Time is our most precious commodity. If we are living longer than ever before, and we are retiring younger than ever before, it makes sense that we would want to do what we can to have the highest quality of life during this time. Many of us can feel ourselves getting older, but it doesn’t have to be that way. These three hobbies can help you keep your mind and body young and help increase your overall quality of life.
Play The Guitar
Arthritis can be one of the most frustrating parts of retirement. One out of five Americans suffer from some variation of arthritis or chronic joint pain. Researchers claim that keeping your hands active and moving is a great way to help them stay healthy. Don’t worry about playing for long periods of time; just play often! Even if it is a few minutes here and there.
Never played the guitar? The best time to start is now. You can pick up a decent guitar at a local music shop. Make sure the strings are close to the fret board (neck), so you don’t have to push very hard. If you are willing to make a little bit of an investment, it will pay off. The better guitar you buy, the more likely you will stay with it. It will sound better and be easier to play. Personally, I play the Fender Strat as my electric and a Martin Guitar for my acoustic. You don’t need to pay for a pro-level guitar to get the experience you need. Just avoid something that costs $100. It’s not worth it.
Pick out an acoustic or an electric, it won’t matter. Both are fun and have different benefits. Most kids, when they start learning the guitar, don’t see a private teacher. When they start, they google their favorite songs and read the “tab” literature. This video can teach you everything you need to know in seven minutes. It is easy to follow and makes it much more fun than worrying about learning notes and how to read music. We’d recommend this resource for finding tabs of songs you wish to learn and play.
If you learn scales, like the pentatonic scale, you can jam to music that is on your stereo or computer. In fact, improvisation in music can help keep your mind and whit sharp and playful. This is a fun, second step in your adventure in learning the guitar.
Whether you are experienced in playing the guitar or just starting, all levels can have fun. If you are looking for easy rock and roll, you may consider “Smoke on the Water” by Deep Purple. Some other classic songs to learn for the beginner would be “Wish you Were Here” by Pink Floyd, “Let it Be” by the Beatles, or “Sunshine of Your Love” by The Cream.
When it comes to keeping your hands nimble, your mind quick, and having a fun party trick, the guitar can be a great new hobby for retirees.
Learn The Science Of Good Cooking
Food is fuel. Good fuel keeps us healthy while bad fuel slowly destroys our body. The problem is the best tasting “fuel” tends to not be very good for our bodies. When it comes to “good cooking,” most can get behind the great flavor salt and butter can add to most any dish. The problem is, too much salt and too much butter can be harmful. After 50 years of cooking your favorite meal, changing your home menu may seem difficult. That is why we are putting “learn the science of good cooking” as a new hobby. The idea is to help expand your culinary ability to healthier meals while enjoying the curiosity that can stem from the kitchen experimentation that can help elevate a retiree’s quality of life.
In the book, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, Samin Nosrat explains the fundamentals that make up good cooking. There’s a reason why butter, a fat, is so tasty. However, butter is not the only fat that is available to elevate a dish’s flavor. Instead of always deferring to butter as your go-to meal enhancer, why not try a different kind of fat… a healthier fat. This book is a great starting point for all to learn and understand how it is possible to enjoy good cooking and healthy cooking.
We are not supporting any diet in particular. That is between you and your doctor. Research has shown, though, that we are living longer… and sicker. Research suggests this is due to the American diet. Understanding what foods can hurt you, if done in excess, and being deliberate in your ingredients in each meal can bring more variety in your life while elevating the quality of your life. Why not make it a hobby? Explore the limitless culinary world of cooking, and get the vitamins and nutrients you need from natural sources.
If it is not fun, it probably won’t stick. When you can gain the knowledge on how to craft incredible meals without a recipe, only then can cooking become a beneficial hobby that you (and all your friends) can enjoy. Eat well, live well.
Try Yoga
Exercise is important, but how about exercise in the form of stretching? Yoga, the most popular exercise that centers around stretching, is no easy task. With time and practice, yoga can help your body become stronger, more coordinated, more balanced, and more flexible. No one is asking you to tie yourself into a human knot; we are talking about yoga that fits your particular level. Regardless of your level and ability, all should be able to gain significant benefits from this activity. Don’t worry about completing each position. You can always modify to your ability, so it is safer and beneficial.
Not only can yoga help the body, but research has shown that stretching can also help your mental cognitive awareness. By activating different parts of your body through different poses, you can breakthrough physical “stiffness” as well as mental “stiffness” and receive a number of other benefits, too. According to the American Council on Exercise, these benefits include:
- Decreased stress
- Enhanced performance
- Enhanced range of motion
- Improved blood flow and circulation
- Improved health
- Improved muscular function
- Improved quality of life
- Minimized wear and tear on joints
- Reduce pain and stiffness
- Reduced risk of injury
If you have never tried yoga, or are nervous to attempt it, we recommend you go to a beginner class where you can work in a classroom setting with an instructor who can help show you how to practice safely. If you have some experience and would rather practice at home, there are a number of incredible apps and YouTube channels that help guide your session.
In Summary
If we are going to have longer retirements than ever before, we might as well be proactive in keeping our minds and bodies sharp and healthy. Guitar, cooking, and yoga are just three of the many hobbies that can help elevate your quality of life during retirement. Whether you decide to try one of them out, or you decide to go in a different direction, we hope that your take away is to be deliberate in keeping yourself healthy, both mentally and physically. Time is our most precious commodity, and if we can have more of it, let’s try to get more out of it.
