The secret to finding the perfect hobby is to try lots of different things! You can sign up for short-term classes or workshops to decide if you enjoy an activity before you commit. Many hobbyist groups have introduction classes. Here in Toronto, for example, there are dozens of pottery shops that offer beginners classes. Check out whatever the local events newspaper is for more options.
I have a good friend, Layne Verbeek, who took a glass fusing class. He fell in love with it and at 50 started his own studio and became a full-time artist. Completely changing the course of his life. He has gone on to win awards for his work and has taught thousands of people.
You can also look at online resources and tutorials to determine if a hobby is something you can realistically get into. There are hundreds if not thousands of yoga videos on YouTube for people of all different levels. Try a few videos at home before committing to a class.
Meetup.com is also great resource to find groups in your local area. There are philosophy discussion groups, hiking groups, investing groups, the list is almost endless. With the internet finding like-minded people has never been easier.
Rent or borrow equipment before investing in a hobby. As mentioned before, if you can rent equipment to try a hobby then start there. Many places such as ski hills or golf courses offer rentals because they understand that the entry costs can be quite high.
Speaking of costs, don’t invest too much money initially. It is really easy to get caught up in all the gadgets or equipment associated with a hobby. When I started making pottery, I was buying every new tool I could get my hands on. I ordered hand made stamps from India. I had groovy wire cutters. I bought mason dyes to change the color of the clay and so on. I ended up with serious buyer’s remorse. When I moved, I had to give all of that equipment away. Lesson learned!
Give yourself permission to try and abandon activities. I have done Pilates, yoga, weight-lifting, martial arts. The list goes on. Some were not for me. Others had their time in my life but for one reason or another were no longer suitable. That isn’t to say I will never go back to them, but they don’t fit in my life at the moment.
Whatever hobbies you choose, the focus on should be on enjoyment, not perfection. You are not going to be good at something the first time. Pottery is a great example of that. I throw away more pots than I keep, and I’ve been throwing for years. So, if you can’t make a symmetrical bowl your first time out, cut yourself some slack. There will be a learning curve to all activities.