How do I find my special interests?

[kityoume]

Hello everyone, I would like to know how I can find my special interests? maybe you have some ideas for me?
I am 23 years old, I am a girl, I am mainly interested in psychology, observing people, I used to love handicrafts and beadwork, but that was a very long time ago. However, perhaps I am still inclined to do things with my hands, but I don’t know where to start.

Most of my friends are into computer games, but I'm not interested in it at all. Sometimes in my free time I watch some films or TV series, but I often have difficulty choosing and can’t find a suitable one to watch. I admire people who have special hobbies, but I can't find something for myself. Perhaps board games? Clay crafting? Making sculptures? I would like to try something similar to making sculptures, maybe I should learn 3D modeling on the computer? maybe I like taking pictures... and I would also like to acquire an interesting hobby related to computers.

if you have any ideas it would be interesting

 

[Judge]

You're on the right track soliciting for such information. Interesting to look back on all the hobbies I had and realize that I didn't find them. More of a case of them finding me. I like making things with my hands as well.

Usually in the the form of someone else doing them where I just decided to give them a try and liked it.

Though I admit, I got severely sidelined over such hobbies when I discovered computers (and building them), and then photography. Weird that they came together in the form of digital photography and image manipulation using applications like Photoshop. Going a step further in quitting one career to get into another- website design. Much more fun than insurance, and it paid much better...lol.

Anyway there are a lot of talented hobbyists here....plenty to draw inspiration from.

 

[wards]

I watch random stuff on YouTube and if it interests me I will try the hobby out or make it into a hobby.

I struggle with hobbies as get bored within a few times of doing something (awaiting a adhd assessment) and i feel your pain. I can’t find a hobby I can stick with and it gets expensive, was thinking of taking up archery next.

 

[Fino]

I don't know if I've ever sought a special interest. It seems more that I get sucked into them.

 

[kriss72]

I'm tend to agree with @Judge and @Fino, i.e. my experience is that special interests find us, not the other way around - one way to help it being found could be to try some different things, you wrote you used to like beadwork, did you consider trying it again? - With the exception of one or two things, I have found that most of what I enjoy now in my 50's is actually the same I did as when I was a child.

 

[Rodafina]

I don’t mean to get stuck on semantics, but it sounds like you are more interested in finding hobbies than a “special interest.”

In my experience, special interests are more likely to grab you with a vice like grip, and they won’t let go until something very deep within is satisfied, which can take years. It can be quite obsessive and sometimes, even problematic. Although that may be a bit dramatic, I guess what I’m trying to say is that special interests usually find you. You do not go looking for them.

Hobbies, however can certainly be curated and inspired by others. I would say to follow your natural fascinations. If you think you might like working with your hands, go to the craft store or the hardware store and walk around and see what sparks your interest. Look on the Internet to see what other crafters and builders are doing and then translate this into something you can do with your own resources and skills.

Maybe you’d get some inspiration from this thread:

Thread 'Post your project'
https://www.autismforums.com/threads/post-your-project.39293/

 

[Ken]

In my experience, special interests are more likely to grab you with a vice like grip, and they won’t let go until something very deep within a satisfied, which can take years. It can be quite obsessive and sometimes, even problematic. Although that may be a bit dramatic, I guess what I’m trying to say is that special interests usually find you. You do not go looking for them.

That is exactly my experience. I was born with my special interest. My parents forbade it. However, I could not ignore it regardless of the severity of punishment. It's as if my special interest is me. If I am alive, I have to do it. It has been an obsession for all 71 years of my life. It ended up being a successful career. I'm sure it will continue until I die.

With that, I have no clue how anyone would "find" their special interest. I agree with @Rodafina that you may be looking for an interesting hobby.

Exercising a hobby, however is still an admirable thing. With dedication, it can be totally life fulfilling making you proud, happy and satisfied.

 

[kityoume]

yes guys you are right, I would like to find a hobby and I confused it with a special interest

 

[Misery]

Perhaps board games?

Well if you wanna know about board games, I could talk your ears right off your head about those. It's one of my main hobbies.

As for 3D modeling on computers, there's never been a better time to learn it. Blender is free and there's like 5 bazillion tutorials for it. Heck, it's something I intend to learn too (but I havent started yet).

For other computer related ideas, maybe @Slime_Punk could come up with some suggestions perhaps? He's got all sorts of interesting apps and such for creating things.

 

[Magna]

In my experience my various "special interests" found me. Or to put it another way, in my experience my interest in the "special interest" was so compelling and my thirst for knowledge, proficiency and experience on the various subjects so strong, that it's almost as if I had no choice but to pursue the interest.

 

[wards]

Hobbies can turn into special interests, there isnt a guide book to this or rules per se.

 

[TBRS1]

For arts/craft type things, I like to order huge paper catalogs from art supply stores, browse through them, and imagine all the cool stuff I could do with some of those supplies, them, BANG! There ya go.

The paper copies - instead of website - makes a huge difference for me. Might not matter for everybody, though.

I also search YouTube using "how to" as the search term, then scrolling though a billion things somebody (who isn't me) finds interesting. Sometimes, though, something unexpected shows up. That's why in now grow waterlilies.

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

My special interests found me. It started with crystals and suddenly I was into geology and then fossils and now my specialty is Trilobites. I was also a Viewmaster fan and later in life acquired two Stereo Realist cameras. I now can make my own 35 mm stereo slides.

 

[Suzanne]

My special interests are those which I become heavily obsessed with and currently, it is Korean things or more to the point, the word.

I call them my special interests if they last many years.

 

[kriss72]

My special interests are those which I become heavily obsessed with and currently, it is Korean things or more to the point, the word.

What do you mean by "the word" in that last sentence? Btw I love Korea and their food, I feel like it is my second home country, I have been there many times.

 

[MNAus]

I'd also suggest that you don't need to hunt for your own manifestation of autism symptoms or traits. It could be that you just won't have "special interests". I have concepts that I find compelling (that all centre on the idea of networks and graphs) but I won't pay any attention to them for days. If I do have a situation where those buttons get punched, I'm beyond interested (e.g. they're building a new metro here, and I find the idea of tunnels being built between visible above-ground structures crazy interesting), but that's not an ongoing thing. Not everyone has all the traits.

 

[Suzanne]

What do you mean by "the word" in that last sentence? Btw I love Korea and their food, I feel like it is my second home country, I have been there many times.

Word as in KOREA.

Wow, you been there several times? I am so jealous lol

Had a taste of kimchi recently and although it was very spicy, I really liked the crispiness and freshness of the napa cabbage they use. However, I had the corn dog and it was disgusting!

 

[kriss72]

Word as in KOREA.

Ah I see, so the word Korea in it self, thank you for explaining

Wow, you been there several times? I am so jealous lol

I used to work for a Korean company, and have friends there, but it was a long time ago.

Had a taste of kimchi recently and although it was very spicy, I really liked the crispiness and freshness of the napa cabbage they use. However, I had the corn dog and it was disgusting!

One of my favorites is the Korean barbecue.

 

[Suzanne]

Ah I see, so the word Korea in it self, thank you for explaining

I used to work for a Korean company, and have friends there, but it was a long time ago.

One of my favorites is the Korean barbecue.

I would love to try, the pork with parella ( sorry for bad spelling) leaves. Love how they put the pork on top of the leaf and then, kimich and pop in the mouth lol

I used to work at a Japanese company in London, when I was 17.

 

[Sherlock77]

Regardless of of whether a hobby you enjoy becomes a special interest it's still a good thing...

The act of being creative is one the best things anyone can do

I would recommend a book called "Big Magic" by Elizabeth Gilbert, all about creativity... She believes, I have always believed, that everyone is creative, but that many people have suppressed it as adults, the whole notion of "every child is an artist"... Elizabeth Gilbert is a major author who wrote a book, I didn't but have often talked with people about it...

Big Magic | Official Website for Best Selling Author Elizabeth Gilbert

www.elizabethgilbert.com