It’s important throughout your life to keep your
mind and intellect challenged or engaged. Hobbies or pastimes can help or
taking a community education class to open up new horizons in your life even
for retirees. Old dogs can learn new tricks! Interacting with
grandchildren or improving your computer skills can help you keep the jump on
aging. Retirement years are not the time to forget about self-improvement. As
long as you are still breathing, there are always new things to master. If you
want to learn. Reading and developing skills like hiking, rock polishing, jewelry
making, woodworking, card games or sudoko-crossword puzzles can keep your mind
active.
Many
resources are available today through the Internet, libraries, nearby college
campuses and community education classes to enrich your daily life. You could volunteer
for a worthwhile endeavor that requires you to think like tutoring school
children or teaching English as a second language. In your journal make a list
of some activities you’d like to try if you are retired or hope to be sometime
in the future. Is there a talent or hobby that you could improve or share with
others?
I’ve
found that teaching others some subject is a great way to stimulate my own
learning as I focus on how to do something. Right now I’m interested in visual journaling
or art journals as a way of making breakthroughs in understanding my own
emotions. I want to develop artistic abilities I had in my younger years but
neglected as I focused on surviving as a single parent. I remember my son
asking me Why don’t you dance any more? Dancing
was a great love of mine in my younger years. But in my middle age years,
working to put bacon on the table took precedence. Now in my retirement years,
I have the luxury and health to enjoy hobbies without limit. Though my spirit’s
willing, my body has aged. 
Here’s
a hobby list to consider: photography, water aerobics, line dancing, poetry,
visual journaling, hiking, travel, family relationships, mentoring youth,
writing, church service or genealogy are just a few items on my plate at this
time. I will never be bored as there is always something to learn. Now it’s
time for you to make a list, then a commitment to make some time in your daily
schedule to develop a new talent or interest. NEXT TIME: Spiritual Nourishment