Fun things to do
after you retire

"Congratulations, you’ve successfully sailed through the tough part of life — getting out of bed every day, making it to work, taking care of your family, managing the monthly spends, and also saving up for the future. Well done, and welcome aboard to a great retired life." Imagine being greeted with this wonderful message when you turn 60!

Retirement is something you can never really be sure about until you get there. It's like a long weekend, spread across 365 days, which you can live the way you want to, filling it up with beautiful experiences. This opportunity is in fact the greatest joys of this golden phase. You get the time and freedom to attack your to-do list of 'things I always wanted to do'– those adventures, activities and interests you couldn’t pursue since you were too busy living and raising a family.

But that’s not a problem anymore! A life free of a lot of survival worries and daily hassles, awaits you. Go ahead and make the most of it!

Here's a list of few options to keep engaged during your retired life: -

Travel — take that holiday you dreamt of

This is by far the topmost retirement wish for almost everyone. It is in fact the first thing that most people do after they retire. So why wait? When you have all the time, and no limitations on the holiday period – take that extended vacation you always wanted to.

Explore some new destinations. Live in that foreign country your cousins/nephews/nieces or some distant relatives are settled in. Take help from travel experts and get a customized world tour planned based on your personal interests, style, and activities to be pursued. Do whatever your heart tells you too!

It is not advisable to carry cash when you travel, instead carry a travel card that can store multiple currencies. 

Make friends who are already retired and living it up

A strong social network is known to be an important means to personal happiness, especially at an older age. You tend to spend the most of your working life with your office friends, but this changes once you retire, as some of your friends might be still working, and for others, priorities and interests may have changed.

Take this as a sign to make new friends! Go out, get acquainted with new people from your community or other retirees in your area, and hang out together. Make plans collectively and try meeting them daily or weekly. Join groups that promote health and well being through activities like morning/evening walk, yoga, meditation, laughter therapy, and so on.

Adopt a hobby

People today lead extremely busy lives and that leaves them barely any room to breathe. It becomes nearly impossible to pursue a hobby. This is why post retirement becomes the perfect time to do all the leisure activities you always wanted.

What was that one thing you really wanted to do as an adult, but never really got a chance? Wait no more, take up that hobby immediately.

It could be anything – photography, singing, dance, writing a book or a blog, learning a new language, learning to play a new instrument, even completing your education or another course, or just about anything that excites you.

Relive the memories with your loved ones / spouse

Relationships may seem to become monotonous and cold over time. Not that the love doesn't exist, but that it requires is a little rejuvenation. Make the most of your post-retirement phase by working on your prized relationships and rekindling the spark again.

Relive all the memories, those special moments, late night movies, long drives, short trips to nearby hill stations, cooking together, holding hands and walking along the beach, dinner dates, and everything beautiful.

This exercise does not have to be limited to your spouse; you can extend this bond-building effort to rejuvenate your connection with your friends and other family members too.

Try something new every week

Since retirement will free up considerable time for you, there is a high possibility that you find it slow and boring. Hence, it is very important to try new experiences, and keep things exciting around you.

Do try new things every week! It could be something as simple as a new hobby, catching a new movie, trying a new dish or outfit, or for that matter anything that fits your bill. In fact, your new motto should be - "don’t be shy to give anything a try!"

All in all, whatever you choose to do, make sure it makes you look forward to every new day. Happy Retirement ahead!