Reading
Few things will keep you sharper. Join a book club or enroll in a literature class. Is there a book you started many years ago and never finished? Now that you’re retired, you may finally have the chance.
Reading is a low-cost activity designed to keep you razor-sharp and well-informed. It sparks the imagination, opens new doors and worlds, and bridges generations and even centuries. Unfortunately, we’re living in a time when many people have forgotten that. Even so, there’s no reason for you to be among the millions of Americans who haven’t read a single book in the past year, and it’s very likely there’s a public library within easy distance of your home where you can enjoy countless hours of entertainment at absolutely no cost.
What could be more rewarding than helping your grandkids develop a love of reading? Reading sparks the imagination, opens new doors and worlds, and bridges generations—and your grandchildren will likely be grateful when they look back at how you were the one who turned them on to reading. What a legacy that would be.
Painting
In a recent post, we discussed a couple of individuals who didn’t start painting until an age when most Americans are well into retirement. They found their niche in painting and refused to let any of the conventional excuses stop them from doing what they wanted. If you’re looking for a new hobby that’s likely to benefit you emotionally, mentally, and physically, painting may right for you, too.
Physically? Yes, physically. We don’t normally think of painting as physical exercise, but it offers some of the same hand-eye challenge associated with sports like baseball and golf. Whether you’re playing one of these sports or painting, your hand has to react to what your eye sees, and, regardless of your age, your coordination will improve with practice.
Of course, painting can unlock your creativity as well. There are many choices to make when it comes to painting—landscapes … portraits … still life … watercolors … oils … acrylics …— and every new painting promises a new adventure that can last days, weeks, or even months. Then there’s the payoff—the finished product, something you’ve created from nothing. Whether you’re ever able to sell a painting or not, you’ll definitely create something of value for friends and family members. Perhaps, as some seniors do, you’ll develop a habit of giving your paintings to people who are sure to treasure them. Perhaps you’ll donate your latest work to a fundraiser. Or maybe you’ll decide instead to hang on to all your finished paintings so that you can have an exhibition of your work in a few years. Other seniors have become accomplished painters without ever giving it a try when they were younger—and maybe you can be the next in that line!