After years of dreaming, it's finally here. The first day of the second, and possibly most fun part of your life, is retirement. Just like those first few days of summer vacations of childhood, the excitement is palpable. This time, however, there's no back-to-school looming in the distance, and you don't have to ask permission to do what you want. Plus, there are so many exciting things to do that you'll be ready to get up and out the door every day.
To begin with, there are those things you always wanted to try but never had the time, such as:
- Learning to play an instrument – Some music stores sell secondhand instruments, so go ahead and pick up that guitar, trumpet, or saxophone, or dust off the piano you bought for your spouse or kids and hire a teacher.
- Learning a new language – Parlez vous francais? Why, yes, you can! See if a local college offers continuing education classes in foreign languages or maybe your community center offers them. If not, check into such computer programs as Rosetta Stone or apps such as Duolingo.
- Go back to school – Maybe you don't want to stop at just picking up a new language. State colleges offer special, often free, tuition for older students, and you can earn the bachelors or even upper level degree you always wanted. You can also look into certifications in particular areas for small fees.
- Community theater – If there's one nearby, you might want to try out your acting chops. If you're too shy for that, you could help with sets, props, or costumes, sell advertising, or man the ticket booth.
- Cooking – Many craft stores offer cake decorating classes, while community centers may offer courses in everything from baking to barbecuing.
- Crafts – Get creative and take up scrapbooking, painting, calligraphy, origami, or quilting, and sewing. As any Texan knows, learning how to create the perfect homecoming mum is time definitely well spent.
- Genealogy – Tracing your roots can be rewarding, but very time consuming. Now you have the time to not only do the research, but also travel to small towns and courthouses for documents, and perhaps see some old family homes and cemeteries. Maybe you could take a younger family member and learn the family roots together.
Keep in mind that the things you learn could turn into something lucrative. You could start your own small business. You could sell paintings or handmade items locally or on Etsy or make cakes for birthdays, graduations, or weddings. Those homecoming mums will have people knocking down your door the day football season starts in Texas. If you've taken technology classes, you can always find someone who needs a computer repaired. If you're good at tinkering, there are many people who don't want to replace their small appliances and need a reliable person to call on and who they'll likely call again.
While you're learning new things, you'll also make new friends. There are lots of things you can do as a group, such as:
- Group lunches – one person could recommend a restaurant for the group one week, then trade off. You may find a few new favorite places.
- Dinner parties – Expand on the lunch theme and go out for the evening or stay in for potluck meals or cookouts. There's also the more traditional dinner party, where a host prepares an entire meal for a given number of guests. The next month, another member of the group takes over the host/hostess duties, having the group over to their home and preparing the meal.
- Game night – Invite new friends over for a night of card games or board games. Anyone up for Hungry Hungry Hippos? Well, maybe something a bit more mature.
Don't forget your old friends. Just because you've retired doesn't mean you should stop getting together with work friends, too, or reconnect with those high school friends you've only been in touch with on social media.
Staying fit is important, and it doesn't have to be a chore. Resistance training is critical to keep your muscles strong. It can make the difference of whether or not you can get off the toilet. Yoga is good for balance issues, reducing stress, and helps improve and maintain muscle, joint health, flexibility, and mobility. Walking, cycling, and swimming can help you keep your heart and lungs healthy and you can do them with a group of friends or alone. Fishing and golfing not only provide exercise, but they help with relaxation. And who says dancing isn't exercise? Get out there and jitterbug and see how long it takes for you to be out of breath.
In the end, there's always writing. Now that you've retired, you have a long life to look back on. Everyone has a story. You might have some exciting things to tell about your life or the lives of your loved ones. You could have a stack of recipes from several generations of women in your families. Create a cookbook, complete with memories of when special dishes were prepared and the relatives who prepared them. Perhaps you have the next great American novel in your head ready to be put on paper. You can also keep a journal just for yourself. Writing can be therapeutic and just plain fun when you aren't worrying about grammar and spelling.
Whatever you do, you have earned this time. Think back, think ahead, and enjoy the second, and maybe best, part of your life!