Unlocking the secret of Serious Leisure: How it cultivates belongingness and boosts wellbeing

Over the past five years, I have explored Serious Leisure (SL) in diverse contexts. SL encompasses hobbies and voluntary activities which require learning new skills and creating commitment and social identity. SL should be challenging and rewarding, generate personal and communal benefits, and may become a profession. I have studied hobbies like bonsai growing, knitting, birdwatching, and pottery. The role of SL in cultivating a sense of belonging among people and how it impacts their overall wellbeing, is one of the most visible themes in my data analysis. An inductive thematic analysis reveals that regardless of the nature of the pastime, SL engagement has a social aspect, and the participants often establish clubs and associations. For example, there are 57 bonsai societies in Australia. Moreover, I explain how I used the belongingness theory to conceptualise my findings deductively. Finally, I discuss the practical implications in policymaking, practice and research.