31 Ways to nurture your well-being and happiness in retirement.
If you’re like most people, your retirement planning efforts centered on building a financial portfolio designed to cover your expenses after you stopped working. But what about also planning for your emotional well-being? Psychologists believe that figuring out which activities will make you tick in your retirement years is just as important as safeguarding your financial security. As we examine different ways to enjoy retirement life, we encourage you to ask yourself this question: what activities make me happy?
While everyone’s interests are different, here are 31 ideas that can help inspire you to think about ways to maximize your happiness in retirement.
What to do in retirement to fill your days with joy:
- Work part-time doing what you love
- Volunteer for a non-profit, school, nursing home, or another mission dear to your heart
- Take a photography class
- Join a gym or exercise studio
- Learn a new language
- Join a book club
- Research your ancestry
- Play video games
- Train dogs or horses
- Take a tap, ballet, or ballroom dance class
- Travel to senior-friendly cities
- Start a collection of coins, seashells, or stamps
- Go hiking
- Bake sweet treats
- Become politically active
- Enroll in continuing education courses
- Do yoga or tai chi outdoors
- Visit museums, galleries, and science centers
- Play cards or other games
- Schedule regular playdates or phone calls with your grandchildren
- Write poems, short stories, or a novel
- Learn to paint, create pottery, make jewelry, or just be creative
- Join a religious organization
- Plant a garden
- Schedule regular dinner dates or get-togethers with friends
- Solve crossword puzzles
- Play golf or tennis
- Ride a bike or take walks
- Learn to meditate
- Assemble jigsaw puzzles
- Simply relax
The way you spend your time in retirement is all up to you. Only your rules apply, so choose activities that invite you to explore, enjoy, and savor. By doing so, you can maximize your retirement experience as you nurture your well-being and live your happy.
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