Stuff like helping people I care about grow or handle challenges, connecting people who would likely get along well, creating or growing communities, being active and doing good stuff in my area, helping people do things like fixing their deck or whatever, a dab of local politics when it's worth it, just plain old keeping in touch etc.
It can be really rewarding and has some great long term benefits for everyone involved. It's not really seen as a hobby but it's certainly a "hobby" I'd love to see more people consciously participate in.
I visit different libraries in my city 2-3 times a week just to stroll through and open random books. I hope this always remains an option, because there is just something beautiful about opening a book, feeling the pages and even the smell when it is a particularly old book! LOL
In pre-AI days, I'd spend hours each week reading Wikipedia. There are so many topics about so many things in our wonderful world to learn about. Some are really tragic, some hopeful, some are about animals or plants in places I may never be able to visit, and so on.
Currently, I'm enjoying using AI to take me on "journeys" not only around the world, but through time and "dimensions" as well. For fictional works, I can engross myself into their world with a AI and "feel" like I'm there.
Reading is a neat distraction. Before I go to sleep I learn about something cool and interesting and when I have follow up questions, I am able to satisfy my curiosity.
calling friends on the phone is underrated.
It’s a hobby that simultaneously brings immense gratifying pleasure to oneself, while being able to share it with others to enjoy.
Incredibly fulfilling to get real time feedback of people smiling, swaying their bodies and nodding their head when playing random public pianos that I find, which is also a hobby of mine - seeking out public pianos and sharing music and sometimes even doing free repairs and tunings on them since a lot are in bad shape.
Learn some Japanese. Become less afraid of falling.
Not unexpected benefit, but just knowing more things.
The books that you read, the more things you will know.
The universe is expanding, read and let your mind follow suit.
The colors coming out of modern Sony/Canon/Nikon SLRs are technically perfect but people tend to prefer their memories with rose tinted glasses ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
But price to pay!