Self-Reliance · Avocations
Hobbies that build capability.
An avocation is a practice you return to for the pleasure of it, and it quietly makes a household more capable. Start with a few guides, look through some popular practices, or browse all 251.
By Dan Whelan, founder of New World Survival
Researched from government agencies, university extension services, and other published sources. See our sources
Start here
Begin with the why, then choose.
Nine guides on what an avocation gives you, how to choose one that fits, how to start without overspending, how to adapt it to your space and body, where to find your people, how to share it with family, and how to give it forward.
Start Your Avocation Now, Whatever the Future Holds
Why a lifelong practice pays off whatever the future of work brings, and where to begin this month.
Read the guideWhat Work Gives You, and How to Replace It
Structure, company, purpose, standing, and activity. What a job quietly provides, and how a practice can supply it.
Read the guideHow to Choose an Avocation That Fits Your Life
Compare a few candidates against your real life, then test one with a 30-day pilot before you commit.
Read the guideHow to Begin Without Buying Too Much
Borrow, rent, and share first. Let real practice write the shopping list.
Read the guideAccessible and Limited-Space Avocations
Fit a practice to a small home, a changing body, limited energy, or a tight budget.
Read the guideFinding a Club, Guild, Class, Mentor, or Maker Space
Where to find a club, guild, class, mentor, or maker space, and how to tell a good one.
Read the guidePracticing as a Family Across Generations
Share a practice with children, parents, and grandparents, with a real role for every age.
Read the guideWhen a Hobby Becomes a Side Income, and When It Shouldn't
When selling what you make adds to a practice, when it wears it down, and what to check first.
Read the guideTurning Private Practice into Community Service
Turn what you have learned into help someone can use, through a host, a defined role, and a small pilot.
Read the guidePopular avocations
Twenty-one good places to begin.
Practices that suit many households, from the garden bed to the camera bag. 21 guides are live now, and the rest are being written one at a time.
Vegetable gardening
Turns a patch of yard into a steady source of fresh food.
Beekeeping
Brings honey, wax, and stronger pollination to the whole garden.
Foraging
Reads the local landscape for food that costs nothing.
Fermenting
Keeps vegetables and drinks alive and edible for months.
Sewing
Makes and alters clothing instead of replacing it.
Woodworking
Builds and repairs the things a household needs.
Amateur radio
Reaches family and news when the usual networks go quiet.
Amateur geology
Reads the ground, its water, and its history.
Herb gardening
Keeps fresh flavor growing on a windowsill or patio.
Canning
Puts a summer harvest on the shelf for winter.
Bread baking
Makes a daily staple from flour, water, and time.
Quilting
Turns fabric scraps into warm, lasting bedding.
Knitting
Turns yarn into warm layers that last.
Pottery
Forms bowls and jars from raw clay.
Soapmaking
Makes a daily household staple from a few shelf-stable ingredients.
Candlemaking
Makes reliable light from wax and wick.
Camping
Builds comfort and calm away from home systems.
Hiking
Builds the endurance to cover ground on foot.
Painting
Builds skill with color, light, and patience.
Photography
Records places and people with care.
Storytelling
Keeps knowledge and memory alive between people.
Browse by activity
251 ways to build a capable life.
Nineteen families of practice, from the vegetable bed to the workbench to the quiet work of a steady mind. 24 guides are live so far, and every card shows what the practice builds.
Browse all 251 avocations