it can come in handy when you're sending out invitations, cards, or letters.To get started, you'll need a nib (the pointed metal piece of the utensil), a straight pen, black ink, some tracing paper, a practice grid, and any other kind of paper you want to practice with before you move on to heavier cardstock.For online resources, read through Julie Blanner's "How To Learn Calligraphy" blog series or take an introductory calligraphy class through Skillshare. Then, follow @Seblester on Instagram for inspiring calligraphy videos.10. Start taking photos with a real camera.iPhone pictures with an Instagram filter can only take you so far. Getting into digital photography will give you a project to dive into, and if you get really good at it, you can use your new skill for extra cash on the side. To get started, find a digital camera you’re comfortable with. (The Sony NEX-5R is an excellent digital camera for beginners.) Once you’re comfortable with your first camera, you can graduate to different, separate lenses that can be attached for higher-quality photos. Sign up for a photography class in your area or online to get a handle on the basics. Then, choose one kind of environment to start photographing — lighting outdoors will be different than lighting indoors — and begin learning firsthand. For online resources, check out CreativeLive: Free Live Online Classes for free photography courses. You can also enroll in Karl Taylor’s free photography course on Online Courses - Learn Anything, On Your Schedule | Udemy, which is ideal for beginners.iPhone pictures with an Instagram filter can only take you so far. Getting into digital photography will give you a project to dive into, and if you get really good at it, you can use your new skill for extra cash on the side.To get started, find a digital camera you're comfortable with. (The Sony NEX-5R is an excellent digital camera for beginners.) Once you're comfortable with your first camera, you can graduate to different, separate lenses that can be attached for higher-quality photos. Sign up for a photography class in your area or online to get a handle on the basics. Then, choose one kind of environment to start photographing — lighting outdoors will be different than lighting indoors — and begin learning firsthand.For online resources, check out CreativeLive: Free Live Online Classes for free photography courses. You can also enroll in Karl Taylor's free photography course on Online Courses - Learn Anything, On Your Schedule | Udemy, which is ideal for beginners.11. Embroider everything.Embroidery is surprisingly meditative. Bonus: Once you know what you're doing, you can stitch while you're watching Netflix (or whatever it is that you watch).To get started you'll need an embroidery hoop, small sharp scissors, embroidery needles, and embroidery floss.For online resources, watch tutorial videos from YouTuber TLCInspirations (like this hand embroidery for beginners video). http://Craftsy.com is a huge resource for learning stitches, shopping for patterns, and classes for more advanced techniques.12. Become a Wikipedia editor.History buffs, grammar gurus and people who have vast knowledge in niche areas are just the kinds of people who are ideal for editing Wikipedia. Anyone on the Internet can become a Wikipedia editor. The best part? You don’t need to register. Any person can edit any unprotected page, no matter how big or small of an edit they make. By editing the site, you’ll be contributing to making Wikipedia what it is. To get started, take a look at Wikipedia’s Help:Editing page. There, you’ll find guidelines on how to make edits, the kind of tone to use, adding references, and more. Once you comb through Wikipedia pages you’re interested in and you want to make edits, you can submit edit requests and get to fixing! For more online resources, read Wikipedia’s guide on editing for the first time.History buffs, grammar gurus and people who have vast knowledge in niche areas are just the kinds of people who are ideal for editing Wikipedia. Anyone on the Internet can become a Wikipedia editor. The best part? You don't need to register. Any person can edit any unprotected page, no matter how big or small of an edit they make. By editing the site, you'll be contributing to making Wikipedia what it is.To get started, take a look at Wikipedia's Help:Editing page. There, you'll find guidelines on how to make edits, the kind of tone to use, adding references, and more. Once you comb through Wikipedia pages you're interested in and you want to make edits, you can submit edit requests and get to fixing!For more online resources, read Wikipedia's guide on editing for the first time.13. Channel inner peace with meditation.Meditation is shown to improve concentration, will power, and will boost your immune system. Plus, it can decrease stress, depression, and anxiety, among other things. Basically, it’s an excellent hobby to adopt for anyone who needs a little zen. To get started set aside time for yourself to meditate. No amount of time is too small, so don’t get overwhelmed by thinking that you need to devote an hour a day to meditation. Next, get into a calming environment to quiet your mind. You can be on a park bench, or on the beach, or on your couch. Just make sure you’re somewhere where you feel at peace. Start small with a short, guided meditation, like this 2-minute video of Deepak Chopra’s method. For online resources read through Here’s Why You Should Learn To Practice Mindfulness. Get the podcast Hay House Meditations for audio guided meditations specifically targeted towards helping you to fall asleep, focus on peace, and more.Meditation is shown to improve concentration, will power, and will boost your immune system. Plus, it can decrease stress, depression, and anxiety, among other things. Basically, it's an excellent hobby to adopt for anyone who needs a little zen.To get started set aside time for yourself to meditate. No amount of time is too small, so don't get overwhelmed by thinking that you need to devote an hour a day to meditation. Next, get into a calming environment to quiet your mind. You can be on a park bench, or on the beach, or on your couch. Just make sure you're somewhere where you feel at peace. Start small with a short, guided meditation, like this 2-minute video of Deepak Chopra's method.For online resources read through Here's Why You Should Learn To Practice Mindfulness. Get the podcast Hay House Meditations for audio guided meditations specifically targeted towards helping you to fall asleep, focus on peace, and more.14. Join a community sports league.As an adult, it can be difficult to get all of your friends together for weekly ball games. But when you join a community sports league you'll get the thrill of playing without worrying about not having enough people for a whole game. Pick a sport you love playing for fun, and find your local league. Bonus: You'll meet a bunch of new potential friends.To get started, decide which sport you want to play on a regular basis. Then look at the community sports leagues in your area to find the right fit for you. If you're intimidated by joining a league alone, ask a friend to join with you.For online resources, head to Zog Sports, a network of sports leagues in major cities across America. A larger selection of community sports leagues can be found at the YMCA.15. Send physical letters to people.Receiving a physical piece of mail that’s handwritten is one of the greatest feelings in the world. Start by sending letters to your family and friends. Then, branch out and send postcards to strangers who may need a boost: prison inmates, military personnel, or senior citizens in nursing homes. To get started, grab stamps from your local post office, grocery store, or on Online Shopping for Electronics, Apparel, Computers, Books, DVDs & more then get some postcards or stationery. Make a list of who you’d like to write. For online resources look through this list of nursing home addresses. Go to http://WriteAPrisoner.com for a complete guide on how to write letters to inmates. To send letters to military personnel, go to A Million Thanks.Receiving a physical piece of mail that's handwritten is one of the greatest feelings in the world. Start by sending letters to your family and friends. Then, branch out and send postcards to strangers who may need a boost: prison inmates, military personnel, or senior citizens in nursing homes.To get started, grab stamps from your local post office, grocery store, or on Online Shopping for Electronics, Apparel, Computers, Books, DVDs & more then get some postcards or stationery. Make a list of who you'd like to write.For online resources look through this list of nursing home addresses. Go to http://WriteAPrisoner.com for a complete guide on how to write letters to inmates. To send letters to military personnel, go to A Million Thanks.16. Become a gamer.Go old school with chess, get deep into the world of online gaming, or invest in a gaming system. Added bonus: Studies have shown that casual gaming leads to reduced stress. To get started, focus on one specific game that interests you and learn the rules. Play chess against a computer online at Play Chess Online - The Premier Free Online Multiplayer Chess Game (this way, you don’t need to rely on a friend to learn the game too). Check out the iTunes Popular chart for games you can play right on your smartphone. For more online resources, go to the Subreddit /r/gaming for user recommendations on online games.Go old school with chess, get deep into the world of online gaming, or invest in a gaming system. Added bonus: Studies have shown that casual gaming leads to reduced stress.To get started, focus on one specific game that interests you and learn the rules. Play chess against a computer online at Play Chess Online - The Premier Free Online Multiplayer Chess Game (this way, you don't need to rely on a friend to learn the game too). Check out the iTunes Popular chart for games you can play right on your smartphone.For more online resources, go to the Subreddit /r/gaming for user recommendations on online games.17. Learn to DJ.DJs do a lot more than press "play." Learning to DJ will give you the basics of scratching, mixing, and spinning music. Even if you’re not planning on making it a professional gig, you’ll get a handle on how to DJ all of your parties. To get started, learn the basics with this guide from Passionate DJ. Then, look into Scratch DJ Academy, which has DJ locations in major cities across America. Download Virtual DJ, a free program that allows you to digitally DJ with any music on your computer. For online resources check out DJ Courses Online for, you guessed it, DJ courses you can take online!DJs do a lot more than press "play." Learning to DJ will give you the basics of scratching, mixing, and spinning music. Even if you're not planning on making it a professional gig, you'll get a handle on how to DJ all of your parties.To get started, learn the basics with this guide from Passionate DJ. Then, look into Scratch DJ Academy, which has DJ locations in major cities across America. Download Virtual DJ, a free program that allows you to digitally DJ with any music on your computer.For online resources check out DJ Courses Online for, you guessed it, DJ courses you can take online!When does a hobby become a business? It sounds like a simple question to answer. But, that’s not always the case. The IRS has rules for what qualifies as a business, and your entrepreneurial idea might not be making the cut.Why should you know the difference between hobby and business?Whether your venture is a hobby or a business affects your tax liability. If the IRS declares it’s a hobby, you can’t deduct business losses and expenses on your tax return. You can only deduct your hobby expenses up to the amount of income you earn.Let’s say you want to start a T-shirt printing business. You spend Rs.10,000 on a new screen printing press. In your first year, you only make Rs.500 in sales. The IRS audits you and decides your company is a hobby. Hobby loss rules dictate that you can only deduct up to Rs. 500 you earned.If you deduct business expenses when you’re not a real company, you can get some heavy penalties. Treating a hobby tax deduction as a business tax deduction on your tax return can potentially put a heavy burden on your finances. You could end up getting IRS penalties and have to pay back the deducted amounts.So, is your “business” a hobby, or is it a real business?That is a question that all aspiring entrepreneurs need to answer objectively. It’s one thing to start a business that is really a hobby. But, starting a real business is a whole other beast!Here’s what I mean when I talk about starting a real business. After engineering school, I had a full-time job at a big company. I was on the business’s fast track, my raises were frequent, and my career was in great shape.Then, I decided to toss it all away. I quit my job to start my own business. I had very little money saved. On top of bills, car payments, and a mortgage, I didn’t have a safety net.Basically, the pressure was on. Nobody was going to bail me out. It was a one-way ticket, and there was no turning back. For me, this was the real deal.You might have a similar story about your startup. But, are you sure your idea is a business and not a hobby in the eyes of the IRS?When does a hobby become a business?Unfortunately, there are no concrete rules for determining if you operate a hobby or business. The IRS does say that a business must actively be trying to make a profit. To prove your startup is a business, you need to be able to show that you are making an effort to turn a profit.Proving your business’s intentions is not always simple. The most obvious way to meet the IRS’s requirements for a business is actually to make a profit.Easier said than done, right? The first few years are the hardest for small businesses. In fact, over half of new businesses fail within the first five years.When my partner and I started our business, we didn’t have much. But, we did have a couple of customers willing to pay us. Over time, some of our first buyers became repeat customers.During our first few years, we were scratching to stay in business, and we were flat broke. But, since we had some sales with a few bucks coming in, we kept going.Usually, you won’t be considered a hobby if you make a profit for three out of the first five years you are in business. The amount you make can be small. If you can show the IRS you made a couple of dollars off your startup, you should be OK.Proving you’re a real businessMaybe you didn’t bring in any money during the first two years you were in business. It should be fine for you to declare business losses on your tax return. But, any longer than two years without profits could raise a red flag for an IRS audit. If you haven’t turned a profit in three or more years, the IRS might say your business is a hobby.Making money alone isn’t enough for the IRS to consider you a business. You need to proactively demonstrate that your business is valid.One of the most important steps you can take is to record accurate and complete accounting books. The more types of business records you keep, the better. You need to be able to prove your business's income and expenses.Also, comply with federal, state, and local business laws. Don’t cut corners when it comes to keeping your business legal. Make sure you have all the permits, insurances, and identification numbers you need.If you’re going to show the IRS you are a legitimate company, you have to act like one. You can do this by marketing your business. Most businesses use some form of marketing, from free digital marketing for small business to a million dollar campaign. You don’t need to pour money into huge marketing efforts. But, at least have a business card and some advertisements in your community.If you are running a business and not a hobby, you should be able to show proof to the IRS. Growing into a revenue-generating company is a gradual process. You need to set yourself up for success early to start earning a steady income.In our first year, my partner and I each took home about Rs. 1,20,000. The second year, we each took home zero dollars. We lived on fumes, credit cards, and our equity lines of credit.The third year, we again took home right around Rs. 1,20,000. Finally, at the end of year number four, our earned income was Rs. 4,00,000.As we got through the early years, we increasingly brought in more profits. But, growing a company takes time. Make sure you launch your startup as a legitimate business from the start. Eventually, the IRS will see that you are a real business, not a hobby.