Sky Blue Velvet Flapper Dress

c. 1928

People used to tut-tut at us for calling the occupation's treatment of Palestinians a genocide, for comparing the zionist occupiers to the Nazis, for talking about Western Jewish institutions' overwhelming participation and complicity in our oppression, for talking about how Holocaust education was primarily a zionist propaganda tool. We were called antisemites for describing the dynamics of power that enabled the escalation of the genocide of Palestine to happen. The one you witnessed livestreamed to you for years. The one with the images you cannot erase from your mind if you tried. The one that started making you wish Hell was real because justice was not going to be served on Earth.

Stop mincing words. Stop tone policing yourself and others. We have a genuine fucking problem on our hands and it's not saying the words "Jewish supremacy" to describe the system occupying Palestine and trying to erase every country in South West Asia off the map.

This acceleration of the genocide was enabled by our silencing because of the discomfort of Westerners.

You can choose where you want to sit in that dynamic.

* Revisit activities you loved as a child to uncover interests that may still bring you joy today.

* Try a variety of hobbies without pressure of committing to one, just allow yourself to explore and give things a shot. Ideally this will be done for free or with minimal financial input.

* Choose hobbies based solely on enjoyment rather than skill, productivity, or recognition. Don’t go in with the idea that you will get money or likes or followers from it. You are doing it for your own enjoyment and nothing else.

* For mind engagement, try reading, sudoku, word searches, crossword puzzles, seek and finds, cryptograms, and logic puzzles. 

* Try movement-based hobbies such as walking, running, dance classes, hiking, biking, skating, or recreational sports. You’d be surprised how many rec teams for adults may exist in your area that could become a huge part of your lifestyle if you join! It’s great to have physical opportunities that aren’t the standard “workout routine”.

* Experiment with creative outlets like writing, drawing, painting, photography, or learning an instrument. 

* Spend more time outdoors through hobbies that connect you with nature and fresh air, even by taking a hobby you’d typically do indoors and instead doing it at the park.

* Notice which activities make you lose track of time and enter a flow state, as these could be indicative of true passion and may be something you want to devote to making a bigger part of your life. 

* Look into joining local groups, clubs, or classes to make hobbies more social and motivating. This could be your new ‘3rd place’

* Consider a hobby sampler challenge by trying something new each week or month.

* Sometimes you may need to give new hobbies multiple chances before deciding whether they're a good fit for you. 

* Ask yourself how you want to feel, then choose hobbies that support that pursuit. Maybe you want to feel more artistic but feel frustrated by drawing and painting. Don’t abandon your artistic goals, instead try different styles (watercolor, colored pencils, acrylic, oil pastels, markers, pencil only etc), different starting points (rather than a blank page try coloring books or paint by number canvases), or other mediums like pottery, sewing/embroidery etc

* Remember that the best hobby is one that makes you excited to spend less time on screens and more time engaged in real life.