One of the best parts of retirement is finally being able to spend your time doing what you like to do. As a child you have ideas about what you will be able to do when you grow up, only life says “Not so fast - you’ve got responsibilities!” My wife and I each have our own “happy place”, one bedroom in our 3-bedroom home. She sews, quilts, knits, and has just started experimenting with sourdough bread. I have over 150 succulent plants to tend, and I make apps for iPhones and iPads. Each of us has a project that gets us out of bed every morning. Thanks to Mark, going Primal & Keto has given us exceptional health as well.
I agree wholeheartedly with the importance of hobbies and other interests outside of work, although I've also managed to find satisfying work throughout my 80 year life.
In my case, I've had the benefit of working with tools from an early age, which gave me a good base for developing the skills to support the homesteading adventure that my wife and I pursued through the 1970s. The gardening and carpentry skills I developed in those years have continued to be useful and enjoyable, giving mental and physical exercise and the satisfaction of producing things for myself and others, including our children. I've never stopped the guitar playing I began at 19, and that's become the basis of great social activity, especially in retirement.
My wife has said that I have too many hobbies. I'm not sure why, because she frequently relies on my building, maintenance and repair abilities. As soon as I retired from a formal job, she had us designing a kitchen renovation, and when that was done it was onto renovating the bathrooms. Of course, I had projects in mind myself and had to interleave some of them with hers. There's a seemingly endless list of projects and tasks, many outdoors, so I don't expect any rocking chair time for years yet.
This is definitely the piece that has been lost for recent generations. And I wouldn't be a bit suprised if there is a direct inverse correlation with loss of hobbies and leisure pursuits with the rise and rise of mental health troubles.
I have just recently returned to learning the piano. I had started as a child but didn't get very far, then retried in my early 40s. Life got in the way again ... now approaching 60, and trying to find activities to counter extreme anxiety, I have found it is one of few activities that allows my soul and brain to be relieved of constant intrustive thoughts.
It is so difficult for me to read two lines of music and co-ordinate both hands I have finally found some mental respite!
I have also discovered an hour in church on a Sunday listening and singing hymns has a similar effect.
One of the best parts of retirement is finally being able to spend your time doing what you like to do. As a child you have ideas about what you will be able to do when you grow up, only life says “Not so fast - you’ve got responsibilities!” My wife and I each have our own “happy place”, one bedroom in our 3-bedroom home. She sews, quilts, knits, and has just started experimenting with sourdough bread. I have over 150 succulent plants to tend, and I make apps for iPhones and iPads. Each of us has a project that gets us out of bed every morning. Thanks to Mark, going Primal & Keto has given us exceptional health as well.
Love that, thanks for sharing!
I agree wholeheartedly with the importance of hobbies and other interests outside of work, although I've also managed to find satisfying work throughout my 80 year life.
In my case, I've had the benefit of working with tools from an early age, which gave me a good base for developing the skills to support the homesteading adventure that my wife and I pursued through the 1970s. The gardening and carpentry skills I developed in those years have continued to be useful and enjoyable, giving mental and physical exercise and the satisfaction of producing things for myself and others, including our children. I've never stopped the guitar playing I began at 19, and that's become the basis of great social activity, especially in retirement.
My wife has said that I have too many hobbies. I'm not sure why, because she frequently relies on my building, maintenance and repair abilities. As soon as I retired from a formal job, she had us designing a kitchen renovation, and when that was done it was onto renovating the bathrooms. Of course, I had projects in mind myself and had to interleave some of them with hers. There's a seemingly endless list of projects and tasks, many outdoors, so I don't expect any rocking chair time for years yet.
This is definitely the piece that has been lost for recent generations. And I wouldn't be a bit suprised if there is a direct inverse correlation with loss of hobbies and leisure pursuits with the rise and rise of mental health troubles.
I have just recently returned to learning the piano. I had started as a child but didn't get very far, then retried in my early 40s. Life got in the way again ... now approaching 60, and trying to find activities to counter extreme anxiety, I have found it is one of few activities that allows my soul and brain to be relieved of constant intrustive thoughts.
It is so difficult for me to read two lines of music and co-ordinate both hands I have finally found some mental respite!
I have also discovered an hour in church on a Sunday listening and singing hymns has a similar effect.
That's great. Learning an instrument and playing music is demonstrably good for the brain.