Retired? Get a Hobby!
Before you retired, you probably looked forward to long stretches of unplanned time. Now that you're retired, you may wonder how you're going to fill up all that time. Researchers find that retired people who get involved in hobbies are happier and tend to live longer. Here are some of our most popular retirement hobby articles. You can also scroll down for more ideas.
Exercise Your Mind - Poetry Groups
Remember those limericks you couldn’t get enough of as a young person? Remember those song lyrics you will never forget? Poetry is so much more than Shakespearean sonnets, it is a hobby that everyone can enjoy and is a great way to keep your mind working in a way that causes no stress to your body. Try poetry or poetry groups as a retirement hobby.
Poetry Hobby
For the Active Senior - Senior Softball
Just because you have retired from working, doesn't always mean you are ready to slow down. Senior softball is becoming more popular because it is a great way to socialize, and is also a great way to stay fit, and have fun. Try senior softball as a retirement hobby.
Senior Softball
Step Into The Past - Collecting And Selling Antiques
Step into the past and use your lifelong knowledge for a new retirement hobby. Collecting and selling antiques is a fun and challenging hobby where you can socialize and even make money. If you have ever had a collection in your life, this might be right for you. Try collecting and selling antiques as a retirement hobby.
Collecting and Selling Antiques
Capture The Moment - Digital Photography
Digital Photography can be a great retirement hobby. There are so many possibilities when it comes to digital photography. You can photgraph nature, family, cars, virtually anything. Photgraphs are fun to share and with the right experience you can turn photography into a retirement hobby that pays. Try digital photography as a retirement hobby.
Digital Photography Hobby
For The Automobile Lover - Model Cars
If you have always loved cars, but are past the days of fixing your own car, you might want to consider taking up building model cars as a retirement hobby. If you are the patient and crafty type, building model cars is a lot of fun and rewarding as your projects come together. Try building model cars as your retirement hobby.
Model Cars Hobby
A timeless hobby - Gone Fishing
Did you always dream of having more free time to go fishing and enjoy the outdoors?. Fishing is a very relaxing and enjoyable retirement hobby that has been around for as long as anyone can remember. Try Fishing as your retirement hobby.
Retirement Fishing
Use your skills, Help the Environment - Build a Birdhouse
Building a birdhouse is a very enjoyable retirement hobby. You can use the skills you may already have, and you can help the environment. This hobby also can lead to other hobbies and can even lead to part time income as well. Try building birdhouses as a retirement hobby.
Build a Birdhouse
Stay active, Enjoy the outdoors - Golf
Golf is a great retirement hobby to get involved in. This is a relaxed, yet still athletic sport that you can enjoy alone, with a complete stranger, with your significant other, or a friend. If you love the outdoors, spending time with people, and keeping in shape definitely consider Golf as a retirement hobby.
Golf and Retirement
Get Involved – Volunteer
Volunteering can be rewarding and sociable. Many organizations need volunteers. If you like working with kids, how about doing some tutoring? If you like to organize things, why not get involved in local government, or work with the Red Cross as a coordinator? Look around - whether it's the local senior center, the historical society, or the food bank, there are organizations that could use your help. Being a volunteer makes you feel useful, and gets you involved in the community. You've got a reason to get going in the morning, and folks to talk with when you get there.
Retired Senior Volunteer Programs
Learn about your past - Genealogy
Genealogy is another hobby that is incredibly popular. To trace your family tree, start by gathering all the information you can from your family members about people, dates of birth, and family stories. The Internet and your local library can provide many resources to help you in your search. A lot of public records can now be accessed online - genealogy is no longer about spending time in a dusty records office.
Doing genealogy research has some fun side benefits. In your search, you often meet people who are looking for information about the same people you're researching. You can even meet a distant relative. Many people travel to the significant places in their family history, whether it's the next town over, or a return to the "homeland". There's a special thrill in visiting a place connected with your family.
Basics to Genealogy
Get Crafty - Scrap booking
Crafts have always been popular hobbies, and there are many stores that can help you find the supplies you need to get started. One of the most popular crafts right now is scrapbooking.
Scrapbookers create books filled with memories, using photos, souvenirs and other objects that play into the theme of the book. A scrapbook for wedding might have lacy streamers, rice and pressed flowers, while a book about a soccer team could have team photo, cutouts of soccer balls and the scores clipped from the local paper. It's easy to make scrapbooks without any special skills. As you do more scrapbooking, you can make your project as simple or as elaborate as you want. You're also capturing precious memories.
There are many other crafts to explore - making stained glass, knitting and needlework, decorating furniture, wood working, and model building, to name just a few. Check out local adult education programs - they offer craft courses to get you started.
How to Make a Scrapbook
Have Fun
Having hobbies is all about doing something fun. You may need to try a few things before you find the perfect hobby for you. Take the time retirement gives you to find new and fun hobbies. You'll be happy you did.
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