It's Never Too Late To Start A New Hobby

When we think of hobbies, we tend to think of children. Most kids have some sort of hobby that they enjoy after school or on the weekends. But why are hobbies something that many of us let go of when we become adults? Most likely it is because we get busy with life. Who has time for hobbies when you have to work, look after the house and raise kids?

My husband is set to retire in less than a year and I have to admit, I am worried. I mean, what is he going to do with his time? He can’t just follow me around. lol I have been encouraging him to get back to some of the hobbies he enjoyed longed before life got too busy. Or to try something new. Retirement will be very boring if he doesn’t find something that nurtures his mind, body and soul.

Hobbies are activities that can give you something to look forward to and enjoy doing each week. They can help you to build new useful or impressive skills. They can occupy your time in a productive and enjoyable manner. And some of them also make some money! How awesome is that?

When it comes down to it, you’re never too old to try something new. So, why not pick up a new hobby?

Here are a few ideas that might help to get the ball rolling for you:

New Hobbies To Try In Retirement

Music

I am hoping that my husband does get back to his guitar. He has an acoustic and an electric guitar, plus amps and microphones and sheet music galore. Heck, we used to have a sound studio in our house before we needed to convert it to a bedroom!

If you are interested in taking up an instrument, don’t worry if you don’t have anything at all to start or that you have never played anything before. You can pick up some really great second hand instruments online as well as find instructors.

You could teach yourself by watching instruction videos on You-Tube but I recommend at least a few lessons with an in-person teacher. Just make sure you get the right one. Look for instructors that regularly teach adult beginners and let them know exactly what you wish to be able to do. No sense in taking music theory and all that unless that really interests you.

Learning to play an instrument is a great hobby to take up in retirement and you will be a great hit at parties! Bring on the sing alongs!

Fitness

We should all get roughly one hundred and fifty minutes of moderate aerobic exercise a week, or seventy five minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise a week. But so few of us actually hit this target. Why? Because we’re trying to force ourselves to do types of exercise that we don’t genuinely enjoy.

Sure, the gym and jogging outdoors are easy and accessible forms of exercise and some people genuinely do enjoy getting involved with them. But if they’re not ticking your boxes, why not try something that you find more fun?

There are plenty of classes, sports teams and alternative options out there. You could get into swimming. You could try out hockey. You could go fencing. You could pick up a dance class. The list goes on and on.

My sister found a local hiking club for seniors that she really enjoys. Not only does she get to socialize, she gets outside and moving. Which is really great for someone that lives alone. She really looks forward to the weekly excursions to explore different trails in her area.

Creative Arts

Why not get creative? You could try a painting class at a local pub night, or join a knitting circle or take a pottery class or finally write that novel that is stuck in your head.

Creative hobbies keep your mind young and make you feel like you are productive with your time. Most are very portable and can be done on holiday or while relaxing in front of the TV at night.

The possibilities are endless. If you are not sure which creative hobby you would enjoy, try some on for size! Do some research, take a class or join a local group. Half the fun is just trying.

And remember, the purpose of a creative hobby is not to become the next Picasso or Stephen King. It is to find something that you enjoy to do. So what if you enjoy paint by numbers or write fantasy stories only you understand. If you love it, do it.

Volunteer

Volunteering is a great hobby that also gives back to your community. So many people can benefit from your knowledge, kindness, care and time. And you will feel oh so good about doing it!

You could teach English as a second language, spend time with newborns in NICU, walk dogs at the local animal shelter, serve meals at a soup kitchen, or re-stock books at a local library, just to name a few.

To find opportunities to volunteer, just google your town plus volunteer, and you are bound to find something that will interest you.

Blogging

Some of us journal. We have a notebook, diary or purpose made journal that we write in each day, noting down things we’re interested in, things we’ve done and other notable events.

If this is something that you personally do or something that you’d like to give a try, why not get involved in blogging? Blogging is essentially online journaling that’s open for the public to see. You can talk about whatever you please, setting it out into the world in digital online posts.

There are a number of free blogging platforms out there, so take a look around and see which best suits you. WordPress tends to be one of the most population options. You never know, if you get a big enough readership, you may even be able to turn this into a career, getting a proper website built, scheduling posts, using professional Managed IT Services and making money out of the entire venture!

Blogging is a hobby I took up over 6 years ago and it has changed my life. I was able to successfully transition it to a business and quit my job. And although I have been offered to sell my blog many times, I have turned them down because blogging is my love and passion. I don’t know what I would do if I let it go and I recommend blogging to anyone who likes to write and share their stories.

Don’t worry if you aren’t a good writer or don’t know what to write about or if you are technically challenged. Believe me, you will learn. And you will love every minute of it.

Cooking Or Baking

Now, most of us cook on a day to day basis to give ourselves nutrition and sustenance. But if you enjoy cooking or baking, why not go a bit further with it? There are a number of cooking classes and courses out there with different specialisms that can help to build your skills. Alternatively, you could try cooking along to online tutorials, cookery shows and more at home.

Plus, you could join a club or create your own. I have a friend that is part of a cooking group. They rotate every month who will be host and which type of cuisine they want to try. Then they get together for good food, great wine and awesome conversation. That sounds like fun, doesn’t it?

These are just a few suggestions you could try out, but hopefully, they’ll get your mind ticking over and you will choose a new hobby to enjoy soon!