Your New Retirement Lifestyle: Reinvent Work, Travel, and Start a New Hobby

As I indicated in a previous article, we are living longer and healthier lives. There is time to reinvent yourself and try new things. Here are some additional suggestions.

Travel – Now is the time

For whatever reason, traveling may not have been a priority in your second age. If you haven’t given it much thought, here are some interesting ideas.

o House swap in another country
o Trips in domestic or foreign recreational vehicles
o Eldertreks (elderstreks.com) stress-free trips around the world for people over 55
o Take a walking vacation
o Traveling with the grandchildren
o Rent a houseboat
o Take a vacation in a hostel

reinvent work

There are a plethora of reasons to keep working. Maybe you just need the money, or health benefits, or want to stay physically or mentally active. Have you considered going back to a career?

A recent Associated Press survey indicates that at least 66% of retiring baby boomers plan to work. Also, many employers are quite interested in hiring experienced and mature workers, especially with business experience. Never think that you are too old, because you may be admitting a flaw that is not even there.

Here are some great ways to reinvent work:

o Start a Small Business – The SBA has a very informative website to help you get started.
o Help alleviate the teacher shortage: Become a teacher or substitute: Most school systems offer emergency certification programs.
o Caring for someone else’s property: Check out the Caregiver’s Gazette if you have the time and flexibility to join the many retirees who are doing this.
o Work from your RV or work while living in your RV.
o Relocate for semi-retirement: You can find a new place to live and work. Read Where to Retire magazine to find attractive locations.
o Phase your retirement: Make it gradual rather than abrupt.

start a new hobby

Starting a new hobby is a great way to recharge your senior years. If you’ve been in a constant routine, working long, hard hours, a hobby will give you a new perspective on the years to come. Remember, you are going to find the new you!

o Learn to be an artist: Visit your local galleries and participate in their educational programs. You can also take correspondence courses. On the Internet, visit Art Instruction Schools (artists-ais.com). Or, you can enroll in a variety of online courses from schools like the Art Institute. Or, you can sign up for a popular adult education course in your local community.
o Learn to play a musical instrument
o Start collecting antiques. Pick up a copy of The Unofficial Guide to Collecting Antiques by Sonia Weiss.
o Start a collection: Stamps and coins come to mind. Consider subscribing to Hobbyist magazine.
o Genealogy – If you visit the genealogy.com website, an easy step-by-step guide is available.
o Learn to pursue a hobby – take a vacation challenge – why not take a vacation that improves your skills for a hobby that interests you? I suggest Ghost Ranch and Folkschool. If you have any musical talent, Hidden Valley Music offers a variety of music instruction culminating in performances at all levels.