Hobbies are extremely theraputic - when we do them. You are right about getting the motivation to get going to do them however. I don't know why this is so. For example, I am a visual artist. I love the process of making art no matter the end product. It just makes me so very calm to do so. But the problem is getting it all out and setting up a space in the first place. I just can't get up the gumption. It is the same thing with my most loved passion of kayaking - although that takes more effort to do so.

So why do we not rush to do these things that not only sooth and calm us but give us great joy?

One reason I think comes down to our low senses of self worth when we are depressed. The lower we feel the lower our opinion of our worthiness drops too. Could it be then that we don't feel we deserve the act of pursuing our hobbies in the first place?