‘More time for personal activities’ is often cited in polls of over 70 year olds as one of the biggest benefits of growing old.
But, when you’ve spent as long as you can remember focusing on building your career and achieving your work goals, having hobbies has probably fallen to the wayside. Working doesn’t count as a hobby right? How are you supposed to know what you actually enjoy doing outside of that work life, when you haven’t had many other personal interests for the majority of your adult life!?
Look at this as an opportunity to fulfil your wildest dreams, instead of being terrified at the prospect. Remember when you were younger and you used to dream of going horseback riding, or learning to play the guitar, or traveling around Europe? Well, if you’ve never done those things, now is the time.
Not only will finding hobbies and meaningful activities fill your days with purpose, but it keeps you engaged in a social network and improves both your mental and physical wellbeing.
Take it back to basics when thinking about what your hobbies could be. Think about something that you enjoy and look at how you could make it into a hobby. So, for example, if you love food you could look at taking cooking classes or going on food tours in other countries. Or if you love animals, you could start dog walking or volunteering at a dog shelter.
Find some time to sit down and reflect on this, and go through the questions below to help you find your perfect hobby in retirement. Don’t think about it too much, just write down the first answer that comes to mind.
- What excites you?
- What is something that you never get bored of?
- What is a topic you could read endless books about?
- What is something you don’t know much about but have always been curious about?
- What do you wish you had done when you were younger?
- What is something on your bucket list?
Be willing to be open-minded and let in new inspiration, just like when you were a child. It might be that old hobbies come back to you, or that you find new interests you never knew existed.
I’m here to inspire you! Here are some of the most popular hobbies and interests that people pick up in later life and are easy to start right away. Look through the answers to your questions and see if any of these relate to what you’re interested in.
- Join a book club
- Attend fitness classes or start practicing a sport
- Take part in a community garden
- Learn a new language
- Attend an art class
- Go to wine tasting events
- Volunteer at a homeless shelter or animal shelter
- Go back to school and study something you’ve always wanted to learn
- Take dance classes
- Join a walking or hiking group
- Learn how to kayak or paddleboard
- Take a pottery class
- Go on safari in Africa, or go on a Europe trip
- Become an online gamer
- Start beekeeping
- Buy and sell antiques
- Get a telescope and learn more about astronomy
- Start a small business
- Become a tour guide
- Help out with wildlife conservation
- Upcycle furniture or clothing
Some other great ways to get inspired are to browse through ideas on Pinterest, it is full of DIY projects, craft ideas, hobbies, travel and art. TED Talks are a great source of inspiration across all topics (you can read my article on the top 10 TED Talks for retirement right here). Browse through endless YouTube videos for information on just about anything in the world. You can also connect with other retirees in social groups on Meetup.
Finding your purpose and passion in retired life can be a really daunting prospect. In my coaching program The Curated Retirement, we look at your passions and interests as a clue to what might bring you fulfilment in the next phase of your life. The course is launching in September, join the waiting list here: