Retirement can be a great time to rekindle your passions and enjoy yourself. If you’re wondering what new activities to try, here’s a list to get you started.
Exercise
Now that you’ve got that extra bit of time, consider starting up or rekindling a physical activity you enjoy. Exercise has been shown to be beneficial for you in many ways, including keeping your body healthy, warding off dementia, and keeping you sharp and happy.
Is nothing coming to mind? Try some of these activities:
- Yoga
- Tai Chi
- Dance Class
- Fishing
- Gardening
- Light running/jogging
- A new low impact sport
- Joining a gym
Travel
Where’s that place you’ve always wanted to go? Central America? Europe? Thailand? For many people, traveling is a great opportunity to have a new exciting experience, or just relax and enjoy themselves.
If you don’t have a travel partner, consider booking a seniors tour where you can travel with others. If you are traveling somewhere unfamiliar, it can be a good idea to plan to go with others.
For tips on safe traveling, visit our blog.
Computer classes
Do computers still confuse you? Consider taking some classes to help you learn.
For a comprehensive directory of computer classes in Vancouver, visit http://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/computer-and-technology-programs.aspx
Think you can get by without a computer? Perhaps you can, but the computers (and the internet) can be really useful! Keeping in touch with loved ones, shopping online, reading the news, or watching movies can all be done with your computer.
Get in touch with your Artistic Side
Retirement is a great time to get in touch with your artistic side. Here are some artistic endeavours you can enjoy:
- Painting/Drawing – Pick up some paper, canvas, paint, pencils, or whichever fun mediums you’d like to use. See what comes out!
- Photography – New to Photography? There are classes which can help you get started. Cameras can be quite costly, but many people enjoy photography, and the photos are priceless!
- Scrapbooking – Have a ton of photos lying around? Why not make a scrapbook! Invite friends and family to join.
- Learn a musical instrument – Buy a cheap guitar, ukulele, or start playing that old piano in your home. Learning a musical instrument can be fun, a great skill to whip out at parties, and keep your mind healthy and active.
Going to the Theatre
Vancouver has a great arts scene. If you like theatre or want to try something new, you can visit
http://www.vancouverplays.com/index.shtml and http://www.gvpta.ca/vancouver-theatre-guide to see if anything stirs an interest!
Volunteering
It feels good to give back to the community! There are lots of causes and opportunities in Vancouver. Perhaps you have a cause which is close to your heart, or perhaps you’re looking to expand your horizons and experiences. Try looking at http://www.volunteerbc.bc.ca/ for opportunities.
Continuing Education
If you have a drive to learn new things, remember it’s never too late to start! Many post-secondary institutions have discounted rates for seniors in BC. As a starting point, you can check out UBC at https://cstudies.ubc.ca/seniors
Have you tried an activity in retirement not listed above you’d like to share? You can share with us in the comments section!
Tags: Hobbies activities